sports
Bangladesh batting coach praises Mithun's unbeaten 73
Bangladesh batting coach Jon Lewis has hailed Mohammad Mithun who hit a 50 in the second game of the three-match series between Bangladesh and the hosts New Zealand.
The final game of the series will take place on March 26 at 4am (Bangladesh time) at Wellington. The match will be telecast live on BTV, GTV, and T Sports.
Bangladesh posted 271 in the second game riding on the 50s of Tamim Iqbal and Mithun. But the total proved to be too easy for the hosts to chase down as they sealed the game with 10 balls to play and five wickets in hand.
Also read: Tamim, Mithun propel Tigers to 271 in 2nd ODI vs Kiwis
Tamim scored 78, his 50th 50 in ODIs, and Mithun remained unbeaten on 73. According to Lewis, these two batsmen set the foundation for a win for the Tigers, but the bowler failed to defend the total as Tom Latham, the stand-in captain of New Zealand, smashed a 100 and won the game for the hosts.
"Mithun played an exceptional knock in Christchurch. He was trying to get himself closer to the line of the ball. He was trying not to look at the offside so much by keeping leg-side as an option," Lewis told the media on Thursday.
Also read: Ross Taylor to play the final ODI vs Bangladesh
"You can do it where the ball bounces above the stumps a bit more than Dhaka or Chattogram. I think the big aspect of batting overseas for a Bangladeshi batsman is dealing with quality seam bowling when the ball is new and there is a little bit more bounce."
Unlike the first match of the series, Bangladeshi batsmen were cautious at the start of the innings. The strategy was to start slow and change the gear at the later part of the innings, and this is what Mithun did for the Tigers at Christchurch.
Lewis said Bangladesh should follow the same strategy in the final game of the series.
Also read: Sloppy fielding costs Bangladesh series to New Zealand
"If we bat first, we have to be wary of what the new ball might do and have to ensure that quality performers like Trent Boult and Tim Southee – who might join the New Zealand side – do not do too much damage to us early on," he added.
"If we are chasing a high score, we have to take advantage of the powerplay – take some risks, play some shots."
Shakib's 34th Birthday: 34 achievements to celebrate the no.1 all-rounder
Bangladesh's greatest player ever Shakib Al Hasan turned 34 on Wednesday. He was born on March 24, 1987, in the Magura district. Shakib got admitted to Bangladesh Krira Shiksha Pratisthan after completing his secondary school certificate as he was proficient in cricket since boyhood. He made his debut in the National League for the Khulna Division Cricket Team at the age of only 17. Shakib Al Hasan made his international debut against Zimbabwe in 2006 after representing the Bangladesh Under-19 team. Then the rest is history! In this article, we will look at 34 achievements to celebrate the number-1 all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's birthday.
Shakib Al Hasan's some notable achievements
01) Shakib Al Hasan’s international stats
In international cricket, Shakib Al Hasan scored 11,933 runs and took 568 wickets for Bangladesh.
02) 600 runs at a world cup tournament
Shakib is the first all-rounder in World Cup history to score over 600 runs in a single tournament. He set this unique record in the 2019 World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar, Matthew Hayden, Rohit Sharma, and David Warner have also scored more than 600 runs in a single World Cup.
03) 600 runs and 10 wickets at a world cup tournament
Shakib has the honor of being the first cricketer to score over 600 runs and take over 10 wickets in a single World Cup tournament. He set this record in the 2019 World Cup. He scored 606 runs and took 11 wickets in 8 innings.
04) 1000 runs and 30 wickets in the world cup
Shakib Al Hasan is the first and only cricketer to score 1,000 runs and take 30 wickets in the World Cup's history.
05) First Bangladeshi to score 1,000 world cup runs
Shakib Al Hasan became the first Bangladeshi to score 1000 runs in the World Cup tournament by taking part in a total of four World Cups from 2007 to 2019.
Ross Taylor to play the final ODI vs Bangladesh
Veteran New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has been declared fit to play the third and final ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh in Wellington on March 26. The right-handed batsman has missed the first two games of the ODI series.
