Creating a landmark moment for Bangladesh hockey, the U-21 team outplayed Thailand 7-2 in the Hockey Junior Asia Cup in Muscat, Oman, yesterday to secure a spot in next year's FIH Junior World Cup in India -- set to be the country's maiden appearance in a hockey World Cup at any level.

In 2008, Bangladesh's youth hockey team -- who featured in the Youth Olympic Games in 2014 and 2018 -- came close to qualifying for the main event but returned home disappointed after a 1-0 defeat to Malaysia in the deciding fixture.

This time, despite uncertainties over the preparation camp, a lack of practice matches, and no domestic competitions, Mehrab Hasan Samin's team did not disappoint the nation.

"Though our target was to secure a place in the Junior World Cup, I still can't believe we have achieved this feat. I feel really proud to be the captain of this team and want to thank my teammates, coaching staff, and everyone else for their hard work," captain Samin told The Daily Star over the phone from Muscat.

"The journey was really hard for us because there was uncertainty about starting the training camp after August 5, as hardly any federation officials were active. Finally, the camp began in September under the directives of the BHF president, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, and the players showed determination and dedication to achieve this goal," Samin informed.

"We progressed step by step, with draws against strong teams like Malaysia and China being significant achievements. Finishing third in the pool was crucial, as we knew we would face Thailand, and that gave us a better chance to secure a World Cup spot."

Samin also urged the authorities to arrange an open-top bus to celebrate their "truly memorable" achievement upon their arrival on Friday.

"We have seen in the past that the cricket and football teams received grand welcomes at the airport and were given open-top bus receptions. My teammates and I would love to experience the same," said Samin, a second-year Dhaka University student.

Coach Moududur Rahman Shuvo, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the BHF president and BKSP DG for providing facilities. He also praised his players for their temperament, commitment, and dedication over the past three months.

"After playing a 30-minute practice match against Korea before the tournament began, the boys gained confidence and courage, realising they could perform well. They delivered outstanding performances in all five matches," Shuvo told The Daily Star from Muscat.

"The boys were highly focused on qualifying for the Junior World Cup, keeping in mind that such a feat could rejuvenate the domestic hockey circuit. A World Cup berth could draw renewed attention to hockey, make the turf busy again, and give players more opportunities to participate in domestic competitions," Shuvo said, adding that the team had achieved their mission for the nation's hockey.