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Fed Cup Football: Sheikh Russel KC emerge group champions to reach quarterfinal in goal feast
Sheikh Russel KC emerged Group B champions to reach the quarter final of the Bashundhara Group Federation Cup Football Tournament’ 21 beating Dhaka Abahani Limited by 13-12 goals in tie breaker at the Bir Shreshta Shaheed Shipahi Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Wednesday. The goal feast match was locked in 2-2 goals in the regulation period which finally witnessed 25 goals in the tie breaker. After the match, Dhaka Abahani Limited finished Group B runner up to qualify for the quarterfinal. In the day’s lone match, Dorielton scored both the goals for the popular sky-blue Dhamondi outfit Abahani while Rabbi and Ailton scored one goal each for Sheikh Russel KC. Dorielton put Abahani Limited ahead in the 8th minute (1-0) while Mannaf Rabbi leveled the margin for Sheikh Russel KC in the 20th minute (1-1). Dorielton again put Abahani ahead in the 61st minute (2-1) while Ailton restored the parity in the 84th minute (2-2). Later, the match rolled towards tie-breaker to decide the Group B champions and Sheikh Russel KC won the match by 13-12 goals in a marathon penalty shootout. In the first five attempts, the match was again locked in 4-4 goals as both the teams scored four goals each. In the sudden death session, the match was locked again as both the teams scored 12 goals each. In the last attempt, Nasiruddin scored for Sheikh Russel to win the match by 13-12 goals as Emon Babu of Abahani failed.
U-19 Asia Cup: Bangladesh to take on India in semifinal on Thursday
Bangladesh to take on India on Thursday in the second semifinal of the U-19 Asia Cup at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah in the UAE.
Bangladesh won the first two matches of the group phase by big margins. In the first match, Bangladesh beat Nepal by 154 runs and in the next match, the junior Tigers beat Kuwait by 224 runs.
READ: BCL: Central Zone and South Zone march to final
“If we can deliver our best, we have the confidence to do well,” Rakibul Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, said in a video message from the UAE.
“We have won the first two matches by big margins. We won the last series against India— which will help us to stay confident and do well against them again,” he added.
Bangladesh played the last three matches at the same venue where they are going to play the semifinal. Rakibul said that they are accustomed to the condition and that will help them in the semifinal.
Third match of the group phase between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has been abandoned due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
India, on the other hand, won all of their group matches against the UAE, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Prantik Nawrose Nabil did well for Bangladesh scoring 177 in three matches with a hundred.
After the U-19 Asia Cup, Bangladesh will travel to the West Indies to take part in the next edition of the ICC U-19 World Cup which will begin on January 15.
Bangladesh will play in Group A along with Canada, England and UAE.
Two-day tour match between Bangladesh, New Zealand X1 ends in draw
The two-day preparatory tour match between touring Bangladesh and hosts New Zealand Eleven ended in draw on the 2nd and final day at Bay Oval-2 in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand on Wednesday.
Hosts Kiwis team resumed the first innings on the 2nd day (Wednesday) with overnight total 71 for 5 in 27.3 overs and declared the innings at 146 for 7 in 48 overs against the Tigers, featuring 74 runs in the 6th wicket stand by two night watch batters Jakob Bhulu and Ma’ara Ave.
Read:BCL: Central Zone and South Zone march to final
Number six Jacob Bhulu, who was in batting with 24 runs, contributed a half century scoring 57 runs off 75 deliveries hitting 10 boundaries while wicket keeper batter Ma’ara Ave made 54-ball 33 runs featuring seven fours.
Besides, Jack Boyle (20) and Mitch Renwick (18) were the other notable Kiwis batters scoring the double digit runs.
Two Bangladeshi pacers- Abu Jayed Rahi and Taskin Ahmed- bowled superbly to share the five wickets. Abu Jayed grabbed three wickets for 36 runs in his eleven overs with two maidens while Taskin Ahmed claimed two wickets for 26 runs in 8.3 overs with five maidens.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz grabbed the two wickets conceding 14 runs in his five over spell.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque won the toss and invited home team to bat first in a rain soaked delay start ground and took its fruit immediately grabbing three early wickets --Luke Georgeson (6), Jacob Cumming (1) and captain Devon Conway (0) --for just 8 runs in 6.2 overs on the first day
Replying to Kiwis total, Tigers opened the first innings and scored 269 for 8 in in 76.4 overs when the bails were drawn for the 2nd and final day (Wednesday), featuring two half centuries by opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy and reliable batter Mushfiqur Rahim.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy scored a patient 131-ball 66 runs hitting eleven boundaries while former national captain Mushfiqur Rahim also hammered 66 runs off 91 balls featuring seven fours and a six.
