All set for WC fiesta

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

All set for WC fiesta


WORLD CUP 2011All set for WC fiesta | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

Thu, Feb 17th, 2011 1:13 am BdST

Dhaka, Feb 16 (bdnews24.com) — The cricket World Cup extravaganza is set to open with all razzmatazz in the Bangladesh capital city of Dhaka on Thursday.

Promising to be a grand gala event, the opening ceremony begins at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here at 5:50pm. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will declare open the biggest cricket event, co-hosted by Bangladesh for the first time.

In the first phase of the five-part ceremony, the captains and the members of the 14 participating teams will stage a march in the stadium.

Singer Ebrar Tipu will arrive in a bedecked car to sing the welcome song, "O Prithibi, Ebar Eshey Banglake Nao Chiney…" (Hey world, come and know Bangladesh).

Recital of the close to six-minute welcome song, written by Zulfiqar Russell, has been composed by Ebrar and his group. Mila and Elita will sing the English version of the song.

The opening ceremony will feature the history of Bangladesh, starting since the 1952 Language Movement until the 1971 Liberation War, depicted through various types of choreography, songs and laser show.

Globally-acclaimed Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams, India's Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahdevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy, and Bangladesh's Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Momtaz will also perform at the event.

Theme song "De Ghumma Ke…" will be recited in four languages. The troika of music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy from Bollywood has composed the song.

Indian artistes will stage a performance, "Symphony of Colours" and Sri Lankan artistes will present "The Pearl of Indian Ocean".

A dance performance under the direction of Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibly Mohammad follows next.

Around 2,100 school and college students and 350 members of the Armed Forces will present a cultural programme depicting the glorious Language Movement, War of Liberation, independent architect Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic March 7 speech, Bangla New Year and traditional dance of the indigenous communities.

It has been directed by Indian choreographer Santosh Sethji.

Bryan Adam will render two songs, while Sonu Nigam will sing songs in praise of the participating countries.

After that, a 60-foot dais will roll into the stadium with Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Mamtaz singing a song. They will sing for nine minutes in medley style.

Finally, Shankar Mahdevan will enter the stadium in a decorated car and sing the theme song again.

The opening ceremony will end with Chinese fireworks.

Bangladesh is holding the World Cup tournament in association with India and Sri Lanka.

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Dhaka goes red-n-green


WORLD CUP 2011Dhaka goes red-n-green | Cricket | bdnews24.com

Wed, Feb 16th, 2011 10:27 pm BdST

Shahidul Islam

Dhaka, Feb 16 (bdnews24.com) — Cricket enthusiasts promise to turn it all red and green.

With cricket World Cup only days away, the cricket lovers of the capital are out to buy dresses made with the twin colour clothes to match with the national flag and jersey of the national cricket team, in celebration of the mega event beginning Feb 19.

As if that were not enough, the shops in the areas close to the Bangabandhu National Stadium, where the inauguration of the tournament will take place on Thursday, have already put on the red-n-green hue — giving the entire surrounding a festive look.

Most of the garment shops boast of the national cricket team jerseys, caps, t-shirts, fatuas, arm bands, stickers and many more things displaying the Bangladesh's flag. Tiny national flags are also on sale, to be used as head bands.

A flag seller at Bangabandhu Avenue, Abdul Kader, told bdnews24.com that at the moment, he had got 20-foot national flags in his store, and added, "I can make still bigger ones if one asked for."

Even those who failed to buy the tickets for the tournament are flocking these shops to express their zeal for the first-ever World Cup on their own land.

Banker Mustak Ahmed told bdnews24.com that he had bought jerseys for his two sons, as 'we failed to buy tickets despite best of efforts'".

A flag seller at Bangabandhu Avenue, Abdul Kader, told bdnews24.com that he had got some 20-foot national flags in his store, adding, "I can make still bigger ones if one asked for."

Cricket-related equipment—both large and miniature versions—are also selling like never before, according to Abul Kalam Azad, a sports goods seller of Bangabazar. "My sales have already more than doubled over the past a few days…I expect it (sales) to go up further once the world cup starts," said a beaming Azad.

Garment shops at Shahbagh-located Aziz Supermarket, Farmgate, Mirpur, Elephant Road and Science Laboratory area also showcase red-n-green dresses, mainly t-shirts, with the national flag embossed on them.

