Dhaka- Quarter- final turn out.

[Jonas]

I was at the stadium yesterday -- I'm not a Pakistani fan, or West Indian fan or Indian fan -- and was amazed to be part of such an electric atmosphere. I haven't been to a Bangladeshi WC game -- because I couldn't manage a ticket -- but I can't imagine if it's possible to support a team more passionately then the crowd supported Pakistan yesterday. Personally I don't have a problem with that as long as they don't support Pakistan when they play against Bangladesh -- and I'm sure they don't do that.

[Banglatiger84]

Originally Posted by Jonas
because I couldn't manage a ticket -- but I can't imagine if it's possible to support a team more passionately then the crowd supported Pakistan yesterday.

Which makes the fact that Afridi/Hafeez did not acknowledge the crowd all the more appalling

[Jonas]

Originally Posted by Banglatiger84
Which makes the fact that Afridi/Hafeez did not acknowledge the crowd all the more appalling

To be fair to them, both of them did. I was sitting at the southern gallery, surrounded by thousands of Pakistani fans. Hafeez was fielding just in front of us, and the crowd was shouting his name (I wasn't btw), and he waved back towards us. Afridi, being the captain, wasn't fielding near the boundary, but did wave towards us from the mid-on. So did Ajmal and Sarwan.

[BanCricFan]

Originally Posted by Zunaid
It was their "passion for Islam" that drove them to it.

Posted via BC Mobile Edition

A colourful but a crude jibe in very bad taste.

On topic- The reasonable people of Pakistan, if they are truly sincere, MUST lobby and campaign for an official apology from their Govt. -notwithstanding how corrupt they are- for the crime against humanity and people of Bangladesh. The least they can do.

[Zunaid]

The significance of the phrase being in quotes not apparent to you? I suggest reading through the chain of posts rather than comment out of context.

Posted via BC Mobile Edition

[One World]

Very interesting thread. Were not those of the lower castes in Hindu classisism being repressed by many many years decided to break-free from such oppressions and found the light of Islam as the genuine path of freedom as it does not discriminate based on boundary, race, nationality, appearance, richess - any social parameter? Still we are "miskins", still we have to go through multiple security checks during transits or a hotel stay in Doha or Dubai.

Color of religion does not matter, color of passport and skin does. Go figure.

[BanCricFan]

Originally Posted by Zunaid
The significance of the phrase being in quotes not apparent to you? I suggest reading through the chain of posts rather than comment out of context.

Posted via BC Mobile Edition

Sorry bhai! Can't see any obvious significance here. Putting a potentially sensitive and provocative phrase in between the quotes doesn't make it -intentionally or otherwise- any less misleading or distortive. Perhaps, you could clarify a little...

[Shubho]

However strongly I feel that it degrades our freedom struggle that Bangladeshis are supporting the Pakistan cricket team, I must acknowledge that there is nothing wrong per se in cheering their cricket team.

That said, what we saw at the stadium was pure sycophantic, RAJAKARI bullcrap. There are limits to how far one should go to support another's team, particularly when that team is called Pakistan. Wearing the Pakistan jersey? Pakistani face paint? Whooping and hollering like its your motherland? Screw those "supporters"! Shove them into one of the Geneva camps and ship them off to Pakmastaan asap.

THIS IS OUR HOUSE!

[aftitabi]

Originally Posted by Shubho
Shove them into one of the Geneva camps and ship them off to Pakmastaan asap.

THIS IS OUR HOUSE!

Clearly ppl that matters, who actually live in Bangladesh and went to the stadium don't agree with you. Good thing for them that you're already shipped off to a different land.

[Nafi]

You guys need to get a grip.

