Don't hurt your dedicated lover for nothing

You have a lover in your life who loves you more than anything else. That love is the most dedicated one which is simply unavailable in this age of commercialism and materialism. That lover wants nothing but only your love and care. That lover is always there when you need most.

But sadly, what do you do with your love?

You don’t pay that lover back the rewards he/she deserves. You in turn play with the lover’s emotions and hurt him/her very often without even knowing about the circumstances. You only cared about yourself selfishly. You never realized what might be going through your partner’s heart and mind when you provide him/her the shortest of time.

Whenever your partner wish to share his/her emotions with you, you avoid them by being overt busy for nothing, by being dramatic or by being over emotional which bear no true logic.

Don’t do this.

Remember time is very cruel and it pays back the things for each and every action of yours. They way you behaved, reacted or avoided your partner might leave you wake up in the morning one day as the most lonely person in this world.

At present the materialistic world is the most important thing for you. Your new job, your new interactions with the people is the most important thing in your life. And for which you forgot someone totally, you forgot his/her loneliness, his/her pains and sacrifices.

And for which he/she left you not because they don’t love you but they left because they thought you aren’t happy with them, you were bothered by their presence and that’s why they left you thinking that you’ll be happy if they leave. As your happiness had always been the most important thing in their life.

Try to understand your lover’s dedication and sacrifices. It’s only for you he/she exists. You make their world. So don’t ruin your lover’s world which was built on the basis of those dreams which your lover dreamt when you entered their world.

Understand your love and be dedicated towards them. They deserve it as they are gifts of God in your life. Open the sunglasses of the materialistic world from your eyes and watch your dearest one’s crazy love which is ready to do anything for you.

If you can love with dedication then expect a good return otherwise cruel time will pay you back the cruelest reward.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Hail Shakib Al Hasan!

When he smacks the ball with a wild heave towards midwicket or square-leg it indicates that someone has insulted his beloved motherland. There is a wild beauty in those brutal shots where the ball gets murdered mercilessly.

But wait! Don’t think that he only butchers the ball, but when situation demands he switches his gear and becomes a composed customer. But that never lets the scoreboard to be badly affected by dullness as runs are being added from every cow corners of the field with single and couples.

In the recently concluded Asia cup, Shakib Al Hasan simply played like a champion with astonishing consistency. From the start of the opening match till the end of the tournament Shakib was the man to watch, a champion who meant business.

Against Pakistan in the opening match, Shakib fought like a fighter and brought his team back into contention after Bangladesh threatened to implode in the chase. Shakib almost managed to shock the Pakistanis but sadly his partners weren’t able to support him as he had nothing to but try a wild swing to cover up the escalating asking run rate in the 49^th over and get out.

But Shakib’s efforts were about to bore fruits and it came against the reigning world champions, India. A steady build up from Tamim Iqbal and Jahurul Islam had left the Tigers with a climbing asking rate. With Nasir Hossain steady at one end, Shakib gave Bangladesh hope with hitting that can simply be termed as sophisticated butchery.

He took 18 runs off Ashok Dinda in the 37^th over with a couple of daring swings over midwicket and thick edge to third man. Ashwin dropped short and was punched and pulled for flurry of boundaries. Then it was Irfan Pathan's turn. A slash followed another pull, and the momentum had shifted in Bangladesh's favour. Shakib’s demise was due to a dubious third umpire decision. But his cameo proved decisive in defeating India.

Against Sri Lanka Shakib was again found on song. A D/L-revised target left Bangladesh to chase down 212 in 40 overs and book a place in the final. Bangladesh lost three quick wickets and at number five entered the master to settle things for Bangladesh. With Tamim imperiously clearing the boundary at the other end, Shakib too joined his closest friend by cracking Lakmal with three consecutive boundaries through the off-side. A crafty 56 was scripted off Shakib’s bat.

Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka to enter the finals.

In the final on a tricky track, Bangladesh were left to chase a modest total against a dangerous Pakistani attack. Shakib again entered the scene with Bangladesh reeling at 81-3 and responded with enough vigor by punishing Gul for a boundary. With Afridi and Ajmal wagging their tails, Shakib targeted Cheema and Hammad to keep Bangladesh breathing in the match. But he fell after scoring yet another fifty. In the end Bangladesh fell short by two runs. The whole nation was stunned and shocked.

