Sports desk: Bangladesh will be the champion, how can it not be celebrated in an open-top bus! Sanjida Akhter posted on social media on the morning of the SAFF final in 2022 about such a request. Instantly it spread like wildfire. After that, the girls fulfilled the expectations by showing their skills in field games. Saf gave the country its first taste of title.

saf

The champion girls were escorted in an open-top bus from the airport to the Bafuffe building with a garland of flowers around their necks. Thousands of spectators accompanied Sabina-Sanjidad on that journey. That scene two years ago is still fresh in forward Krishna Rani Sarkar's mind. The footballer, who scored two goals in the service final, was overcome with excitement while talking about that day.

He said, 'What an incredible day it was for us! Still feels new. It was a matter of real pride for us.'
The champion girls are standing at the door of another success today. In the final of the second consecutive series, they will take on Nepal at the Dashrath Stadium in their quest to retain the crown.

And that question keeps coming back and forth. Will the open-top bus festival again? Sanjida, one of the makers of the open-top bus two years ago, hopes for the same this time. Sharing his feelings on social media yesterday, the winger wrote, 'It is important that we do well to inspire the country's reforms and new awakening activities. The mission is to retain the trophy and we want to win it to give the countrymen another occasion to celebrate. And we will do that, inshallah.

Pray for us.' Captain Sabina Khatun, however, is not ready to comment on the arrangement of the open-top bus. Sabina's answer to this question in the press conference at Dashrath Stadium yesterday, 'I won the match first. Then not....' But he is also hoping for something if he can win the title.

And to bring this occasion of celebration, the best craft must be shown on the field. Sabina has to lead from the front. This footballer, who has played in the national team for 14 years, is ready to take that responsibility, said, 'Look, I have been playing in the national team since 2010. I am very happy with the team that is playing now. They are playing very well.

I want to move forward with them. I am trying to motivate the team, keep the field tidy and make sure the team is okay no matter what happens. Yes, I am also ready to give my best.' Not only Sabina, Rituparna Chakma, who has been in great form so far in the tournament, or Tahura Khatun, who scored five goals, can also shape the fate of the match. Similarly, Nepal's Savitra Bhandari can spread fear in the defense of Bangladesh.

Sabina said in an interview to Kal Kantha earlier that it will be difficult to stop Savitra. The forward's recent form playing for French club Guingham also speaks for itself. In the semi-final against India under pressure, the crucial goal came from his legs. However, Bangladesh's defense is ready to stop him. If Afida Khandkar, Masura Parveen can block Savitra-Preeti and Sabina-Tahurad's feet match the goal, then there can be another open-top bus festival!