Hockey player Kamal announces retirement

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Celebrated national forward Rafiqul Islam Kamal of Usha KC retired from playing hockey Friday after his 20-year colourful career at the top level of the game, reports UNB.

Veteran forward Kamal announced his retirement when his favourite club Usha KC clinched the Green Delta Metropolis Premier Division League crown for the third time in a row beating last time joint champions Abahani Limited 4-2 in the last league match at Maulana Bhasani National Stadium Friday afternoon.

After the match, Kamal was greeted with bouquets by the Hockey federation, organisers and different clubs including Abahani Limited.

On the eve of the retirement, Kamal urged the authority concerned to keep hockey in the field round the year arranging league and tournament on regular basis to improve the standard of the game.

In his future plan, the veteran forward said he would love to spend more time with Fazlu Bhai's Hockey Academy to produce hockey players in the country.

Kamal, who started his career as a hockey player with Combined Sporting Club in the second division league in 1988, soon found his way up in the first division hockey league with Azad Sporting Club in 1990 and scored more than 200 goals in the league.

Over the period, he played more than 11 years for Usha Krira Chakra, two years with Dhaka Mohammedan, one year with Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club.

Kamal is the lone Bangladeshi who scored 56 international goals for the country. He also scored 40 individual goals in a league during the 1995-96 season.