T20 Asia Cup, which begins with Bangladesh vs India on Wednesday, will serve as the ultimate build-up for WT20 next month.
THE WILLS Little Flower School in Kakrail, Dhaka, had a reputation of rolling out quality cricketers. Former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud — that diminutive medium-pacer who felled mighty Pakistan in 1999 — counts as their star product. West End School, not far away in Azimpur, was equally prolific as a breeding ground for future national cricketers. The two schools had been great rivals on the field, spicing up the national school cricket championships in the 80s and ‘90s.
Back then, cricket here had been very much Dhaka-centric. The last decade or so, though, has seen the rise of the districts in Bangladesh. The Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium in Narayanganj district, about 32 kilometres off Dhaka, often is referred to as a significant landmark of this revolution. It has already hosted Test cricket. For the last two days, meanwhile, it has been playing host to the Indian team’s practice sessions ahead of their Asia Cup opener against Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Even though all the matches of the tournament will be played at the more recognizable Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur, MS Dhoni & Co have chosen the nondescript Fatullah ground for training because of its location — far away from the hustle and bustle of Dhaka — and its quietude. The area being a cantonment town, though, have led to some unlikely restrictions being imposed. Usually India’s practice sessions in this part of the world witness a decent audience. This time, however, the stands remained empty though not because the passionate Bangladeshi cricket faithful didn’t want to be there but more due to them not being allowed to even stand in front of the stadium entrance to welcome the Indians.