Some shops at Elephant Road and Science Laboratory area are also selling red-n-green drums, while some at Section-1 in Mirpur have put on sale Vuvuzela-like large flutes.

Private university student 'Faruq', who managed a ticket for the first match, told bdnews24.com that he would wear jersey of the Bangladesh team and play Vuvuzela loud during the match to encourage the players. "We want victory in the first match," he exclaimed.

Faisal Mahmud, after buying five jerseys from Bangabazar, said he bought jerseys also for his friends. "We will paint the stadium red-n-green during Bangladesh matches," he added.

 

[Roybot]

Dhaka looks epic in this photo. Although must say they could have kept the Liberation War out of the opening ceremony. Its a bit slack on the Pakistanis.

 

[saleen_s7]

Dhaka looks epic in this photo. Although must say they could have kept the Liberation War out of the opening ceremony. Its a bit slack on the Pakistanis.

I hate to bring this in, but with Sheikh Hasina in power, she would put the liberation war theme every chance she gets.

 

[integra]

Took some pictures last night, I'll post some later on.

 

[Roybot]

I hate to bring this in, but with Sheikh Hasina in power, she would put the liberation war theme every chance she gets.

Yeah its sad how politics gets dragged into everything. Couple more rehearsal pictures i came across.

Source: Reuters pictures.

 

[Al-zakir]

What ever the out come of the game but I am liking the new looks of Stadiums. It's about time, they went through real make over.

 

[desioptimist]

Yeah its sad how politics gets dragged into everything. Couple more rehearsal pictures i came across.

Source: Reuters pictures.

Looks excellent. Best of luck Bangladesh.

 

[Gonjo]

Excellent arrangement. I feel touched and honored, Being a Bangladeshi.

 

[eastwatch]

India, Bangladesh set for rousing opener tomorrow

India will look to settle an old score against an increasingly confident Bangladesh when the co-hosts meet in an intriguing opening match of the World Cup tomorrow (Saturday), reports AFP.

On paper, the day-night clash at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka may look like a no-contest with tournament favourites India having won 20 of their 22 one-day matches against the Tigers.

But the two defeats at Bangladesh's hands will rankle Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men when they take the field in front of some 25,000 partisan fans baying for India's blood.

A 15-run defeat in Dcember 2004 in Dhaka was followed by a stunning five-wicket loss during the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, which knocked India out in the first round.

Indian vice-captain Virender Sehwag, never one to mince words, told reporters ahead of the tournament that his team was charged up for what is widely seen as a grudge match.

"We have not forgotten that World Cup loss," the aggressive opener said. "We can't wait to play them again, and I am confident we will do better this time."

Bangladesh, who also defeated mighty South Africa in the second round of the last World Cup, could not have asked for a better setting to challenge the Indians.

Familiar home conditions that assist the slow left-arm spin of skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak have seen Bangladesh win seven and lose just one of their last 10 home one-dayers.

The victories included an astonishing 4-0 rout of Daniel Vettori's New Zealand in October.

Athar Ali Khan, who played the last of his 19 one-dayers for Bangladesh in 1998 before becoming a TV expert, said the current team had the potential to deliver.

"We played for survival, these lads play to win," Khan said. "I have a lot of faith in this team."

Bangladesh will, however, miss former captain and pace spearhead Mashrafe Mortaza, who was ruled out of the tournament due to a recurring knee injury.

Mortaza, 27, has been the pivot of the Bangladesh attack with 146 one-day wickets, including a match-winning 4-38 against India in the last World Cup.

Bangladesh will depend on the left-handed openers, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, the fluent Junaid Siddique and former captain Mohammad Ashraful to give the spinners a reasonable total to defend.

India have enjoyed an impressive run over the last three years, which has taken Dhoni's men to the top of the Test rankings and made them number two behind Australia in the one-dayers.

They go into the Cup opener on the back of two convincing morale-boosting wins over Australia and New Zealand in practice matches this week.

The Indians rely mainly on its powerful batting, led by world recorld holder Sachin Tendulkar, to pile up a big total and bat the other side out of a match.

With Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh adding to a top-heavy line-up and Dhoni and the explosive Yusuf Pathan coming down the order, Harbhajan Singh has been pushed to number eight despite two Test centuries to his credit.

