Arneeb Mahbub :
March 9, 2015 will always be remembered as the day the Bangladesh cricket team did something special. Not only did they deliver The Royal English Spanking, but they made us forget about all the turmoil within the country. A day before the match, hartals were rampant and petrol bombs littered our newspapers as much as it littered the streets of Dhaka. Burnt children along with scarred mothers pilfered the news channels and sounds of their anguished cries left a stain of frustration, anger, and a deep sadness within every Bengali heart.
And then came the Bangladesh cricket team and with roar of a hundred Tigers they pounced on three fearful lions and chomped on their fear like no other predator could. The scene was something else in Dhaka that day. The streets were filled with fans screaming in joy “Bangladesh Jitsey, Bangladesh Jitsey”. Children took to their bikes and raced down the street with no fear of getting hit by cars, the whole time screaming as if their hearts were overflowing with passion for their heroes. As the sun set lightly over the city, the streets of Jashimuddin were in party mode as dancing gave Dhaka a red and green heartbeat among the hustle and bustle of oncoming traffic. The teeming masses took on the red and green with fervent passion and no amount of miscreant behavior could spoil the occasion.
The occasion was no different for me. As soon as Rubel Hossain rocked Jimmy Anderson’s stumps, I didn’t wait for the confirmation no ball. I took my bat and took to the streets like a child, hi fiving everyone I saw. The Bangladesh cricket team brought me back to a moment of pure childlike innocence, something extremely hard to grasp in adulthood, and I thank them for that.
So great was the occasion that the feeling of victory carried over to the next day. As I made my way to my office, pedestrians seemed to walk with renewed swagger in their walk and a purpose in their eyes. Yes today will be a good day at work. I will sell a lot of tea today, I will collect a lot of fares today, I will make some money today, and I will be greeted with smiles. InshAllah today I feel great. These are the thoughts crossing the mind of each and every Bangladeshi today. Even the dogs on the street felt the energy of the passing public and seemed to lose their mange after that victory.
Yes, March 9 was a special day. Amidst all the deaths by petrol fire, amongst all the chaos created by bricks and broken car windows, the Bangladesh cricket team delivered peace to a country that needs peacekeeping, albeit until the quarter-finals. They have created a much-needed moment of forgetfulness for the general public, a moment where the country’s turmoil has been kept at bay, and most importantly, a moment where we as a nation can rally happily behind them, together. They’ve also created a scenario where an upset is only a blink of an eye away and if the Indians close their eyes for even a moment, they might be caught with their trousers down to their ankles. Well done Tigers!
March 9, 2015 will always be remembered as the day the Bangladesh cricket team did something special. Not only did they deliver The Royal English Spanking, but they made us forget about all the turmoil within the country. A day before the match, hartals were rampant and petrol bombs littered our newspapers as much as it littered the streets of Dhaka. Burnt children along with scarred mothers pilfered the news channels and sounds of their anguished cries left a stain of frustration, anger, and a deep sadness within every Bengali heart.
And then came the Bangladesh cricket team and with roar of a hundred Tigers they pounced on three fearful lions and chomped on their fear like no other predator could. The scene was something else in Dhaka that day. The streets were filled with fans screaming in joy “Bangladesh Jitsey, Bangladesh Jitsey”. Children took to their bikes and raced down the street with no fear of getting hit by cars, the whole time screaming as if their hearts were overflowing with passion for their heroes. As the sun set lightly over the city, the streets of Jashimuddin were in party mode as dancing gave Dhaka a red and green heartbeat among the hustle and bustle of oncoming traffic. The teeming masses took on the red and green with fervent passion and no amount of miscreant behavior could spoil the occasion.
The occasion was no different for me. As soon as Rubel Hossain rocked Jimmy Anderson’s stumps, I didn’t wait for the confirmation no ball. I took my bat and took to the streets like a child, hi fiving everyone I saw. The Bangladesh cricket team brought me back to a moment of pure childlike innocence, something extremely hard to grasp in adulthood, and I thank them for that.
So great was the occasion that the feeling of victory carried over to the next day. As I made my way to my office, pedestrians seemed to walk with renewed swagger in their walk and a purpose in their eyes. Yes today will be a good day at work. I will sell a lot of tea today, I will collect a lot of fares today, I will make some money today, and I will be greeted with smiles. InshAllah today I feel great. These are the thoughts crossing the mind of each and every Bangladeshi today. Even the dogs on the street felt the energy of the passing public and seemed to lose their mange after that victory.
Yes, March 9 was a special day. Amidst all the deaths by petrol fire, amongst all the chaos created by bricks and broken car windows, the Bangladesh cricket team delivered peace to a country that needs peacekeeping, albeit until the quarter-finals. They have created a much-needed moment of forgetfulness for the general public, a moment where the country’s turmoil has been kept at bay, and most importantly, a moment where we as a nation can rally happily behind them, together. They’ve also created a scenario where an upset is only a blink of an eye away and if the Indians close their eyes for even a moment, they might be caught with their trousers down to their ankles. Well done Tigers!
