To see glory from such close quarters is a pleasure unto itself. Some of us are lucky to hear Stuart Law break into a broad smile while walking into the dressing-room to join the team song Aamra Korbo Joy.
The former Australian cricketer said in an interview to this newspaper only a few days ago that the win against India will mean nothing if the Tigers don’t beat Sri Lanka and make it to the final of the Asia Cup. So does the five-wicket win in the last league game, which took his side to the dream final, mean a lot to him; is he happy?
“Very happy, mate.”
Yes, even the stern Lawman was happy. So was Mushfiqur Rahim’s father Mahbub Hamid who hugged Nasir Hossain. So was chief selector Akram Khan and his colleagues Habibul Bashar and Minhazul Abedin. Akram lifted the country’s first cup of note, the ICC Trophy in 1997, but ahead of this tournament, the man who takes all the selectorial calls found himself compromised. He quit, only to be brought back after a talk with the country’s Prime Minister of all people. Did Akram think of a place in the Asia Cup final when all that was going on?
“At the time I knew that I was not in the Asia Cup. But yes, credit to the boys,” he said standing outside the Tigers’ dressing room at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. “It was a total team effort. Look at Tamim Iqbal, he changed his way of playing just so that he can contribute to the team. The bowlers too were brilliant.”
Bashar was emotional too. The man who led the Tigers in a sterling performance in the 2007 World Cup thought that such consistency is unique. “I have never seen such cricket from the national team. Even in the World Cup of 2007 we beat two big teams but not in this manner. Here they improved every game and corrected mistakes. I am really happy with this,” he said.
Shafiul Islam, he with the shoulder injury, was in the hospitality boxes at the south end of the ground but as the end drew near, he couldn’t handle himself. He walked towards the grandstand and watched the last part from the balcony on the first level.
All these happy people were smiling last night because some other people, equally happy and singing in the dressing room at that moment, made all this happen.
If Shakib Al Hasan was Superman in October 2010, the Asia Cup is the work of the Justice League.
Tamim Iqbal came into his own with his third consecutive fifty in ODI cricket; Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim are the new match-winners; Mahmudullah Riyad was at his rock-solid best in yesterday’s game; Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is now a walking tribute to his braveheart sobriquet; Nazmul Hossain came in and gave a professional pace bowler’s performance, he took wickets. Abdur Razzak remained steady and cashed in on his good luck.
But above all, the team has thrived on tremendous bonhomie among itself. After all that has happened before Asia Cup, who would have thought this would happen?
Eleven brave souls thought this was possible and they made it, making those around them as proud as parents.
-With The Daily Star input
