Bangladesh have done justice to their fans

After each match the fans of the Bangladesh cricket team are left depressed and sad. Time and again hopes turn into despair. Ardent Bangladeshi cricket followers are left in the wilderness thinking about the whys and hows of another defeat. Even similar thoughts were about to prevail at Mirpur on Saturday night had the Tigers not snatch a much needed win and with it the series against West Indies in the final ODI. It would have been another tragedy, another moment of utter frustration.

In the five-match ODI series, Bangladesh took the early advantage over their guests with a 2-0 lead, and there were hopes of a 'Banglawash'. But suddenly, the host lost their way. The top order's failure and repeated catch drops let West Indies storm back to level the series at 2-2. The momentum gained by Bangladesh was lost and now it was West Indies who were well placed to topple the hosts in the final encounter. 

Sixteen crore Bangladeshis didn't even think about any other purposes other than the cricket team's success on Saturday. The people present in the stadium, in front of the TV and people listening to the radio all remained stuck to cricket. They didn't wish for another pathetic Asia Cup final. They prayed, they wished of a win and they wished to celebrate. And it's only our cricket team who are able to gift them such golden moments.

Though Bangladesh is considered a very promising land, at present it has very few things to cheer for. Amid various frustrations, Bangladeshis look forward to their cricket team in search of glory and respect as at present it's neither the politicians nor the intellectuals or the media who have brought the country fame internationally. It's only the cricket team that represents us on the big stage. they remain the country's biggest pride, our biggest love.

This is how the Tigers are being connected with our heart and soul. So, any low performance by the team ultimately leaves the country at a standstill. But Saturday night's victory bears enough importance to keep the spirit of the fans shining as brightly as ever.

When Nasir Hossain hit the winning runs, Dhaka turned into a city of joy. To us Bangladeshi fans this was a very precious win. It gifted the country reason to smile and to forget the day to day political circuses. Yes, we have a top-order problem and we still aren't able to utilize the good work of our bowlers. We still have a lot to improve. But this will come slowly and steadily. It's time now to cherish the victory by the Bangladesh boys.

Note: This article has been published today in cricketnext.com  Bangladesh have done justice to their fans

Thank You
Faisal Caesar