Bangladesh right-arm pacer Shahadat Hossain Rajib has requested the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to reduce his ban, allowing him to restart his career at the domestic circuit.

The 32-year-old has been serving a five-year ban, with two years suspended, for assaulting a teammate during the last season of the National Cricket League.

"I have applied to BCB to reduce my ban. I want to play cricket for a living," Shahadat told UNB.

"My mother has been suffering from cancer. If I can make a comeback to competitive cricket, I will be able to pay her medical bills."

Also read: Pacer Shahadat banned for 5 years for beating team-mate

On Saturday, Shahadat went to the National Academy ground to bowl, but the pacer was asked to leave as he is banned from participating in any sort of cricketing activities.

Shahadat played his last competitive game in November 2019. He played for the national team last time in 2015 against Pakistan.

He is the only Bangladeshi bowler to have taken a five-wicket haul at Lord's.

Shahadat represented the Tigers in 38 Tests, 51 ODIs and six T20Is and bagged 72, 47, and four wickets. He has four five-wicket hauls in Tests, the most by a Bangladeshi pace bowler.

The Tigers are looking forward to starting outdoor practice at Christchurch ahead of the three-match ODI and three-match T20 series against the hosts from March 20.

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal said this through a video message sent to the media by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Monday.

The Tigers are now maintaining an eight-day strict quarantine in the hotel. They are only allowed to come out of their rooms for 30 minutes a day.

Tamim said, "It is tough for us to stay in a single room for a week. However, it is necessary to maintain it considering the bigger health safety."

"We are all are good. However, we have to accept that maintaining a strict quarantine is important."

Also read: New Zealand Series will define Tamim’s captaincy

Once the quarantine period ends, the team will be allowed to take the field for practice. Before that, all the members of the Bangladesh team including support staff will have to undergo a Covid-19 test.

Those who will return negative will be allowed to take part in team practice sessions.

"The first one or two practice sessions might be difficult for us as we are going to take the field after a break. I think the scenario will change after a few sessions. If everything goes fine, we can hit the gym from the day after tomorrow," Tamim said.

This series will be Tamim's first foreign tour as a full-time captain. He had earlier toured Sri Lanka as a stand-in captain for a three-match ODI series, but the Tigers lost all three games against the Lankans.

"We can do well. If we can perform according to our plan, we will have a good chance to win against any team. This is what we believe as a team," Tamim said.

Also read: We believe we can achieve something new in New Zealand: Tamim

He added: "We have been passing almost 23 hours a day in a single room, watching TV shows and movies on the OTT platforms. However, the authority has installed a fitness-bike in each room so that the cricketers can work on their fitness."

The first ODI of New Zealand tour will take place on March 20 in Dunedin at the University of Otago Oval and the second one will be played at the same venue on March 23.

And the last ODI will take place on March 26 in Wellington's Basin Reserve. The first and last ODI will kick off at 4am and the second one at 7am (Bangladesh time).

The three-match T20 series will be played on March 28, 30 and April 1 in Hamilton's Seddon Park, Napier's McLean Park, and Auckland's Eden Park. The first match will start at 7am and the last two at 12pm.

Also read: Tamim pairs up with Seven Rings cement

Tamim Iqbal will lead Bangladesh in the ODIs while Mahmudullah Riyad will play the same role in T20s.

Bangladesh played 35 ODIs and seven T20s against New Zealand and won 10 ODIs.

However, none of the victories came for Bangladesh in New Zealand. The Tigers are yet to win a T20 international against the Blackcaps.

Federation Cup runners-up Saif Sporting Club advanced to the 4th slot in the 13-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football outplaying newcomers Bangladesh Police FC by 4-1 goals at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Monday.

With the day's 6th victory, formidable Saif SC moved into the 5th slot in the league toppling former champions Sheikh Russel KC securing 19 points from 11 encounters while Police FC suffered 5th defeat in the league and remained at 8th slot with 12 points from eleven matches.

Nigerian footballer Kenneth Ikechukwu put Saif SC ahead in the 44th minute (1-0) while another Nigerian John Okoli doubled the Saif SC margin scoring one more goal in the stoppage time of the first half (45+2).

Also read: BPL Football: Robinho, Becerra’s hat-tricks help Kings beat Arambagh 6-1

Striker Jamir Uddin pulled the Police FC margin one back in the 61st minute (2-1)

Striker John Okoli further sounded the Saif margin scoring the third goal in the 87th minute(3-1) while local booter Shajjad Hossain sealed the fate of the match netting the 4th goal for Saif SC in the dying moment of the match (90+4).

In the day's other league match, coming from behind, old horse Brothers Union Club tasted the first victory in their 11th league match outplaying bottom ranked Arambagh KS by 5-2 goals at the floodlight Bangabandhu National Stadium Monday evening.

Also read: BPL Football: Sheikh Jamal drop point with Dhaka Abahani in 2-2 draw

Despite the day's maiden victory, the Gopibagh outfit Brothers Union remained at 12th slot in the league securing five points from 11 encounters while once formidable side Arambagh KS remained at bottom of the league with only one point from 11 outings.

