Bangladesh and Eden - A relationship that wasn’t

Such is their shared history that when Bhupen Hazarika sang of oneness with Ganga and Padma, the composer, lyricist and musician's song became an instant hit in West Bengal when it was translated from Assamese. Hazarika's support for Mukti Bahini resonated so much in the newly-born country that his death in 2011 was mourned by Bangladesh.

Rabindranath Tagore acknowledged the geographical divisions, the separation of hearts and minds and the absence of social unity between west and east Bengal. "Yet through it all runs a strain of unity, and that is the unity of language," said Tagore in Sarbari Sinha's translation of Ghulam Murshid's "Bengali Culture, Over A Thousand Years".

For Murshid, an academic from Dhaka University, to produce a work of incredible detail is as natural as Tagore, who spent a chunk of his life in Shilaidaha (now in Bangladesh), writing the national anthems of India and Bangladesh. It is a tradition of literary excellence that spans centuries through Kazi Nazrul Islam, Jibananda Das, Mir Mosharraf Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Al Mahmud, Shakti Chattopadhyay and Sunil Gangopadhyay.

One that extends to music, food, films and sports. The history of Mohun Bagan being the first Indian football team to win the IFA Shield beating a British side in 1911 is incomplete without mentioning that seven players were from what is now a separate country. As is the birth of the East Bengal Club. Established in 1936, Mohammedan Sporting, Dhaka, took its name from the older club then ruling the Kolkata Maidan.

That Jagmohan Dalmiya, as Bengali as they come even though his forefathers were from Rajasthan, would be instrumental in getting Bangladesh Test status in 2000 seems a natural fit in all this. As natural as some Bangladesh players going to a mosque near Eden Gardens for namaaz on Friday, one day before their must-win game against Netherlands in the World Cup here. As natural as Shakib Al Hasan hopping across to Dhaka – he went on a rest day and broke no rules as Taskin Ahmed pointed out at the pre-match media conference – to sort out his batting. As natural as questions in Bangla from Indian and Bangladeshi reporters.

"Entry into the Test arena was the result of his foresight and sincere cooperation," the Bangladesh Cricket Board said when Dalmiya died in 2016.

Therefore, Bangladesh not playing an ODI in Kolkata since the game against Sri Lanka in the 1990-91 Asia Cup feels as much an aberration as slow-moving vehicles being banned on a road leading to the Eden Gardens in a city not famous for traffic moving at Glenn Maxwell speed. The pink ball Test in 2019 remains the only international contest between India and Bangladesh at Eden.

Bangladesh and India have played One-day Internationals everywhere from Melbourne to Mirpur, Chattogram to Chandigarh and Colombo, Dambulla to Dhaka but never have the twain met at one of cricket's most iconic cathedrals. Blame it on cricket's lopsided commerce where everybody wants to host India.

That also means a generational talent like Shakib Al Hasan has never got the opportunity to play limited overs against India at Eden. His familiarity in this part of the world is as much down to his phenomenal all-round abilities as it is because he was part of Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011-17 and again in 2021.

"Yeah, there are some," said Ahmed when asked if he regretted not playing more at Eden. "As a player, I would love to play here more, definitely." Soldiering through the World Cup despite a sore shoulder, the result of managing a tendon problem for years, the 28-year-old fast bowler said Bangladesh always want to play in India "because of the crowd and the facilities."

Ahmed played against Pakistan at Eden in the 2016 World T20 where he dismissed Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal but couldn't prevent a 55-run defeat. Shakib scored an unbeaten 50 off 40 balls in that game.

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards, who spoke of Total Cricket when told that Johan Cruyff is a household name in India, too was asked about whether Saturday could feel like a home game for Bangladesh. If it does, the team would be happy, he said. "I think a lot of the boys are actually really looking forward to it… you know we love playing in front of a big crowd and hopefully tomorrow there are supporters, whether they're from India or Bangladesh."

Speak to anyone among the big contingent of travelling Bangladeshi journalists and they will tell you that a few thousand are expected here on Saturday and for Tuesday's match against Pakistan. And had getting visas not been a massive problem, many more would have come. Many bought tickets but couldn't come, the reporters said. On World Cup assignment, many journalists from Bangladesh said they got multiple entry visas but couldn't stay in India for more than 30 days at a stretch. This, for a competition that spans 45 days.

"I think we both missed a great opportunity here," Carrie (Andie MacDowell) tells Charles (Hugh Grant) in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. With Bangladesh and Eden it felt that as the teams finished training on a grey afternoon.