Gala concert ushers in BPL 3

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon has said that he hopes the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will help local players hone their skills and improve ahead of next year's T20 Asia Cup and World Twenty20. The BCB boss was speaking at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium last night during the official inauguration of the franchise-based Twenty20 tournament, with matches scheduled to get underway in Dhaka from tomorrow, as a gala concert ushered in the third edition of the money-spinning event.

"Even though we are a very good team in ODIs and are all-but-unbeatable at home in that format, the truth is that we have not yet achieved the same status in Twenty20s,” Papon said. “That is why, with the Asia Cup and the World T20 coming up, I think BPL will be specifically beneficial for our cricket. By playing alongside more than 140 foreign players, our boys will get the opportunity to develop their skills."

Papon asked the BCB selectors to try and unearth at least a couple of promising players from this tournament and consider them for the national team.

Papon's speech was followed by the official inauguration of the tournament by Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, before six Tigers -- Soumya Sarkar (Rangpur Riders), Tamim Iqbal (Chittagong Vikings), Nasir Hossain (Dhaka Dynamites), Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Comilla Victorians), Mushfiqur Rahim (Sylhet Superstars) and Mahmudullah Riyad (Barisal Bulls) -- delivered impromptu speeches on behalf of their respective BPL teams.

Sadia Islam Mou and her dance troupe entertained the crowd last night alongside local and international stars such as Momtaz Begum, Ayub Bacchu, Jacqueline Fernandez, KK and Hrithik Roshan during the Bangladesh Premier League's opening ceremony at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Although they all wear the Red and Green when playing as Tigers, the six cricketers said that their brotherhood will be set aside for the next 24 days as their goals will be to see their respective teams succeed in the BPL.

Earlier, the show had started after a little hiccup as a technician, working with the lighting on top of the stage's scaffolding, fell some twenty meters down to the ground before being quickly taken away to an adjacent hospital.

But the 15,000-something crowd, which had gathered to enjoy a gala night full of music, and of course to see Bollywood superstars Hrithik Roshan and Jacqueline Fennandez up close, were soon immersed in a music fest. The music-fest kicked off with an as-usual powerful performance by legendary rock band LRB, led by the evergreen Ayub Bacchu, after a brief prelude by Sadia Islam Mou and her dance troupe.

Fusion-band Chirkut followed LRB and was preceded by veteran singer Momtaz Begum, who intelligently pitched in a couple of folk songs in between her popular numbers.

The concert turned fever-pitch at the other end of the dignitaries' speeches when Krishnakumar Kunnath, better known as KK, mesmerised everyone for more than an hour, rendering some melodious Bollywood numbers as the night at the Home of Cricket was lit up by thousands of cell-phone flashlights.

WE'RE NOW ENEMIES: With the BPL all set to kick-off, friends become foes. Mashrafe Bin Mortaza captures that sentiment as he seemingly tells Mushfiqur Rahim to watch his back during the BPL opening ceremony at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur last night. PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED

All that excitement and entertainment building up through the day finally gave way to Jacqueline's entrance, before the showstopper, Hrithik, raised the roof at the SBNS with his incredible performances across three songs.

The day ended just as it began, as a dazzling fireworks display set the sky above the SBNS alight.