[KRider]

very funny so called bangali aamra. we live abroad, and some come back, and then we think only our opinion matters. bd ppl can do what they chose, who r u all to say who to support or not

sohel bhai is really confused. his FB posting is very SHAMEFUL. he is putting names on other ppl, when he is just that type of ppl. ppl like sohel bhai live in america all his life, the same america that wanted paksitan to bomb bangladesh ppl to the soil. how bad for him. How shameful for him

[Banglatiger84]

Originally Posted by Jonas
To be fair to them, both of them did. I was sitting at the southern gallery, surrounded by thousands of Pakistani fans. Hafeez was fielding just in front of us, and the crowd was shouting his name (I wasn't btw), and he waved back towards us. Afridi, being the captain, wasn't fielding near the boundary, but did wave towards us from the mid-on. So did Ajmal and Sarwan.

By acknowledge I didnt mean waving at fans. Both of them thanked the "fans who came from Pakistan", in effect not mentioning the 95% of fans who were Bangladeshis and probably supporting Pakistan for whatever reason

[Shubho]

Originally Posted by aftitabi
Clearly ppl that matters, who actually live in Bangladesh and went to the stadium don't agree with you. Good thing for them that you're already shipped off to a different land.

People that matter? I don't matter because I don't live in Bangladesh? Do explain.

Maybe three quarters of the 15,000 people who turned up (reminder: stadium capacity is 26,000) chose to support Pakmastaan. And a fraction of that three quarters of said 15,000 spectators actually went overboard in their support for Pakmastaan. To them, I offer a one-way ticket to the Geneva camp using my hard-earned foreign currency.

"Thank you".

[MohammedC]

World Cup hosts Bangladesh do themselves proud

by Peter Roebuck

Bangladesh has an enormous part to play in the rise and fall of cricket. It displays the same single-minded devotion to the game detected in Kolkata 20 years ago. Admittedly, the team remains immature and mostly unsuccessful but the enthusiasm is high, the population is large and the talent obvious. With proper support, cricket's newest and poorest Test nation will be a powerhouse within 20 years.

Everyone still talks about the overwhelming scenes observed at the opening ceremony on February 20, the atmosphere in the ground, the warmth of the people, the packed streets outside. Indian observers report that it surpassed anything seen in their country. In the eyes of locals, it was nothing less than the birth of the nation. An important sporting event had been put in its hands, and it has responded superbly.

Needless to say, Sher-e-Bangla, Dhaka's splendidly rebuilt stadium, filled up as the first quarter-final was played, never mind that the home side had already been eliminated. Inside the ground, the crowd was exuberant. Outside, hundreds of people milled around listening to the regular roars and cheers. Further away, groups gathered around large screens and watched as the Pakistani openers took their team towards the semi-finals.


Of course, Bangladesh needs to turn affection into strength. At present, the team consists mostly of boys sent to do a man's job. ICL, the rebel Twenty20 league, took away most of the senior players, and along the way they lost their edge. Not that they can be blamed for seeking money. A weak domestic structure is the other problem, and that cannot be changed in five minutes.

Nor, though, is it a lost cause. Nations are so easily caricatured. Suffice it to say that Bangladesh has a woman prime minister, lots of newspapers, exceptional warmth and a more settled political position than some of its cricketing peers. It is also impoverished, congested and polluted. As far as cricket is concerned, though, it is not merely a worthwhile investment, it's a critical location.

Bangladesh is not a problem, it is an asset. Locals even managed to enjoy a dreadfully one-sided match played between Pakistan and West Indies. A less tolerant crowd might have scorned the Caribbean outfit as impostors. Instead the ground rejoiced in the event itself.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/...24-1c8jx.html?

[Nafi]

And where is this line of going overboard, seriously this attitude disgusts me.

I just had a Bengali Society meeting at university, and we have quite a few pakistanis there as well who came along and are members as well.

What happened in the past was bad, but was perpetrated by our own people and the corrupt pakistani government/military (that nowadays abuse their own people), it doesnt warrant this attitude at all.

And like it or not, a lot of Bengalis share the same roots and heritage with Pakistanis.

