Bangladeshi and Indian fans have snapped up most World Cup tickets!!

[reverse_swing]

South Asia's cricket obsession
By Boria Majumdar

A recent news report in newspapers across India and Bangladesh drew the attention of cricket fans across the globe.
It quoted the World Cup cricket official Janelle Penny as saying that 90% of tickets for matches involving India and Bangladesh had been sold out much ahead of the championship in March.
Add to this the fact that in Australia, Indians, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans have already booked the giant screen at Federation Square in downtown Melbourne to watch their teams play.
At a time when Indian cricket is underperforming, such euphoria is surprising.
A billion hopes
And for Bangladesh, which has no chance of moving up much in the championship, the craze is inexplicable unless attention is moved to some startling truths, which go beyond cricket in general and the World Cup in particular.
The craze isn't unnatural because cricket in South Asia has gone beyond being a national phenomenon to a more global or trans-national one.

This is because the fortunes of the Indian and other South Asian cricket teams encapsulate the story of post-colonial South Asia in microcosm - tapestries permanently being woven around the performance of 11 men who carry on their shoulders the demands of more than a billion people.
This realisation once again dawned on me while speaking at the University of Toronto recently.
I was amazed at what cricket implies to India and its diaspora. Words of caution that cricket helps provide an illusion of a national consciousness, inconceivable otherwise, were not entertained.
When asked what was likely to await coach Greg Chappell if India won the Cup, I was in two minds.
Before I could get myself to say anything reasonable, an over-enthusiastic cricket fan from the audience jumped up and suggested, "Chappell may even receive the Bharat Ratna [the highest Indian civilian honour]".
That a non-resident Indian in Canada who follows cricket on the Internet could pronounce such a radical view was revealing.
Cricket for South Asians across the world provides a space where all differences are overcome.
The assertion of an Indian or Bangladeshi identity globally, expression of cultural nationalism or feeling of emotional commonality are all rooted in cricket.
Interestingly, a poll conducted by a national daily in India a couple of years ago on the attitudes of the Indian youth found that more than 50% of the respondents, given a chance, would live in some other country. This figure might have been higher for Bangladesh given the continuing political and economic instability in the country.
Yet all of these expatriates would inevitably stay up nights in the US to watch their country play in England and participate in detailed analyses of their team's strengths and weaknesses in countless internet chat rooms.


Contradiction
The reaction of the global South Asian, a contradiction of sorts in that he wants to escape his country yet embrace its best-known passion, draws attention to two things.
First, cricket is no longer a mere national obsession.
Modern cricket is truly a trans-national phenomenon, which obsesses the cosmopolitan global South Asian who transcends the geographical boundaries of the nation.

This Indian or Bangladeshi is less national and more global, a world citizen capable of casting a critical eye on the tribulations confronting contemporary economic and political life.
Cricket, religion at home and a symbolic flexed muscle in the international arena, is thus South Asia's best-known brand name.
In recent times, Bollywood and cricket have emerged like the ubiquitous Indian curry that is fancied as an authentic flavour of India the world over.
For most people who otherwise have a very vague idea of the country, its current political situation or economic structures, the words cricket and Bollywood, like curry, is sure to at least generate an enthusiastic response of "Oh yes, I know that one, my best friend is crazy about cricket".
Today, it is the culture of Bollywood cinema and cricket that serve as the very distinctive and exotic essence which draws people who would otherwise be uninterested in 21st Century India, which has little to set itself apart from a host of other southern countries.
In other words, cricket, irrespective of the way India or Bangladesh is performing, helps post-colonial South Asia assert itself on the world stage.
In fact, South Asia and its super-strong diaspora have gradually begun to replace Western control with South Asian control in cricket.
One simple fact is enough to prove the point.
In the inaugural match of the 2004 Champions' Trophy at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire, England, not a single advertising billboard was from a local company. Every company advertised was from the sub-continent.
And South Asia, despite being a late and tardy entrant in the contest to win the rights to host the 2011 World Cup, was eventually a runaway winner.
Finally, World Cup ticket sales point to the class differentiation across South Asian diasporas of the world.
Had the championship been held in Europe and not in the Caribbean, the number of Bangladeshis making it to the tournament would be far less.
Higher income
This is because sections of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the US are of a much higher income bracket compared to those in the UK.
While Indians would anyway dominate the event, such is the strength of Indian diasporas in the UK, US or even Australia, for Pakistanis and Bangladeshis the Caribbean offers an opportunity like none other.
It is as if their countries have suddenly shifted next door, making their presence in the World Cup more than a mere occasion to see some excellent cricket.
To round up with a final example of this obsession - the Press Trust of India news agency reported on 3 May from Port of Spain in the West Indies: "An Indian visitor to Jamaica happened to be the first applicant for 2007 Cricket World Cup tickets as official ticket centres were opened throughout the tournament's nine host venues.
"Mr Venugopal, who went on to Trinidad and Tobago, said: 'I want to see India play next year. I am definitely coming back even if that means I spend all my savings.'"
The author is a sports historian and author of Twenty-Two Yards to Freedom: A Social History of Indian Cricket. He is a research fellow at Latrobe University, Melbourne

Source:BBC >>

[SMHasan]

So 90% of the tickets gone! I wish I could be there to encourage the team.

