|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Lofty goals New test nation Bangladesh has heart set on World Cup
Posted: Wednesday June 28, 2000 03:23 PM
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) -- Bangladesh now has its heart set on winning the World Cup, two days after realizing its dream of becoming a test nation. The executive committee of cricket's world governing body, the International Cricket Council, voted Monday to make Bangladesh a full member. Cricket-crazy Bangladeshis have dubbed the test status as the next best thing to the country's independence from Pakistan five years ago. "Now that we have test status, we will do everything to bring the World Cup home," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told thousands of cricket fans at a celebration rally Wednesday in downtown Dhaka. Hasina, an avid cricket fan, pledged her government's support to promote the game in Bangladesh, including building more venues and nurturing talent. Bangladesh hopes to play its first test this year. India and Pakistan have both reportedly offered to play, but a schedule remains to be fixed. "This is just the beginning of our journey. Now we must look forward and work on winning matches, to live up to the expectations of the fans," said Saber Hossain Chowdhury, president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. In a country where natural calamities and political unrest make the headlines more than sporting achievements, newspapers announced the test status in red banner headings. After a night of street celebrations Monday, the government declared five days of national festivities, which will conclude Friday with a free concert. "We don't get much to celebrate. This is the happiest hour of our nation," Hasina said Monday when the test news reached Dhaka from London. Bangladesh, a country of 126 million where most people live on less than a dollar a day, gained one-day status in 1997 after winning the ICC trophy in Kuala Lumpur. It participated in the World Cup last year in Britain.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
