<i>Women, win and inspire</i>
Clinching ODI status and celebrating it with a win are the obvious achievements of the Bangladesh women's cricket team, but the spin-off of such surprising success becomes even more meaningful when the public flock the stadiums and some are inspired to take up the game.
Hardly spoken of as a cricket team before the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers that ended on November 26, Salma Khatun's side bucked the trend and broke modest expectations of many; more importantly, they are on way to breaking through a barrier.
Through the extensive coverage of the tournament, the fact that women can play cricket has carried itself to small towns but in the capital too, girls are willing to take up the sport.
"I have played cricket in my childhood but my family didn't permit me to continue. But after watching all the women's cricket teams play, my mother told me I should've given it a try earlier; I was surprised and amazed," said Sumaiya, a student of BRAC University, who may indeed start playing cricket again.
Similarly, Farasha, a Class 9 student of The Aga Khan School believed that she might find a few more companions from now on. "I've played cricket before but never got other girls who would play. It's good to know that they play and so well. Girls are being recognised so now I have hopes that girls can also be as credited as boys," she said.
"It's great that Bangladeshi women are being recognised in cricket. It's a much loved sport in this country so it's good that women are getting good at it as well," she added.
It just might be a breakthrough for all those females of all ages around the country, interested in the sport to come up and live their dream.
Apart from inspiring plenty of women across the country, the players have also done themselves a world of good. Already a salaried group of cricketers in the bracket of 5,000 to 15,000 taka a month, they are supposed to begiven a raise for their achievement and it has also been heard that the number of players will also be increasing in the salary bracket.
The victory over Ireland on Saturday was the culmination of two weeks when fans showed up in droves during the matches at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (especially when the hosts played) as well as in the grounds in the outskirts of the city.
Even the regular male fans are very much moved with how the women have held up the baton of the sport alongside the men. "I think the women's cricket team have done well in 3-4 years. Of course we don't expect them to play like the men's team but at their level, they're good," said Palash, a student of Mirpur Bangla College. Usually part of the men's international matches audience at the home of cricket, he said, "Some of the matches were like the international matches when the top teams come. I hope our team improves and gets to be among the top five teams in the world."
The women in red and green have already started off an era where the country, in hopeful eyes, is all set to watch them take steps towards becoming a regular international side and during this journey, inspire a few more along the way.
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