Bangladesh takes 1-0 lead with an emphatic 64-run win against West Indies

Bangladesh cricket team took a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series after beating West Indies by 64 runs in the first Test at Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. With this achievement, the Tigers also registered their first ever Test victory against West Indies on home ground.

Coming to chase Bangladesh’s 204-run target, the visitors were bowled out for 139 runs just before tea break on the third day. When the Caribbean top-order struggled against Bangladesh’s bowling attack, the ninth-wicket partnership between Sunil Ambris and Jomel Warrican not only took the team’s total from 75 for 8 to 138 for 9 but also revived an implausible hope. They put on 63 runs for the ninth wicket. Ambris and Warrican scored 43 and 41 runs respectively in the second innings.

Bangladeshi left-arm spinner, Taijul Islam, alone, bagged six wickets while Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took two wickets each and together led the team towards victory. It was Taijul’s seventh five-wicket haul in Tests. Shakib Al Hasan reached the landmark of 200-Test wickets and became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to do so. Debutant spinner Nayeem Hasan became the youngest bowler to pick five wickets on his Test debut.

Early in the morning the host team resumed their second innings on the third day with overnight score of 55 for 5 and bundled out for 125 runs, thus giving the touring side a winning target of 204 runs. Mahmudullah Riyad scored 31 runs and became the highest run getter for Bangladesh in the second innings. He made a 37-run partnership with Mehidy Hasan for the seventh wicket stand. 

Devendra Bishoo claimed 4 wickets giving 26 runs. He was backed by Roston Chase who took 3 wickets. Jomel Warrican took 2 wickets while Shannon Gabriel bagged one.

Bangladesh and West Indies will play their second and final Test match on November 30, 2018 at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.

Scorecard- http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/18783/scorecard/1153311/bangladesh-vs-west-indies-1st-test-wi-in-bangladesh-2018-19

New Zealand batsmen scores a record breaking 43 runs in List A cricket

How many runs can be scored in an over? You might be curious to know why I am asking this type of question. There is a specific reason behind asking this question. Recently two New Zealand batsmen, Joe Carter and Brett Hampton, put their names in record books after setting a new world record in a domestic 50-over cricket match in New Zealand. The duo jointly scored 43 runs from a single over while batting for Northern Districts against Central Districts in a Ford Trophy match at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday (November 7). To set this new record, the pair smashed six sixes, one four and a single, in addition to two no-balls. Willem Ludick, who conceded 85 runs for one in 10 overs, also became a part of this record as the medium pacer gave 43 runs in his last over.

Earlier the record for the highest run from an over in List A cricket was held by Elton Chigumbura of Zimbabwe. In a domestic one-day game, the player scored 39 runs from an over off Alauddin Babu while batting for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi against Abahani Ltd in the Dhaka Premier League.

However, Carter remained not out on 102 while Hampton was dismissed for 95 as Northern Districts scored 313 runs losing seven wickets in their stipulated overs and eventually won the game by 25 runs. 

Source- https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/watch-the-over-that-went-for-43-runs-20181107

2018 SAFF U-15 Championship: Bangladesh wins the trophy beating Pakistan by 3-2 goals in penalty shootout

Bangladesh Under-15 national football team emerged as an unbeaten champion after defeating Pakistan by 3-2 goals in the final match of the 2018 SAFF U-15 Championship at All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complex in Lalitpur, Nepal on Saturday (November 3). With this victory, Bangladeshi youth not only finished the tournament with an all-win record but also took a sweet revenge of their 0-2 goals defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the SAFF U-16 Championship in 2011. It was not their first trophy in the South Asian age-based football competition as the boys in red and green also bagged the SAFF U-16 Championship title beating India in a tie breaker at their home ground in Sylhet. 

Haseeb Ahmed Khan put Bangladesh ahead scoring a goal in the 25^th minute, but Mohib Ullah of Pakistan equaled the score 1-1 in the 54^th minute after successfully converting a spot kick. As a result, the title-decider match ended in a draw in the regulation time, thus forcing it to roll into penalty shootout. Bangladeshi substitute goalkeeper, Mehedi Hasan, saved three penalties of Pakistan and ensured Bangladesh’s victory.

Earlier in the Saturday morning, India defeated the hosts Nepal by 1-0 in the 3^rd place deciding match at the same venue. Thanks to Thalacheu Vanlalruatfela’s lone goal in the 18^th minute, India finished third.

Bangladesh made it to the final after beating India by 4-2 goals in tiebreaker as the first semi-final between them was ended in 1-1 goals at ANFA Complex in Lalitpur on Thursday (November 1). However, Pakistan made their entry into the final round easily after eliminating Nepal by 4-0 in the second semi-final match at the same venue.

Bangladesh President, Md Abdul Hamid, and Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday congratulated the young Tigers for their victory. Both the President and Prime minister greeted the players, coach and officials of the team and also the officials of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) for this achievement. 

Source- https://en.prothomalo.com/sports/news/185899/Bangladesh-boys-lift-SAFF-title-beating-Pakistan

Shakib Al Hasan gets NOC for the UAE T20x tournament

World’s number one all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, is very much interested in playing in the first edition of the UAE T20x, a franchise-based T20 tournament that will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). For this reason, the 31-year-old cricketer requested the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to allow him to play in the upcoming UAE T20x tournament. In response to his request, the BCB has granted him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), suggesting the player will have no problem participating in the inaugural edition of the Dubai-based franchisecricket tournament.

