Sports
FIFA World Cup 2022: Mystery behind Saudi Arabia’s Win Against Argentina
First upset in the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup. Saudi Arabia surprised the football world by beating Argentina by 2-1 goal. No one thought this would happen. But that's what happened.
Argentina started the match with an unbeaten 36 games streak. The last time they lost a match was against Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semifinals. After that, they won 25 games and drew 11 games in the last 2 years. According to history, only Italy has a record of 37 unbeaten matches.
Argentina could have touched Italy's record if they won or even drawn against Saudi Arabia. But Argentina's unbeaten streak has been finished finally. So, what gives 51-ranked Saudi Arabia so much energy to beat ranked 3rd Argentina? Let's see the mystery!
Read More: ‘They robbed us with 3 goals disallowed in the first half’
Mystery Behind the Most Sensational Upset Caused by Saudi Arabia
Well, Argentina is one of the strongest teams and contenders for the title in this World Cup. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is a weak team compared to Argentina, but they surprised the world eventually. How did they do it?
Super Active Coach
When it comes to international football, Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard is a kind of legend with 23 years of coaching career experience. Over the years, he worked with 13 teams and won two major trophies, which include two Africa Cup of Nations with two different teams, Zambia and Ivory Coast.
Renard's strategy worked in the match when Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari scored goals in a five-minute attacking storm at the beginning of the second half.
Read More: Are Argentina still genuine contenders?
Goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais
Apart from two goals by Saleh and Salem, one more person is credited with winning the match. He is Mohammed Al-Owais. You can consider him as "The Great Wall of China" of the Saudi Arabian goalpost. He had the biggest contribution to this victory of Saudi.
He stood under the goalpost like a mountain and stopped all attacks. Messi could not defeat him except for one penalty and three offsides in the whole game. Argentina's seven attacks were blocked one by one. Leonel Messi didn't have a chance to score the second goal over Al-Owais, who stood 6 feet 2 inches.
Argentina's five goal attempts failed one by one because of this "Superman." Saudi Arabia beat Argentina for the first time, thanks to his remarkable saves. Due to his outstanding performance, he received the man of the match award.
Read More: Fracturing jaw during World Cup match vs Argentina, Saudi footballer al-Shahrani says he’s ok
Al-Owais played for the first time in the 2018 World Cup. But he played in one match against Uruguay. The Saudi goalkeeper proved his skill in the first match of this year's World Cup.
At the start of the game, Al-Owais showed that his team could rely on him when he blocked Messi's left-foot shot from inside the box by jumping to the right. Otherwise, Argentina would have gotten the lead at the beginning of the game.
At the end of the match, Argentina became desperate to repay the goal. However, Al-Owasis stopped one attack after another and stopped two certain goals in stoppage time. Among them, Julián Álvarez got the best chance of the match in 101 minutes. But Al-Owasis took control of the ball with a high jump.
Read More: From Jordan to Qatar, Arab fans celebrate Saudi victory over favourite Argentina
Offside Trap
According to coach Herve Renard's strategy, Saudi Arabia kept their offside trap active for 90 minutes. Saudi Arabia showed a surprise by using the offside trap brilliantly. Messi-Martinez has repeatedly stepped into this trap. Due to this, Argentina could not increase the gap even after scoring two more goals in the first half.
After Messi, Lautaro Martinez's double goal was disallowed. Argentina had to remain upset in the second half due to the regret of 3 goals that were canceled for offside in the first half. Despite scoring 4 goals in the whole match, Argentina did not win against Saudi Arabia.
Messi scored a goal in the 22nd minute. But the linesman had already raised the flag and said it was offside. Lautaro Martinez scored in the 28th minute. But this time, also due to VAR, it was shown that he was offside.
Read More: ‘Now's the time to be more united than ever’: Messi after Argentina's shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia
So, the goal was canceled. In the 34th minute, Argentina got the ball into the Saudi net once again. But before that, the side referee informed - it was offside. And these offsides were Saudi Arabia's strategy behind the historic win. With this trap, they did not have to guard the star players.
Throughout the game, Argentina has been caught for seven offsides, which is more than any team at the 2018 World Cup or this World Cup so far.
