The Tigers’ den – the Langham Hotel – was absolutely quiet yesterday. A day after their painful exit in the quarter-final stage of the 2015 ICC World Cup against India, the Bangladesh cricketers were finding it extremely difficult to put their thoughts into words.
The cricketers looked very disappointed yesterday and their pain, agony and anger was quite visible for all to see. However, they were unable to express their true feelings and emotions to the media due to the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct.
Nasir Hossain was the first Bangladesh cricketer to speak to the Bangladeshi journalists. The demoralised cricketer did sport a smile but it was more wry than anything else.
“What should I say now?” said Nasir before adding: “You all saw what happened on the field. We are extremely disappointed.”
Fast bowler Rubel Hossain, who was at the centre of the controversy after a perfectly legitimate full toss to Rohit Sharma was deemed to be a “beamer” said many things regarding the umpiring but asked this correspondent not to include his comments in this report.
Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hasan in the meantime tried his best to console the cricketers. The BCB supremo arranged a meeting with all the members of the team and praised them for their heartening performance throughout the World Cup.
The BCB boss was also furious with the shambolic umpiring.
“It is very frustrating for us. Although the result of the match might not have changed, even then, if the umpiring was up to the standard, then we might have had a close game,” he said.
Nazmul said the board would meet to discuss whether or not to appeal the ICC regarding the pathetic umpiring.
The Tigers yesterday night enjoyed their last dinner Down Under which was arranged by a non-resident Bangladeshi. They will fly for Bangladesh today and are expected to reach Dhaka tomorrow.
The Tigers’ head coach Chandika Hathurusingha left the team hotel yesterday and returned to his home in Sydney.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
