Hyderabad: Captain of U-19 World Cup winning Bangladesh team, Akbar Ali, in a revealing conversation with ETV Bharat, recalled the memory of 2020 World Cup final that saw Bangladesh lifting a major ICC trophy for the first time in their cricket history at Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Akbar,18, who hails from Rangpur, apologized to the Indian fans on the behalf of his team for the controversy that happened after the final. However, he revealed that next day morning players of both sides shared the breakfast table and a few of them did some chit-chat.
Recollecting that moment, he said, "You all watched the game and you witnessed a very challenging game. There were a lot of ups and downs in that match. So I think some boys got emotional and they were getting pumped. But what exactly happened, I don't even know because I was celebrating on the other side of the pitch. It happened in a flash. It can happen. But if it didn't happen it would have been good."
"Please do not make this thing so big. Forget it and talk about cricket. I apologize to you for the entire mess," Akbar added.
Asked about the atmosphere in Bangladesh after returning home with the trophy, he said, "I cannot express the feeling in words because that moment was very special. The people of Bangladesh went crazy. What we saw (during our journey) from the airport to the BCB office cannot be described in words. That was very special. "
However, COVID-19 steered lockdown forced him to stay away from cricket. Talking about his time at home amid lockdown, Akbar said, "I'm bored. Sometimes I watch movies on Netflix. Also, I am working on my fitness. The situation in Bangladesh is not right, so we cannot go out to play cricket.
When he was asked to pick the most difficult team between India and Pakistan, Akbar said, "It is difficult to face India. India is a very strong team and they play very well." He also named Ravi Bishnoi the most difficult bowler to face.
A fan of Mumbai Indians
Does Akbar Ali watch IPL? "I watch the IPL and I love watching the Mumbai Indians play. And if I get a chance, I will definitely play for the franchise. The IPL is a big tournament, every player wants to play in it," he said.
Meanwhile, the wicketkeeper-batsman said he likes both Shakib-Al-Hasan and MS Dhoni. When he was asked to pick one between the two, he said, "Shabik-Al-Hasan as a player is one of the best cricketers in the world. But as a finisher and captain MS Dhoni is one of the best in the world."
