ICC Cricket World Cup
As the ICC President Mr. Sharad Pawar said, “Today is a historic day when the people of Bangladesh join India and Sri Lanka together to host the ICC Cricket World Cup, and make this tournament the most memorable yet….”, he reiterated the very words which every person in the three countries would have been saying.
The Union Minister of India further said, “The ICC Cricket World Cup, our flagship event, provides the stage on which players have the rare opportunity to create legend and to write their own chapter in the history of this great sport. The greatest cricketers in the world will grace this event and I am sure that their ability, whether with bat or ball, will provide excitement and enjoyment for all cricket lovers.”
The opening ceremony was filled with performances by famous performers from across the world which included Bryan Adams, Sonu Nigam, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and the Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila. There were performances from Chayanot, Iraj Weeraratne Sabina Yasmin and Momtaz as well.
The ICC President was all praise for the State Heads of all the three hosting nations i.e. Mrs. Sheikh Hasina, Mr. Rajapakse and Mr. Singh for their extended co-operation and encouragement. Sheikh Hasina in her speech at the Bangabandhu stadium, Dhaka, thanked the ICC for instilling faith in Bangladesh and providing them the opportunity to hold the opening ceremony as well as the eight matches to be played in Bangladesh.
Incidentally the stadium is named after Sheikh Hasina’s father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Hussain and Sheikh Hasina with all the warmth thanked the organizers who have put in the labour to host this World Cup.
She finally ended by saying, “I congratulate my cricket-loving countrymen for their great enthusiasm and cooperation to make this event a grand success. Good luck to the players and I hope that fraternity among the nations will further be strengthened through this World Cup.”
The ceremony also saw performances based on the culture of each of the hosting nations as well as an aerial cricket game which was played on one of the tallest buildings of Dhaka. The aerial cricket, first of its kind, had players playing against a laser ball and the runs were taken by running parallel to the force of gravity.
The ceremony was attended by 21000 Bangladeshi’s and though not very unexpected in its content was very well organized and sparkled the zest and enthusiasm of the Bangladeshi cricket fans. Hopefully the remaining spark and fire shall be added from what happens on the field from the 19th.
Tags: Bryan Adams, Cricket, ICC, ICC Cricket World Cup, India, Opening Ceremony, Runa Laila, Sharad Pawar, Sonu Nigam
