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Originally Posted by Shehwar
We ended at 282-8. A mere 13 runs short. It was a gallant effort. But the dream had ended. There was this strange feeling of emptiness. I was barely 10 or 11 years old and could not hold back tears like many who followed our team back then. All those endless nights of fantasies of Bangladesh competing at the world stage was going to remain a dream. It was the lowest point of our short cricket history.
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That was 'Ekushe Boi Mela' time. We were selling 'abritti' cassettes in the boi mela. We put the radio on our loud speaker. There were big crowd in front of our stall. I still can remember the heartbreak.
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Originally Posted by Shehwar
Akram Khan showed immense maturity and started wasting time in all possible manners. He tied his shoelaces, changed his helmet and did everything possible to deny those 2 deliveries being bowled as he knew once that happens it would virtually be all over if it continues raining and the Dutch team would be reluctant to return to the field. Where as if this was an abandoned match, Bangladesh would go through. It worked! And if I remember correctly the players went off the field with 1 ball still remaining for it to be a legitimate match! Those were the longest few minutes of my life at that point. The play resumed again and Bangladesh were set a revised target of 141 in 33 overs. Nannu(Minhazul Abedin) got run out leaving us on 77-5. and when Enamul Haque went to leave us on 86-6 we were pretty much dead and out! Akram though was still fighting. He had a date with destiny. Saiful Islam came in and just gave him enough support by hanging in there while he single handedly took on all corners. Saiful departed with us 6 runs away from the target but Akram Khan was there till the end. He delivered when it mattered the most! The man single handedly took us to the semi-final of the ICC Trophy with an innings of a life time. That 68 not out is still after all these years arguably the greatest ever knock played by a Bangladeshi. The magnitude of that innings was epic and everlasting. Bangladesh cricket would not be where it is today if Akram Khan had not rescued us from that situation. The situation, the pressure, and the expectations – he took on everything on his able shoulders and took us to safety. If ever there was a captain’s knock, that was it! We never looked back from there on.
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I mentioned that innings in one of my early post. I still find hard to compare any other innings with that.
We were listening to game in one of 'Mamu's' radio in TSC.
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Originally Posted by Shehwar
In the semi-final Bangladesh easily defeated Scotland to reach the final thus creating history by claiming a birth in the World Cup proper! We celebrated in style! Celebrations that can never be matched or compared. It was the happiest day of our lives. The dream became a reality. WE WERE GOING TO PLAY THE WORLD CUP!
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That Scotland game was played over two days.
In uni, there was construction temporary pool(to soak the brick)
They put plenty of 'rong' in that pool and dunk everyone in it.
Not to mention, all the cllasses were abondaned earlier.
I was one of the second passenger of one of the hundreds motorbike ralying Dhaka.
At some moment someone got an idea 'Lets visit the Prime Minister', we all agreed.
We went to the Prime Minister Office and demanded her appearance.
All the guards were sort of laughing at us. PM didn't come though.
But still feels like the 'part of history'
One other event needs mention here:
Win against Pak during WC'99.
As a regular TSC goer, I had the privilege to watch the game on TV in one of 'Mamu's' quarter at back of the TSC complex.
After the game (that was night time) thousands of people started flocking at TSC.
Anything you can imagine was used as musical instrument.
Now we know 'the dark shadow and doubt' about that game. But the celebration was real.