Bangladesh 2nd team to arrive for World Cup

St John's, Antigua, Feb 21 (UNI) Bangladesh became the second team, after Bermuda, to arrive for the Cricket World Cup when they landed here to a welcome from top local cricket officials yesterday.

Officials from the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association and the CWC's Local Organising Committee greeted the team at the airport. Bangladesh's deputy High Commissioner Syed Masud Mahmood Khundoker was also present there.

The March 13 to April 28 tournament will see Bangladesh competing in Group B in the preliminary round, along with India, Sri Lanka and Bermuda in Trinidad&Tobago.

Bangladesh plays a warm-up series here against Bermuda and Canada starting later this week before heading to Barbados to clash with Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Scotland in the official CWC warm-ups at the 3Ws Oval starting March 5.

Earlier, Bermuda became the first team to land for the World Cup on late Monday night.

The non-Test playing country made the cut as the fourth and last team from the ICC Trophy qualifying tournament.

''It is the biggest event of their lives,'' said coach Gus Logie, the former West Indies batsman and coach.

''It's exciting, much anticipated. A bit of fear as well. I think the fear factor is always there, the unknown. I think the players are looking forward to it. I think the most we can ask of them is to give a hundred percent,'' he said.

Bermuda will kick off their World Cup campaign with warm-up matches against Australia, England and Zimbabwe in St. Vincent and the Grenadines before heading to Trinidad for group-stage matches against Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh at the Queen's Park Oval.

UNI