Crowds began streaming into the Shaheed Chandu Stadium from the morning, and the strong turnout continued throughout yesterday as Bogura marked the start of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) one-day tournament. Akbar Ali ensured the spectators were not disappointed, smashing a blazing 111 to power his star-studded North Zone side to a 54-run win over East Zone.
Initially, only two galleries were opened to accommodate fans, as per sources. However, as the steady flow of spectators continued, authorities were compelled to open a third. While national team players such as Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Najmul Hossain Shanto hit fifties but could not carry on for bigger scores, Akbar took his opportunity in front of a near-capacity crowd, notching his first List A ton.
The right-handed wicketkeeper-batter, who led Bangladesh to the U-19 World Cup title in 2020, described the atmosphere as a rare experience in domestic cricket.
“The whole stadium was 70–80 per cent full in terms of crowd presence,” Akbar told The Daily Star. “From the morning, the way the crowd arrived, we aren’t used to seeing such scenes in domestic cricket.
“It was a very different experience for us since, except maybe BPL, we don’t see such crowds in domestic matches. I think this kind of crowd presence is really good, and we welcome it.”
Bogura last hosted international cricket in 2006, staging its only Test match -- between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka -- and its most recent ODI, when the Tigers faced Zimbabwe. More recently, the venue held a Bangladesh U-19s versus Afghanistan U-19s series, where strong crowd turnout was again a notable feature.
Veteran Mominul Haque, who scored 83 for East Zone, praised the Bogura crowd as well.
“Bogura is a place where people are true cricket lovers. Whenever I’ve come here -- whether for the Premier League or HP camps -- I’ve seen that because matches are rarely played here, people turn up whenever they do occur. Having a crowd is very good for the players; it makes for better matches,” Mominul said.
The ground will now hold a special place in Akbar’s memory after his first List A hundred. Like the venue itself, he has often been overlooked by selectors, even as many of his U-19 teammates have progressed to the national side.
“Things that happen for the first time are always special. Even in the Premier League, I often don’t get many overs when I come in to bat. I remember an innings of 89 when the overs ran out. I’ve missed a few opportunities before. This time, once I crossed 70, I told myself that since I had time in hand, I should make it count,” Akbar said.