[f100]

this is a better representative of what pakistanis think http://blog.dawn.com/2011/03/24/thank-you-dhaka/


Thank You BD

[gladiator]

Originally Posted by f100
this is a better representative of what pakistanis think http://blog.dawn.com/2011/03/24/thank-you-dhaka/


Thank You BD

Also, don't forget to read the responses at the end of the article by the common Pakistanis, that is the true representation of Pakistani view towards BD.
Thanks again for the most awesome support.

[Shubho]

Originally Posted by Nafi
And where is this line of going overboard, seriously this attitude disgusts me.

I just had a Bengali Society meeting at university, and we have quite a few pakistanis there as well who came along and are members as well.

What happened in the past was bad, but was perpetrated by our own people and the corrupt pakistani government/military (that nowadays abuse their own people), it doesnt warrant this attitude at all.

And like it or not, a lot of Bengalis share the same roots and heritage with Pakistanis.

Imagine a line.

On one side of the line are Bangladeshis who support the Pakistani cricket team. They clap. They cheer when a boundary is scored or when a wicket is taken. They express disbelief when their favourite batsmen get out.

On the other side of the line are another set of Bangladeshis. These Bangladeshis also support the Pakistani cricket team. Only...they sport Pakistani jerseys, carry Pakistani flags, paint their faces in the colours of the Pakistani flag, etc.

Both sides of the line represent Bangladeshis who support the Pakistan cricket team. One style of support is perfectly acceptable. The other simply reflects lack of self-worth, a servile attitude and total lack of respect for one's own flag (and what it represents).

I leave it to you to figure out which side is which.

Thank you. Good bye.

[Baundule]

Sohel bhai, top post. Anyone even with the minimum of brain will understand that. Some people will change, some will not.

People who think, it was all about the Pakistani military for what they did with us, must watch this video (we, the shuorke bachchas, were sent to the Jahannam by him with support from pakistani people):



Bhutto was clearly supporting the military action in the following interview as well.

[Night_wolf]

look in the net about the night of 25th march in 1971

all hell with all the logics and reasons..i'll never ever support Pakistan

be a sport a team or anything...i dont care if the pak players had nothing to do with it or not

[Shafin]

.... .... ....

[Dilscoop]

Another great turn-out! This is great! I can't wait till we host T20 WC all by ourselves! We will show them how it's done. Even during a Nameless-anada vs Unknown-isthan game, the stadium will be packed!

But why is this goinging unnoticed by the players, the media and officials! Clearly we defeated SL for neutral game atmosphere!

[RazabQ]

Some thoughts:
1) Crowd support was more robust for today's QF involving Saffers & NZ - read what you will of it.
2) You cannot discount the emotional reaction to Windies being "responsible" for our WC exit - that accounts, IMHO for the strong Pakistan support in the last QF.
3) As Shubho said, face-painting and flag waving would seem to be a bit much. But I attribute that more to our young people looking for any and every excuse to "party up" rather than some historical-political statement. For those of us who are older and have a sense of the past or the near-past, 71 or a "faluni" cannot but influence how strongly we root (or don't root) for a Pakistan or an India. Younger people - they don't care. They want to move forward. That is how it always is and to rail against that is pointless. Holocaust survivors might never root for a German team but an Israeli youth today could very well be rooting for a Bayern Munich or for a German ski team.
4) As a nation (industrial-military-5-families) Pakistan has never appropriately apologized or compensated for their genocide. As individual people many have expressed regret while others seem oblivious. But that is one dysfunctional country and I don't know how much we Bangladeshi's gain in directing angst against a country that 60+ years after its independence still struggles with something as old-school as feudalism!
5) Afridi goofed - he should have thanked the Dhaka crowd. But over the years he has made enough appreciative statements about BD that I'll cut him some slack. He's never come across as nearly arrogant as Imran and I grew up with an Imran poster!

[Banglatiger84]

I am proud of our fans, they created a wonderful atmosphere today and it would have been hard for someone listening to the match to guess that it was a 3rd party ground and not one in SA or NZ

[Neel Here]

it's interesting isn't it that pak seem to do better under the leadership of pathans ? first imran and now afridi ?
my fav bowler akram wasn't that good a captain unfortunately.