A Solid Game Plan
Renard's team tore up the strategy script. All the Saudi players were direct, pressed high, and physical and eventually got into Argentina's faces. Although Saudis' defensive shape may look a bit erratic, it helps them to get the ball back. This tactic helped them win the ball higher up the pitch, which allowed them to create opportunity and space. This also unsettles the Argentine midfield.
Read More: Qatar World Cup: Saudi Arabia's stunning victory end Argentina's 36-match winning streak
Ultimately, the Saudis showed bravery by coming in an unbelievably high line against an attacking trio of Messi, Di Maria, and Martinez. This bravery was responsible for winning the ball in the middle of the field, which eventually led to the forward push in Argentina's defense.
Final Words
With this win against Argentina, Saudi Arabia surely get a boost in their confidence. They will play their next match against Poland on November 26. Now, it is time to see if Argentina can come back strong. This defeat will surely be written in Argentina's history of the World Cup.
Ronaldo's next club options after leaving Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo has left Manchester United with immediate effect. Where will he turn up next?
The Portugal star has put himself on the market with his explosive pre-World Cup interview that led to the termination of his contract on Tuesday.
As a free agent, the 37-year-old forward now has the chance to impress potential suitors and prove he can still perform on the highest level for his country in Qatar.
His future may well depend on it after failing to secure a transfer to a Champions League club in the summer.
Midway through the season, his options look even more limited if he is set on playing in the knockout stages of European club soccer’s top competition when he returns from the World Cup.
The Champions League is now down to the last 16 teams, with only a tiny number of those able to come close to offering Ronaldo anything like the reported 500,000 pounds (594,000 dollars) a week salary he earned at United. And there has been little evidence that they would be interested in signing him.
Ronaldo’s interview with Piers Morgan, in which he criticized United manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners, made it clear he still believes he is one of the top soccer players on the planet. But where in the world will his career take him next?
A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLUB
There are only 16 to choose from if Ronaldo harbors ambitions of playing in the competition when it resumes in February. Then it is a question of who would could afford him.
A dream scenario would be to have one last fling with a truly elite club. But perhaps his best chance of that would be as a short-term fix until the end of the season.
Read more: Ronaldo begins fifth, probably final World Cup with match against Ghana Thursday
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup with injury and so has Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane.
Perhaps Ronaldo would be an attractive emergency option if either of those clubs feared being left short in the second half of the campaign.
A PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB
Chelsea considered a move in the summer, but that never materialized.
Ronaldo would not appear to fit in with the long-term planning of new manager Graham Potter, who is already having to deal with one ageing striker in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Arsenal fan Piers Morgan is pushing for a move to his club, but the Premier League leader has invested in building a young team under manager Mikel Arteta and Ronaldo would be a departure from that.
Could Saudi-backed Newcastle be tempted to make a first truly statement signing under its new ownership?
A RETURN HOME
To finish his career where it started at Sporting Lisbon would provide a romantic bookend for Ronaldo, while the Portuguese club could provide him with a route back to the Champions League next season.
He would have to take a considerable pay cut if he were to take up this option.
SAUDI ARABIA
The only serious interest in Ronaldo in the summer came from Saudi Arabia. While a move there would likely present the most lucrative option for him, it would be a marked step down in terms of his remaining sporting ambition.
Read more: Ronaldo's career at Manchester United may be over
It would deny him the chance to further extend his record as the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, with 140 goals, and hand his great rival Lionel Messi, who has 129, the chance to overtake him.
MLS
Perhaps it is time to take his brand to the United States and become the biggest star ever to play in MLS.
He could not hope to match his salary and he would have to accept his days playing in the Champions League are over.
But for a man who has more than half a billion followers on Instagram this would be the chance to move to the biggest market in the world off the field - and a new adventure.
Ronaldo begins fifth, probably final World Cup with match against Ghana Thursday
Cristiano Ronaldo is in the shop window as he starts his fifth and probably final World Cup with Portugal.
As of late Tuesday, the 37-year-old forward was without a club after Manchester United canceled his contract as a result of his explosive interview criticizing manager Erik ten Hag, the club’s owners and many of his United teammates.
