From Akram to Akbar: the homecoming of our captains
How had the nation welcomed the Akram Khan-led Bangladesh side that wrote the first glorious chapter in Bangladesh's cricket history when they defeated Kenya and lifted the ICC trophy in 1997? That success story is known to most of this generation just through stories, pictures and articles, best described by those who had witnessed it first-hand.
And given the quality of the photos and videos -- the handful that can be accessed with ease -- it is hard to get the whole picture of the madness that took hold nationwide in 1997. And hence, for most of this generation, it was just left to the imagination.
Rong khela (drenching each other with coloured water) took place in almost every neighbourhood, people rallied on the roads and shouted slogans and chants at the top of their lungs as their heroes, who ensured Bangladesh's first ever appearance in a World Cup (the 1999 edition), were given a grand reception.
Fast forward 23 years and similar madness was created, this time for the Akbar Ali-led Bangladesh U-19s who returned with the nation's first ever World Cup, won when they beat India in the final of the ICC U-19 World Cup in Potchefstroom last Sunday.
However, in these 23 years, Bangladesh have had many moments of success in cricket. Be it the Tigers' first ever Test win against Zimbabwe in 2005, their heroic journey to the semifinal of the ICC Champions trophy in 2017, defeating England in Australia and making it to their first ever World Cup quarterfinal in 2015 or coming as close as 2 runs from being Asian champions in the Asia Cup final in 2012 -- there have been many glorious moments for the fans of a cricket crazy nation.
But none of the teams that created those moments could provide fans with the ultimate euphoria that the Akram-led side gifted with their 1997 ICC Trophy triumph.
However, while it may be a stretch to compare events so far apart in the cricketing timeline, it can still be said that there were shades of 1997 in the euphoric fans who thronged the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka to welcome the young champions, or the ones that were waiting for their heroes at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters in Mirpur.
Even hours before the scheduled time of arrival of the cubs, journalists and media personnel gathered at the airport waiting to get a glance of the nation's first world cup and of the ones who won it. Things got a bit wild too, with security personnel trying to keep things in order and the media personnel trying to be the first to take a picture or record a video that would be watched numerous times in the future.
The BCB officials also started making it to the airport hours before the team's arrival.
There were a number of fans too, shouting and chanting at the top of their voice with banners that read congratulatory messages. Even at a secured VIP lounge of the airport -- where the young Tigers were scheduled to arrive -- there were about a couple of hundred people or more, including media personnel, at the exit gate.
Ending the wait of hundreds, the team landed sometime after 5:00pm. The reporters, photo journalists -- those who could make it through the security guards and huge crowd at the entrance of the VIP lounge -- were the ones to get the first glance of the triumphant team.
The team stayed at the airport for no more than 30-40 minutes as they were welcomed with garlands and bouquets by the BCB officials. They soon left for the BCB headquarters in Mirpur, along with the BCB high-ups, where even a larger crowd was waiting to receive the champions.
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