Eye on the ball: An event reminiscing Bangladesh’s cricket history with Yousuf Babu

A lively discussion centred on former national team cricketer Yousuf Babu's new book, 'Eye on the ball,' at Justice Shahabuddin Park in Gulshan, was full of fascinating tales about Bangladesh's cricket history. In an event that transported the audience back to the early days of Bangladesh cricket, Sir Gordon Greenidge, a West Indies icon and former national team coach, joined Babu. Other participants were former cricketers Shakil Kasem and Ishtiaque Ahmed.

"I aim to give readers a sense of the era's cricket and the difficulties we encountered in the book. We had to participate despite the fact that there was not much money in the game and it was quite difficult to turn it into a job. Nevertheless, it was worth everything to represent your nation," Babu said.

Taking place at a serene setting on a winter afternoon, audiences were captivated with the way Yousuf Babu spoke about his past as a cricket player. Yousuf Babu's talk covered his journey from being a young player to representing the national team and competing on the international stage. He shared anecdotes from his time on the field and the challenges he faced, as well as the sense of pride and accomplishment he felt as a member of the Bangladesh cricket team.

The audience was also impressed by his insights on the growth of cricket in Bangladesh and the impact it has had on the country's culture and society. It became clear that preserving the history of cricket in Bangladesh is crucial to understanding the sport's evolution and significance in the country. Everyone at the discussion panel highlighted the importance of former players sharing their experiences and memories, in order to ensure that the history of Bangladesh cricket is not lost.

It's for these reasons, Babu's book 'Eye on the ball' acts as a bridge to fans who are eager to know about the sport's past struggles and how it went on to become the most popular sport in Bangladesh. A special visual book on cricket, "Eye on the Ball," includes essays from numerous international cricketers in Bangladesh and has a particular focus on Bangladesh. In addition to Sir Gordon, significant contributors to the book include Australians Trevor Chappel and Dav Whatmore, the late Eddi Barlow's widow Callie Barlow, opening batsman John Barclay of the MCC who toured Bangladesh in 1977, and Pakistani cricket journalist Osman Samiuddin.