The organisational glitches at various levels – on the part of the International Cricket Council, the Local Organising Committee and the security personnel -- that had characterised the afternoon, and the lead-up to the opening ceremony, were all emphatically swept aside as a sea of humanity ushered in the six-week extravaganza with a spirit of participation that had to be seen to be believed.
A little over 25,000 people crammed into the Bangabandhu National stadium for a first-hand taste of history in easily the biggest event ever in Bangladesh, but more than three times that number congregated around the venue, several thousand of them a good five hours before the ceremony began, to offer solidarity and partake of a sense of belonging.
Not even the clutch of speeches -- midway through the two-and-a-half-hour extravaganza -- culminating in Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially declaring the World Cup open took the gloss of an evening of festivity and celebration, an evening that showcased the best of sub-continental culture and was combined brilliantly with the modern in the form of one of the many highlights, a 3D electronic depiction of the World Cup on a building outside the stadium, followed by a virtual game of cricket.
The captains of the 14 participating teams – in fact, Netherlands were represented by vice-captain Bas Zuiderent – were wheeled into the stadium in Bangladesh’s most popular mode of transport, the cycle rickshaw, to tumultuous receptions, the crowd going positively berserk when Shakib Al Hasan entered at the tail-end of the three-wheeled procession.
Sonu Nigam set the mood with an energetic rendering of the Spirit of Cricket song that finished with the words ‘Let’s Go For Glory’, and after the speeches were over and done with, including a short burst from ICC president Sharad Pawar, it was the turn of the performers to take charge.
Having patiently sat through the speeches, the crowd sprang to life as the song and dance began. Outside, the foot-stomping was on in full swing, people that didn’t have tickets claiming vantage positions in nearby high-rise buildings, and scaling the walls of an adjacent mosque in a bid to crash into the stadium, resulting in a mild lathicharge. Inside, those fortunate to have worked their way to their seats danced and swayed to the beats of India, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi music in that order, the melody of local diva Runa Laila welcomed with as much rapture as the rock of Canadian star Bryan ‘Summer of 69’ Adams.
Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy brought the crowd to their feet for one final time with a compelling rendition of the World Cup’s theme song, ‘De ghuma ke’ which attracted all the entertainers of the evening to the middle at the same time. The spectacular fireworks display brought the curtains down on a very different, very refreshing and very enjoyable opening ceremony. The fun’s over; let the games begin now!