Millions of viewers saw Shakib cry in immense sorrow and it touched all the cricketing nations deeply. Tears also fell from their eyes who weren’t Bangladeshis. That’s what a hero is all about, touching their fans and viewers’ hearts no matter in what situation they are in!

In this year’s Asia cup Shakib played like a true champion. He delivered when it mattered most.

Throughout the Asia cup, Shakib’s bat was found on song than the ball. In four matches Shakib has scored 237 runs facing 215 balls at an average of 59.25 with a staggering strike rate of 110.23. But mind you with the ball Shakib had been effective and critical. When needed he deliver the Tigers with important wickets and had been instrumental in breaking threatening partnerships. In four matches he fetched 6 wickets at an average of 33.16 with an economy rate of 4.97.

Shakib’s such staggering consistency earned him the man of the series of this year’s Asia cup and it was apt and appropriate.

Shakib Al Hasan is the golden son of Bangladesh cricket. And for the cricketing world he’s that cricketer who’s on his way to become one of the greatest icons of the game. While assessing a sportsman’s greatness, our question should run along the lines of how they found their game and how they left it. Shakib finds his game like Imran or Botham found during their playing days and it’s expected that he will leave this beautiful, artistic game as one of the icons.

All hail the lad from Magura!

Asia Cup 2012 - I feel proud to be a Bangladeshi!

It was so close, yet so far! The two-run defeat has brought tears in the eyes of sixteen crore people. This defeat was not hard to digest but let not this defeat sink us into the ocean of depression. This defeat must make us determined enough to produce better results in near future.  

Since the start of Asia Cup, Bangladesh have displayed top quality cricket with a never-say-die spirit. Our bowlers were disciplined while our fielders had been athletic and enthusiastic since the tournament had kicked off while our batsmen were simply brilliant throughout the Asia Cup.

Tamim Iqbal showed enough character by replying his harsh critics with four consecutive fifties, Nasir showed composure, Mushfiq was cool and above all Shakib Al Hasan again proved why he is the best all-rounder in the world. With ball he fetched wickets regularly while with the bat he was destructive.

Toppling the present and former world champions had been a great achievement by a team who before the start of the tournament were traveling through troubled waters. There was lack of team spirit and confidence, but despite all these negatives the team had done well to drag themselves out of the rut and give their best shot.

The Bangladesh cricket team were the flavour of March and they have won the hearts of every cricket followers with their exciting brand of cricket. Yes, despite playing one-day cricket since 1986 and Test cricket since 2000, still the Tigers have not been able to strike gold in any one-day tournaments but it was delightful to see that the team has started to realize their true potentials and seemed eager to win rather than essaying just another better performance. This eagerness to win matches were missing and thakfully it's getting installed in the team.

Bangladesh need to carry on this good work consistently in the near future.

I am sad with the result as my expectations were high but, with this brand of cricket exhibited by our boys has made me proud. I am proud of my team. I feel proud to be a Bangladeshi.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

A true love without doubts and arguments is nothing but a formality

A true-affair love is never without doubts and arguments. If a love-affair relationship is without doubts or arguments then it’s nothing but formal and colorless. If your partner doubts you then it means that he/she is serious about you and he/she always thinks about you almost each and every second of the day. His/her doubts are the expression of love about their partner.

And such doubts will give rise to arguments which also indicates how truly he/she love their partners. It’s a must to have arguments and doubts in a relationship as it increases the love more and more between partners.

 It’s obvious that you’ll not talk with your partner after a good bout of arguments and this sudden lack of communication gives rise to an urge to communicate which is simply the best part in a romance. Only a lover can feel that urge and none else.

You’ll hear a romantic song which’s each and every word completely matches with your feelings; you’ll spend the whole day watching your love’s picture and will feel him/her more deeply. And in the end either you or your partner end up calling each other.

WOW!!! Love is so amazing!!!

A true love is never full of sunshine. Its obvious dark clouds will gather around but two people can share one umbrella if they huddle close. No one is perfect in a true love-affair but the best relationship is by knowing the imperfect ones perfectly.