Read:Tour match: New Zealand X1 score 71 for 5 against Bangladesh on day-1
Besides, wicket keeper Liton Das (41), Najmul Hossain Shanto (27), Yasir Ali (21), Mehudy Hasan Miraz (20) and Taskin Ahmed (10) were the other main contributors for Bangladesh.
Brett Randell, Kristian Clarke and Tim Pringle claimed two wickets each conceding 27, 53 and 58 runs respectively.
The first of the two-match Test Series between Bangladesh and New Zealand begins on Saturday (January 1 ) at the Bay Oval-1 in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand.
BCL: Central Zone and South Zone march to final
Walton Central Zone and BCB South Zone have made it to the final of the ongoing edition of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL).
The third round match between these two teams ended in a draw which eventually confirmed the final berth for both of them.
Read:Sunzamul bags eight to help North Zone register first win
In the third round match in Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Central Zone batted first and posted 481 thanks to centuries of Soumya Sarkar and Shuvagata Hom.
In reply, South Zone scored 494 riding on the centuries of Amite Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, and Zakir Hasan.
Nazmul Islam Apu, and Mukidul Islam Mugdho scalped three wickets for the Central Zone.
Read:Tour match: New Zealand X1 score 71 for 5 against Bangladesh on day-1
In the final session of the match, Central Zone batted for 36 overs and scored 99 runs for wickets. Soumya scored 43 in this innings.
In the same round, North Zone beat Islami Bank East Zone by six wickets— which was the maiden win for North Zone in this edition of BCL.
BPL 2022: SWOT Analysis of all Six Teams
Initially, the eighth season of the Bangladesh Premier League was set to take place in March 2021. However, it was postponed indefinitely owing to the coronavirus outbreak. Later the BCB announced that the franchise-based T20 cricket league BPL will take place from January 21 to February 18, 2022. The forthcoming competition will include a total of six teams and the eighth edition of the Players' draft took place on December 27 (Monday). As usual, there were some surprises in this draft. The SWOT analysis of each BPL 2022 team is discussed in this article.
The Bangladesh Premier League 2022 Venues
The Bangladesh Premier League 2022 will be conducted in three venues. Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, and Sylhet International Cricket Stadium are the three venues, respectively. As expected, all venues are likely to favor the spinners. However, given the popularity of the T20 format, BCB will attempt to produce some batting-friendly pitches.
Read NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladesh Players to keep an eye on
Six Participating Teams of BPL 2022 At a Glance
Dhaka, Chattogram Challengers, Khulna Tigers, Fortune Barishal, Sylhet Sunrisers, and Cumilla Victorians are the six teams who will compete in the T20 format's Bangladesh Premier League. Let's look at each squad separately.
Dhaka
Team Dhaka startled everyone by signing three of Bangladesh's finest cricketers. Bangladesh's T20I skipper Mahmudullah Riyad was a straight signing, but they surprised everyone when they picked ODI Captain Tamim Iqbal and veteran Mashrafe Mortaza from the draft. They have a total of 18 players in the squad, with five from the foreign category.
Read Australia Clinch Ashes with a Thumping win Over England in Third Test
Strength
Dhaka's biggest strength in their quest for a fourth BPL title is having experienced Mashrafe, Mahmudullah, and Tamim in the team. Mashrafe is the most successful skipper in the history of the BPL, while Tamim and Mahmudullah are among the tournament's most successful run-getters.
Weakness
The T20 format cricket requires the use of young players to provide energy on the field, but Dhaka's lineup is somewhat aged. The fact that they have an older squad may come back to haunt them when it comes to fielding. Therefore, this is Dhaka's main weakness.
Read Bangladesh-New Zealand Test Series: Three Inspiring Knocks From Bangladeshi Batters
Opportunity
To begin with, this competition will provide a massive opportunity for Bangladesh T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad to win the BPL as a captain. Despite appearing in two finals in the Bangladesh Premier League, Riyad has never won a title. Besides, leg-spinner Rishad Hossain can show off his skills if given a regular opportunity.
