Sports Desk: Dhaka, July -14,

Bangladesh Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna recently organised a cricket tournament to commemorate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as well as the Golden Jubilee of the country's Independence.

The 2nd Bangabandhu Memorial Cricket Tournament was held recently amid much enthusiasm and interest among members of the Bangladeshi community in Austria, particularly the youth, the Bangladesh Mission said in a release on Wednesday. 

The 1st edition of the tournament was held in August 2020.    

The event was organized at the Seebarn Cricket Ground with support from the Bangladesh Cricket Club of Austria (BCCA).

Five teams, namely Sylhet Express, Vienna Tigers, Linz Mohammadan, Bikrampur Sporting Club, and Greater Noakhali Kings, participated in this year’s tournament. Sylhet Express emerged as the champion, while Vienna Tigers was the runners-up.

Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Bangladesh Ambassador to Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and Slovakia, and Permanent Representative to the UN Offices and other International Organisations based in Vienna, inaugurated the tournament. 

At the prize distribution ceremony, Ambassador Muhith said that Bangabandhu Memorial Cricket Tournament would be continued as an annual event by the Bangladesh Mission in Vienna to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation and promote cricket among the youth in Austria.

He said it was an honor to the country as well as the Bangladeshi community in Austria that in 2021 one of the cricketers from BCCA - Iqbal Hossain - made it to the Austrian national cricket team. 

He assured the young cricketers of all possible support and cooperation to promote Bangladesh as a world-class cricketing nation within the central European countries and to popularise the game.

Among others, Quinton Norris, Competition Manager of the Austrian Cricket Association and Head Coach of the Austrian national cricket team, was present to watch some of the games in the 11-match tournament.