As the capital is readying itself with last-ditch preparations for staging a cricket tournament in which all the nine Test playing nations-obviously the best in the world-enthusiasm of the cricket-loving nation has reached a feverish pitch for the gala extravaganza.
The ``Mini World Cup'', next to the World Cup in terms of importance, is a special programme aimed at raising money for the International Cricket Council (ICC) which administers the tournamnet.
Bangladesh was vying for this opportunity when the tournament was announced last year and Dhaka was chosen as the venue for the great occasion after Sharjah, which was initially selected, opted out expressing inability to host it. The event came close on the heels of the three-nation Independence Cup early this year in the sense that the country will witness two major cricket tournaments in a single calendar year.
The triumph of Bangladesh in the ACC Cup in Kathmandu has come as a big boost for the hosts since it has further raise the interest of the people in the coming event. The home team is not taking part in the coming event as it is not a Test nation. But the country will have the benefits of staging it in numerous ways like scopes for Bangladesh and its team to garner greater confidence ahead of the World Cup in England in 1999. Bangladesh would take part in the World Cup by virtue of winning the last ICC Trophy in Malaysia.
Bangladesh had featured in the three-nation Independence Cup in Dhaka along with mighty India and Pakistan and the tournament had provided the home team the necessary experience. The team will also get some opportunitiesthis time when it would play two of the participating teams on the sidelines of the ``Mini World Cup''.
This history of development of cricket in this part of the world is inextricably linked with this country since cricket has always been a game that has evoked great interest. During the time of erstwhile Pakistan, Dhaka served as one of the three venues for Test Matches and the ground here used to attract a sell-out crowd.
Bangladesh made tremendous gains in the last few years raising the standard of the game. Its triumph in the ICC Trophy in Malaysia, relatively a good performance in the ``Independence Cup'' against strong India and Pakistan, and recent commendable showing in Kathmandu fall in the pattern of improving their skills in the game. However, there are also thorns in the bed of roses like a dismal performance in the recent Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. Hopefully, Bangladesh side will put such instances behind. The expectations of the people from them are now to play better in one dayers and also earn Test status for the nation.
As the day for the nine-day knock-out Mini World Cup draws nearer, cricket fans and others are anxiously looking forward to the tournament which certainly will provide the much needed fillip to the ability of this country to organise big sporting occasions and also enable many to watch great cricket encounters on the ground.