‘He was always playing’

Fans from around the globe witnessed the moment of glory presented by the Bangladesh Under-19s when they defeated their Indian counterparts in a thrilling rain-affected final in Potchefstroom to emerge as the World Champions -- the young Tigers' maiden title.

While the excellence displayed by the likes of Akbar Ali, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shamim Hossain on the biggest stage for age-level cricketers caught eyes worldwide, what most people don't know is the interesting stories that had everything to do with them reaching that stage.

Shamim, the off-spinner, who hails from Chandpur may not have made it to Senwes Park in Potchefstroom to play the final had it not been for his stubbornness in his younger days. Back in his hometown, Shamim's father Abdul Hamid, with tears of joy in his eyes, recalled how stubborn his son had been in his childhood.

"Today I am very happy. Because I used to send him to school but Shamim, instead of going to school, used to go to different places and grounds to play cricket. Today I realise that he did no wrong by doing that. He made all of us very proud," said the proud father of the champion.

Shamim's uncle Abul Hossain mentioned how they got him admitted to a local cricket academy after failing to restrict him from playing.

"I scolded him because he was always playing. He used to skip classes and go to play. He was in ninth grade when we got him into a local cricket academy," said Abul.

While Shamim's guardians were all about stopping him from playing, his Under-19 teammate Joy's parents were far more supportive. Joy, who also hails from Chandpur, had been a champion at all kinds of sports since childhood.

"We noticed Joy's interest in sports when he was in sixth grade. He used to bring trophies in every sport. When I saw he was doing really well in cricket, I got him into a local cricket academy [the same one as Shamim's]. I rented a place in the town so that his mother and he could stay there and focus on cricket. There they stayed for two years and Shamim learned a lot during that time," said Joy's father Abdul Barek.       

The young Tigers come from a diverse background but it was all their unity that brought the nation's first ever World Cup.