Shakib Al Hasan has reclaimed top position in the ICC ODI all-rounders’ rankings 2019

Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has dethroned Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and claimed the top spot of the ICC ODI rankings for all-rounders just before the start of the 2019 ICC World Cup, which is scheduled to kick off from May 30 in England and Wales.

Image Source

Shakib Al Hasan, the 32-year-old left-handed player, has been able to regain his leading position performing marvelously both with the bat and ball in the recently concluded tri-nation ODI tournament in Ireland, which Bangladesh won by five wickets in the final against West Indies, and thus, registered their first-ever-multi-nation tournament win. However, he missed the final due to injury.

Shakib Al Hasan has claimed the top place with 359 rating points while Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and his teammate Mohammad Nabi are sitting in the second and third positions correspondingly in the ODI all-rounders’ rankings with 339 and 319 rating points.

Shakib Al Hasan earlier had lost his top position to Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan for staying out of the field for a long time due to injury, which also saw him missing the New Zealand tour. None of the Indian players has been able to make their place among the top 10 in the list.

It is expected that Shakib Al Hasan will carry on his good form in the forthcoming World Cup. 

Source:

https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/bangladesh-cricket/news/shakib-goes-top-all-rounders-rankings-1747261

Bangladesh seals their first-ever major trophy

May 17, 2019 was a remarkable day in the history of Bangladesh cricket, because, on that day, the men in red and green registered their first-ever major title after defeating West Indies by five wickets in the final match of the tri-nation ODI tournament by Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method at The Village in Malahide, Ireland. Bangladesh national cricket team has become successful in their seventh attempt to win a tournament final.

Coming to chase 210 runs in the stipulated 24 overs, the Tigers reached the target with 7 balls to spare thanks to Mosaddek Hossain's unbeaten 27-ball 52 and Soumya Sarkar’s 66 off 41 balls. Mosaddek also made a 70-run partnership with Mahmudullah Riyad in the sixth-wicket, which helped the Tigers chase down the mammoth total. Mushfiqur Rahim also played a useful innings of 22-ball 36.

For West Indies, Shannon Gabriel and Raymon Reifer took two wickets each while Fabian Allen claimed one wicket. 

Batting first, the Caribbean team scored 152 runs losing one wicket in 24 overs. Shai Hope, who was awarded player-of-the-series title, top scored for his side with 74 runs while his opening partner Sunil Ambris was not out on 69. The only wicket was taken by Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

At one point, it looked like the final match would be washed away due to heavy rain. Even if it happened, Bangladesh would have won the title for staying on top of the point table with four wins and one draw. However, the match resumed after five hours when West Indies was 131 for no loss in 20.1 overs, thus reducing the match to 24 overs. This victory before the 2019 ICC World Cup has surely increased the morale of the Bangladesh cricket team. I hope they will continue their winning streak.

Scorecard- http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/11122/scorecard/1168514/bangladesh-vs-west-indies-final-ireland-tri-nation-series-2019

ICC World Cup 2019: Bangladesh Squad

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday (April 16) named a 15-man squad for the impending World Cup, which will be co-hosted by England and Wales from May 30, 2019. Among the players, Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi was the surprise inclusion in the Bangladesh team. The 25-year-old pace bowler, who has already played 5 Tests and 3 T20Is for his country, is likely to make his One Day International (ODI) debut in the World Cup. Taking his current form and fitness into consideration, he has been picked up in the squad instead of Shafiul Islam and Taskin Ahmed.

Image Source

The exclusion of Taskin Ahmed and Imrul Kayes from the World Cup squad faced huge criticism both in social and mainstream media. Taskin Ahmed, the 24-year-old fast bowler, showed his brilliant performance in the sixth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), taking 22 wickets in 12 group stage games. However, he sustained injury towards the end of the BPL 6 in February though he featured in a Dhaka Premier League (List A) match after recovering from his injury recently, but failed to impress the selectors with his fitness. 

Veteran player Imrul Kayes is perhaps the most unlucky player. Despite having scintillating form throughout the last year, scoring 436 runs with two centuries in eight matches, the player failed to claim a spot in the World Cup squad because the team management wanted a right and left-handed combination at the top order. For this reason, he was not taken to the squad.

There might be a change in the World Cup squad after the end of the tri-nation series in Ireland. The BCB president said that change could be made in the squad till May 23 based on the performance of the players. Out of 19 players, who are currently in Ireland, the World Cup team will see the omission of 4 players having miserable performance in the tri-nation series, including host Ireland and West Indies.

Bangladesh World Cup Squad: Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (C), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed Rahi, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mosaddek Hossain.