A long wait for the finale
Cricket was always a big hype in Bangladesh and any Bangladesh match was greeted with a full crowd. Add the word final to it, the hype automatically doubled. This was no different, let it be a final against Afghanistan.
The rain kept drizzling at Mirpur.
It was already seven on the clock, the final between Bangladesh and Afghanistan was supposed to start half an hour ago, but the gallery was not even half full. Thousands were still waiting outside the stadium, some in the queue, some taking shelter from the rain and some had already gone home.
Cricket was always a big hype in Bangladesh and any Bangladesh match was greeted with a full crowd. Add the word final to it, the hype automatically doubled. This was no different, let it be a final against Afghanistan.
This was Bangladesh's first home series this year, and people did not want to miss any of the matches.
Tickets were scarce like always and people had to fight for the tickets. They had to wait in a long line for tickets, and only some were lucky to get tickets. People even waited from 5 in the morning to get a ticket, only to be disappointed.
One of the lucky fans, Abu Sufiyan, a representative of the 'Fans of Bangladesh Tigers', got the tickets of the match. He said, 'I stood in the line at 5 AM in the morning and was able to buy the tickets at 2 PM.'
Salauddin, another lucky fan, got the tickets today. 'I stood in the line yesterday for the whole day but could not buy one. So I bought the tickets today for 700 takas today, though they actually cost 150 takas.' He also added, blacking of tickets must be stopped by BCB in any way possible to save the fans from facing such inconvenience.
Hasan, another victim of ticket blacking, said he bought the tickets for 300 takas instead of the actual price of 150 takas. There were many like him who were victims of such an incident where they had to buy overpriced tickets.
A supporter, unwilling to disclose his name, was searching for the tickets and he was ready to pay the bucks for it. And he might even get it considering the rain, which is causing more fans to sell their tickets for a higher price and go home. But people waited for as long as there was hope, but surely some were less hopeful than the others, and they were willing to leave.
The rain has not only kept them waiting for the match but if the rain persists it would mean that both the teams will be announced as joint-champions. Not only the fans are missing on the action, but they are also missing out on the chance of seeing their team win a trophy after losing four finals at home.
There is no reserve day, and the fans are ruing about the fact.
Sufiyan, waiting in the line to watch the match, said, 'As this is a final, there should be a reserve day.' Asked about how he would feel after getting the tickets for such hassle only to see the match being abandoned, he said, 'I will surely feel bad, but there is nothing to do.'
The ticket prices are high, people are soaking in the rain, but that will not matter if play begins and Bangladesh win.
Because then that will be the price for glory, and people are ready to pay for that.