Threat
If Dhaka's star players can't find their rhythm during the competition, they might be in big trouble. Mashrafe hasn't played competitive cricket in over a year, while Tamim is recovering from an injury. Both the players are unlikely to feature in the competition on a regular basis.
Read Bangladesh Cricket in 2021: Performance Analysis by Series
Squad:
M Riyad (c), I Udana, Q Ahmad, N Zadran, T Iqbal, R Hossain, M Mortaza, S Hom, M Shahzad, F Farooqi, M Naim, A Sunny, I Uzzaman, S Islam, J Islam, S Rahman, E Hossain, R Hossain.
Chattogram Challengers
Chattogram has built a young squad because they don't have any famous names from the domestic category. They do, however, have young Bangladeshi stars such as Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, and Shamim Hossain. Chattogram's foreign category players will bear the brunt of the pressure in this season of the BPL.
Strength
This squad includes a number of young Bangladeshi players as well as some seasoned international players. The team is expected to be one of the finest fielding units in the competition. With Benny Howell, Chadwick Walton, and Rayad Emrit in the lineup, the young Bangladesh players may have a better chance of showcasing their skills during the competition.
Read Memorable International Cricket Moments in 2021
Weakness
Foreign recruiters are competent, but their major flaw is that they lack experience with local players. Chattogram may struggle to perform at the tournament's most vital stage because of it. Another key drawback for the Challengers is that they don't have enough options in the roster.
Opportunity
With the T20 World Cup in November 2022, Akbar Ali, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, and Mukidul Islam will have plenty of opportunities to impress the selectors. Aside, power hitter Sabbir Rahman will be eager to seize this opportunity to return to the national squad.
Read Expected personal milestones to achieve in the Upcoming NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022
Threat
With a small squad compared to other teams, Chattogram may have difficulty putting together an ideal playing XI if someone is injured.
Squad:
N Ahmed, B Howell, K Lewis, W Jacks, S Islam, A Hossain, S Hossain, M Islam, C Walton, R Emrit, R Raja, S Rahman, M Chowdhury, M Hasan, A Ali, N Islam
Khulna Tigers
Khulna Tigers have acquired Mr. Reliable Mushfiqur Rahim as a direct signing. They have also added some well-known Sri Lankan players to their roster.
Read Central Asian Volleyball Challenge: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh to be crowned men’s champions
Strength
Khulna have a number of proven T20 players who can change the course of a match. Mushfiqur, Thisara Perera, Soumya Sarkar, and Farhad Reza are among them. This team has the potential to be a very tough side to beat if they find the right combination.
Weakness
A team must have some great spinners to win any major competition in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, Khulna's lineup is short of top spinners. Mahedi Hasan is a capable spinner, although he is not regarded as one of the best in the country. They have Afghani Naveen ul Haq in the pace attack, who is still young, and Kamrul Islam Rabbi, who is not a good T20 bowler. As a result, Khulna's bowling department is a major source of concern.
Read Sunzamul bags eight to help North Zone register first win
Opportunity
Mushfiqur Rahim has yet to win a BPL championship both as a player and as a captain. This would be an excellent opportunity for Mushfiqur to demonstrate his captaincy skills. Soumya Sarkar, Yasir Ali, and Jaker Ali will do everything they can to get the attention of the selectors.
Threat
Like Chattogram, Khulna have a small squad, which could make replacing an injured player difficult.
Squad:
M Rahim, T Perera, B Rajapaksa, Naveen-ul-Haq, M Hasan, S Sarkar, K Rabbi, Y Ali, S Prasanna, S Raza, F Reza, R Talukdar, K Ahmed, J Ali, N Samad.
Read Tour match: New Zealand X1 score 71 for 5 against Bangladesh on day-1
Fortune Barishal
Before the players' draft, Barishal signed ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who will lead the team this season. Barishal feature some outstanding T20 players with a large squad.
Strength
Barishal have one of the most well-balanced squads in this season, and they are one of the early favorites to win the BPL 2022 competition. Their strong point is that they have some competent backup players, notably in the batting order. Other teams will have a difficult time defeating Barishal if Universe Boss Chris Gayle gets his groove at the perfect time in the competition.
Weakness
There aren't enough pacers on Barishal's squad which is their major weakness. They have West Indian pacer Alzarri Joseph, but no prominent Bangladeshi pacers.
