Dhaka, Nov 18 (UNB) – Asia Cup champions Bangladesh, which has already been eliminated from the 10-nation ICC Women’s World T20 after suffering three consecutive defeats, will play lowly South Africa Monday morning in the last Group A match only to complete formalities.

The match will kicks-off at 6:am Bangladesh time at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia, West Indies.

The match between two lowly 4th and 5th ranked teams of the five-team Group A--South Africa (2 points from 3 matches) and Bangladesh (zero from 3 matches) --will carry no significance as both the teams were eliminated before the last match.

Two semifinalists --West Indies (6 points from 3 matches) and England (5 points from 3 outings) will meet each other Monday early hours to decide the Group A champions.

In the semifinals on Friday (Nov 23), the unbeaten Group B champions India will play Group A runners-up (England/West Indies) while Group B runners-up Australia will face Group A champions (West Indies/England).

Earlier, Bangladesh Women’s team eliminated from the ICC Women’s World T20 with 3rd successive defeat losing to Sri Lanka by 25 runs last Thursday to remain at bottom of the five-team group with empty hand.

Touring Bangladesh conceded seven-wicket losses against England in a rain-interrupted 2nd match after a humiliating 60-run defeat against hosts West Indies in the opening match.

Bangladesh women’s team, which regained confidence in 2018 after passing a frustrating 2017, clinching the their maiden Asia Cup crown shocking their giant South Asian rivals India and  Pakistan and emerged champions in World T20 Qualifiers, came down to earth losing to Pakistan 0-3 in home series, also failed to recover their off form in the ongoing T20 World meet.

Standings of Women’s World T20:

If ODI series white wash was a business as usual achievement , drawn test series answered few questions and created few puzzles . Bangladesh won the ODI series against 3-0 dominating in all matches .

Following that losing the first test miserably at Sylhet came as bolt from the blue . With back to wall no option was left but bouncing back and redeeming . Bangladesh did that in grand fashion winning the test by 217 runs . Once a tough competitor Zimbabwe cricket team is now a shadow of its past . Bangladesh is way ahead of them in all formats of the game . Taking nothing away from the resolute performance of Zimbabwe in the Sylhet test , it was very unfortunate performance of Bangladesh . That was the fourth loss in four consecutive tests against Sri Lanka at home , West Indies on tour and Zimbabwe in Sylhet . In none of the 8 innings of four test Bangladesh could even reach even 200. With West Indies home series knocking on the door let us look back in retrospect what went wrong and what needs doing?

There is no denial that limited over formats especially ODI is the strongest forte of Bangladesh. Team tiger can beat any team of world anywhere in ODI on their day. In tests also in not too distant past Bangladesh beat stronger teams England and Australia at home and Srilanka on tour. But Bangladesh is yet forming a good enough team competitive against any team excepting slow low turning home surface . Batsmen excepting tried and tested Tamim, Shakib , Mushfique and Mahmudullah rarely perform . Pace bowling is very ordinary. Spinners succeed only on turning tracks .  In absence of injured Tamim and Shakib Bangladesh took  a gamble in Sylhet test fielding an unbalanced team . Losing the gamble Bangladesh was in deep water . They had no options left but winning the only other test at Dhaka for squaring the series . Great that nightmare was turned around and Bangladesh won big . Some significant milestones were established . But did Dhaka test settled all ifs and buts ? Perhaps did , perhaps not.

In both innings  Bangladesh top order crumbled . Four top batsmen in either innings were blown away by steady and accurate pace bowling of Kyle Jarvis , Chattara and Tirpano . Mominul, Mushfique played two extraordinary innings in the first innings achieving  some individual and partnership  milestones . Mahmudullah (101*) and Mithun ( 67)  rescued Bangladesh from embracing situation in the second innings .  But the puzzles of top order batting remained unresolved . With terrific Tamim still not fit for playing who would open the innings against much more fearsome West Indian pacers ? Even Mominul only played one great innings of the four , Mushfique also did that as well as Mahmudullah . Batting against quality bowling still remains an issue at least in test . It was good sign that Mehedy Miraj has started batting sensibly and Mithun looked good in the second innings . But with Tamim not available , Shakib also iffy Bangladesh must be very careful in selecting the test squad against West Indies . The nightmare of test white wash against West Indies still haunts many. One or two tried and tested experienced top order batsmen from domestic cricket must come under serious consideration. Why top order batsmen can not handle swings and seam movement of new ball on batting friendly wicket ? Why they have to get out playing ordinary strokes all the time ? Soumya is waiting in the wings . Mosaddeq , Shariar Nafis , Tushar Imarn must be under the radar .

Other aspect is very ordinary fielding, poor catching . This is an aspect which has no explanation . The team has so many young legs, still  why so many catches were dropped ? Ground fielding and catching needs huge improvement ?

I think even in the absence of Shakib Bangladesh spinners performed extraordinary . Taijul was superb and Mehedy Miraj also produced a match winning 5 wicket haul in the final innings . Bangladesh played with a lone rookie seam bowler in first test . In the second Kahled and even Mustafiz failed the exploit the situation. Hope legendary Courtney Walsh is equally concerned . Bangladesh must reassess its pace bowling options . Rubel may partner with Mustafiz . Khaled looked pacey and possess a good bouncer . But lacks control of line and length. Perhaps had debutants nerve .

Winning the test at Dhaka Bangladesh escaped total embarrassment . But series against West Indies would be very different . They are much stromger test team and higher in the ranking . Catching them on spinning track may or may not work.

Bangladesh must not worry much for ODI where it has a settled team. None should worry about Charismatic Mashrafee joining politics and the election campaigning schedule clashing with ODI series . The much I know Mash he will appear in full shape for the series come what may and lead the team with exemplary own performance also.  Bangladesh even after losing test series badly against West Indies won ODI and T20 series. But we must remember West Indies has some potential match winners in ODI and T20. We must not be complacent at all.  We must remember this will be last chance at home to work on possible Bangladesh team for ICC world 2019 .

