Hockey's Amirul named runner-up at Prothom Alo Sports Awards, dedicates honour to teammates

Hockey player Amirul Islam has been named one of the two runners-up for Sportsperson of the Year at the Prothom Alo Sports Awards. It is the first time he has received this recognition. Former hockey player Rafiqul Islam Kamal handed the crest to him on stage.

After receiving the award, Amirul said: 'It feels very good. I have received this award for the first time. I hope I can maintain consistency. I will try to keep up my performance on the field. If I can do that, awards will come.'

A major contribution behind Amirul's recognition was his performance at the Under-21 Youth World Cup. In Bangladesh hockey's first-ever World Cup appearance, the team finished 17th among 24 teams. At the tournament held in India, Amirul was the top scorer with 18 goals in six matches, including five hat-tricks. He was named player of the match in four matches, and his brilliance helped Bangladesh win the Challenger Trophy.

The hero of five World Cup hat-tricks dedicated his award to his teammates. He said: 'I want to dedicate this award to my teammates. This success is because of them. Their contribution behind it is the greatest.'

Beyond his performance on the field, Amirul is also recognisable by his hairstyle. His shoulder-length curly hair, similar to the style of footballer Hamza Choudhury, has earned him the identity of 'hockey's Hamza'. But he did not grow his hair following Hamza. Amirul said: 'At BKSP I had to keep my hair short. I started growing it during my university days. After Hamza bhai arrived, my hair came to more people's attention.'

Amirul has played two tournaments for the national team. Since his debut at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he has played 25 international matches.

On his goals ahead, the young hockey star said he wants to work harder for the country and deliver something even better.