Read U-19 Asia Cup: Bangladesh emerges group champion to reach semifinal
Opportunity
Shakib Al Hasan aspires to captain Bangladesh again, therefore this will be a fantastic opportunity for him to demonstrate his leadership abilities. Irfan Sukkur, Mehedi Hasan Rana, and Towhid Hridoy are among this generation's most talented players. So, this upcoming event will provide them with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills.
Threat
With only a few medium pacers, Barishal might be in serious trouble in the middle of the competition. If the spinners fail to produce and the surfaces favor quicker bowlers, Barishal may be in jeopardy.
Squad: S Al Hasan, M Ur Rahman, D Gunathilaka, C Gayle, N Hasan, N Shanto, M Rana, F Mahmud, O McCoy, A Joseph, T Hridoy, Z Rahman, S Islam, S Ali, N Dickwella, N Hasan, T Islam, S Hossain, I Sukkur.
Read Australia Clinch Ashes with a Thumping win Over England in Third Test
Sylhet Sunrisers
Taskin Ahmed was a direct signing for Sylhet. They have a huge squad with some good T20 players. Sylhet have a stronger chance of winning this year's BPL.
Strength
Sylhet have a huge squad, which implies they have some solid backup players. As a result, squad depth is one of their strongest assets. Ravi Bopara, Taskin Ahmed, Alok Kapali, Dinesh Chandimal, and Kesrick Williams are all talented T20 players. They should be confident in their ability in order to take home the trophy for the first time.
Weakness
Sylhet don't have any serious flaws, although they failed to include one of Bangladesh's top five players. Another key concern for Sylhet might be finding the right combination.
Read Bangamata 6-Nations Volleyball: Bangladesh finishes 5th beating Maldives
Opportunity
Mosaddek Hossain, Muktar Ali, Jubair Hossain, and Anamul Haque will have a chance to demonstrate their T20 skills in this event.
Threat
Sylhet's main challenge, and potential threat, would be to find a winnable combination.
Squad: T Ahmed, D Chandimal, K Williams, C Ingram, S Ahmed, M Hossain, M Mithun, Al Amin Hossain, N Islam, R Bopara, A Perera, A Haque, S Gazi, A Kapali, M Ali, J Hossain, M Rahman, N Chowdhury, S Hayet, S Islam.
Read Fed Cup Football: Mohammedan emerge group champions
Cumilla Victorians
Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman was a direct signing for two-time BPL winner Cumilla. They also acquired some top-tier T20 players, including Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, and Sunil Narine. Cumilla will thus be one of the toughest teams to beat in the BPL 2022.
Strength
Cumilla have a few good all-rounders as well as some promising young players. Cumilla are one of the better teams this season, with a mix of youth and experience.
Weakness
Cumilla have no specific flaws in their squad because they have adequate backup in every department.
Read BCL: Shuvagata smashes a ton, Irfan takes five
Opportunity
Parvez Hossain Emon, Sumon Khan, Mehedi Hasan, and Shohidul Islam will have a chance to impress the national selectors at the upcoming event.
Threat
Cumilla are banking on its young, bright players, who could be a real threat once the competition begins. Things might go wrong for the Victorians if those players don't perform as anticipated.
Squad:
Faf du Plessis, M Ali, S Narine, M Rahman, L Das, S Islam, I Kayes, T Islam, K Mendis, O Thomas, A Haque, N Islam, M Joy, S Khan, M Haque, M Ankon, P Emon, A Hider, M Hasan.
Read BPL 2022 squads at a glance after draft
Verdict
Following the player draft, it’s evident that no particular franchise team can be considered the favorite. Each team boasts a number of excellent cricketers. Any team in the BPL 2022 tournament has a chance to win if they perform at their best from the outset. Fans will be tempted to Dhaka because of Mashrafe Mortaza, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Tamim Iqbal. On the other hand, everyone will be paying close attention to the world's best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's Fortune Barisal. Overall, T20 cricket fans are looking forward to a competitive eighth season of the Bangladesh Premier League.
Central Asian Volleyball Challenge: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh to be crowned men’s champions
Sri Lanka clinched the Bangabandhu Asian Central Zone Men’s Volleyball Challenge beating hosts Bangladesh in straight sets in the final at the Shaheed Suhrawardy National Indoor Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka thus emerged champions winning 28-26, 25-20 and 25-20 points.
Bangladesh, playing their third successive final in the competition, failed to repeat their performance lifting the trophy in 2018.