Ronaldo doesn’t appear to have a new team lined up so his performances at the World Cup might yet convince potential employers to take the plunge on the five-time world player of the year, who may be past his prime but remains one of soccer’s most lethal finishers on his day.
Speaking before the announcement that he had left United by mutual consent, Ronaldo was adamant that club matters would not impact his displays for Portugal at the World Cup and were not disrupting the atmosphere in the squad heading into Thursday’s group game against Ghana at Stadium 974 in Doha.
That might need revisiting now. The motivation of winning the World Cup for the first time is likely driving Ronaldo enough in Qatar, but impressing a potential new club would be a nice bonus to go alongside it.
Read more: Ronaldo to leave Manchester United 'with immediate effect'
“Nothing will shake this squad,” Ronaldo said at a news conference in Doha this week. A loss to Ghana might.
The African nation is the lowest-ranked team at the World Cup — at No. 61 — and is the big underdog in a group also containing Uruguay and South Korea.
Still, Saudi Arabia showed anything is possible at this tournament by beating Lionel Messi’s Argentina against the odds on Tuesday, and Ghana has previously come within a handball by Luis Suarez of playing in a World Cup semifinal — in 2010.
The Blacks Stars also have some form players in Thomas Partey — the midfield anchorman of Premier League leader Arsenal — and Mohammed Kudus, who has been scoring freely for Ajax in the Champions League this season.
Portugal will start as the favorite, with coach Fernando Santos having so much depth in attack, midfield and at full back as well as the experience of leading the national team to the European Championship title in 2016.
Concerns persist over whether Santos is too pragmatic given the talent at his disposal but he remains a popular choice as coach eight years after being hired. Santos has shown he isn’t afraid to make tough decisions by leaving Ronaldo out of a starting team in a Nations League game against Iberian rival Spain in June for “tactical reasons.”
Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo gambles on World Cup to restore reputation
Doing so again for the first match of a World Cup is highly unlikely, even if Ronaldo’s head might be scrambled given the turbulence in his club career over the past week.
France's Lucas Hernandez ruled out of World Cup
Another one of France’s 2018 World Cup -winning team is injured and was ruled out of the title defense on Wednesday, and likely for the rest of the season.
Lucas Hernandez, the starting left-back four years ago, lasted just eight minutes of France’s opening game against Australia on Tuesday before suffering a ruptured ACL in his right knee.
“We’re losing an important element,” coach Didier Deschamps said in French soccer federation statement. “Lucas is a warrior.”
Hernandez seemed to twist his right knee while his leg was off the ground in the play that saw the cross delivered for Australia to score and take a shock early lead in France’s 4-1 win.
Read: 4 years after dream debut, France rely even more on Mbappe
The 26-year-old Bayern Munich defender was clutching at his knee in pain even before landing on the turf.
While his younger brother Theo prepared to come on as a replacement, Hernandez was treated on the pitch for a couple minutes before limping around the field to exit down the players’ tunnel.
“It’s never good to see one of your teammates leaving the field in that way,” France captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said after the game. “I believe it is an important injury. He’s not the first one.”
Hernandez now joins Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, who were ruled out before Deschamps picked his squad, as standout starters in the 2018 lineup missing in Qatar.
Read: World Cup 2022: France faces midfield battle against Australia
France also lost forwards Karim Benzema and Christopher Nkunku to injuries in training last week and central defender Raphael Varane, another key part of the 2018 team, has not played for six weeks because of a hamstring injury.
Doubts spring up everywhere after Argentina's shock loss to Saudi Arabia
Unfortunately for Argentina fans, it wasn’t just a bad dream. Their team really did lose 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in one of the biggest shocks in the World Cup’s 92-year history.
Now the pressure is on Lionel Messi and Argentina, who cannot afford to lose their next match against Mexico on Saturday if they want to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
“It’s time to be united, turn the page and no longer think about what happened,” Messi said after the humiliating defeat against Saudi Arabia, the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament. “Take reflections, take the positives to improve what we did wrong and think about Mexico. We always said we were going to look to win every game and now more than ever.”
