Bangladesh and cricket culture

[ChrisM]

I've live in Tower Hamlets, East London for over 2 years. Although more than a third of the area are Bangladeshi (and about half the children of school age), I've only once seen Bangladeshi children playing cricket- once more than the white children admittedly.

Why is this? To what extent does Bangladesh have a cricket culture to compare with India and Pakistan? The only footage I've seen of matches there has been mixed- Dhaka looked pretty muted but Chittagong looked great. And if so, why does it not seem to have transferred to Britain?

[Arnab]

Bangladeshis are as fanatic about cricket as Indians or Pakistanis. Cricket's currently the number one sport in BD. The main problem is, as with any poor country, lack of proper infrastructures. The regular people also cannot afford high-quality equipments at will. Yet, the enthusiasm is there. Bangladesh is truly a weird country in that sense. Before we gained test status, people used to literally fight over their support of India and Pakistan (and this type of overenthused "fights" happened to a greater extent between Brazil adn Aregentina supporters as well, when football was the most popular sport back in the days). As far as cricket "culture" is concerned, there's not much compared to India or Pakistan. Simply because we didn't have any first class league until late 1990s. Proper cricket, for the longest time, was played only by upper or upper-middle class people in the prominent towns or cities. Whatever "culture" you are referring to, is probably preserved by these same people. Meanwhile, the game has been spreading countrywide. The current fastest bowler on our national team, a teenager, comes from a distant village. And his hero is Courtney Walsh. So, you can say the game has made its mark pretty all over Bangldesh by now. With the attainment of test status, this already overwhelming participation can only increase in the future.

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BTW, welcome to the board. I think you might be our first or one of the very few Brit members.

[Edited on 13-1-2004 by Arnab]

[rafiq]

I can't say what goes on in the Tower Hamlets, but I would guess ethnic Bangladeshi parents insist their kids study or tend to the family business and such instead of lounging around and playing sports.... although I'm sure they play more football....

[ChrisM]

Good to be here, thanks! That's interesting stuff about fighting over support for India or Pakistan.

I started to half-follow Bangladesh cricket when I went to Goa on holiday in 2002. I watched the second test against West Indies. I was really impressed by the 16 year old fast bowler who played there (is that who you mean?) and one of the young batsmen (Kapali or Asharuful) hammered 80 in no time.

Poverty must be a huge impediment to cricket's development in Bangladesh. The last few governments here have decided that Britain can't afford to maintain school playing fields and as a result of that state school cricket is virtually negligible. If a rich country decides this, then what must it be like trying to put together decent infrastructure for sport in a developing country.

The crowd at Dhaka on TV looked pretty quiet, not at all like the crowds at Indian grounds, but that could be for all sorts of reasons- high ticket prices perhaps. Chittagong couldn't have been better- not only was the ground full but so were the streets around the ground. What would happen if they won?

[fwullah]

Welcome to the board, ChrisM. I think I can give you some insights into the matter.

You see, the cricket culture in general, has really been boosted by the ICC 1997 trophy win and thereby gradually participating in the world cup. Before the year 1999, this looked like a distant dream for those people who used to play cricket - although before 1997, their number was huge, but it wasn't a time when their parents wanted their children to become cricketers.

But now, things have changed dramatically, te gradual improvement from 1997 ICC trophy win, to participation in 1999 World Cup, Earning of the Test Status, and then the realization that Bangladesh from now on will regularly play in the world cups, and that there is a huge sum of both money and fame involved, if the parents' children can become the country's best, that is the point when the parents started to teach their children cricket, not only those children who were destined to become sportsmen or cricketers, but also to those children who would have just gone to schools and staffs, and be regular school-going kids.

And for the people who live outside Bangladesh, unless they are not hugely in touch with Bangladesh cricket and what has been going in Bangladesh cricket, and are not usually keeping in touch with Bangladesh, they are still not realizing the huge opportunity of being the part of a test playing nation. With time, it is changing, and it will continue to change over time, but since this is a long-term process, so you will not see the difference right away. You will also fail to realize all the things that I have said if you compare Bangladeshis to other Indians and Pakistanis living abroad. Because obviously, they've been test playing teams since centuries.

[oracle]

FW: This can be modified a little and posted as an article, me thinks. Say "Cricket Culture in BD"?

[fwullah]

The 16 year old bowler's name is Talha Jubair, the 2nd quickest or the 2nd best Bangladeshi bowler after Mashrafee Bin Murtoza - (about whom Arnab has been telling you about - from Narail); although I am not sure whether Talha played against the West Indies or not - I have to check on that to be certain.

Alok Kapali scored 89 runs against the West Indies.

About the crowd behavior, I think the Dhaka crowd are bored over watching many International teams over the years playing in the Dhaka stadium. Compared to that, the Chittagong crowd hasn't seen much of International cricket, that is why the crowd behavior is like the way you've seen it.

[fwullah]

Sure - you can do the modifying. I am planning to write on something else at the moment.

