Shawdesh Desk:

The Bangladesh cricketers enjoyed some moments with the ICC Cricket World Cup trophy when it was put on display at the Sher-e- Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.

Veteran Mushfiqur Rahim was the one to carry the trophy to the stadium after which the players, present at the stadium, took pictures with it.

During the time, Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Patwari, Afif Hossain, among others, were present.

The former players who were present at the time were also ecstatic after watching the trophy on display.

“I got very excited after watching the trophy here and it feels like the World Cup starts today,” BCB selector Habibul Bashar Sumon, who captained the side in 2007 World Cup said here today.

“We first played the World Cup in 1999 and made a giant stride then. We had a very good campaign in 2015 and also we were in better position in 2019. This time we are taking a good preparation. We have a settled team and we are hoping that we will be able to do something very good in the ensuing event.”

After the national crickets spending time with the trophy, it was brought into the media center at the SBNCS with media personnel and the Bangladesh women’s cricketers taking pictures with it.

“I’m really excited. It’s the first time I have watched World Cup trophy from up close,” Women’s team captain Nigar Sultana Joty said.

“The whole team is here. It feels really great. Thanks to the BCB and the Women’s wing to give us the opportunity to watch the trophy from very close,” she added.

Joty feels the cricket fans have high expectation regarding the upcoming World Cup as they want the team to bring laurel for the country.

“It’s very normal that the people will have high expectation. The Bangladesh Cricket team has been performing well to let people pin high hopes on them,” Joty said.

“We have great team, mixed with senior and young players who, I think, will be highly motivated to do well in this World Cup.”

The trophy which is on a three-day tour to Bangladesh was displayed at iconic Padma Bridge on day one. On third and final day, it will displayed for the general people from 11:00am to 8:00pm at Bashundhara City Shopping Mall in Dhaka tomorrow (Wednesday).

• BSS