The nation is now in the grip of election fever. Wins in tests, ODI and T20s against West Indies will add additional spices. Hope Cricket think tank learned lessons from the Zimbabwe series.

Sri Lanka, Nov 18 (AP/UNB) — England won the second test against Sri Lanka by 57 runs on the final day at the Pallekele International Stadium to clinch the three match series with a game to spare.

Sri Lanka, resuming on Sunday from its overnight score of 226-7, required 75 runs to win the game but was bowled out for 243 runs with Moeen Ali (4- 72) taking two wickets in his third over of the day, before Jack Leach (5-83) had Malinda Pushpakumara caught and bowled to seal the victory.

Chattogram, Nov 18 (UNB) – West Indies collected 200/3* runs in 58 overs before the tea break in the first innings on day one against Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) XI in the two-day warm-up at MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram on Sunday.

Roston Chase [12*] and Shimron Hetmyer [0*] were at the crease in the fourth stand when the bails were drawn for the tea break.

Shai Hope was retired hurt after scoring 88 off 112 balls, including 10 boundaries and three sixes, while another notable scorer Kieran Powell [72 off 142b; 6x4; 1x6] was caught by Zakir Hasan off Fazle Mahmud at 174/2 in 49.1 overs.

Before retiring hurt, Hope shared a partnership of 133 off 33.2 overs with Powell in the second stand, starting their composures from 11/1 in 6.4 overs.   

The visitors started the second session with 92/1 in 27 overs and played 31 overs more for their collection where Sunil Ambris [17] was another double-digit scorer before being bowled out by Nayeem Hasan at 200/3 in 57 overs. 

Left-handed spinner Fazle Mahmud, pacer Shafiul Islam, and off-break bowler Nayeem Hasan equally share three wickets for BCB XI.

Earlier, the visitors won the toss and elected to bat first against the local selection ahead of their two-match Test series against Bangladesh national team.

The first Test will begin at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on November 22 while the second match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on November 30.

BCB XI: Rubel Hossain (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Zakir Hasan, Mizanur Rahman,  Fazle Mahmud, Ebadat Hossain , Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Nayeem Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Robiul Haque, Mohammad Mithun and Rishad Hossain.  

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Shermon Lewis, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, and Jomel Warrican.

London, Nov 18 (AP/UNB) — After pulling off one of the biggest wins of his career, Alexander Zverev was left apologizing for an unforced error he didn't make.

Zverev denied Roger Federer a shot at a 100th career title by beating the Swiss great 7-5, 7-6 (5) at the ATP Finals on Saturday to advance to the championship match against Novak Djokovic.

Federer was leading the second-set tiebreaker 4-3 and in the ascendancy of a rally on a Zverev service point when a ball boy at the back of the court dropped a ball. Zverev immediately signaled for the point to be stopped and the umpire ordered the point to be replayed.

Zverev served an ace before going on to close out the match moments later.

"I want to apologize for the situation in the tiebreak," said Zverev, who was booed by some of the crowd during his on-court interview. "The ball boy dropped the ball so it's in the rules that we have to replay the point.

"I'm a little bit upset about the whole situation because this is not how I wanted it to end."

Zverev is the youngest player at 21 to reach the final since 2009 and the first from Germany since 1996. He will face five-time champion Djokovic, who defeated Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2 to extend his semifinal win-loss record at the tournament to 7-1.

Federer, 37, was seeking a record-extending seventh title, but was unable to cope with the pressure created by Zverev's power and precision at the O2 Arena.

"He (Zverev) apologized to me at the net," Federer said. "I was like, 'Buddy, shut up. You don't need to apologize to me here. Congratulations on a great match and a great tournament so far. All the best for the finals.' And you move on."

An inspired series of shots earned Zverev the first break points of the match in the 12th game and Federer sent a forehand wide to fall behind.

Federer willed himself to a break for 2-1 in the second set, but Zverev quickly composed himself to hit straight back in the following game.

Zverev overcame the freak interruption to establish a 5-4 lead in the tiebreaker, and Federer netted the simplest of forehand volleys to bring up match point.

He saved the first, but Zverev confidently put away a backhand drive volley to set up a shot at the biggest title of his career and leave Federer waiting until next season for his 100th title.

"Overall, I'm happy how the season went," said Federer, who picked up his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. "There's many positives. So I'm excited for next season."

Despite having reached only one Grand Slam quarterfinal this year, Zverev is the only active player outside the Big Four of Djokovic, Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to have won three Masters titles. But victory at the tour's flagship event would exceed those achievements.

"Novak right now is the best player in the world," said Zverev, who lost to Djokovic in the round robin. "You have to play your best game to even have a chance. I hope I'll be able to do that tomorrow."

The Serb maintained his record of having not lost a set — or service game — at the tournament as he thrashed debutant Anderson to give himself the chance to join Federer on six titles.

"I played very well in the group stage against Sascha (Zverev)," Djokovic said. "But I don't think he was close to his best."

Djokovic won 20 out of 27 points on Anderson's second serve as he broke the South African twice in each set.

"It was the best match I've played so far this week," Djokovic said.

Having ended a two-year Grand Slam title drought by defeating Anderson in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic went on to win his 14th major trophy at the U.S. Open and has already sealed the year-end No. 1 ranking.

The victory extended Djokovic's record to 35-2 since the start of Wimbledon, a tournament he began ranked 21st after a right elbow injury interrupted his first half of the season.

"It's remarkable what he's done since Wimbledon," Anderson said. "It seems like he's definitely right back playing some of the best tennis of his career."