Legends detail Bangladesh dressing room atmosphere in that last over of 1997 final

Who could forget the winning single from Hasibul Hossain Shanto as Bangladesh needed one run to win in the last ball from Martin Suji in the final of the 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia?

Those who have followed Bangladesh cricket will never forget the dramatic last over that changed the shape of country's cricket.

Bangladesh required eleven runs to win with two wickets in hand when Khaled Masud struck a six in the very first ball as the Tigers went on to clinch a historic victory and qualify for their maiden World Cup in 1999.

Bangladesh's current ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal had the three former captains Akram Khan, Minhajul Abedin Nannu and Khaled Masud. who were part of that historic game as the guests for his ongoing social media interaction on Tuesday.

During the live interaction, the former captains relived the memories of that historic ICC Trophy win.

Tamim wanted to know what was actually going through Masud's mind, who was at the crease in the last over.

"We needed eleven runs to win in the last over and you were at the crease and as far as I know, you were not famous for hitting sixes. Even if Bangladesh wins the World Cup, I think no one will ever forget that last over," said Tamim.

In reply Masud said, "Tamim, since your childhood you only watched me taking singles because after getting the Test status or in the ODIs Bangladesh were always three to four wickets down and I was told, Pilot go now. So I had to go out and try to stay at the crease. But before that, I used to play a lot of shots," he said.

Masud then shared his experience of that famous last over. "After I hit a six in the first ball, I gave a dot. And then there was a wide and I took a single. People often think that the cricketers only have good times but they don't know that the cricketers also make sacrifices which many don't realise that. At that moment all my focus was on the field while there were people shouting from outside. I prayed to the Almighty that whatever you need from me you can take it and in return I want to win this game.

"I was worried for Shanto [Hasibul Hossain] in the last ball of the game as he tends to do crazy things and I tried to keep him calm. I told him just to try to put the bat on the ball and don't play any shots. Luckily the ball hit his pads and I just ran and we won the game. It was an outstanding achievement for us," he added.

While the intensity inside the ground was tense, the situation in the Bangladesh dressing was even more intensifying.

Players, officials, and even the supporters were on their toes shouting and giving instructions to the two batters and it was arguably one of the most eventful last over in the history of Bangladesh cricket.

Minhajul went on to describe the situation in the dressing room, "There was only one sentence among everyone in the dressing room; that we have to win. Everyone was shouting from the dressing room that wherever the ball goes, just run. After the six in the first ball, the two dot balls got us very tensed. The dressing room was a tent and none of us who got out removed our pads as it was an unbelievable situation," said Minhajul.

While the entire Bangladesh was celebrating by colouring each other out on the streets, it took some time for the players to realise what they have done for the entire nation.

"We could only realise what we have done after two hours of winning the game when we returned to the hotel. Everyone was running and shouting and then we realised that yes, we became champions. But when we were at the ground we couldn't realise that at all," Minhajul said.

Masud on the other hand recalled the famous celebration at the team hotel and how they had to pack their bags and return home on the same day by a chartered plane.

"After returning to the hotel we were told that we have to return back to the country on the same day, although our flight was scheduled for the next day. A chartered flight was ready for us as our Prime Minister was supposed to leave the country the next day. It was a small aircraft and when we entered the plane, the pilot and the cabin crew were all waiting for us with a cake. The flight that day was like a bus journey," Masud added.