Mirpur: On February 18, a day after the opening ceremony of the ICC World Cup 2011 and a day before the much-touted tournament opener, the Bangladeshi and Indian squads arrived at the Shere Bangla stadium for their respective pre-match media and practice sessions. An innocuous practice followed the world over. Not so much. If the spontaneous crowding of streets outside the Banglabandhu Stadium right through the day of the big opening had amazed those new to Dhaka, they were in for a second wave.

After the home side’s media session and practice routine, India captain MS Dhoni addressed the press, fashionably late, but in his inimitably straightforward fashion. As Sachin and co. took the field for their last pre-World Cup stretch and nets, a different story was unfolding outside the stadium.

For the media contingent, in most part weaned on sub-continental cricket, it was the usual hullabaloo outside a stadium. So when one stepped out to the gallery to watch Zaheer roll his much deliberated-upon arm over or Sehwag play a definition-defying shot, the rising din outside was largely ignored.

Ironic, considering a few hours later the same media personnel found themselves at the heart of a frenzy that would be impossible to ignore or forget.

You could call it a spontaneous overflow of powerful emotion, to borrow from Wordsworth’s definition of poetry, leaving aside the qualifying last phrase – recollected in tranquility. No scene could be farther away from “tranquil”. A sea of people, so deep that it could well have been computer-generated, thronged the gates – singing, dancing, thumping at cars, blowing vuvuzelas - rejoicing. A familiar scene in this part of the world at key historic moments. Like freedom at midnight. But rarely seen besides.

If you were one of the valiant few who survived the onslaught of fervour the night before, you set out for the Shere Bangla with trepidation on the morning of the 19th. Surprisingly, getting to the ground was a task easily achieved. There was a game to watch on TV that might have kept the millions away from the stadium environs. But all around the ground, a vast expanse of green – flags, whistles, painted faces – drowned the streets. A happy drowning indeed.

Inside the stadium, the mood was upbeat to ecstatic hours before the first ball was bowled. The ubiquitous Sudhir, following Tendulkar around on a cycle all the way from Bihar, found time to pose with home supporters, considering his hero’s involvement in the game was limited. But this was a day for Bangladesh supporters, if not the team

When the home side elected to field after winning the toss, no dot ball went uncheered and every wicket elicited an eruption of applause that carried with it a strange force. It was a build up of feeling ever since Bangladesh was picked as one of the venues for the 2011 World Cup a few years ago. Though the odds in the contest between the subcontinental sides were stacked inarguably in favour of the visitors, the game meant so much more than the result.

When India marched to 370 riding on one of those Sehwag waves, Bangladesh fans didn’t fall into a deep despair or cynical dismissal of their side. Instead, every boundary in the chase was cheered for its own merit – a building block of an innings, a match, a tournament. The little milestones were acknowledged, small victories celebrated.

Admittedly, even the most supportive of fans might have made for the exit before the close of play. But then again, they have a few weeks of cheering to get over before the next contest comes up and makes similar demands of them. It’s a relentless World Cup for the Bangladesh fan.