So much for Argentina arriving in Qatar in ideal shape to win a third World Cup, having won the Copa America last year and been on a 36-game unbeaten run. Now there are doubts springing up everywhere. Are key players fit enough? Does Lionel Scaloni — Argentina’s accidental coach — have the experience to handle the pressure of a World Cup? And can Messi, now 35, still carry Argentina to the one prize in soccer still to elude him?
Worryingly, Messi spoke of “anxiety” that crept into his team.
Read: Are Argentina still genuine contenders?
“The goal so early (in the second half) hurt us, it made us confused,” Messi said. “We knew it could happen in the first game, if we didn’t play in the best way we were doing, and I think that happened to us. We didn’t find the performance or the game that we’ve been demonstrating for a long time.”
In some ways, the loss to the Saudis was a freak result. They scored with two of their three shots on goal, all of which came in the second half. Argentina could easily have been two or three goals ahead by halftime if it wasn’t for a couple of marginal offside calls only discovered by video review. And Argentina created enough chances late in the game to take at least a draw.
Yet, there were enough problems to make even the most optimistic Argentina fan concerned.
Some players clearly weren’t at peak fitness. Cristian Romero, the center back rounded too easily by Saleh Alshehri for the first goal, hasn’t played for the last month at English club Tottenham because of a muscle injury and didn’t look ready. Similarly, Leandro Paredes and striker Angel Di Maria have played limited minutes since October after injuries.
That Romero and Paredes were substituted soon after Saudi Arabia’s second goal in the 53rd was an indication something was not right.
Center midfielder Rodrigo De Paul and right back Nahuel Molina are not regulars for Atletico Madrid and lacked sharpness. De Paul, in particular, ended up struggling with the Saudis’ unexpected intensity and physicality.
Read: From Jordan to Qatar, Arab fans celebrate Saudi victory over favourite Argentina
Giovani Lo Celso, a favorite of Scaloni but out of the World Cup because of injury, was missed in midfield. Center back Nicolas Otamendi started against Saudi Arabia, but Scaloni may opt for Lisandro Martínez against Mexico, given his improving form for Manchester United this season.
There was already a fragile look to Argentina’s defense in the first half, under limited pressure from the Saudis. That was exposed throughout the second half, forcing Messi to drop deeper in search of the ball.
Messi insisted the day before the game that he was in good shape, despite training individually two days last week and being pictured with padding around his right ankle. He was still a joy to watch in Tuesday’s game with the ball at his feet and when given space but he found himself crowded out in the second half. At 35, he could find it difficult to play intense matches every four days at the World Cup.
Argentina has three days to sort things out before they return to Lusail stadium, where the Saudis caused one of the World Cup’s biggest upsets, to play Mexico. The 89,000-seat stadium will also stage the World Cup final on Dec. 18,
Read: ‘Now's the time to be more united than ever’: Messi after Argentina's shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia
Goalkeeper Emi Martinez said that Argentina will go into the Mexico game as if they were playing for the title.
“Saturday is our first World Cup final,” he said, adding the early defeat may help galvanize the team.
“If we want to be world champions, it’s good to have a stumble,” he said. “A stumble is not a fall.”
Ind Cup Football: Dhaka Abahani clinch group title beating Muktijoddha SKS 3-1
Defending champions Dhaka Abahani Limited clinched the Group C title to reach the quarterfinal of the season's curtain raiser soccer meet, the Bashundhara Group Independent Cup Football '2022 beating Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra by 3-1 goal in the last group match at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla on Wednesday
Dhaka Abahani will play the 3rd quarterfinal on Sunday (November 27) against the Group D runners-up while Group C runners-up Muktijoddha Sangsad KC will play Group D champions in the 4th and last quarterfinal on the same day.
In the day's match, Brazilian defender Rafayel struck twice in the 4th and 27th minutes while Brazilian forward Santos netted the other goal for the popular sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani in the 61st minute.
Nigerian forward Emmanuel scored the consolation goal for the freedom fighters' team in the 51st minute.
