Whatever happens to the Bangladesh team in Monday’s match against Ireland, they have a treat to look forward to: Tuesday’s curry lunch. Not just any old curry lunch, but “home style” curry flown in by helicopter from the Bollywood Spice restaurant and wine bar in Warmley, near Bristol, to their team base in Trent Bridge. The menu, says restaurant manager Naz Abdul, includes including honey lamb chops and chicken ramo dhakana – house specialities if not typically Bangladeshi cuisine. Apparently the players wanted to spice up their diet after the two group games – “If we eat too much before the games it will be bad for us,” allrounder Shakib Al Hasan wisely noted – and fell back on a restaurant that is used to such requests. Last year it reportedly delivered food halfway round the world to Beijing for the Bangladeshi athletes at the Olympics, so a hundred-odd miles to Nottingham is child’s play. And if Bangladesh do win on Monday, the dessert will doubtless taste extra sweet.

	Paul Collingwood runs into bowl with the Cricket against Hunger logo on his sleeve © Associated Press

“Cricket Against Hunger” is a partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), whose aim is to raise awareness of the problem of global hunger.

England’s teams have frequently been involved with the WFP on recent tours, most notably in Sri Lanka two years ago, when they attended a coaching session in Galle, ahead of the first Test to be held in the region since the devastating tsunami of December 2004.

”We’re very proud to have the Cricket Against Hunger logo on our shirts,” said England’s captain, Paul Collingwood. “I look back with very fond memories to the coaching session we ran in Galle.

“It is experiences like these that stick with you as an international cricketer and I look forward to having the opportunity to work closely with the United Nations World Food Programme on future tours.”

The ability of sporting bodies to hype their own products should never be underestimated. Rarely does an event seem to pass without it being heralded as the “most watched” in history.

In 2007, the organisers of F1 claimed a global audience of several squillion before someone noted that appeared to assume that everyone in China watched the brief clips on the evening news rather than sat glued to the entire race.

Now Stephen Brenkley in the Independent has pulled up the ICC. Earlier this week it gushed that the World Twenty20 will be seen in 218 countries around the world. He noted that there are only 194 recognised countries on the planet.

Perhaps any readers in Burkina Faso or Tuvalu would let us know how they are enjoying the event?

Ever wondered if Michael Hussey had a crush on one of the brat pack while in school? Whether boy-next-door-meets-bad-boy MS Dhoni likes actions flicks or chick flicks? Well you may soon find out.

In a new PR drive, the normally reserved ICC has decided to release information on the game’s top players in order to generate more hoopla for the ICC World Twenty20 this summer. The ICC will circulate 19 questions to leading players from various countries in an attempt to get more out of them than the standard ‘opening-batsman-offbreak-bowler’ routine they often mumble on TV.

According to the Express, the survey will include questions ranging from retirement plans, nightmare opposition, childhood heroes, favourite films, songs, actresses and food, and even if any relative has played competitive cricket. The ICC will then share the hallowed information with its broadcasting and internet content collaborators before the World Twenty20 kicks off on June 5.

Talk about creative mojo.