Former cricketers take part in Victory Day friendly

On 16 December 1971, 50 years ago, Bangladesh emerged as a sovereign nation on the world map. On Thursday, people from all walks of life celebrated the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's victory. The birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman added to the grandeur of the occasion. 

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), like every year, hosted a friendly match featuring former cricketers on the occasion of the victory day. The cricketers split into two teams -  Shaheed Jewel XI and Shaheed Mushtaq XI - in memory of former cricketer Shaheed Abdul Halim Chowdhury Jewel and cricket organiser Shaheed Mushtaq Ahmed. Both of them sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the country in 1971.

Families of former cricketers, close relatives of Shaheed Jewel and Shaheed Mushtaq and high officials of the BCB  turned up at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. At the end of the day, all of them participated virtually in the oath-taking ceremony with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Before that, the national anthem of Bangladesh was played.

The day began with the special jersey unveiling. In the presence of Shaheed Jewel's elder sister Suraiya Khanam, the BCB president Nazmul Hassan, former captain Akram Khan and CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury unveiled the special jersey that had Shaheed Jewel's name on the back. At around 11 am, a 20-over friendly match started.

Former Bangladesh cricketers - Minhajul Abedin, Habibul Bashar, Akram Khan, Enamul Haque, Mehrab Hossain, Hasibul Hossain, Athar Ali Khan, Shahriar Hossain, Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Hannan Sarkar, Javed Omar, Tareq Aziz, Talha Jubair - took part in the match. 

Shaheed Mushtaq XI won the match by 42 runs on the back of Athar Ali Khan's superb batting followed by controlled bowling from Tareq, Rafique, Jubair and Hasibul. 

Put in to bat, Shaheed Mushtaq XI posted 150 for five in their 20 overs. Athar top-scored for them with 60 off 55 deliveries. His knock involved seven fours and a six. Skipper Mashud played a cameo of 31 off 15 balls. Shahriar Hossain scored 26. Mahmudul Haque picked up a couple of wickets. Sajal Chowdhury, Mehrab and Mushfiqur Rahman took one apiece. 

In reply, Shaheed Mushtaq XI were restricted to 108 for six in 20 overs. Habibul Bashar was the highest scorer for them with 29. Mushfiqur Rahman scored 27. Mahmudul scored 13 and 11 came from Sajjad Ahmed's bat. Tareq Aziz and Sanwar Hossain claimed two scalps each. Talha Jubair and Rafique shared two wickets among themselves. 

Mushtaq Ahmed, a renowned cricket organiser, was killed by the Pakistani Military on the night of 25 March 1971. Abdul Halim Chowdhury Jewel was the finest pre-war Bangladeshi batter and a guerilla soldier. He was detained and later killed by the Pakistan Army during the Liberation War. To commemorate their sacrifice, a friendly match is arranged every year on 16 December in which former cricketers participate.