Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium

Mirpur, Dhaka

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Established in 2006 as a cricket stadium, the venue was named after AK Fazlul Haque - the country's renowned leader and has a seating capacity of 25,000. The stadium will host the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

The first official cricket match played here was the ODI between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in December 2006 and the ground was granted as Test venue status in 2007.

The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium originally started off as a football venue in the late 80s. Then known as National Stadium 2, the ground held its first competitive fixture in 1987 when popular Dhaka club Mohammedan Sporting took on Sri Lanka's Sanders in an Asian Club Championship fixture. The venue held top level football competitions until 2004-2005 before it was formally taken over by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Located in a relatively hustle and bustle free area of Mirpur, a suburb of Dhaka, the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium is being developed as the future home of Bangladesh cricket. Once finished it will be a state-of-the-art arena that should be one of the top cricket grounds in the world accommodating some 26,000 spectators. The coliseum like feel even when empty, promises a spectacular atmosphere when this ground stages a game packed to the rafters. This could literally be the ideal den for the Tigers.

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