Read: Ind Cup Football: Bashundhara Kings emerge group champions with all win record
In the day's other match, coming from behind, Bangladesh Air Force beat Uttara Football Club by 2-1 goal at the Bir Shreshta Fl Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Wednesday.
After a barren first half, Mohammad Sagor put Uttara FC ahead in the 47th minute (1-0) while Rakibul leveled the margin for Air Force team in the 74th minute (1-1).
Jewel netted the match-winning goal for Bangladesh Air Force (2-1) in the stoppage time of the match (90+3 minute).
Breakers Pool & Snooker: Evolving a dream to promote billiards in Bangladesh
When Mahfuz Kabir returned to Bangladesh from the USA a decade ago, he brought back a dream along with him: to promote billiards in cricket-crazy Bangladesh.
But it wasn't a cakewalk for him. He waited more than five years for his dream to take the first step to fulfilment.
In 2018, he started the club, Breakers Pool & Snooker, to pursue this dream in Dhaka’s Uttara. Under this club, Mahfuz organized around 40 pool and snooker events in the last four years. And during this period, Breakers Pool & Snooker became a common destination for billiards lovers in Uttara.
He and his friends brought many people to BPS to play billiards. Many youths of Uttara now spend their time busy on the billiards board instead of wasting time chatting or roaming the streets.
“Billiards is not just a sport; it’s a form of entertainment too,” Mahfuz, the club's managing director, said in a recent interview with UNB. “Our only aim is to promote this beautiful sport in Bangladesh.”
Before returning to Bangladesh, Mahfuz played billiards in the USA for a long time. That experience has inspired him to promote the game in Bangladesh. He believes if the youth of Bangladesh get the taste of billiards, it will be among the most popular indoor sports in the country.
Read more: BPL 2023: Mahmudullah in Barishal, Mushfiqur in Sylhet
“We received a great response from billiards lovers for our latest event,” Mahfuz said. “We will host more events in the future. I believe this sport has good prospects in Bangladesh.”
In the second week of this November, Breakers Pool & Snooker organized an event called Breakers 10-Ball Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament 2022. A total of 44 billiard players participated in this event, and the final match took place on the evening of November 20.
The team of Muhibul Hasna Rifat and Nuruzzaman Nayeem won the event, while the team of Shosi and Hasan ended as the runners-up.
“It was a great billiards event,” Muhibul said to UNB. “Right before the Covid-19 pandemic hit Bangladesh, I participated in the World Championship. But during Covid-19, it was not possible to play. After a long break, I played this event and won it.”
Muhibul added that if this event occurs regularly, Bangladesh will get many brilliant billiards players. He also hopes to participate in the World Championship if the national body of billiards takes the necessary steps.
Read more: Bangladesh Cricket League One-dayers: South Zone, North Zone win 2nd round matches
Salman Mahmud Jisan, a student of business studies, found his love for billiards when he visited the club in recent years. He participated in a billiards event for the first time and said he would be happy to participate again when an event comes up.
“It was an amazing experience to play a billiards event,” Salman said to UNB. “When I first came to this club, I watched others play. Then one time, I started playing too. I still can't play very well, but I'm improving.”
He also said that he is a regular visitor to the club now.
Not just Salman, a good number of visitors often come to Breakers Pool & Snooker every evening, and to whom billiards is a lovely game only for a few years or maybe months.
“I often see new faces here,” said Mahfuz, the managing director. “I believe more people will get to know the beauty of this game in the coming days.”
Participants of Breakers 10-Ball Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament 2022:
Pantho, Mahadi, Darras, Mahfuz, Tutul, Plabon, Doc, Tanvir, Anik, Tahfim, Firoze, Sani, Hasan, Shoshi, Adnan, Pavel, Sadik, Jishan, Rossy, Fahim, Riyasat, Nahiyan, Nafi, Tasniya, F Rabbi, Jishan, Sujon, Bishal, Nayeem, Rifat, Rashed Kabir, Shaon, Istiaque, Sabab, Rashed Khan, Rafi, Tanvir A T, Bishal, Noyon, Sadi, Zunayed, Anzum, Foysal and Kawsar
Son likely in mask for South Korea vs. Uruguay at World Cup
Son Heung-min is likely to mask up as South Korea faces Uruguay in their Group H opener at the World Cup in Qatar.