In order to be fully fit for the tournament, Shakib Al Hasan will start strength training from next week. Even the player will have to prove his fitness before a medical team before his departure. He is likely to play in the tournament from December 23 to January 1 next year, before the start of the sixth season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which is slated to be played from January 5 next year.

The 2018-19 UAE T20x tournament, which will be played from 19 December 2018 to 11 January 2019, is likely to feature a number of star players like Steven Smith, Andre Russell and Shahid Afridi.

Shakib Al Hasan is currently recovering from his figure injury, which turned worse because of an infection during the Asia Cup. As a result, he was sent home in the middle of the tournament and went under an operation immediately at a city hospital. After that, he left for Australia for advanced treatment. Coming back to Bangladesh early in October, he said that he would return to competitive cricket as soon as his infection would be completely healed. If he is cured early, he might be seen playing in the bilateral series against West Indies at home ground starting from November 22.

Bangladeshi Youth beats India and reached the 2018 SAFF U-15 Championship final

Bangladeshi youth made their way to the 2018 SAFF U-15 Championship final after defeating the reigning champion India by 4-2 in a tie-breaker at All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Complexin in Lalitpur, Nepal on Thursday (November 1). In order to decide the title of the tournament, both Bangladesh and Pakistan will take on each other in the final match on Saturday (November 3) at the same venue. This match will begin at 2:45 pm Bangladesh time. 

Bangladesh and India met each other in the first semi-final match, which ended in 1-1 draw in the stipulated time. As a result, the match moved to a penalty shootout. Harsh Shailesh Patre gave India 1-0 lead after scoring a goal from a long distance in the 17^th minute. However, Ashikur Rahman equaled the score 1-1 in the 90+3 minute from a penalty and led the match towards the tie-breaker. 

In the penalty shootout, Tauhidul Riday, Raja Ansari, Kamran Raju and Rostom Mia successfully sent all four spot kicks inside the goal post. Thanks to Bangladesh’s substitute goalkeeper, Mehedi Hasan, India could covert two of their four goals correctly. Saving the first two Indian attempts, Mehedi became hero of the match. 

Pakistan made their easy access to the final round of the six-nation South Asian football tournament after beating the hosts Nepal by 4-0 goals at the same venue in the day’s second semi-final match in the afternoon. 

In the group stage, the boys in red and green humiliated the Maldives by 9-0 goals and then moved to the semi-final as group A champion after beating Nepal by 2-1 goals. 

Source- https://bdnews24.com/sport/2018/11/01/mehedis-penalty-heroics-help-bangladesh-beat-india-set-up-saff-u-15-final-against-pakistan

Bangladesh whitewash Zimbabwe in the three-match ODI series

Winning the 3rd and final ODI match by 7 wickets at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Friday (October 26), Bangladesh whitewashed Zimbabwe in the three-match ODI series.

Riding on two centuries from Imrul Kayes and Soumya Sarkar, the host team chased down Zimbabwe’s modest target of 287 runs with 47 balls remaining at hand.

Coming to bat, Bangladesh lost the wicket of Liton Das in the first ball of the innings, which put the Tigers backward. But both Imrul Kayes and Soumya Sarkar skillfully guided the team towards victory with a record breaking 220-run partnership in the second-wicket, surpassing the previous record of 217-run partnership between Tamim and Shakib against West Indies this year. For Bangladesh, it is the second-highest partnership for any wicket.

Imrul Kayes, who scored 115 runs off 112 balls, was caught by Chigumbura at deep while trying to play big against Wellington Masakadza. In his fourth ODI century, the left-handed opener smashed 10 fours and two sixes. With two hundreds and one fifty- 144, 90 and 115 runs- he took his run tally to 349, which made him the highest run getter in a three-match ODI series. Earlier this record was under Tamim Iqbal who scored 312 runs against Pakistan in 2015.

Soumya Sarkar, who was recalled to the squad for the third ODI, made his second ODI century. He scored 117 runs off 92 balls, including nine fours and six sixes, before being dismissed by Hamilton Masakadza. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun remained not out on 28 and 7 runs respectively. 

Batting first, Zimbabwe scored 286 runs losing five wickets. Sean Williams was the highest run scorer for his team. He struck 10 fours and one six to score 129 runs playing 143 balls and completed his second ODI hundred. Brendan Taylor and Sikandar Raza also played a vital role as they scored 75 and 40 runs respectively. At one stage, it seemed the touring team would go past the 300 mark, but due to Bangladeshi bowlers’ tight bowling at death overs, they could not make it happen. 

Nazmul Islam took two wickets while Abu Hider and Mohammad Saifuddin got one wicket each. 

Imrul Kayes was announced “Player of the Series” while Soumya Sarkar was named “Player of the Match”. 

Bangladesh cricket team selectors brought three changes in the squad. They included Abu Hider and Soumya and gave a debut to Ariful Haque. Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza won the toss for the third consecutive time and decided to field first. 

Despite the absence of two key players- Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan- due to their respective injuries, Bangladesh cricket team did quite well in the recently concluded ODI series. The youngsters did not let others feel the absence of them. 

Scorecard- http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/18815/scorecard/1153637/bangladesh-vs-zimbabwe-3rd-odi-zimbabwe-in-bangladesh-2018-19

Source- https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/bangladesh-cricket/news/bangladesh-vs-zimbabwe-third-odi-updates-1652167