Bangladesh Women’s team finished 5th in the six-team Bangamata Asian Central Zone Volleyball beating the Maldives by 3-2 sets in their last match on Monday.
Fed Cup Football: Ctg Abahani assure quarterfinals beating Police 2-0
Chittagong Abahani Limited assured the quarterfinals in the Bashundhara Group Federation Cup Football Tournament ’21 beating Bangladesh Police FC by 2-0 goal in their first appearance at the Bir Shreshta Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Tuesday.
They will play Saif Sporting Cub in their last Group C match on Thursday to decide the group champions.
Read:Fed Cup Football: Mohammedan emerge group champions
Saif SC played to a 1-1 draw against Bangladesh Police FC in their first match.
In the day’s match, midfielder Arifur Rahman put the sky-blue outfit ahead in the 24th minute (1-0) while South African medio William Nkululeko Twala confirmed the winners’ victory scoring one more goal in the 60th minute (2-0)
Two top teams from each of the four groups, will play in the quarterfinals on January 1 and 2, The two semifinals billed for January 5 and the final will commence on January 8.
Sunzamul bags eight to help North Zone register first win
Left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam bagged eight wickets for BCB North Zone in the ongoing Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) on Tuesday as North Zone beat Islami Bank East Zone by six wickets in Rajshahi.
To take eight wickets, Sunzamul conceded 98 runs in 20 overs. Riding on Sunzamul’s outstanding bowling effort, North Zone wrapped up Islami Bank for 254 in their second innings.
In the last innings of the match, North Zone needed 110 to seal the match, and they did it within the third day.
North Zone ended up on 111 for four in 28 overs and won the match.
In the other match of BCL in Chattogram, played between Walton Central Zone and BCB South Zone, Towhid Hriody and Amite Hasan, hit a century each to guide South Zone to 381 for five at the end of day three.
In the first innings of the match, Walton Central Zone scored 481 with the centuries by Soumya Sarkar and Shuvagata Hom.
Tour match: New Zealand X1 score 71 for 5 against Bangladesh on day-1
Hosts New Zealand Eleven scored 71 for 5 in 27.3 overs against touring Bangladesh in the rain-interrupted first day of the two-day preparatory tour match at Bay Oval-2 of Mount Maunganui in New Zealand on Tuesday.
Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque won the toss and invited the home team to bat first in a rain soaked delay start ground and took its fruit immediately grabbing three early wickets --Luke Georgeson (6), Jacob Cumming (1) and captain Devon Conway (0) --for just 8 runs in 6.2 overs.
Read:Sunzamul bags eight to help North Zone register first win
However, Jacob Bhula (batting 24), Jack Boyle (20) and Mitch Renwick (18) repaired the early damage scoring double figure while wicket keeper Ma’ara Ave was in batting with four runs.
Two Bangladeshi pacers Abu Jayed Rahi and Taskin Ahmed bowled superbly to share all five wickets of the day.
Abu Jayed grabbed three wickets for 27 runs in his nine-over spell while Taskin Ahmed claimed two wickets for 26 runs in 8.3 overs.
Read:U-19 Asia Cup: Bangladesh emerges group champion to reach semifinal
Earlier, Rain stopped the match on three occasions. First at 9.3 overs when NZ scored 14 for 3, 2nd at 25.4 overs with NZ making 62 for 4 and finally at 27.3 over to fold the day’s innings for 71 for 5.
The first of the two-match Test Series between Bangladesh and New Zealand will begin on January 1 at the Bay Oval-1 Mount Maunganui.
U-19 Asia Cup: Bangladesh emerges group champion to reach semifinal
Bangladesh emerged group champion to reach the semifinals of the U-19 Asia Cup Cricket as their last match with Sri Lanka has been called in the UAE on Tuesday.
In the semifinals on Thursday, Bangladesh will play India and Pakistan will face Sri Lanka.
Read:Sunzamul bags eight to help North Zone register first win
The match was called off on Tuesday as a couple of match officials tested positive for Covid-19 .
At that time, Bangladesh were batting at 130 for four in 32.4 overs.
Both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka teams will now undergo a Covid-19 test.
Read:Tour match: New Zealand X1 score 71 for 5 against Bangladesh on day-1
In their first two matches, Bangladesh beat Nepal and Kuwait by the big margins of 154 and 227 respectively.
After the Asia Cup, the Bangladesh team will travel to the West Indies to take part in the next U-19 World Cup.