Son has scored 35 goals in 104 internationals but hasn’t played since Nov. 2 when he sustained a fracture around his left eye in a collision with Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba in a Champions League match.
Son, who tied as Premier League top scorer last season, has said he expects to play with a protective mask. But there have to be worries about how effective he can be — and what the dangers are of playing with the mask, which he has worn in training since arriving in Qatar.
Much of South Korea’s offense is based around Son’s speed, his ability to strike with both feet, and his accuracy on dead-ball plays.
For Uruguay striker Luis Suarez will be playing in his fourth World Cup along with veteran teammate Edinson Cavani.
Suarez has scored seven World Cup goals. That is one short of national record holder Óscar Míguez, who played on the 1950 winning team.
Uruguay faces a generational change on the field with veteran players like Suarez and Cavani likely at their last World Cup.
Read more: Qatar World Cup: Croatia vs Morocco match ends in goalless draw
There's change on the bench, too. Oscar Tabarez is gone and replaced by Diego Alonso, who has little experience at this level. Tabarez led Uruguay at three World Cups but stepped away earlier this year after a series of poor results. It was Tabarez that took the team to the semifinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Suarez is infamous for several biting incidents on the field. In a match in the 2018 World Cup in Brazil, he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder. The referee didn't see the incident, but Suarez faced severe retrospective action and was suspended from all football-related activity for four months, slapped with a nine-match international ban and given a big fine.
It was Suarez's second controversial World Cup moment. In the last minute of extra time at the 2010 quarterfinal match against Ghana, Suarez was sent off after he used his hands to keep out Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound header. Asamoah Gyan hit the bar on the ensuing penalty, and Suárez was shown celebrating on the sideline.
Ghana went on to lose the penalty shootout, thereby failing to become Africa’s first semifinalist as the continent staged its first World Cup.
Read more: Mexico and Poland play out 0-0 in group thrown open by Argentina’s defeat
Brazil and Serbia round out Group H, with many viewing Brazil as the tournament favorite.
Qatar World Cup: Croatia vs Morocco match ends in goalless draw
The first match of Group D of the Qatar World Cup between Croatia and Morocco ended in a goalless draw on Wednesday at the Al Bayt Stadium. Both sides suffered due to a lack of a proper finisher to find the back of the net, and eventually all the attacks were stopped by the defenders. Therefore, Croatia and Morocco got one point each from this contest.
Croatia vs Morocco: Match Report
It was a game where both sides tried to formulate attacks while keeping three players in the midfield. Morocco took more shots at Croatia's goalpost, but only two were on target. Croatia, on the other hand, had two shots on target out of five. But given the way Morocco tried to pose attacks, they were closer to finding the net than their opposition, despite having less possession (35%) than Croatia.
Read More: Spain Squad analysis for 2022 World Cup
Morocco’s primary target was to formulate an attack by using their two wing-backs, Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui. On occasions, they attempted to sneak past the Croatian defenders from the middle.Hakimi, in particular, played an important role going forward and blocking Croatia’s attack when going back to defense. But they struggled to find the net because of the lack of efficiency in the attacking lineup.
Croatia had the same problem as well. Playing with the same 4-3-3 formation, Croatia tried to make attacks through the midfield position, and they had 65% of the possession.
Veteran Luka Modric was the heart of their attack. However, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner was mostly ineffective in this contest. He tried on a number of occasions to beat the opposition's defenders and also made solo efforts with long-range shots, but none were successful. But Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric couldn’t really provide the magical performances upfront, and they failed to outfox the defenders.
Read More: Fracturing jaw during World Cup match vs Argentina, Saudi footballer al-Shahrani says he’s ok
In contrast, defenders were more solid and tight and had a better game than their respective sides' offensive players. It seemed both sides' coaches took a cautious approach. They tried not to lose the contest rather than play with aggressive intent. They seemed happy to share points with one another.
