Bangladesh PM opens ‘pink ball’ cricket test with India

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rang the ceremonial bell for the opening of the second Test cricket match of the two-match Test series between Bangladesh and India on Friday afternoon.

They rang the bell at 12:55pm (local time) to inaugurate the land mark Test match that will be played with ‘pink ball’ from November 22 to 26 at the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata.

The Prime Minister earlier arrived at the Eden Gardens at 12:25pm.

Sheikh Hasina is watching the first session of the final match of a two-match Test series between Bangladesh and India, beginning at 1:00pm (localtime).

The Prime Minister earlier made her introduced and exchanged greetings with the players of the two teams – Bangladesh and India – in the field. In the first-ever day-night match for the two teams, Tigers won the toss and
chose to bat first.

Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen,President of Bangladesh Cricket Board Nazmul Hasan Papon, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly and former cricket players of the two teams, among others, were present at the opening ceremony.

After witnessing the first session of the maiden day-night Test match at the stadium, where pink ball is being used for the first time of any Test cricket match of the two neighbours, the prime minister will return to her place of residence.

She will again go to the stadium in the evening.

The premier earlier arrived at Kolkata around 10:25am today at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to attend the historic day-night Test match in the West Bengal capital of Kolkata, popularly known as ‘City of Joy’ from November 22 to 26.

Earlier, President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to watch the second Test match in Kolkata.

The premier is scheduled to return home around 11:30pm (BST).

Dhaka/AKA