The 5th of July was a day to remember for Bangladeshi sports fans, filled with triumphant unity across the sporting arena. Whether it was on a football field in Myanmar, a cricket ground in Sri Lanka or a hockey pitch in China, Bangladeshi athletes delivered outstanding performances that brought joy and pride to their supporters.
Here's how it all went down:
Flag-bearers deliver again
When it comes to success stories in Bangladesh sports, there has been none bigger in the past decade or so than the transformation of the national women's football team into a dominant force among its South Asian peers.
For years, Bangladesh's women footballers were scarcely afforded opportunities, but they always managed to shine through when one arrived. Girls, even from the most remote communities, found a shared passion and banded together.
Today, they stand as the brightest light in the country's sporting sphere.
And on a day when many other Bangladeshi teams found success, they delivered a reminder of their own brilliance in the final match of the Asian Cup qualifiers campaign.
Having already qualified for the Asian Cup proper, it would have been understandable if they let their foot off the gas.
Instead, they delivered a breathless performance, showcasing the team's dominance and attacking flair, by putting seven goals past Turkmenistan.
Even more remarkably, all seven were scored in the first half.
Hockey teams deliver double delight
Despite having a long and storied history, hockey has all too often failed to grab the limelight in recent times for the right reasons. In recent years, the Premier Division Hockey League has not even been held on a regular basis. When it has been staged, it has often made headlines for the wrong reasons: brawls, bans, or worse.
However, every so often a spark appears, and it yet again came from an age-level men's team in the U-18 Asia Cup.
In the Chinese city of Dazhou, the boys, runners-up in the last edition of the tournament, took a step closer to the semifinals with a commanding 13-0 win over Sri Lanka in their second match.
The win, following a 3-0 win against Hong Kong in their first match, took Bangladesh to the top of their pool.
They can confirm a last-four berth with a win against China on Sunday.
Another chapter in the stop-start journey of sports for women was also scripted at the same event.
The fledgling national women's hockey – who only recorded their first win in an international match on September 11, 2019 – showed that their willingness to put in the hard yards was paying off.
Ignited by a grassroots movement, the women's hockey team has come leaps and bounds in recent years. Although a heavy defeat to Japan in the opening match of the tournament showed that there is still a long way to go, the women bounced back with a convincing 3-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their second game.
Cricketers get a morale boost
And finally, the men's national cricket team recorded a much-needed and morale-boosting victory.
Under the leadership of Mehidi Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh held their nerve to edge Sri Lanka by 16 runs in Colombo and tie the series and set up a thrilling decider in the final ODI on Tuesday.
However, the stage belonged toTanvir Islam, who was playing only his second ODI.
He delivered a sensational spell to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket and his match-winning performance also saw him earn his first-ever player of the match award.
The win came as welcome news, especially as it slightly boosted Bangladesh's chance of qualifying directly for the 2027 World Cup.
The eight top-ranked teams in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings will secure direct qualification. With this win, Bangladesh moved up one place to the ninth spot in the table.
It was also a landmark moment for Miraz, who celebrated his first ODI win as captain after five previous defeats.
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