When you’ll find that your partner isn’t arguing with you or showing doubts on you then it only indicates his/her lack of interest on you, the lack of love for you.

What is a true love without arguments and doubts?

It's nothing but a formality.

No relationship is smooth sailing. As much as the love exists, arguments and doubts are bound to crop up occasionally. What's important, however, is how you deal with them, let them simmer and boil out of control or nip them in the bud.

Love truly, wholeheartedly and honestly and do argue and doubt occasionally to refresh the love. As after each arguments the wind of honeymoon always start to blow and the love remains fresh forever. 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Let me and the world enjoy the 'Chase Artist'

I was rooting for Pakistan yesterday and as a die hard Pakistan cricket team’s fan it was hard to digest a defeat against India. The Pakistani bowlers are renowned to be lethal but they were down and dusted yesterday even when they were defending a big total.

Pakistan lost the match and this die hard fan’s heart was broken into pieces. But from a cricket fan’s point of view I saluted one man’s charismatic display thousand times. Using the word “Brilliant” will be an insult for that effort, but that exhibition of batting display under pressure can only be termed as a Herculean act.

Yes, Virat Kohli simply out scored the most celebrated and lethal Pakistani attack with his artistry and will-power. Undoubtedly he is on his way to become the ‘Chase Artist’ of modern day limited overs cricket. No matter what the total, whatever the opposition or who the bowlers are, Kohli will chase down any total with staggering excellence. In 48 innings batting second, Virat averages 58.40 and has seven hundreds and 13 half-centuries. That is something of a record to talk about.

I loved his attitude yesterday. From the word go he was looking confident and determined to script the unthinkable. The best part of his batting was his nag to build up innings relying more on singles, couples and rotation of the strike according to merit. He wasn’t blazing all guns like his Hobart epic against Sri Lanka three weeks back, but had been composed enough with an attacking mindset.

The entire epical knock contained just one six and rest of them were sweetly timed strokes for fours, ones and twos. Keeping the scoreboard going all the time is a must while chasing down big totals and Virat Kohli had been the master of it yesterday. In fact, he had always been the master of it while chasing.  

On describing Kholi’s epic 183 of yesterday Siddarth Ravindaran said, “For a 15-over spell till the start of the batting Powerplay, Kohli didn't even hit a boundary, relying more on his favourite way of building through the middle overs - the risk-free single down the ground. Even as late as the 40th over, he was coasting along at little more than a run-a-ball. Only at that stage did Kohli unleash a boundary-barrage with which Pakistan's hopes completely evaporated. For the second time in a month, India had chased down 300-plus comfortably and they had hardly needed the services of Dhoni, the finest finisher in the game.”

Kohli asset is his ability to adapt to the conditions and situations quickly and his strong determination. This is what makes Kohli a package to loom large in the minds of the opposition within such a shorter span of time. Kohli’s celebration after reaching the hundred was an indication of his arrogance but mind you, “All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power must always be accompanied by moral choice.”

Yes, in a sense Kohli’s arrogance too aids him to conduct the daring deeds which many can’t even think of. Arrogant characters are ‘Flawed Genius’ and they are more exciting than their elder brother ‘Genius.’ I respect a genius but my genuine affection is towards a ‘Flawed Genius.’ My over flowing love only lavishes on the flawed geniuses.

It was good to see Virat expressing his arrogance through productive performances rather than awkward incidences and  when an arrogant character shows his ‘Flawed Genius’ through performances, the oppositions are left with silent prayers.

Virat Kohli is an artist of modern era. But he’s arrogant and can an arrogant character be an artist?  Kim Weston had given the answer saying, “As an artist you have to have a certain amount of arrogance.”

Cricket is grateful to have a hero and not a tragic one like Virat Kohli. Cricket is blessed to have the ‘Chase Artist.’ Let me and the world enjoy this guy more and more.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

It's time to rejoice, it's time to celebrate

What was the state of Bangladesh cricket before the start of the Asia Cup?

It was in the mud.

There had been a chaos between the chief selector and the BCB boss and the whole saga simply disturbed the mood in the camp before the start of a major tournament. I was quite upset with the whole saga. I didn’t want this sort of chaos before the start of the Asia Cup. I was against Akram’s decision to quit; I was against Tamim’s selection and I was expecting of another frustrating show from the Tigers.

