It was hard to tell whether Syed Ashraful Huq was more proud of Shakib Al Hasan’s performance or the overall organising of the Asia Cup.
The Asian Cricket Council CEO waxed lyrical about both yesterday, calling the eleventh edition of the regional event as it’s most successful in terms of the cricket played as well as the crowd presence.
“It was very good, very successful,” he told The Daily Star Sport. “We have held this tournament in Sri Lanka, UAE, India and Pakistan, so it is hard to single out which is the best in organising but the organisers here are proven, not only potentially proven.”
“In terms of the cricket played, it was the most successful. There were no mismatches this time. In the previous tournaments, there were only three teams that were title aspirants but Bangladesh matches this time were all equal contests,” said the former BCB general secretary.
“The crowd have also made this tournament a success; five out of seven games were sold outs while in 1988 and 2000, the Bangladesh matches sometimes didn’t get a full house,” he added.
He obviously had special praise reserved for the man-of-the-tournament: “Shakib is a world-class cricketer. I told him in the morning that you are the best player in your category and he told me to pray for him.”
“He bats, bowls and fields so well. We have two world-class cricketers but Shakib is a notch higher than Tamim [Iqbal]. I am really proud of him,” said Ashraful.
The long-serving organiser also pointed out that it was the Tigers’ self-belief which gave them so much confidence, despite all the controversies ahead of the tournament.
“The eleven players who walked out believed that they are the best cricketers in the country.
“I have read in the newspapers that there were interference in selection and that would have put them under pressure. But they played very well,” he said.
-With The Daily Star input
