Of joy and pain

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Two countries woke up on Sunday in contrasting moods that replicated in their tremendous emotional outburst. After Bangladesh crushed their gigantic neighbour India by five wickets in the World Cup far away at Trinidad and Tobago, the reaction from the winners and losers of the cricket match matched each other’s in being at its best.

While the dawn broke in Bangladesh with joyous celebration in very nook and corner with people distributing sweets, spraying coloured water and displaying patriotism at its best with spontaneous rallies all across the country, flakes flew across the border.

The mood was also reflected in the printed and electronic media. The front page of every Bangladesh newspaper carried the win of the Tigers, as they are affectionately known.

“Bangladesh rocks the world,” screamed the country’s best-selling Bangla daily Prothom Alo. “The win can be an upset, but if you can forecast a win, is it still an upset?” quipped the newspaper in its lead story.

“India sees cricket as business but Bangladesh knows and plays cricket as a sport. The only country that has not invited Bangladesh to play a Test series is India, just because Bangladesh is not financially viable as a team. Now, India have to understand that cricket is a game and not a commercial apple!” wrote Tareq Mahmood in his article in the same daily.

The Daily Ittefaq had this heading: “India tremble at Tigers’ roar” while Inqilab said, “Tigers’ claw hurt India”.

British press also joined in with the Daily Telegraph pointing out that India were ‘embarrassed’ by Bangladesh while the Sun jibed: “Bangladesh put India in a mess”.

Tigers were the toast of Trinidad with its leading newspapers paying tribute.

“Minnows might — Bangladesh beat India”, said the Trinidad Express while the Guardian carried, “Bangladesh whips India”.

But the mood was reverse in India with their leading newspapers thrashing their cash-bloated superstars. Particular attention went to struggling opener Virender Sehwag, skipper Rahul Dravid and its Australian coach Greg Chappell who are just awaiting banishment if news channel Zee News is to be believed.

Soon after the loss, which also means that India are in danger of missing out on a Super Eights place, the channel started a poll ‘Who’s head will roll first’ with the skipper, coach and Sehwag being the subjects. The primary results showed that participants were divided almost equally in their anger towards these three characters.

Another Indian television channel NDTV showed the infuriated public throwing stones at the home of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Ranch in the morning after the loss.

“Dhoni die, die,” protesters chanted, burning effigies of the long-maned player, who has scored 1,958 runs in 68 one-day international matches and is counted among India’s most aggressive batsmen, an AFP reporter at the site reported.

“It seems Dhoni is banking more on modelling than wicketkeeping and batting,” said Sohan Mahto, one of the protesters.

Similar protests were reported from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, where irate fans were out on the streets after India’s humiliating defeat, the Press Trust of India said.

The Times of India’s front-page displayed two photographs of Indian batsman Virender Sehwag and Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq under the caption: “Mighty minnows put Asian powers on the mat.”

“Campaign starts with collapse,” screamed the headline in the Hindustan Times. “The World Cup finally began for India, but it might not last too long,” wrote the newspaper’s correspondent.

The Indian Express said: “Bangladesh grabbed India by the collar, poked a finger in the eyes of some of the world’s best batsmen, tore up the elaborate blueprint prepared by coach Greg Chappell and punched an embarrassing dent on the face of the world’s richest cricketing outfit.”

Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar was made to eat his words. Several hours before the match, Gavaskar predicted a massive Indian win but then said, “Let’s give credit where it is due — I think Bangladesh were brilliant out there,” during a review programme on ESPN channel.

“The spinners were outstanding and the way the batsmen responded … I will not take anything away from them.”

“Tigers 1; Lambs 0,” it was how Cricinfo gave it’s match verdict.

The Tribune said it was a ‘Blue Blackout’ and at the same time, Kolkata-based Anandabazar Patrika mentioned that ‘one Bengali’s fight against eleven Bengalis was futile’ with reference to Sourav Ganguly’s valiant 66.

Whether this was a Blue Blackout or a massacre, quoting from Mahmood in Prothom Alo, this was ‘a protest for considering cricket as a product, and not a sport’.

IAJUDDIN, CA, HASINA, KHALEDA GREET CRICKET TEAM
UNB says: President Iajuddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia have congratulated the national cricket team on their clinching a memorable victory against India in the World Cup match at Port-of-Spain Saturday night.

In a message of felicitation, the president said that the Bangladesh cricket team would be able to “build on the good start they made with the win in their first match in the ICC World Cup.”

The chief adviser praised the Bangladeshi players’ consistency, determination and all round performance in the field as contributing factors for the victory.

Hasina, now in the USA, in a message of felicitation said that this victory would lead to more successes in future. “It brought happiness for the whole nation.”

Khaleda Zia in a message said: “I congratulate the players, coach and all concerned on their clinching a grand victory.” The trend of victory of the national team would be sustained on the international arena of cricket, she added.

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