DHAKA, 20 June 2005 — Thousands of screaming and shouting Bangladeshi cricket fans burst on the streets to celebrate following their cricket team’s historic one-day win over world champion Australia.
Bangladesh beat Australia on Saturday in a one-day international, arguably the biggest upset ever in the history of the game. Bangladesh had been crushed by 10 wickets by England just two days earlier.
Bangladesh is the lowest ranked nation in the International Cricket Council table and Australia is reigning world champions. At the start of their game in Cardiff on Saturday, one British bookmaker had Australia 500-1 ON to win. Bangladesh won by five wickets.
“This is not just a win. This is when Bangladesh has conquered the world,” chanted university student Kaushik Ahmed, celebrating on the streets of Dhaka. “Let there be no mistake that Bangladesh can upset the world, especially when it comes to cricket,” said 57-year-old Mozammel Huq, a businessman. “This is the biggest moment for us. We beat the champions of the world and proved that we are worth our Test status,” said teenager Iqbal Ahmed.
President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Ali Asghar Lobby, said: “This is my proudest moment. I am simply without words.”
Morning newspapers cheered the victory.
“Tigers turn world upside down,” wrote the Daily Star.
“Tigers trounce Aussies,” said the News Today. “Brave Bangladesh bash Australia,” was the headline in the Independent.
Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was quick to congratulate the Bangladeshi players, saying she believed they would keep the winning spree going.
In reply to Australia’s 249 for five in 50 overs, Mohammad Ashraful struck a run-a-ball century, only the second ever scored in one-dayers by a Bangladeshi, as his side reached 250 for five with four balls to spare.
Millions of Bangladeshis watched the thrilling finish on television before the festivities erupted. “Bangladesh, Bangladesh; Ashraful, Ashraful,” fans shouted in Dhaka as they honked car horns, set off firecrackers and waved flags long into the night. They were still out on the streets yesterday.
Bangladesh, rated by one firm a 50-1 against chance to beat Australia, had not won against the world champions in six previous one-day meetings and had only beaten two of the leading Test sides before, Pakistan and India, in 107 games.
Students of Dhaka University took out a victory parade in the campus late Saturday while hundreds of city residents came out of their homes, waving the Bangladesh flag, chanting “bravo”, dancing and singing.
