Many people anticipated great things and intently watched the three ODI matches as England came to Bangladesh to play against the host team, despite issues related to security making their visit uncertain.
While the safety issues were resolved, with the government assuring “tight” security (blocked roads when the England team went golfing, etc), the matches had the people of Bangladesh wear their hearts on their sleeves.
We cheered loudly at the fall of every wicket and every boundary scored, and sat at the edge of our seats when the host team was in a guaranteed winning position in the first ODI against England.
From people on the streets, at the stadium, at offices, cafes and restaurant, and in their homes, everyone had their expectations placed at a reasonable height and the adrenaline rush was at an all time high.
To our sheer dismay, we sat and helplessly witnessed Shakib’s dismissal at the onset of Jake Ball’s ODI debut, who initiated the fall of six wickets over 39 balls.
Such disappointing feats aren’t uncommon by the Bangladeshi national cricket team, because it’s also the same team that managed a loss when they needed two runs off three balls against India, a powerhouse in the cricket realm, at the World Cup Twenty20, 2016.
To say the least, we are used to disappointing feats. However, a lot has changed over the past couple of years, and now we are also used to pulsating wins with Mashrafe Mortaza as captain, leading the team into extraordinary victories and revitalising Bangladeshi cricket.
So, with the first ODI coming to a close, we accepted the defeat with difficulty, but many still hoped for a series win, with two remaining ODIs.
The second ODI on October 9 lived up to all our realistic (and unrealistic) expectations, with our bowlers out-performing the mighty British cricketers. And, shortly after the match came to a close, spectators, cricket experts, and the everyday Mamun and Anika were riled up by two incidents that took place on the field.
One was when Jos Buttler halted and traced his steps back to the Bangladeshi cricketers celebrating his dismissal from the batting crease, and exchanged “heated” words with the host team to the point where the umpire had to intervene and stop the matter from escalating.
Another was when one of the English cricketers bumped shoulders with Tamim during their handshake at the end of game, and Ben Stokes intervened and lightly shoved Tamim to make a point.
Tension in the social media escalated even further when Mashrafe and Sabbir were fined 20% of their match fees for “misconduct” on the field on the basis of “inappropriate” celebratory gestures (by English standards), while Buttler was let off with only a warning by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Although all three cricketers had accepted the respective sanctions and admitted that both teams “went too far,” this led to heftier anticipation of the third ODI, with newspapers and cricket news portals labeling the showdown as a match of cyclonic proportion.
We witnessed another defeat and, ultimately, a series loss to the England team on a fateful Wednesday night.
Every cricketer was at their best behaviour, particularly when Jos Buttler’s wicket was taken at a crucial point in the match by Mortaza -- there was almost no hint of celebration.
Mortaza and Shakib donned solemn expressions -- which may have led one to speculate if it was a reflection of white discipline?
Similar outrage in social media was spurred on when Virat Kohli indulged in making a chatterbox gesture at the Australian Steven Smith’s dismissal during the Twenty20 match in January 2016.
However, despite talks about the unnecessary aggression shown by the fellow “emotional” Indian, he was not penalised in any form for the said gesture.
Hussain explained further and condoned the acts of Buttler and Stokes with gusto, almost amplifying the effect of white supremacy. It seems, as though, we, at the browner end of the spectrum, are to not read too much into gestures
But, clearly, things were much different regarding the latest ODI series of Bangladesh against England. Why this discrepancy though?
Is it because the international cricket realm is hugely controlled and regulated by three powerhouses, Australia, England, and India?
If Mortaza and Sabbir are to be fined, why not Buttler as well?
It is even more disheartening to see how the likes of Nasser Hussain, former English cricketer, said to The Daily Mail that Buttler’s and Stokes’ gestures were acceptable given how “difficult” it was for them to “agree” to come play the ODI against the security issues in the first place, in the Bangladeshi “humidity.”
He went on to say that it is reasonable to stand witness to such behaviour from great English cricketers when they are playing in such unfamiliar weather conditions and things are made worse when they are bound to play back-to-back matches over such a short span of time -- such great lengths of explanation are probably required to justify how and why the English man lost his cool.
Emotions ran high, Hussain explained further and condoned the acts of Buttler and Stokes with gusto, almost amplifying the effect of white supremacy.
It seems, as though, we at the browner end of the spectrum, are to not read too much into gestures -- sit back, look past, and move on with our lives.
And when it comes to anything that happens on the field (or off) involving fellow “emotional” English cricketers’ behaviours that spike our concerns and raise questions about the white man’s discipline -- we are to go the extra mile to understand why it is perfectly okay for the English frontliners to act the way they did, out in the hot and humid field.
Interesting, don’t you think? That we are to go the extra mile for only the English cricketers in terms of keeping our celebrations on the field in check, emotion in check when a fellow “emotional” English cricketer bumps shoulders with the host team during handshake.
In check, how we conduct our brown emotions in the edge-of-the-seat competition and sweltering heat (which we are accustomed to in our brown land to begin with).
In check, how we celebrate a fall of a wicket in a game changing instance, how we orchestrate our muscles and energy to express ecstasy or disappointment.
In check, not to inconvenience the white man playing in our unsafe land and humid weather, for he is not familiar with our brown cricket realms.
Interesting, to stand witness to such blunt bias of the ICC, and remain silent because anything else may upset the white man.
I’m not condoning an “us vs them” mentality (or am I?), but only pointing out the interesting and obvious undertone of ICC and the world at large, when it comes to “undisciplined” brown way of celebrating on the cricket field.
It is interesting, is all I say.
Nusmila Lohani is a Sub-Editor at the Dhaka Tribune.
