A vibrant atmosphere greeted cricket lovers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday afternoon as a spirited Boishakhi cricket contest unfolded between the Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA) and the United States Embassy Dhaka.
The match was held to celebrate the 250th anniversary of United States Independence, jointly organised by the US Embassy and BSJA.
In the 15-over friendly encounter, the BSJA elected to bat first and posted a modest total of 100 for 8. In reply, the United States Embassy chased down the target with three balls to spare, finishing at 101 for 6 and clinching victory by four wickets.
The match was inaugurated by Brent Christensen, the United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, alongside Tamim Iqbal, Chairman of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Ad-Hoc Committee, and Syed Ibrahim Ahmed, Chairman of the BCB Finance Committee. Also present were Arifur Rahman Babu, President of BSJA, and SM Sumon, General Secretary of BSJA.
In a closely fought contest, the defining contribution came from the US Embassy’s opener Al-Amin, whose composed innings anchored the run chase and ensured his side crossed the line with calm authority.
The post-match prizegiving was attended by a distinguished gathering, including Ambassador Brent Christensen, BCB Ad-Hoc Committee Chief Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh women’s cricket skipper Nigar Sultana Joti, and senior BSJA officials Arifur Rahman Babu and SM Sumon.
Speaking at the presentation, Ambassador Christensen expressed his appreciation for the cricket-loving spirit of Bangladesh and thanked both cricketing bodies for their collaboration.
“This was a wonderful cricket match. I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association for being part of our 250th Independence anniversary celebrations. It is a great honour to play a friendly match at the National Cricket Stadium,” he said.
The event drew enthusiastic participation from players and spectators alike, blending the festive mood of Boishakh with the spirit of international sporting camaraderie.