Way Forward
Croatia and Morocco are genuine contenders in Group F to move on to the next round. The other top contender from this group is Belgium, while Canada have a very minimal chance. Therefore, both sides have this equation in the back of their minds when playing the match. They played safe and shared the points with each other. Overall, from a fan's perspective, it has been probably one of the least impressive games so far in the Qatar World Cup tournament.
BPL 2023: Mahmudullah in Barishal, Mushfiqur in Sylhet
The players' draft for BPL 2023 took place in a hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday (November 23). Allrounder Mahmudullah Riyad will play for Fortune Barishal in the new season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and Mushfiuqr Rahim will represent Sylhet Strikers. This year’s BPL is set to start the first week of January 2023.
In Barishal, Mahmudullah will get Shakib Al Hasan in the team, and in Sylhet, Mushiqur will play with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. While Sylhet signed Masrhafe outside the draft, Barishal kept Shakib for the season.
Former Bangladesh captains Mohammad Ashraful and Mominul Haque did not get a team in the draft. On draft day, it was unclear if any team would show any interest in them.
Read more: 7 local cricketers get direct contracts in 2023 BPL
Along with Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Anamul Haque Bijoy, and Ebadot Hossain were roped in by Barishal.
Teams after the players' draft for BPL 2023
Comilla Victorians: Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Abrar Ahmed, Litton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Imrul Kayes, Josh Cobb,
Ashiqur Zaman, Brandon King, Jaker Ali Anik, Sean Williams, Chadwick Walton, Shykat Ali, Abu Hider Rony, Nayeem Hasan, Mukidul Islam, Mahidul Islam Ankon.
Fortune Barishal: Shakib Al Hasan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Usman Qadir, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kesrick Williams, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kusal Perera, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Fazle Rabbi, Haider Ali, Chaturanga de Silva, Saif Hassan, Khaled Ahmed, Qazi Anik, Sanzamul Islam, Salman Hossain.
Chattogram Challengers: Afif Hossain, Vishwa Fernando, Ashan Priyanjan, Curtis Campher, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Shuvagata Hom, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Irfan Sukkur, Mehedi Maruf, Ziaur Rahman, Maxwell Patrick, Unmukt Chand, Taijul Islam, Abu Jayed Rahi, Farhad Reza, Tawfique Khan Tushar.
Dhaka Dominators: Taskin Ahmed, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Munaweera, Mohammad Mithun, Soumya Sarkar, Shoriful Islam, Arafat Sunny, Nasir Hossain, Al Amin Hossain, Shan Masood, Ahmed Shehzad, Alok Kapali, Monir Hossain Khan, Ariful Haque, Muktar Ali, Mizanur Rahman, Delwar Hossain, Usman Ghani, Salman Irshad.
Khulna Tigers: Tamim Iqbal, Avishka Fernando, Wahab Riaz, Naseem Shah, Azam Khan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Nasum Ahmed, Nahidul Islam, Munim Shahriar, Sabbir Rahman, Dasun Shanaka, Paul Van Meekeren, Shafiqul Islam, Pritom Kumar, Habibur Rahman, Mahmudul Hasan Joy.
Read more: BPL 2023: Syhet Strikers ropes in Mashrafe, Amir, Perera
Rangpur Riders: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shoaib Malik, Pathum Nissanka, Sikandar Raza, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz, Jaffrey Vandersay, Sheikh Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Naim Sheikh, Rakibul Hasan Jr, Shamim Hossain, Ripon Mondol, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Jones, Rony Talukder, Parvez Hossain Emon, Alauddin Babu.
Sylhet Strikers: Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Haris, Thisara Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Colin Ackermann, Ryan Burl, Mushfiqur Rahim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Nabil Samad, Towhid Hridoy, Rubel Hossain, Tom Moores, Chaturanga de Silva, Zakir Hasan, Nazmul Islam Apu, Akbar Ali, Mohammad Sharifullah, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
One of the major talking points leading up to the BPL 2023 players' draft was where Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur Rahim would play next season. Riyad and Shakib will play together for the Barishal franchise, while Mushfiqur and Mashrafe will be seen playing together for Sylhet.
Read More: BPL 2023: What Mashrafe, Perara and Amir can bring to Sylhet Strikers