Hosting the World Cup is the dream of every nation. It’s a matter of huge pride. Very few are lucky enough to have such an opportunity and Bangladesh can claim herself enough lucky to have the opportunity of staging such a mega event twice. As a co-host, Bangladesh successfully hosted the ICC World Cup in 2011 and now, next year, Bangladesh is preparing to host the World T20.
Still, there are a few months left for the World T20 and the
enthusiasm amongst the players and fans regarding this mega event in Bangladesh
are extremely high. After many nervy-speculations finally Bangladesh will host
this event. There had been a risk of shifting the venue somewhere else as the
proposed stadiums for the World Twenty20 were underprepared which failed to
satisfy the ICC officials. But thankfully, the venue has not been shifted
anywhere else.
As soon as the news about the sale of tickets for the World
T20 broke out, enthusiastic Bangladesh cricket fans rushed into the respective
banks to get their tickets. But the Bangladesh cricket fans’ this dream, this
enthusiasm is at risk. There is sadness in their hearts because they are not
sure whether their favorite team will be available at the mega event or not
because Bangladesh along with Zimbabwe will have to play a qualifying round
before participating in the main event.
This new rule came suddenly and in fact, it created an
immense heartache amongst the Bangladeshi players and fans. Has anyone ever
heard about a host nation to play a qualifying round? Surely not, but in
cricket, such hard-to-imagine sort of thing happens. For the lower-ranked
teams, such rules just crop-up in the twinkle of an eye.
Well, a rule has been made and the Tigers have to abide by
it. Over the years Bangladesh cricket has improved in a satisfactory manner. In
that sense overcoming the hurdle of the qualifying round will not be a big
issue for the Tigers. But as a matter of fact, there is that risk of sudden
accidents which might shatter the hopes of a cricket-crazy nation. How pathetic
the World T20 will be if the hosts fail to participate in the mega event and
how poorer it would be if an exciting team like Bangladesh don’t play in front
of its home crowd remains a moot question.
How many T20 matches do teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe
play? The number of matches these teams play it will never help them to climb
to the top but they will always discover themselves at the bottom and thus,
will always be a victim of such sudden-rules. What have the ICC done to improve
the quality of the lower-ranked sides? Have the ICC allocated enough matches
for these teams with the top sides so that they can improve? For the overall
improvement of cricket, equal distribution and a less biased vision are much
needed than a mind crowded with only financial gains and losses.
Again, I wonder, whether our politicians are well aware of
this mega event or not. As because, at present, it seems that our politicians
have gone crazy in settling personal scores. Their egos are running high; their
lust for power is triggering an ugly situation which is making Bangladesh’s
future bleak. There is unrest all over Bangladesh – buses are being torched,
public transports are vandalized, picketers are throwing cocktails here and
there, there are clashes between the police and political activists and
political activists of both the ruling and opposition party. Well, it’s not a
chummy picture at all and surely, an unacceptable one for the common citizens
of Bangladesh who wish to live in peace and enjoy their favourite players’
dazzling exhibition on the cricket field.
If such situations persist then the future of Bangladesh’s
hosting the World T20 will be at risk. Already it was at risk due to improperly
build stadiums and now this political turmoil will create another ominous
situation regarding the World T20. And if we do lose the rights of hosting the
World T20 then internationally it will dent our image. Not only the World T20
but the upcoming Sri Lankan tour and Asia Cup too will be at risk due to this
current political turmoil.
The passionate Bangladeshi cricket fans are doleful with all
these. Already saddened by this qualifying saga, the Bangladesh cricket fans
are extremely disquieted regarding the current political situation as this
crazy situation might let the ICC rethink about Bangladesh’s eligibility of
hosting this mega event and if the venue gets shifted then it will be an
absolute tragedy for Bangladesh, its cricket and its fans.
Bangladesh have few well-wishers in world cricket. It will
not take time for our harsh critics to raise the voice of shifting the venue to
somewhere else by citing security issues. In that sense, our politicians must
exhibit enough sense and sensibility as Bangladesh’s prestige is at stake.
But will they be sensible enough? Will they think about the
country’s prestige?
I am not sure!
Note: This article
has been published on Cricketsoccer on 29/11/2013 http://cricketsoccer.com/doleful-disquieted-bangladesh-cricket-fans/
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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