Dhaka cool to ‘meaningless’ tournament
BANGLADESH’S ALOOFNESS SUGGESTS THE TOURNAMENT IS STRUGGLING FOR AN IDENTITY IN THE CALENDAR
DHAKA: For a country fighting for cricketing recognition, hosting the Asia Cup and World T20 is an ideal opportunity for Bangladesh. Landing in Dhaka, one expected to be overwhelmed by the cricket fever that the Asia Cup is expected to generate, come February 25.
Step out of the airport and madness engulfs braces you. Nothing to do with the Asia Cup, though. It is human chaos. In a city where traffic crawls, there is not even a single hoarding to remind the people of the tournament that is slated to witness the best in the Asia. Bangladesh’s star all-rounder, Shakib-al Hasan, promotes the World T20 on radio. Pass the hotel where the teams will put up, and there is little hint of the upcoming event.
Three decades since the inaugural edition was played in Sharjah, questions are often raised on its utility. Bangladesh’s aloofness suggests the tournament is struggling for an identity in an already suffocating international calendar.
The 2014 edition, however, promises better perks for the five participating teams. Playing in friendlier conditions, India could revisit the long-lost feeling of a triumph. For Pakistan, a country deprived of much cricket, it would mean more games. Bangladesh would want to overturn the two-run defeat in the 2012 summit clash to Pakistan, in a bid to end their major trophy drought. Having camped in Bangladesh since a month, the well-acclimatised Sri Lanka would hope to make a statement. Finally, Afghanistan would love to leave an impression on the big boys.
But for all it stands for, the event almost never happened. The original hosts India pulled out, citing a packed international calendar. Once Bangladesh was chosen as the replacement, the country was enveloped in political violence since October last in the lead-up to the general elections.
A bomb blew up outside the West Indies under-19 side’s hotel in mid-December, forcing them to call off the tour. When Pakistan threatened to pull out, the knockout blow appeared to have been delivered.
In the final twist, the BCCI, English and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia announced the decision to rule the International Cricket Council, for which they needed a majority. For Bangladesh to fall in line, the BCCI allegedly threatened that India would pull out of the Asia Cup.
In a magical turn of events, the government assured statelevel security to the teams and issues with the ICC’s Position Paper were sorted. The turmoil having settled down, the teams can now pursue their objectives in an otherwise meaningless event. NBA
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