WC cricket no more a dream of Bangladesh
Saturday, 22 January 2011
In 1971, after the independence of Bangladesh, Mymensingh District Sports Association (MDSA) was the first cricket organiser in the war-torn country. Prof Amir Ahmed Chowdhury, the enthusiastic man of Mymensingh who is widely known as "Ratan Da", was the then general secretary of MDSA. It was a hard nut to crack to organise cricket due to lack of cricket gear in the war-devastated country. Despite facts, Ratan Da was able to kick off the knock-out cricket tournament in Mymensingh on March 7, 1974. In the final, Ananda Mohan Govt College (AMGC), the symbol of youth, emerged champions defeating the experienced Myensingh Mohammedan Sporting Club (MMSC) by 3 wickets. The late Daulat Uz-Zaman, one of the first generation cricketers of Bangladesh, played for MMSC. This scribe was a deaf cricketer and played for AMGC as a student and captured the most wickets in bowling in this first-ever knock-out cricket tournament of Mymensingh.
Bangladesh cricket was blessed by many visiting cricket teams from outside. They are Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Sri Lanka, the Deccan Blues, Pakistan, the Hyderabad Blues, West Bengal Cricket Team and the Cricket Team of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) etc. As a result, Bangladesh have been gradually improving their cricket might.
The Royal Bengal Tiger is world famous. Hence the cricketers of Bangladesh are known as "Tigers" to the cricket world.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said: "When my government comes to power, the cricket of Bangladesh develops significantly." It is true in the light of cricket history of Bangladesh.
The renaissance of cricket in Bangladesh began after winning the Sixth International Cricket Conference (ICC) Trophy in Malaysia in 1997. It gave a matter of boast to Bangladesh as an associate member of ICC with the right to hold One-Day International (ODI) status.
In 1998, Bangladesh won its first ODI against Kenya in India and hosted the first ever ICC Champions Trophy in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The ICC Champions Trophy was a knock-out basis ODI tournament and it is dubbed as the Mini World Cup cricket, the second biggest tournament after the World Cup cricket featuring all Test-playing nations and two associate members of ICC. Due to on and off performances, Bangladesh did not participate in the first Mini World Cup cricket, but it drew attention to the cricket world for being a great cricket organising nation with the presence of a huge number of spectators. In 2002, the format of Mini World Cup cricket was changed from knock-out to round robin due to increase of ODI ranked teams. The Mini World Cup cricket is played every two years while the World Cup cricket is played every four years.
The world was stunned! In 1999, Bangladesh participated in the 7th World Cup cricket in England and first time defeated Pakistan, the former World Cup champs by 62 runs in a group match. Pakistan secured the runners-up position while Australia earned championship in the 7th World Cup cricket. It was a historic win of Bangladesh and one of the biggest upsets in the history of World Cup cricket.
In 2002, Bangladesh was transformed to the status of one of the youngest Test-playing cricket nations of the world from its ICC associate membership. The other nine Test-playing cricket nations are Zimbabwe (1992), Sri Lanka (1982), Pakistan (1952), India (1932), New Zealand (1930), West Indies (1928), South Africa (1889), Australia (1877) and England (1877).
So, it flashes back that the glorious cricket of Bangladesh started during Awami League's tenure (1996-2001). Even the 10th World Cricket of 2011 was uncertain for Dhaka, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cleared the clouds. Now Bangladesh is going to organise the first ever World Cup as a co-hosting nation along with India and Sri Lanka in upcoming February 19, 2011.
In 2004, Bangladesh surprised the world by defeating India, the former World Cup champs and runners-up by 15 runs in the first ODI cricket on home soil in Dhaka.
In 2005, Bangladesh defeated Australia, the formidable cricket nation, 4 times and 2 times World Cup champs and runners-up respectively by 5 wickets in an ODI series match in England. It was a humble victory of Bangladesh over Australia because the world was speechless!
England was unbeaten by Bangladesh for a period of long time. In 2010, Bangladesh finally found the path of belief beating England by 5 runs in Bristol in one of the ODI series!
Besides, Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand and Zimbabwe in various ICC match disciplines.
In the most recent performances, Bangladesh became a series winner against New Zealand by 4-0 and won the first ever gold medal in Asian Games cricket in 2010. Let us see the roar of tigers!
E-mail: iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net
Bangladesh cricket was blessed by many visiting cricket teams from outside. They are Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Sri Lanka, the Deccan Blues, Pakistan, the Hyderabad Blues, West Bengal Cricket Team and the Cricket Team of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) etc. As a result, Bangladesh have been gradually improving their cricket might.
The Royal Bengal Tiger is world famous. Hence the cricketers of Bangladesh are known as "Tigers" to the cricket world.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said: "When my government comes to power, the cricket of Bangladesh develops significantly." It is true in the light of cricket history of Bangladesh.
The renaissance of cricket in Bangladesh began after winning the Sixth International Cricket Conference (ICC) Trophy in Malaysia in 1997. It gave a matter of boast to Bangladesh as an associate member of ICC with the right to hold One-Day International (ODI) status.
In 1998, Bangladesh won its first ODI against Kenya in India and hosted the first ever ICC Champions Trophy in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The ICC Champions Trophy was a knock-out basis ODI tournament and it is dubbed as the Mini World Cup cricket, the second biggest tournament after the World Cup cricket featuring all Test-playing nations and two associate members of ICC. Due to on and off performances, Bangladesh did not participate in the first Mini World Cup cricket, but it drew attention to the cricket world for being a great cricket organising nation with the presence of a huge number of spectators. In 2002, the format of Mini World Cup cricket was changed from knock-out to round robin due to increase of ODI ranked teams. The Mini World Cup cricket is played every two years while the World Cup cricket is played every four years.
The world was stunned! In 1999, Bangladesh participated in the 7th World Cup cricket in England and first time defeated Pakistan, the former World Cup champs by 62 runs in a group match. Pakistan secured the runners-up position while Australia earned championship in the 7th World Cup cricket. It was a historic win of Bangladesh and one of the biggest upsets in the history of World Cup cricket.
In 2002, Bangladesh was transformed to the status of one of the youngest Test-playing cricket nations of the world from its ICC associate membership. The other nine Test-playing cricket nations are Zimbabwe (1992), Sri Lanka (1982), Pakistan (1952), India (1932), New Zealand (1930), West Indies (1928), South Africa (1889), Australia (1877) and England (1877).
So, it flashes back that the glorious cricket of Bangladesh started during Awami League's tenure (1996-2001). Even the 10th World Cricket of 2011 was uncertain for Dhaka, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cleared the clouds. Now Bangladesh is going to organise the first ever World Cup as a co-hosting nation along with India and Sri Lanka in upcoming February 19, 2011.
In 2004, Bangladesh surprised the world by defeating India, the former World Cup champs and runners-up by 15 runs in the first ODI cricket on home soil in Dhaka.
In 2005, Bangladesh defeated Australia, the formidable cricket nation, 4 times and 2 times World Cup champs and runners-up respectively by 5 wickets in an ODI series match in England. It was a humble victory of Bangladesh over Australia because the world was speechless!
England was unbeaten by Bangladesh for a period of long time. In 2010, Bangladesh finally found the path of belief beating England by 5 runs in Bristol in one of the ODI series!
Besides, Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand and Zimbabwe in various ICC match disciplines.
In the most recent performances, Bangladesh became a series winner against New Zealand by 4-0 and won the first ever gold medal in Asian Games cricket in 2010. Let us see the roar of tigers!
E-mail: iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net