A unique musical moment unfolded at the opening of the Bangladesh-Pakistan two-match Test series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday, as Bangladesh’s national anthem was performed live ahead of the match.
While Pakistan’s national anthem was played through the stadium sound system following the toss, Bangladesh’s anthem was rendered live by Nemesis band frontman Zohad Reza Chowdhury, alongside guitarist Ifaz Abrar Reza.
The performance marked a first-of-its-kind initiative in Bangladesh cricket, where a nationally recognised contemporary musician sang the national anthem live before an international cricket match.
Live performances of national anthems by prominent artistes have previously been witnessed in global sporting events. During the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan, India’s anthem was performed by Amitabh Bachchan, while Pakistan’s anthem was sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali.
According to sources, the special initiative was proposed by Bangladesh Cricket Board’s interim president Tamim Iqbal. Zohad reportedly felt surprised after receiving the proposal, before later agreeing to the performance following discussions with his band’s guitarist.
Following the anthem performance, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz approached the singer to appreciate his performance. Zohad also expressed delight upon learning that members of the national team listen to Nemesis songs.
Sharing his experience on Facebook after the performance, Zohad wrote: “What an honour and a privilege to perform the Bangladesh national anthem before the Bangladesh vs Pakistan test match. Thank you BCB for having me. Means a lot!”