The hosts have already wrapped up the series, winning the first two games by eight and five wickets, respectively.
“I was pretty close to playing the last game. If it was a Test or a World Cup semifinal, I would have played. But I decided against it, give it a couple of days. It feels good. It has been a strange old year. I haven’t played any one-day cricket. So looking forward to playing the format I enjoy playing,” Taylor told the media on Thursday.
“It is nice to have wrapped up the series, but there are World Cup points on offer. There’s no dead rubber, it has a bit of context. As we have seen throughout the whole summer, teams coming out of quarantine have taken a couple of games to get ready. We had a bit of luck to go our way in the last game, and I am sure Bangladesh will want to finish the ODI series on a high note,” he added.
Also read: New Zealand crush Bangladesh in 1st ODI
Taylor played a total of 24 ODIs against Bangladesh and scored 1,003 runs at an average of 59.00 with two centuries.
In the first game of the series in Dunedin, Bangladeshi batsmen were clueless against the quality pace attack of the hosts. They were all out for 131. And as a result, the Tigers lost the match by eight wickets.
In the second game, however, the Bangladeshi batting-up was pretty good amassing 271 runs on the board despite a slow start and losing Liton Das early. Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal and middle-order batsman Mohammad Mithun responded well hitting a fifty each.
But the total of 271, Bangladesh’s second-highest in New Zealand, wasn’t enough to pull up a victory for the Tigers. Mahedi Hasan, the new right-arm spin-bowling allrounder, picked up two wickets along with Mustafizur Rahman, but the other bowlers failed to display a good show of discipline.
Also read: Tigers bundled out for 131 in series opener against Kiwis
Bangladesh missed at least three catches in the second game. Taylor also believes that if those catches were taken, the result of the game would have been different.
Also read: Tamim to skip New Zealand T20Is for personal reasons
“I don’t think they were far away in the last game. If they took a couple of those catches at a crucial time, we would have been under pressure with guys who haven’t played a lot of cricket. They are always a dangerous team. If we were playing in Bangladesh, you’d have to be even warier of them. They are a good side in those slower conditions, and if anything, it was a pretty slowish wicket in Christchurch,” he said.
Torch relay for Tokyo Olympics kicks off its 121-day journey
The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics began its 121-day journey across Japan on Thursday and is headed toward the opening ceremony in Tokyo on July 23.
The relay began in northeastern Fukushima prefecture, the area that was devastated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and the meltdown of three nuclear reactors. About 18,000 died in the tragedy.
Also Read: Tokyo Olympics postponed
The first runner with the torch was Azusa Iwashimizu, a key player in the Japan team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2011.
Wearing a white track suit, she carried the torch out of the J-Village indoor soccer training center and was surrounded by 14 other members of that 2011 World Cup squad and coach Norio Sasaki at the rear. They were also decked out in white track suits.
Also Read: Speculation over Tokyo Olympics: 2021, 2032 or not at all?
The ceremony was closed to the public because of the fear of spreading COVID-19 but was streamed live.
“The torch of Tokyo 2020 will become a bright light for hope for Japanese citizens and citizens in the world and a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the local organizing committee and a former Olympian herself.
Homare Sawa, the biggest star on the 2011 team, missed the ceremony. She is being treated for a condition affecting her inner ear and had to withdraw from the event.
Fans were told to social-distance along the roadside as the torch passes, and they were to refrain from loud cheering. Organizers have said they will stop or reroute the relay if crowding becomes a problem during the four-month parade.
Spectators cooperated in Naraha Town, just down the road from where the torch started its trip. A few hundred people stood on the roadside and were safely spread out.
“At first I didn’t think much of it,” said 20-year-old Takumu Kimura. “But when I actually saw it, it felt like: — yes, it’s the Olympics.”
Setsuko Hashimoto, a 63-year-old local resident, was emotional as the torch passed.
“Ten years ago there was a nuclear accident so (seeing the torch) it felt like I could really look forward to something and live,” she said. “When you become my age, this is the last Tokyo Olympics and it’s here. It was very touching.”
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga chimed in from Tokyo with a statement.
