A Fan in Dhaka - Day One

By Jonathan Knowles

    First day in Dhaka was a long one having arrived at 4:15am and, naturally, unable to check-in to the hotel until after 2:00pm. But the staff were good enough to let me use the showers in the gym to freshen up and, as it happened, say hello to new Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons.

    I spent all morning in the narrow, winding streets of Old Dhaka with some much happening, it was delightfully bewildering for a first-time visitor. I went to the stadium around midday to buy my tickets and hung around there for a while before finally checking in. The afternoon was spent having a boat ride on the Sadarghat river with some fascinating sights, sounds and smells.

    There seems to be no doubt that Dhaka is all set to host South Africa tomorrow for the first time since 2015.  Tickets went on sale at the ticket office just outside Sher-e-Bangla Stadium at 10am this morning (although you wouldn't have known it was the ticket office as there isn't a sign), with ticket prices varying between 100 Taka (US$0.80) and 1,000 Taka (US$8).

    Whilst South Africa will be without Temba Bavuma, Bangladesh will be without Shakib Al Hasan, arguably the country’s best cricketer.  He was an MP within the Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government when it collapsed in August and, along with nearly 150 others, has been accused of murder during the unrest which followed.  He hasn't been in Bangladesh since the fall of the government as a result.  Cricket fans have made their thoughts known with graffiti on the walls outside Sher-e-Bangla Stadium; most saying "no" or "out" but some saying "in".

    Security in Dhaka is tight.  The Bangladeshi army was outside the ground this afternoon (with guns and plastic shields) waiting for the South African team to arrive for their final practice.  It was quite a sight considering that the road leading up to the back entrance of the stadium is closed to traffic and there were probably only about 50 people waiting on the pavement!

    Weatherwise, it is hot.  We will be lucky to see a full day's play over the course of the test match though, due to bad light.  It was too dark to be playing cricket at the scheduled close time of 17.00 this evening, let alone 17.30 should the over rate be slow.

+ Jonathan Knowles is a South African cricket fan living in London and a serial adventurer and traveller. Please feel free to buy him a coffee to help off-set the price of the team hotel which is bravely paying for!