Sylhet’s maiden Test
Sylhet became the eighth Test venue of the country by hosting the first Test match against Zimbabwe that started Saturday and the game began with a special ceremony to mark the occasion. Former national cricketers in the shape of Shafiqul Haque, Hasibul Hossain Shanto, Rajin Saleh and Enamul Haque Jr, who all hail from Sylhet, were first accorded a reception by the Sylhet Divisional Sports Association, while players of both the teams and match officials were handed special souvenir. The toss, which interim Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah lost, was done with a special coin, a memorabilia of the event. With five minutes into the game, representatives of BCB, SDSA, former and current cricketers and a group of school children gathered around a customised bell as former Bangladesh captain and BCB director Akram Khan sounded it to signal the start of the game.
The child pitch-invader
The break between the 48th and 49th overs of Zimbabwe’s innings got slightly stretched after a “child” invaded the pitch and rushed towards wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim. Mushfiq had just changed his position and stood behind the stumps near the media centre end at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium as the child ran from the fine-leg area and jumped onto the Bangladesh stumper. Mushfiq was initially taken by surprise and as soon as his sense triggered, he hugged the child tight to save the invader from the approaching security personnel. The child was escorted out of the ground by the securities before the game resumed. It was learnt that the child was only reprimanded and shown his way out of the stadium and no harsh action was taken considering his age. A similar incident had happened at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka during the third and final ODI between the Tigers and Afghanistan. Bangladesh captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza saw himself grabbed by a fan in the middle of the game on the field. The security personnel however, did not let go the fan, who was a fully grown man, easily and had handed him over to the police.