“The Olympic torch relay starting from today is a valuable opportunity for the people to get a real sense of the Olympics and Paralympics that are approaching,” Suga told reporters.
Local organizers and the International Olympic Committee hope the relay will turn public opinion in Japan in favor of the Olympics. Sentiments expressed in polls in Japan so far are overwhelmingly negative with about 80% suggesting another delay or cancellation.
The relay and the Olympics both stir fear that the events could spread the virus. There is also opposition to the soaring cost of staging the Olympics, now put officially at $15.4 billion. Several audits suggest it’s twice that much and a University of Oxford study says these are the most expensive Olympics on record.
The relay is a big test for the upcoming Olympics with fear among the public that the event could spread the virus to rural and more isolated parts of the country. Vaccinations have not been rolled out yet in Japan to the general public. About 9,000 deaths in the country have been attributed to COVID-19.
About 10,000 runners are expected to take part, with the relay touching Japan’s 47 prefectures.
After the postponement a year ago, there was early talk of eliminating the relay to save money. However, that idea was quickly dropped with the relay heavily sponsored by Coca-Cola and Toyota.
The relay is a prelude to the difficulties the Olympics and Paralympics will present with 15,400 athletes entering Japan, along with thousands of other officials, judges, VIPs, media, and broadcasters.
Athletes will be kept in a “bubble” like atmosphere in Tokyo and will be limited to the Athletes Village on Tokyo Bay, the competition venues and training areas. Most others will be outside the bubble and will be kept at a distance from the athletes.
Organizers announced a few days ago that fans from abroad will be banned from attending the Olympics and Paralympics. Most volunteers from abroad have also been ruled out.
Organizers are to announce the venue capacities in April. Ticket revenue for the Olympics was to be $800 million but will be severely reduced by the lack of fans. Japanese government entities will have to make up the shortfall.
Bangladesh vs New Zealand T20 Series 2021: Who can replace Tamim in the opening slot?
After reaching New Zealand, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal told the media that he would not participate in the T20 series due to personal reasons. The Bangladesh Cricket Board could not make an alternative of Tamim as an opener in any format, therefore his absence will be a big blow for Bangladesh. Furthermore, this is Mahmudullah Riyad's first series as a permanent captain. As a result, Riyad will face a significant challenge in not having the team's most prolific batsman in a difficult condition like New Zealand. Let's discuss who can replace Tamim in the opening slot?
What should be the ideal alternative of Tamim Iqbal for the T20 format?
Tamim Iqbal holds almost all of Bangladesh's batting records. He is the first Tigers batsman to score a century in all formats. Tamim's only century in the T20 format came in the 2016 T20 World Cup against Oman. In that match, he played a fiery 103-run knock.
In consideration of Bangladesh's future, BCB should look for Tamim's replacement for the series against New Zealand. Since we must note that Tamim Iqbal is in his mid-30s and may not be able to play T20 cricket for a long time.
After the T20 World Cup 2021 in India, some Bangladeshi senior cricketers may retire from the format. In that case, the BCB should be more focused on finding a permanent alternative for the seniors from now on.
Tamim Iqbal’s T20 International Career
Batting Stats
Match
Inn
Runs
HS
S/R
100s
78
78
1758
103*
116.96
Read: Bangladesh vs New Zealand 2021: Tamim-led team shows promise in 2nd ODI
Five potential players to replace Tamim in the New Zealand T20 Series
Liton Kumar Das open the Bangladesh innings with Tamim in T20 format. So we left out him and mentioned five possible alternatives for the series. Let’s take a look at five players who can replace opener Tamim Iqbal for New Zealand series 2021
1. Soumya Sarkar
T20 Career Stats: M: 138 | Inn: 136 | Runs: 2,423 | HS: 88* | S/R: 119.24 | 100s: 0
Soumya Sarkar is the first name on Tamim's list of possible replacements. For the past seven years, he has been a member of the Bangladesh national team. But he hasn't been able to secure his place in the national team so far. The left-arm batsman has a lot of talent but could not make the most of it despite getting enough opportunities. Now he has retained his place in the team with medium pace in addition to batting. Soumya bats at number 7 and sometimes at number 3 when the team requires it. In the absence of Tamim, we could see Liton and Soumya open the innings for Bangladesh.
