CRICKET in Bangladesh has indeed come of age. Gone are the days when Bangladesh buckled at the crunch time, miserably failing to live up to the expectations of its millions of fans who stay glued to the television to get a chance of seeing their team play well. Bangladesh can now boast of beating most of the major cricketing nations in the world, which include world champions like Australia, India, Pakistan and the West Indies. 

Nevertheless, Bangladesh's win against England, a formidable test playing nation, is significant on many counts, not least its entry into the ivy league of the last eight of the ICC Cricket World Cup. The Tigers have beaten the much-fancied English side by 15 runs, outsmarting them in all the three areas of the game--batting, bowling and fielding. The way they have beaten England has washed off the stain of their inconsistency streak. The victory also gives Bangladesh its maiden opportunity to play at the quarter final stage of the Cricket World Cup. 

The irony however may not have escaped us. It has not been long that the England and Welsh Cricket Board, one of the so-called Big Threes of international cricket, proposed that teams like Bangladesh should play at the qualifying stage to take part in the Cricket World Cup.  

We will not be exaggerating if we say that at a time of crisis, especially the one Bangladesh finds itself in, the Tigers have brought us together; it is a part of regenerative Bangladesh that wants to stride forward towards a progressive, happy future. Well done, Tigers! You did us proud.