Triumphant homecoming of U-19 today

At around 4:55 pm today, the nation will for the first time have the opportunity to welcome home world champions. The Bangladesh Under-19 team will touch down with the ICC Under-19 World Cup trophy three days after beating their Indian counterparts in the final in Potchefstroom, South Africa on Sunday.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have decided to keep the homecoming low-key, with a small reception planned at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, before Akbar Ali's team are taken to the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium's Academy ground for a press conference.

While the BCB have planned a low-key reception, the response from the general public is expected to be anything but if the outpouring of joy after the three-wicket win in the final was any indication. Bangladesh's previous seminal, perception changing win took place 23 years ago when the national team won the ICC Trophy and qualified for their first World Cup.

There were similar scenes when Rakibul Hasan hit the winning runs in the final on Sunday, around 10:00pm Bangladesh time. Cricket fans took to the streets in celebration, shouting slogans and there was also rong khela (drenching each other in coloured water), which was widespread after the 1997 ICC Trophy triumph. 

While that win was the first step in Bangladesh being recognised globally as a cricketing nation, the Under-19 team has ensured that Bangladesh cricket is the hot topic in the sport, with legends like Viv Richards showering praise on the youngsters.

Akbar, who put in a player-of-the-match performance in the final, and his team started off from Johannesburg last evening, having reached the South African capital the day before.