Cricket fever grips Bahrain
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Report by By Ashen Tharaka
Thousands of fans flocked to see the world-famous ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy in Bahrain over the weekend in its historic two-day tour across the Kingdom.
The ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour was held under the patronage of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) president, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) chief His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. HH Shaikh Khalid is a strong supporter of cricket in Bahrain, and he was instrumental in securing the tour’s first-ever visit to the Kingdom.
The tour, which took place Saturday and Sunday, attracted scores of adoring fans of all nationalities wherever it made its stops.
Many even waited in line for hours to get a chance to see the trophy up close and personal, as well as get a photograph taken with it.
The trophy was displayed at a number of high-profile locations, including at Dana Mall and at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
The tour generated a lot of excitement and interest in Bahrain. It was officially unveiled on Saturday night in a glittering ceremony held at the Gulf Convention Centre in the presence of HH Shaikh Khalid.
Also among those in attendance were GSA CEO Dr.Abdulrahman Askar, BOC secretary general Faris Al Kooheji, International Cricket Council (ICC) deputy chairman Imran Khwaja, and Bahrain Cricket Federation (BCF) chairman Mohammed Mansoor.
The trophy was then put on display at Dana Mall on Sunday, to the delight of huge crowds. The trophy was later taken on a mega rally, starting from Al Najma Club in Juffair to BIC in Sakhir. A motorbike parade by Desi Riders and a decorated bus with Bahrain’s men's and women’s cricket teams were among the highlights of this roadshow.
At BIC, the procession took a commemorative lap around the world-renowned Formula 1 race track, and then fans had the fantastic opportunity to take photographs with the trophy with the brilliantly lit and iconic Sakhir Tower in the backdrop. BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa and Mansoor were on hand at the event at BIC.
"BCF’s vision is to promote Bahrain cricket and play in the World Cup very soon," Mohammad Mansoor told TDT.
Mansoor added that the tour was a great opportunity to showcase the sport to the people of Bahrain, and he thanked the ICC for bringing the trophy to the country.
The tour has generated a lot of excitement and interest in the sport, and it is hoped that it has helped inspire a new generation of Bahraini cricketers.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will be held in India from October 5 to November 19.
Although Bahrain has yet to qualify for the tournament, signs of a bright future for the sport in the Kingdom are plenty, and Khawaja has expressed praise for the performance of the national cricket team. In an exclusive interview with TDT, Khawaja said that the Bahrain team is "performing well" and has "growth and momentum".
He believes that if the team continues to play at a high level, they will become a "high performance team among the associate countries." Khawaja also spoke about the commercialization of cricket in Bahrain.
He said that if cricket is more commercialised in the Kingdom, it will lead to more money flowing into Bahraini cricket. Khawaja further hailed Bahrain’s women’s cricket team, which he said is doing well.
His comments are a boost for Bahraini cricket and are a testament to the game’s tremendous growth in recent years.
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