Facebook pages that entertained Bangladeshi cricket fans more than the game

The Bangladesh national cricket team's pre-ICC Cricket World Cup promise turned into a nightmare as they managed only two wins and delivered a dismal performance in the 2023 tournament in India. 

Frustrated fans, as always, expressed their disappointment online, providing fodder for local and international troll pages. This time, a surge in cricket-focused meme pages emerged, introducing a new wave of humour and giving the fans a sense of Schadenfreude: laughing at the misery of the team's performance. 

Ispahani Mirzapur End

One such group, Ispahani Mirzapur End, gained popularity on Facebook for its self-deprecating and absurdist memes, deviating from conventional humour. Established in June 2020 by cricket enthusiasts, the group aimed to cater to a specific audience with a unique take on cricket-related jokes. 

An admin, preferring anonymity, explained that the name 'Ispahani Mirzapur End' was chosen to distinguish the group from others and originated from a stand in Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Initially public, the group's content sometimes led to misunderstandings, prompting the admins to be exclusive in member additions. Despite the restricted access, Ispahani Mirzapur End boasts over 11 thousand members. 

The associated page, 148 km/h deliveries from Ispahani Mirzapur End, was created from a bet among admins regarding Bangladesh winning a test match against New Zealand in 2022. With 30 thousand followers, the page remained active during the World Cup, humorously commenting on Bangladesh and other teams' performances.

However, the group encountered challenges when audiences misinterpreted fake quotes as real, leading to an online backlash against cricketers for no reason. The admins and members lightheartedly termed this phenomenon "Life outside Ispahani Mirzapur End", showcasing their ability to navigate humour in the face of unexpected online reactions.

BSPN

BSPN, a satirical Bangladeshi Facebook page, has been providing cricket fans with humour during the World Cup. Started as a football-focused page, it shifted its focus to cricket due to the sport's popularity in the country. 

With almost 90,000 followers, the page uses fake quotes and satire to entertain fans, ensuring a safe distance from reality to avoid backlash. Despite the humour, BSPN aims to shed light on issues in Bangladesh cricket, such as the standard of first-class cricket and bias in selection. While BSPN received massive social media validation, the page focuses on its content as a way to cope with the Bangladesh team's miserable performance through jokes.

Cricket Sarcasm

Cricket Sarcasm might be the troll page focused on the Bangladesh cricket team with the highest follower count, almost five lakhs. It initiated its journey five years ago, attracting a diverse audience ranging from stereotypical to niche tiers. 

With a global reach, Cricket Sarcasm humorously comments on teams across the subcontinent. Another page, Lord Association-Bangladesh Branch, adopts a similar approach, focusing on underperforming Bangladeshi cricketers. It playfully designates them as 'Lords' and issues symbolic apologies upon improvement. 

There are more pages which even focus on a single cricketer, such as Daily Updates On Hridoy Crossing 30 Runs In Cricket, which humorously gives an update on whether Towhid Hridoy, a Bangladeshi cricketer, crossed 30 runs or not in every match. Nonetheless, these meme pages created a community from all tiers of people who continuously supported the team through thick and thin and created a space where they could vent their disappointment with a dash of humour.

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