Read: Shakib Al Hasan: What lies ahead after a dispute with BCB?
2. Mohammad Naim
T20 Career Stats: M: 35 | Inn: 34 | Runs: 928 | HS: 105 | S/R: 116.43 | 100s: 01
Bangladesh toured India after the 2019 World Cup. Tamim Iqbal did not play in that tour. In his place, the former top-order batsman of the Bangladesh U19 side opened with Liton. He won his first international match. Naeem Sheikh demonstrated his talent by scoring 81 runs in the second Twenty20 match against India. Since then, the selectors have special attention to this tall left-arm batsman. Naim is now a regular member of the national team squad. However, he is not a regular starter due to a lack of opportunities. In the absence of Tamim, Mohammad Naeem is a strong contender to be Liton's opening partner.
Read: Pro Kabaddi Tournament Could Rejuvenate Bangladesh’s National Sport
3. Nazmul Hossain Shanto
T20 Career Stats: M: 61 | Inn: 57 | Runs: 1,208 | HS: 115* | S/R: 129.61 | 100s: 02
Nazmul Hossain Shanto, one of the best batsmen in the under-19 squad, has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit. As a result, he is getting many chances to play for the national team. But, like Soumya, this young left-arm top-order batsman is struggling to capitalize on many opportunities. Nazmul Hossain Shant failed miserably after getting a chance in the ODI and Test series against the Windies at home last January. In the absence of veteran Tamim Iqbal, he may be given another opportunity to play against New Zealand. But would he be able to make the most of this opportunity this time?
Read: Potential Young Players Who Could Rule World Football Next Decade
4. Parvez Hossain Emon
T20 Career Stats: M: 10 | Inn: 10 | Runs: 233 | HS: 100* | S/R: 130.16 | 100s: 01
Top-order batsman Parvez Hossain Emon has the potential to be one of Bangladesh's brightest stars. He played a key role in helping Bangladesh win the U19 World Cup even after being injured in the final of the Youth World Cup against India. Parvez recently set a record by scoring a century off just 42 balls in a match of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup competition. Since then, he has gained the BCB selectors' favor. Parvez was included in Bangladesh's initial squad for the recent Windies series but was later omitted due to injury. He has a fair chance of being included in the squad for the forthcoming New Zealand series. In that case, Pervez Hossain Emon could represent Bangladesh in a match.
Read: How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline
5. Anamul Haque Bijoy
T20 Career Stats: M: 119 | Inn: 114 | Runs: 2,378 | HS: 105 | S/R: 118.78 | 100s: 01
Enamul Bijoy was once regarded as a potential star for the Bangladesh national team. Enamul had an excellent start in the international arena, but he was dropped from the squad after the 2015 World Cup. He couldn't secure a place in the team after that.
Despite many opportunities, the right-handed top-order batsman was dropped from the national team for a poor batting display. However, the selectors may include this experienced batsman in Tamim's absence because of his consistent success in the domestic league. In that case, Liton's opening partner will be Enamul Haque.
Read: Famous Bangladeshi athletes with the most unique records
How to become a professional golf player in Bangladesh: An overall guideline
Bangladesh Golf Federation (BGF) was established in 1998 but is still crawling in the golf sector. Throughout these years, the country has found many professional golf players, but only one or two players could reach the international level. Although golf is not our local game, BGF is trying to build top-class players. Becoming a professional golfer is not a piece of cake, especially when it is not a local game.
Enough dedication and perseverance are highly essential to become a professional golf player. If you are looking for a guideline to become a professional golf player in Bangladesh, read on to get familiar.
Understand the Golf Game
While we understand the most local or popular games easily, golf is different from these. Playing golf is tricky. Therefore, you will need to understand the broker hitting the club. As a newbie or a parent who wants to teach golf to their child, you can search on google or YouTube about understanding golf. After you get acquainted with it, you may proceed to the next step.
