MIRPUR: A nation is on the cusp of history.
Since their arrival into the big league in 1999, a place in the Asia Cup final is the biggest moment for Bangladesh cricket. It was mayhem on the streets on Dhaka on Tuesday night when they beat Sri Lanka to set up the final clash against Pakistan, and the dust is yet to settle.
The biggest challenge for the Bangladesh players now is to gather their thoughts, put their heads down and get ready for another big fight against Pakistan. Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's hero on Tuesday night, indicated it won't be easy. "When the tournament started, we didn't expect to go this far. The realistic possibility was to win one game and give a good fight to the other teams.
Now, the unthinkable has happened and we have to put all our parties to hold for two more days and concentrate on the job at hand, that is to beat Pakistan," Shakib said. The sense of anticipation for this game in enormous and the price of tickets in the black market have even shot up to Tk 50,000. "Probably, every Bangladeshi wants to come for this match-... It's difficult picking up the calls on the mobile, because invariably it will be a request for a ticket," aBangladesh Cricket Board official said.
Post their wins against India and Sri Lanka, the belief in the Bangladesh camp is unbelievable and the feeling is that they can beat just about anyone. Asking-rates of eight plus are not bothering the players anymore and that's the confidence that they want to take into the final.
Bangladesh, though, lost to Pakistan in the group stage when they started off well only to falter at the crunch. Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, though, believes the team played well against Pakistan too and could have won the match easily. "The spirited chase in that game actually gave us the belief that we can also make a fight of it and the next two wins followed," Rahim said.
The confidence in the Bangladesh camp comes from the fact that the team is not solely dependent on Shakib and Tamim Iqbal anymore. "Players like Nasir Hossain, Mahamadullah -- all are playing well. That's why we believe we can win against any opposition," Shakib said. Pakistan, on the other hand, understand all this hype and hoopla and they are hoping that it turns against Bangladesh.
Playing a final at home under such pressure is not an easy job for an inexperienced side and the canny Pakistanis are looking to tighten the screws. They, of course, were in for a shock on Sunday when Virat Kohli ran away with the game, but that's history now. "All that is past. We are looking ahead and gearing up for the final. Bangladesh are a good team and we won't be taking them lightly," senior batsman Younus Khan said.
Pakistan have an excellent bowling line-up led by paceman Umar Gul and offspinner Saeed Ajmal. And there's Mohammad Hafeez too, and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is sure to unleash them against Bangladesh's two big left-handers, Shakib and Tamim.
That, in fact, is going to be the most crucial act of the final and if Bangladesh come out unscathed, they may just present their fans with a moment to cherish for the rest of their lives ahead of their Independence Day on March 26.
LIVE ON NEO CRICKET: FROM 1.30 PM
Since their arrival into the big league in 1999, a place in the Asia Cup final is the biggest moment for Bangladesh cricket. It was mayhem on the streets on Dhaka on Tuesday night when they beat Sri Lanka to set up the final clash against Pakistan, and the dust is yet to settle.
The biggest challenge for the Bangladesh players now is to gather their thoughts, put their heads down and get ready for another big fight against Pakistan. Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's hero on Tuesday night, indicated it won't be easy. "When the tournament started, we didn't expect to go this far. The realistic possibility was to win one game and give a good fight to the other teams.
Now, the unthinkable has happened and we have to put all our parties to hold for two more days and concentrate on the job at hand, that is to beat Pakistan," Shakib said. The sense of anticipation for this game in enormous and the price of tickets in the black market have even shot up to Tk 50,000. "Probably, every Bangladeshi wants to come for this match-... It's difficult picking up the calls on the mobile, because invariably it will be a request for a ticket," aBangladesh Cricket Board official said.
Post their wins against India and Sri Lanka, the belief in the Bangladesh camp is unbelievable and the feeling is that they can beat just about anyone. Asking-rates of eight plus are not bothering the players anymore and that's the confidence that they want to take into the final.
Bangladesh, though, lost to Pakistan in the group stage when they started off well only to falter at the crunch. Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, though, believes the team played well against Pakistan too and could have won the match easily. "The spirited chase in that game actually gave us the belief that we can also make a fight of it and the next two wins followed," Rahim said.
The confidence in the Bangladesh camp comes from the fact that the team is not solely dependent on Shakib and Tamim Iqbal anymore. "Players like Nasir Hossain, Mahamadullah -- all are playing well. That's why we believe we can win against any opposition," Shakib said. Pakistan, on the other hand, understand all this hype and hoopla and they are hoping that it turns against Bangladesh.
Playing a final at home under such pressure is not an easy job for an inexperienced side and the canny Pakistanis are looking to tighten the screws. They, of course, were in for a shock on Sunday when Virat Kohli ran away with the game, but that's history now. "All that is past. We are looking ahead and gearing up for the final. Bangladesh are a good team and we won't be taking them lightly," senior batsman Younus Khan said.
Pakistan have an excellent bowling line-up led by paceman Umar Gul and offspinner Saeed Ajmal. And there's Mohammad Hafeez too, and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is sure to unleash them against Bangladesh's two big left-handers, Shakib and Tamim.
That, in fact, is going to be the most crucial act of the final and if Bangladesh come out unscathed, they may just present their fans with a moment to cherish for the rest of their lives ahead of their Independence Day on March 26.
LIVE ON NEO CRICKET: FROM 1.30 PM
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