But I forgot one thing; I forgot the ‘Bangla Spirit.’

How could I underestimate that spirit?

Yes I did underestimate that spirit and now I’m being taught a lesson that adversity brings out the best of ‘Bangla Spirit’ from a Bangladeshi. In 2008 the whole Bangladesh cricket was ravaged by the culprit ICL and in reply the Tigers responded with a win against the Kiwis and a decent show throughout the series. After a horrible campaign in the T20 World Cup in 2009, the Tigers responded with a series win in the Caribbean and Zimbabwe and after a horrible England tour the Tigers responded with a whitewash against the Kiwis.

This is ‘Bangla Spirit.’ When ever things around us got frustrating and hopeless, time and again the Bangladeshis have responded astonishingly. We got enlightened with the ‘Bangla spirit’ to crush any hindrances with power and merit in the past whenevr troubled times had visited us.

At Mirpur, against India tonight, we exhibited the best of ‘Bangla Spirit.’

What happened at Mirpur tonight is something special which just can’t be expressed in words. To make the festive mood of a long-waited milestone into a funeral by no means a stupendous achievement. What propelled Bangladesh to essay such an astonishing win is their positive temperament, the temperament of reaching the goal by any means.

When the asking rate went eight an over, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim didn’t succumbed under pressure and in turn triggered controlled aggression. Their aggressive mood was based upon a solid partnership of 113 scripted by Tamim and Jahurul Islam. Both of them had put a price tag on their wicket and applied caution and composure to build a foundation on which aggression can be applied.

Tamim and Jahur departed soon but the daring batting which Tamim and Mushfiq exhibited only indicated how intensely the Tigers wanted this victory and how well they were spirited by the ‘Bangla Spirit.’ And in the end history was made at Mirpur.

Yes, the much waited victory has arrived. The celebrations are going on in the streets of Dhaka. This celebration will continue the whole night. The Bangla Tigers have gifted us the win which our cricket needed badly.

It was not only a win but it was more than a win, an answer to many questions.

Hail the ‘Bangla Spirit!’

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

I will always love him and miss him

As soon as I read the news about Rahul Dravid’s retirement, I suddenly felt emptiness in the world of cricket where classic artists are getting scanty in course of time. I turned my head to the right and saw batsmen are getting out after a quick burst in a Test match. I turned my head to the left and saw batsmen are getting out with an ugly shot selection. In both case none of them went for occupation at the crease.

Yes, occupation at the crease is the factor that made Dravid the most clinical in essaying one of the most successful decades in Indian cricket’s Test history. If we have a look at history of India’s Test cricket we come to know that in most of the times they have been a weaker side. Especially at abroad they were meek surrenders.

The reasons for this were, firstly, their bowlers were weak to take 20 wickets in a Test match and secondly, their batsmen used to get out too quickly after a promising start. In other word, they were too reluctant to occupy the crease.

 In this context, Rahul Dravid, and, in earlier generation, Sunil Gavaskar became so important for team India. They injected stability in the batting order which their team lacked badly. Their cricket revolved around this occupation at the crease and their stroke making flourished the more they spent time at the crease.

No doubt Tendulkar is the superstar of India but in the 90’s Tendulkar wasn’t able to essay the kind of success which was needed to script a golden era like the last decade. Tendulkar’s essence is his free flowing devastating stroke play which has always been attractive to look, but the Indian team needed someone to occupy the crease more rather than dominate the attack and when Dravid emerged the golden era of Indian cricket started its journey. Even the great Tendulkar’s dominating prowess too revolved around the solid and assured batting of Dravid.

Dravid continued to step up to face those tough situations when no hopes were left. He faced challenges after challenges and kept the Indian batting breathing when circumstances were the toughest. Dravid’s bold approach and stubborn resistance has been critical behind India’s transformation from poor travelers to strong contenders in abroad during the last decade.

But sadly that golden era seems to be evaporating at present as there is hardly any batsmen seen who are interested in occupying the crease. There are players to play adventurous strokes but they aren’t enough to provide the cushion against the fury of the opposition’s bowlers in an away series.

