Eyes on Chhetri as India face Bangladesh in Asian Cup qualifier

Bangladesh have not beaten India since the 2003 SAFF C'ship in Dhaka but there have been a few close encounters since

- Dhiman Sarkar

SHILLONG: The question was on the weight of expectations and with his answer, which wrapped up their part of the official pre-match media conference, Jamal Bhuyan set the context for Bangladesh. We know what has happened in the last one year, said the Bangladesh skipper and midfielder speaking in Bangla. It will add an edge to what the midfielder said is a match "against your big brother. And those are matches you always want to win."

Even for a man who survived being repeatedly shot as a teen in Denmark and built a football career that looked to be over before it had started, Bhuyan said he and his mates are feeling the pressure ahead of Tuesday's 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against India here. But they are "cool" dealing with it, he said.

After an interim government took charge in Bangladesh last August, bilateral relations with neighbours India have been hit. Bhuyan did not elaborate but said there is a "little more focus for them" going into this match. India and Bangladesh have had a few feisty encounters but this will be the first meeting since a popular uprising overthrew Sheikh Hasina's government in 2024.