Bangladesh
played against two contestants on 22nd March. It lost to Pakistan by 2 runs in
the final ball of the final over and never gave up till the end in a splendid
display of determination. In doing so, it defeated the much bigger demon of
timidity, lack of self-belief, lack of confidence and a general sense of
uncertainty that have prevailed over the national team since its birth. On that
day, the old cricket Bangladesh was probably put to rest and a new cricket
Bangladesh emerged. It began when Bangladesh narrowly lost to Pakistan in the
first match. The result is not the only indicator of the match winners.

* * *

When I lay down to sleep way past midnight, I realised I didn’t feel crushed
like I always have when Bangladesh loses. It was such a strangely different
feeling but I think many people felt the same way.

Bangladesh played to win and for the first time seemed capable of doing so
against a big team. It was not a fluke victory, the flash in the pan but a
steady consistent tide of quality playing by defeating India and Sri Lanka that
led to a very narrow loss. We shall feel very bad about not winning but not
mourn in shame.

* * *

Few countries play as one team we do. We fans are part of the team and no
matter what, we are total supporters of the team although it has been pretty
steady in producing losses, some narrow some not. On the final match, wherever
people were, they believed and knew that they were cheering a team that was
theirs which was trying to win. As commentators have said, it seemed that
people were celebrating a world cup win. But of course! To us, this was the
Cup. The rest will come later but we cherish our team and celebrate every
little victory of theirs like a WC win.

* * *

Public support for the team was incredible and some unbelievable. For example,
the sight of Ershad and Sheikh Hasina together at the match was quite
breathtaking by itself but the news that Khaleda Zia also went and cheered has
been noted by various parts of even the world media. If a cricket match can
bring both rivals to the same gallery we can imagine the potential of cricket
as political glue. In those few moments the politicians were significant only as
fans like us and we all shared the humble carpet weaved with our hopes for a
win.

Maybe the
political parties should float cricket teams just to keep their rivalry below
the insanity level and we could enjoy politics for the first time.

* * *

My neighbours, a young couple went to see the match paying five times the
normal rate for the ticket to the scalpers and they were happy they could get
tickets. They were not regular cricket freaks but on March 22 just about
everyone had become one.

The most
memorable fan I met was an old rickshaw-puller who took me home that night
slightly before midnight. As I glumly told him how I felt the rickshaw-puller
told me his story.

“I chained
my rickshaw at 2 in the afternoon and sat down to watch the match. I am sad but
the team looks stronger. Only 2 runs and everyone would have been happy. Now I
have to take passengers to get some money so that I can make a deposit to the
owner. He doesn’t understand all this.”

So here was
this 60-year-old rickety ribcage pumping totally illiterate wretchedly poor man
who gives up his daily meal to watch a cricket match played by his country. As
far as I am concerned, there can be no greater fan than this person, this
incredible Bangladeshi.

* * *

Who knows who deserves what but as a people we have supported Bangladesh as a
country and the Bangladesh cricket team. I remember the day Bangladesh won the
ICC with a final hit by Khaled Mashud Pilot and Dhaka went nuts, people hugging
and crying on the streets wanting to share a joy that can be enjoyed only by
doing so. From that day to today, has been a long journey and not a happy one
always but the fan support has always been consistent. The crowd never
disappears and shall always be there.

In a land
deprived of other victories, cricket gives us the hope that victory is
possible.

* * *

Checking through reader’s comments elsewhere in the world, we find three things
primarily. First, there was amazement that Bangladesh beat India. Many Indians
were angry at their own team particularly Tendulkar for his slow century and
the IPL thing. Some said the Indians play for money but Bangladeshis played for
their country.

After the Sri Lanka victory there was total disbelief and even a lot of
suspicion. Match fixing was a common accusation though it meant that the
Cricket Boards of all the countries had decided to do so together.

A Pakistani
wrote that everyone knew Bangladesh was going to win the finals because it was
fixed to give Bangladesh some status. Wonder what some Pakistanis feel now, the
motherland of match fixing and what some Indians, not behind either, think who
wanted to complain to the ICC for match fixing after India was bundled out of
the tournament.

Those type
of comments became much less after the final because the loss conforms that our
players are clean something Pakistan will always find a problem to prove.

But
grudgingly some of the comments could not but admit that this team is not the
old one which would fail to score and run away, too scared to try to win. It’s
a different grown up team.

On March 22,
Bangladesh showed it was ready to fight to the last ball. That’s what mattered.
That was the victory.

We are on
our way.