Dream riders in Dhaka

Guess what skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had to say about Suresh Raina missing the team bus from the hotel to the Chennai airport. Nilankur Das reports.

Guess what skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had to say about Suresh Raina missing the team bus from the hotel to the Chennai airport. "There are 15 players in the squad and that was not a problem. We were just worried if something had happened to him. Anyway there is always someone to give a lift to a cricketer in India and that was the case," the skipper said. Raina had overslept and missed the bus, and had to take a car. He joined his teammates just in time to board the flight.

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Bon 'Boyage'
Eleven-year-old Prapya was thrilled. He was one of the 14 children to accompany the captains in the rickshaw ride round the Bangabandhu Stadium during the opening ceremony. Prapya, who studies in Scolastica School here accompanied South Africa skipper Graeme Smith. "He asked me my name and then asked the name of the stadium. He said it was very beautiful," Prapya said. "I knew I would accompany Smith, but when it really happened, I was so overwhelmed I almost cried," the boy, wearing a South Africa dress, said.

Pulling ahead
Rickshaw pullers Ramanikanta Roy from Dinajpur, Mijan from Noakhali and Mohammad Amin Sheikh from Madaripur didn't quite realise the significance. But on Thursday, they had passengers they never dreamt would ever sit behind them. They took Smith, Dhoni and Andrew Strauss around the Bangabandhu Stadium at the opening ceremony. "We understand it was something very important and our Prime Minister was there. My son loves cricket but I don't know much about it," the 42-year-old Roy said.