All eyes on Birmingham

The Park Plaza Hotel was abuzz with Bangladeshi reporters yesterday, a day after the Tigers' famous five-wicket win over New Zealand at the Sophia Gardens.

The inquisitive reporters were waiting for someone to come out from the 20th-century imposing structure so they could give something to their readers (audience). Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza came out briefly after the morning team meeting to spend some time with them. The only thing he said was that they were following yesterday's England-Australia game at The Oval. It was a game that would settle the second semifinalist from Group A and Bangladesh could be that team if England beat Australia.

He said that they were watching the game together in that team meeting room where the ICC has provided them with a TV that carried the pay channel Sky Sport. Although every player has a television in their rooms, no pay channel is available. That is the case in every hotel, even a five-star one. However, everyone kept abreast of the score through the internet.

“Australia scored 277 and I think it's a gettable total,” said coach Chandika Hatuhrusingha while heading for lunch. He was frequently checking the wi-fi and his cell phone was working properly so that he could update himself with the score.

“It was a brilliant partnership. I think this was the best I have seen,” the coach quipped when his attention was drawn to the 224-run stand between Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad.

When pressed to comment on whether he still hoped Bangladesh would make that spectacular turnaround after losing four wickets, he said: “Isn't that the highest stand in Bangladesh cricket. It is all about self-belief. They were supposed to do a job and they did it. I'm very proud of it,” the coach remarked while walking along the road.

He said Shakib was 'spot on' when he said after the game that this win will give them the confidence to beat any team in any situation.

Asked if he was happy with what his charges have done in the tournament so far, the coach said: “Yes, except for the Australia game.”

He however was not interested in going into further details.

“This is the month of Ramadan. They are fasting and there was no party last night,” the coach said when asked if there was any party on Friday night. Even when Hathurusingha was headed off to a restaurant he wanted to make sure that it had Sky Sports.

Meanwhile, the sight of Mosaddek Hossain just outside the hotel lobby attracted the press corps. The young right-hander, who played an important hand in Bangladesh's victory with a little gem of a three-over spell that got him three wickets and more importantly contained the Kiwis to a below-par total, said that it was a crucial game in his career.

“Mashrafe Bhai told me to bowl a few overs just to contain the runs. This is a situation I have bowled in before and I'm lucky that I got three wickets,” said Mosaddek, who took three for 13 at the crucial stage of the New Zealand innings.