Bangladesh cricket team warmly received by adoring fans

Fans turned up in huge numbers to welcome the team

Dhaka, March 22 (IANS) The Bangladesh cricket team returned home from Australia on Sunday evening after having reached the quarter-final of the World Cup, and were warmly received by adoring fans.

Hundreds of cricket fans waving the Bangladesh national flag and colourful banners and festoons saluted the Tigers - as the team is popularly called - at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday evening.

Slogans of "Shabash Bangladesh, Shabash tigers" (Bravo Bangladesh, Bravo Tigers) rent the air, according to prothom-alo.com.

Addressing the media at the airport, skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza hoped the Bangladesh team would go a long way in future.

Moved by the affection showered by the fans, Mashrafe said it was a "really different" feeling.

"We really can understand the love of the people. Their love for cricket has taken the game to a different level. Whatever we did, we did for the people of the country."

The Tigers beat England in their group game and reached the last eight where they went down to India.