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Heavy rainfall draws uncertainty over the Asia Cup Cricket |
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May 27, 2000 Dhaka,
May 26 (UNB) – Early monsoon cast uncertainty over smooth holding of the
continent’s prestigious cricket carnival, the 7th Asia Cup
Cricket, beginning Sunday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. The
country has already been experiencing downpour under the influence of a
low over the Bay, turning the Bangabandhu stadium virtually unfit at the
moment for the battle of the willow. Today’s
heavy rain drowned the outfield of the stadium and further shower would
complicate the situation. Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to open the four-nation tourney with
defending champions Sri Lanka taking on hosts Bangladesh in the opening
match. Apart
from hosts Bangladesh, three Asian giants - Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka
- are taking part in the day-night affairs. Former
world champions Sri Lanka, who had won the feat twice in 1986 and 1997,
are now in the city, led by glittering southpaw batsman Sanath Jayasuriya. The
four times champions India is scheduled to arrive in the capital Sunday.
Left-handed Bengali batsman Sourav Ganguly will lead the Indian team. The
other participating team, Pakistan, who are now playing last and deciding
Test against West Indies, will be last team to arrive in the capital on
June 1. Wicket-Keeper Moin Khan will lead the former world champions.
All
the teams will face one another and two top finishers meet in the final on
June 7. Bangladesh
is hosting the tournament for a second
time, after organising the Third Asia Cup in 1988. Bangladesh
Cricket Board approved a budget of Tk 1.5 crore for the seventh version of
the meet. Besides
electronics scoreboard, Dhaka fans would be able to watch Television
replays at the big bowl on the giant screen for first time while two
clocks have also been set up in the stadium for the tournament.
Bangladesh
Television and Star Sports will telecast live the matches. The
Asia Cup is a special event for Bangladesh because it began its journey in
the world cricket through this event in Colombo in 1986. They
have been showing lacklustre performance in Asia Cup history since their
first appearance playing against three Asian giants — India, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka. But
now whole scenario has changed for Bangladesh side in the world cricket
after their spectacular debut with two tremendous wins against mighty
Pakistan and Scotland in the last World Cup. Moreover, Bangladesh are now on the brink of entering into the elite club of Test-playing nations. |