Ghana booter Ibrahim More scored first for Arambagh KS in the 10th minute from a penalty (1-0) while Brothers medio Faisal Mahmud leveled the margin just few seconds before the first half (1-1).

Nigerian forward Samson Illiasu put Brothers ahead in the 55th minute (2-1) while Nihad Zaman Ucchash of Arambagh KS again neutralized the margin just two minutes later (2-2).

Also read: BPL Football: Kings consolidate solo lead beating Muktijoddha 3-0

Siyo Zunapio of Congo scored the 3rd goal for Brothers in the 61st minute (3-2) while Faisal Mahmood further widen the Brothers margin scoring his 2nd goal in the 71st minute (4-2).

Mesbah Uddin completed the winners tally three minutes before final whistle (5-2).

The Bangabandhu 12th Teer National Archery Championship 2021, organized by Bangladesh Archery Federation (BAF) and sponsored by City Group, begins Monday at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar.

Some 148 archers from 40 teams will compete in the four-day meet for 10 gold medals up for grabs: five each - men’s team, men’s singles, women’s team, women’s singles and mixed team - in the Recurve and Compound Divisions.

The BAF president Lt Gen Mohammad Moinul Islam (Retd) disclosed the details for the competition at a press conference at the BOA auditorium here on Sunday.

Also read: Finals of Victory Day Archery on Wednesday

BAF general secretary Kazi Rajibuddin Ahmed Chapal and Executive Director of sponsors City Group Zafar Uddin Siddiqui also spoke on the occasion, while BAF Vice President M Mahfuzur Rahman Siddique and media convenor Rafiqul Islam Tipu were present at the press conference.

State Minister for Youth and Sports M Zahid Ahsan Russell MP will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony on March 4.

Also read: 4th ISSF Int’l Solidarity World Ranking Archery suspended

The federation officials informed that they are organizing the national meet for the first time outside capital Dhaka, and the reason for choosing Cox’s Bazar was not its reputation as a tourism hub, but rather to habituate the local archers in plying their craft in strong wind conditions.

The country’s premier archer Ruman Shana, who became only the second Bangladeshi athlete ever to qualify directly for the Olympics in Tokyo 2020 (to be held this year due to pandemic), is expected to compete to get used to the windy conditions expected in the Japanese capital. 

League leader Bashindhara Kings forced Dhaka Abahani Limited to taste their first defeat in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Sunday.

In the one-sided match at Bangabandhu National Stadium, six-time BPL Football champion Abahani suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat in the afternoon.

It was the 3rd consecutive defeat for Abahani against Basundhara Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League Football. 

With the day’s 11th win in the league, Kings further consolidated their top position on the points table with 34 points from 12 matches. Dhaka Abahani Limited further went down in the title race with 22 points from 11 matches.

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Dhaka Abahani Ltd followed the leader distantly collecting 22 points each playing 10 and 11 matches respectively.  

Also read: BPL Football: Robinho, Becerra’s hat-tricks help Kings beat Arambagh 6-1

Argentine forward Raul Becerra struck twice, Iranian defender Khaled Shafiei and Brazilian medio Jonathon Fernandes scored one goal each for Federation Cup champion Kings while Haitian forward Kervens Belfort netted the face-saving goal for the popular sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani.

Raul Becerra opened the Kings’ account in the 18th minute by a rebounder from a goal mouth melee when an attempt of his team-mate came his way hitting side bar (1-0).

Iranian defender Khaled Shafiei doubled the Kings’ margin in the 25th minute by pushing the ball home from a handshake distance when the ball slipped from Abahani custodian in the goalmouth (2-0).

Brazilian medio Jonathon Fernandes and Raul Becerra scored two more goals for the Kings in the 51st and 76th minute respectively (4-0). 

Also read: BPL Football: Sheikh Jamal drop point with Dhaka Abahani in 2-2 draw

With the day’s two goals Raul Becerra emerged as the second-highest scorer in the ongoing league scoring 11 individual goals. Omar Jobe of Sheikh Jamal DC and Robson Robinho of Bashundhara Kings are jointly leading the scoring list with 12 goals each.    

Haitian forward Kervens Belfort scored the face-saving goal for Abahani from penalty in the 81st minute. 

Abahani was awarded the penalty when two Kings defenders brought down onrushing forward Belfort in the danger zone and Belfort did no mistake to convert a spot kick (4-1).

Before the match, former Assistant FIFA Referee Sujit Kumar Banerjee retired from active refereeing.

Also read: BPL Football: Kings consolidate solo lead beating Muktijoddha 3-0

In the day’s other match, coming from behind, lowly Uttar Baridhara Club tasted the first victory in their 11th league match upsetting Sheikh Russel KC by 2-1 goals at the Shaheed Ahsanullah Master Stadium in Tongi.

Ashraful Islam put Sheikh Russel KC ahead in the 15th minute (1-0) while Abdel Rahim leveled the margin for Baridhara Club in the 47th minute (1-1). 

Papon Singh scored the match winner for Baridhara Club in the 74th minute (2-1). 

With the day’s feat, Uttar Baridhara Club advanced to the 9th slot in the 13-team league. They have secured nine points from 11 matches. But Sheikh Russel KC remained at 4th slot with their 17 points from 11 outings.