The retirement of Rahul Dravid ends an era, the era of warrior batsmanship, the era of classical batting and the era of defensive batting display which Dravid had revolutionized after Gavaskar. To many Rahul Dravid had been boring as he lacked the charisma of Tendulkar, the ‘Bhangra’ of Sehwag or the aggression of Ganguly but for the true cricket followers Dravid will always remain as that artist who always charmed the purists with his technical solidity as even his forward or backward defenses were also a treat to watch.

To me Dravid simply is amongst the best in terms of winning matches. I rate a batsman by his abilities to win matches on trying conditions rather than focusing more on personal landmarks and for the last 16 years I hardly noticed Dravid focusing on making statistical kingdoms but in turn focused more on ‘Bat as long as I can for India.’

Yes Dravid has batted a long innings, he has gifted India those moments which the expected one’s couldn’t gift India, he has delivered India when the expected one’s failed to live up to the expectations.

Everything has to end and every great careers need to halt their glorious journey and the journey of Dravid’s glorious career too has ended today. But sadly, he couldn’t leave the legacy of his batting in the Indian team who are terribly short-lived at the crease in Test cricket.

Rahul Dravid had been the ‘The Wall of India.’ Rahul Dravid had been a genuine match-winner for India, a selfless team man who always was ready to sacrifice himself for the team, the work-ant beyond comparison.

Cricket will always love you and miss you.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

I didn't like the whole saga at all!

Bangladesh cricket is in the news for all the wrong reasons. Our chief selector Akram Khan has resigned from his post stating interference from the board president in team selection. Akram's resignation comes a day after BCB president Mustafa Kamal rejected the inclusion of star batsman Tamim Iqbal, Akram's nephew, in the 14-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup.

I would not like to talk at length about the BCB chief Mustafa Kamal’s ugly interference in the selection process neither I don’t find any interest in analyzing about that person’s activities of whom I am not a fan. But my eye brows rose due to Akram’s act. He backed the selection of a player who might be a high profile name in Bangladesh cricket but for the last one year or so he has bore no fruits for us.

Yes Tamim Iqbal has been nothing but a name since last year. Both in the ODIs and Tests Tamim’s form has been frustrating for the team and for the cricket mad people of Bangladesh. Lean patches are a part and parcel of a player’s career and when such lean patches visits a player then it’s better to give him a break from the team and then let him sort out his technique in the nets and then get his lost touch back by playing enough domestic crickets.

In 2007 Virender Sehwag was dropped from the Indian squad and during that break he could focus on his grey areas, worked on them and returned with a bang during the tour to down under. That’s what a certain break can do. A young player with a star status doesn’t take his place in the team for granted and thus start thinking that he needs to perform to keep his place in the team. It makes him hungrier to give his best shot.

Getting dropped from the side is always a blessing in disguise if the players take it seriously.

Akram Khan ranked Tamim highly and we too rank him highly but what’s his track record over the last one year? It’s a frustrating story. Only the name ‘Tamim Iqbal’ won’t produce results for us. Tamim’s bat must talk which has lost the Midas touch of 2010 England tour.

Had Akram Khan stood for a player who deserves a selection in the team on the basis of performance rather than the high profile tag then I would have certainly convey my best regards for him. But he just stormed the media supporting a player who is out of touch and needs a break to sort out his technique. I don’t think Tamim should have been in the initial 15-man squad for the Asia Cup but instead a better performer deserved a place.

In life we need to work under peoples who lack sense and sensibility and the best way to deal with them is by never giving them a chance to interfere by acting smartly. Had Akram gone for a better performer rather than the off-coloured Tamim then it wouldn’t have allowed Mustafa Kamal’s unnecessary interference!      

Over all the matter was ugly and I simply didn’t like it. Already our cricket isn’t in a good shape and such off-field incidences won’t do any good for our cricket. Before a major tournament such incidents are uninvited guests to spoil the mood. Mustafa Kamal is nothing but a political animal to me without any sense and sensibility but Akram Khan isn’t that. He bears sense.

Don’t you think Mr. Akram Khan that Tamim Iqbal doesn’t deserve a place in the team on the basis of performance?  

Thank You

Faisal Caesar