[cricket_er]

ChrisM,

Most of the Bangladesh's in Tower Hemlet area are from Villages of Sylhet, who are not much in touch with cricket. Plus they have left Bangladesh a long time ago. They play some soccer but not cricket, I lived in England for 7 years and took me 2 years before I found cricket that's also cause I went out of London to work for the summer vacation, where in Canada I found cricket with in 6 months and now also found some Dhaka premier league players.

[Sami]

I am from Sylhet!!!!

Ur arguement has flaws... Sylhet has nothing to do with them being not interested in cricket! Them actually being born to a BD family that doesnt solicit sports that much is to blame... Sylhet sports players like Rajin Saleh, Kapali and the likes in the national team... and I am VERY interested in cricket, both watching and playing

[Edited on 13-1-2004 by radicalsami]

[fab]

Well one thing I have noticed, is that each time I go back to BD I see more and more kids playing cricket on the streets or in the fields. Also, as fwullah has mentioned, because of the fame and money, parents are also starting to change their views on allowing their children to also pursuit sports as opposed to just studying all day.

Ashraful first started playing cricket on the streets of a middle class suburb in Dhaka.

[Edited on 13-1-2004 by fab]

[fab]

I think what cricket_er was trying to say is that most of the people of BD origin who live in Tower Hamlets where from villages in Sylhet. When they migrated to the UK in the 60s and 70s cricket wasn't that big even in Dhaka let alone the remote villages, so those people were never interested much in cricket. On the other hand the Pakistanis and Indians have been cricket mad for decades, so the original people who migrated to the UK were cricket fans from the very beginning which has been passed down to their children.

[Sami]

Give another few years... cricket will be the dominating sports in BD... Whatever interest left in soccer now will vaporize... the soccer fights like the one during the last Muktijoddha and abahoni match will make sure it happens...

As for ''bangalis'' in london... or more like east london region... they are not all that bangali... maybe their parents are/were but not the new generation... they are Brits... or some variation of brits... probably the latter... However, there are exceptions... and those who feel offended by what I just said are the exceptions... so please dont be offended... I myself played cricket during my visit to my friends place in East London... Soooo cricket is not completely lost among those people... but curiously more kids were swarming around the field when we were playing soccer... :duh:

okay off the discussion... its surprising... I never really figured why Kabaddi is our national sport... and hockey is India's national sport... whats Pakistan's national sport btw? I am sure its not cricket... I understand bangladesh not having cricket as our national sport... it wasnt so popular when Kabaddi was chosen... but why kabaddi... we are really bad at that game...

[Beamer]

I suppose "kabaddi" being the national sport has to do with the game being played across the board all over the country from time immemorial. Whereas, cricket until now has been limited to urban areas and is an import to the sub-continent. Kabadii is indiginous to Bengal area and hence the national sport. i have no problem with it. Maybe the authorities should revive the sport as a national symbol and provide proper patronage. Cricket is and will be the most popular sport in future ,though kabadi should remain the national sport because of its historical significance and widespread practice as recreation in the rural areas.

[Carte Blanche]

Sami, heard of "ekka-dukka"? :P:P

[muddaser]

pakistans national sport in field hockey and not cricket. we are the most successful hockey nation and have won 4 world cups.

[Sami]

Mudasser... I thought Hockey wud be your national sports too... Both India and pakistan are good in hockey... However hockeysticks in Bangladesh are used for other purposes than hockey :P

Carte... played ekka-dukka as a kid... never was gud at it with the excessive bulk, which is my body, never cud really hop around much :P

[fab]

pakistans national sport in field hockey and not cricket. we are the most successful hockey nation and have won 4 world cups.

Winning 4 out of 10 world cups is a great feat. 1994 was a good year for you guys since you won both the World Cup and Champion's trophy. But in recent years it seems that Pak's performance has been slipping? You guys haven't won any major competitions for a while and are ranked at 5.

The Germans and the Dutch seem to be the strongest teams nowadays

[Sami]

Shahbaz Ahmed was a good player... wasnt shabaz and Dhanraj Pillai of the same era? I know Shahbaz retired like several yrs back... Dhanraj pillai is still in the indian team as the captain...

Few months back few of my indian buddies at the uni were pissed cause the indian team lost a almost won match to netherlands... netherlands came back from behind to clinch the match 4-3... boy were they mad at the hockey team! LOL...

[fab]

Few months back few of my indian buddies at the uni were pissed cause the indian team lost a almost won match to netherlands... netherlands came back from behind to clinch the match 4-3... boy were they mad at the hockey team! LOL...

haha, did they burn any effigies? If there is one thing i would hate to see happen in BD as a result of "cricket madness", it is the burning of effigies of sports people. That is just taking it way to far.

[Sami]

thankfully no... I dont think my Uni wud take it very kindly... :P

[muddaser]

of late we have fallen behind in hockey though we just beat india,spain, korea and germany in the azlan shah tournament so far. in my opinion we have the best penalty cornet taker in sohail abbas who will beat all records.

[Hasib]

fwullah, Talha did play against the West Indies. I was on Holidays to Bangladesh at that time.

[Hasib]

Oh... welcome to the board Chris