DHAKA, March 26: Fans poured into the streets of Dhaka early Monday to celebrate the Bangladesh national cricket team's first-ever qualification for the second round of the World Cup, police and witnesses said. Police said at least 1,000 people joined an impromptu party in the heart of the city, defying the interim government's ban on all marches and processions, but witnesses put the figure at several thousand.

“They were waving flags and shouting all sorts of slogans,” said policeman Nizam Ahmed, describing the scene on the campus of Dhaka University.

Minnows Bangladesh, playing only their third World Cup, advanced to the Super Eights by beating debutants Bermuda by seven wickets in a rain-curtailed match in Trinidad.

Fans screamed “Bangladesh! Bangladesh!” as they watched middle order batsman Saqibul Hasan take the winning run, witnesses said. “It's a great day for our cricket. Our boys have showed the world what they can do. They are the real tigers.” —AFP