The People's World Cup

Miraz · #1 February 17, 2011, 05:04 PM

I think this deserves a own thread.

The People's World Cup

To no other city, no other country, no other people, would this World Cup have meant more. And there could have been no better place for this World Cup to begin its journey
Sambit Bal at the Bangabandhu Stadium
February 17, 2011
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The real deal was outside the stadium. Just to be there was stirring © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

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Bangladesh welcomed the World Cup the only way it knows, and in a way only it could have. Stumpy, the tournament mascot, rode in to the Bangabandhu Stadium on a cycle trolley and the captains followed, in beautifully decorated cycle rickshaws as cricket lovers opened their hearts to their first World Cup. Kolkata would conceivably have matched the passion of Dhaka but perhaps not its warmth and enthusiasm. To no other city, no other country, no other people, would this World Cup have meant more. And there could have been no better place for this World Cup to begin its journey.
The opening ceremony was a spectacle in its own way, but it was not about the spectacle. There wasn't an empty seat in the stadium, but you had to peek out of the stadium to get a taste of the real deal. Whichever way the eye went there were people, chanting, swaying, waving flags, beating drums, and blowing, yes you guessed it, vuvuzelas. If they felt denied, there was no trace of it. They waved at you happily, and beamed smiles back when you smiled at them. It was impossible not to feel their joy and not be uplifted by it.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cric...ry/501510.html

Roni_uk · #2 February 17, 2011, 05:16 PM

Yap brilliant!

ialbd · #3 February 17, 2011, 05:30 PM

wow.... it was literally a 'jono-shomudro' outside the stadium.... I thought everyone was exaggerating in their articles....

this is indeed the people's world cup.... as the article says 'To no other city, no other country, no other people, would this World Cup have meant more'

Kabir · #4 February 17, 2011, 05:38 PM

Our people did justice to the event. Since we've never hosted an event of this size before, I'm glad there were no other hiccup than the lotus/saga gang-bang.

ialbd · #5 February 17, 2011, 05:54 PM

finally its hitting me.... what I am missing by not being in Bangladesh right at this moment.

all the office work around me seems so trivial being thousands of miles away from 'The School of Life'....

betaar · #6 February 17, 2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ialbd
wow.... it was literally a 'jono-shomudro' outside the stadium.... I thought everyone was exaggerating in their articles....

Do we need a WC for that? Isn't Gulistan full of people anyway.

ialbd · #7 February 17, 2011, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betaar
Do we need a WC for that? Isn't Gulistan full of people anyway.

hehe, true... but ppl crowd gulistan & farm-gate to make as part of making a living & surviving...

but, there must have been 'something' for which all these ppl flocked the area surrounding the stadium. The articles say there were no big screens outside, the sound & lighting could barely be heard or seen from outside.

the more I read & hear about this from articles and friends/families back home, the more I am getting amazed everytime....

Mahir · #8 February 17, 2011, 06:38 PM

The media coverage has been extremely appreciative so far. It is an amazing thing that of all the three hosts, Bangladesh have received the most positive and stirring feedbacks from across the world. Barring the ticket-sale mishaps (which is understandable for this country staging such a big event for the first time), almost everything else have gone well so far, and we should be proud as a nation.

Go Bangladesh

Really proud

Neel Here · #9 February 17, 2011, 07:13 PM

and it was without any doubt the best opening ceremony of any cricket world cup till date.
so congrats for that too !

WarWolf · #10 February 17, 2011, 09:06 PM

I specially loved this part...

Quote:

But they were there, nearly two days before the event, marking their presence near the hallowed ground, to feel close to something that matters so much, to spend as much time as they could there. Someone had described this as the People's World Cup earlier in the day. What it really meant became more and more clear as the day went by.
In all my years of watching cricket, I had never seen or experienced anything like this. To be there was stirring.

acbizz · #11 February 17, 2011, 09:17 PM

Great Article by Mr. Sambit

kalpurush · #12 February 17, 2011, 09:33 PM

An emotional outburst for me - three cheers for People of Bangladesh and Sambit Bal

mac · #13 February 17, 2011, 10:44 PM

This should have been the official theme song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5mdeeNgh5Y

ialbd · #14 February 17, 2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac
This should have been the official theme song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5mdeeNgh5Y

literally this has been the 2nd most popular video after the 'School of Life' video ppl posted on facebook today.....

betar skills ase, can easily oust Sir Western Milon off his throne......'Saminao nai e e, Rubinao nai o o, mui roisi qatarey...' kya lyrics.....

mac · #15 February 17, 2011, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ialbd
literally this has been the 2nd most popular video after the 'School of Life' video ppl posted on facebook today.....

betar skills ase, can easily oust Sir Western Milon off his throne......'Saminao nai e e, Rubinao nai o o, mui roisi qatarey...' kya lyrics.....

vai deikha hashte hashte obostha kharap hoe gese. 5 bar dekhsi tana.