[israr]

In addition, I've received the information from Gulf News that the Bangladesh-India match is the only fixture which has been completely sold out, besides the home team (West Indian) matches.

[uss01]

hmm i wonder if that's because of the indian or bangladeshi supporters. I doubt if the Indian supporters want to watch a game against the BD. Probably mostly BD supporters based out of the US like the articles said. Which is good cause Hablu and company would feel right at home! Hope they don't get too carried away and try smack every ball for a six!

[Mav]

wow..

[Kabir]

This is because sections of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the US are of a much higher income bracket compared to those in the UK.
While Indians would anyway dominate the event, such is the strength of Indian diasporas in the UK, US or even Australia, for Pakistanis and Bangladeshis the Caribbean offers an opportunity like none other.

I doubt the validity of the above claims. Not sure what statistical basis he's using...but from what I know Bangladeshis in UK are generally doing much better than in US.

My assumption is, it's because of more Bangladeshis in US and Canada who are more cricket deprived than any other Bangladeshis.

[Beamer]

We are going with a large group of friends from USA to see all Bangladesh games. look out for us! With permission, we will like to hold up BC sign for everyone to see.

[reverse_swing]

Originally Posted by Kabir
I doubt the validity of the above claims. Not sure what statistical basis he's using...but from what I know Bangladeshis in UK are generally doing much better than in US.

This is entirely opposite to what you actually said. According to 2001 census Bangladeshi ethnic group have the highest unemplyment rate. In 2001/02 just over 40 per cent of Bangladeshi men aged under 25 were unemployed compared with 12 per cent of young White men. To get an idea read this >>

[Zobair]

I will be there for the BAN-IND match with my family and friends too... Insh'Allah! Beamer bhai we should be definitely meet up!

[Murad]

great news..

[israr]

Originally Posted by Beamer
We are going with a large group of friends from USA to see all Bangladesh games. look out for us! With permission, we will like to hold up BC sign for everyone to see.

Oh; please do that!

[Kabir]

Originally Posted by reverse_swing
This is entirely opposite to what you actually said. According to 2001 census Bangladeshi ethnic group have the highest unemplyment rate. In 2001/02 just over 40 per cent of Bangladeshi men aged under 25 were unemployed compared with 12 per cent of young White men. To get an idea read this >>

Thanks RS. Then definitely the people who gave me that impression will get chased at this weekend

[Farhad]

Pretty good news........Btw, the writer is the worst Ive seen... Amazing how he could make a rather interesting piece of news, look like the most boring story on the planet. I almost fell asleep reading it! (Ofcourse, i havent slept for 3 days, so dat cud be a a factor )

[Omio]

I try to get ticket for watching WC,
If i get i will go to WI..

[akabir77]

problem with my paperwork else i would have bought the first ticket u lucky guys

[al Furqaan]

interesting that the India-SL matches are not up to par with india-BD...of course there are far more bangalis than lankans...the crowd will no doubt be dominated by indians. if we can beat out 7-1 ratio, we should be happy. optimally i'd like to see 1/5th of the crowd be BD fans.

[ialbd]

mashAllah... it will be 'THE GAME'

[Tokyobreeze]

Good to read it..Thanks for sharing..Expecting a nail-biting match between BD-IND where we will come out victorious in the end.Unfortunate that I won't be able to be present in the stadium.But, my heart will be there for sure.

[PoorFan]

Originally Posted by Beamer
We are going with a large group of friends from USA to see all Bangladesh games. look out for us! With permission, we will like to hold up BC sign for everyone to see.

Wish you guys will bring us great victory, yes victory is what we like to see! you guys are so lucky. Wish you all a nice trip.

[Tehsin]

The BIGGER the better.

Originally Posted by Beamer
We are going with a large group of friends from USA to see all Bangladesh games. look out for us! With permission, we will like to hold up BC sign for everyone to see.

[mshakir56]

Thats great to hear ! I am hoping we can cause some upsets in the coming world cup ! Go Tigers ! Hope someone will hold up a huge BanglaCricket.com Banner !

[Rihaad The Man]

We should take all the tickets to make sure there are no empty seats in the ground .

[oracle]

i will be there too, SL and Ind. and sorry, but will not be sharing my bed. thanks.

[akabir77]

Please make sure you have spell checked your banners. I am fed up seeing wrong spelled banner held up by BD people in the stadium (not that I am a good speller or something...)

[kalpurush]

Originally Posted by Tehsin
The BIGGER the better.

What about the design of the banner? Any ideas, friends?