Off-spinner Harbhajan leads the bowling attack with new-ball spearhead Zaheer Khan, but India will rely on part-timers Sehwag, Yuvraj and Pathan to fill the fifth bowler's spot.

The pressure Saturday will be entirely on India, but Dhoni chose to calm team-mates by stressing the importance of doing the basics right.

"We should not worry about winning and losing, just concentrate on doing the small things correctly," he said. "Then everything will fall in place.

India and Bangladesh have been drawn with England, the West Indies, South Africa, Ireland and the Netherlands in group B, with the top four advancing to the quarter-finals.

 

[akash57]

Just thought I would share this, great song ! ROAR UP TIGERS !!!

 

[akash57]

Here is another song. This is the theme song for the 2011 Cricket World Cup! Made by 5 artists, one from Dubai, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, one from each. It's also in 5 languages, English, Urdu, Bengali, Hindi and Tamil. GOOD LUCK TO ALL SOUTH ASIAN NATIONS IN THIS CUP !!!

 

[integra]

why did they bring in mashrafe in the first video?
It's not fair that he wouldn play, not fair at all

 

[monitor]

DEAR FELLOW BANGLADESHI MEMBERS LETS DECORATE OUR ROOF TOP WITH FLAG OF BANGLADESH AS WE DO IN WORLD CUP FOOTBALL. WORLD CUP IS HAPPENING IN OUR OWN COUNTRY SO LETS START THE TREND THIS TIME

 

[eastwatch]

Stage set for pitch-ed battle | Cricket | cricket.bdnews24.com

Stage set for pitch-ed battle
Sat, Feb 19th, 2011 1:41 am BdST

Dhaka, Feb 18 (bdnews24.com) ・The long-awaited moment is here!

Cricket World Cup 2011 shifts from the dais to the pitch on Saturday with two of the three co-hosts, Bangladesh and India, playing each other in the tournament-opener at the local Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur.

The day-night match, starting at 2:30pm, promises to be an action-packed game, with splinters of revenge and aggression flying from the stadium to the TV sets.

India saw an upsetting exit in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies at the hands of Bangladesh, as the Tigers had halted the next-door neighbour's dream run most unceremoniously. The upset is said to be one of the major events in tournament's history.

That India are yet to overcome the painful exit was evident in the expression of Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who exhorted his fellow team members to take revenge on the Tigers.

"Our defeat to them (Bangladesh) in the last tournament is unforgettable. We are looking forward to the match・" he told a press conference here on Friday.

India are the current favourites in this tournament, with their consistency over the previous months and depth of the players' calibre.

"・e need to attack hard in the beginning," Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian Skipper, told a press conference on Friday, treating Bangladesh as a 'strong opponent'.

"Spinners can really put pressure," Dhoni said hinting at Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan and left-hand spinner Abdur Razzaque. "Their pacers will also do well."

Bangladesh, on the other hand, is at the moment a reasonably balanced team, consisting of prodigious bowlers and batsmen with a combination of confidence and talent.

Shakib last week told the media, "If you are good enough, you can win." That is how he and his fellow team members promise to face their opponent in the opening match.

The youngest captain in this World Cup admitted that the current Indian team was much stronger than it was in 2007. "They've improved a lot compared to the last World Cup."

"But if we can push them to back-foot in early overs, it'll benefit us, no matter whether they bowl or bat first," the skipper said.

Asked to make comparison of the spinners of the two teams, Shakib, a left-arm spinner himself, just said, "Both."

He said Bangladesh batsmen were confident about playing well. "We're old enough to cope with the [pressure of] big matches."

In response to another query whether the team needed pacer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who was left out of the squad, the captain said that the current players in the squad were performing well.

"He played up-to-the-mark as long as he was in the team" is how he recalled the striking bowler.

As for India, the co-hosts are sitting atop piles of expectations.

India boast of some rising stars in their team like Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin and Piyush Chawla.

And they are only in addition to the names like Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag, Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan.

However, on Bangladesh side, Tamim Iqbal Khan, Zunaed Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Roqibul Hassan, Shafiul Islam and Shakib himself are quite capable of changing the face of any game.

Their confidence is also at a new high following their victories in the home series against Zimbabwe (3-1) and New Zealand (4-0).