Unlike other countries, Bangladesh’s perspective is different in a golf game. So, the first thing would be taking training courses.
Golf Training Course in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Golf Academy offers tuition courses for all types of golfers regardless of the experience. So, beginners, junior golfers, and regular players can get into the tuition according to their needs.
Also read: Salahuddin wins Sikder Group Independence Cup Golf Tournament 2020
Following are some of the tuition offered by the Bangladesh Golf Academy.
Blatter banned by FIFA a 2nd time for financial wrongdoing
Sepp Blatter was banned for a second time by FIFA on Wednesday for financial wrongdoing, seven months before the 85-year-old former president's first ban expires.
Blatter has recently been in poor health and was put in an induced coma for one week after undergoing heart surgery in December, at the time when FIFA was deciding his case.
FIFA said its ethics committee banned both Blatter and former secretary general Jérôme Valcke for six years and eight months for self-dealing in awarding themselves contractual bonuses worth millions of dollars, mostly linked to staging World Cups.
The charges against both men under the FIFA code of ethics included conflicts of interest, receiving gifts and breach of their duty of loyalty. Valcke was also charged with abuse of office.
Wednesday’s verdicts added to a slew of ongoing legal activity connecting the past and present leaderships of soccer’s governing body.
Also read: FIFA files criminal complaint against Blatter over museum
Both Blatter and Valcke, who also face criminal proceedings in Switzerland and deny wrongdoing, will start serving the new bans when their current ones expire.
Blatter and Valcke were previously banned for six years and 10 years, respectively, in separate cases. Blatter's first ban expires in October and Valcke's initial ban will be served in October 2025.
Both appealed against their first bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and can also go to the Lausanne court to challenge the latest sanctions.
In the new case, both men were each fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.07 million) and ordered to pay within 30 days. It is unclear what power FIFA has to enforce payment.
FIFA's allegations of self-dealing in bonus payments led to former finance director Markus Kattner being banned for 10 years last year.
Also read: Robert Lewandowski wins FIFA award as best men's player
Lawyers acting for FIFA detailed the allegations in June 2016 against the former top officials. They spoke then of “a coordinated effort ... to enrich themselves through annual salary increases, World Cup bonuses, and other incentives totaling more than 79 million Swiss francs (84.5 million).”
The investigations against Blatter, Valcke and Kattner were opened in September 2016 when the ethics committee was run by officials appointed in 2012 and later ousted by current FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Blatter’s lawyers argued last November the case should not proceed with officials appointed during Infantino's presidency.
They said “all members of the FIFA Ethics Committee are institutionally biased and lack independence in relation to the FIFA Council and FIFA President.”
Decisions were taken by three ethics judges more than three months ago on Dec. 17, according to the verdicts published Wednesday.
Blatter, Valcke and Kattner are currently under investigation by Swiss federal prosecutors, while Infantino has been targeted by a special prosecutor asked by lawmakers to assess criminal complaints filed against former attorney general Michael Lauber.
FIFA filed a separate criminal complaint against Blatter last December before it was revealed he was in a hospital in Zurich. FIFA asked Zurich canton prosecutors to look at the financing of its soccer museum in the city — a pet project of Blatter that opened in 2016 after he was replaced by Infantino.
Blatter and Michel Platini, Infantino's former boss at European soccer body UEFA, have been questioned several times by Swiss federal prosecutors in a criminal proceeding they face.
Both deny wrongdoing regarding $2 million in payments Blatter authorized to Platini in 2011 for work as an advisor a decade earlier. That allegation led to both being banned by the FIFA ethics committee in 2015.
Also read: FIFA President seeks speedy, complete recovery of Salahuddin
FIFA has filed a civil action in Switzerland to try to recover the money from Platini.
Valcke was acquitted last October of charges of accepting bribes and criminal mismanagement while at FIFA. He was found guilty of a lesser charge of forging documents.
Swiss prosecutors have appealed against the verdicts of the federal criminal court, which also saw Qatari soccer and broadcasting executive Nasser al-Khelaifi acquitted of inciting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement.
NCL: Nasir hits 100, claims 4 wickets
Bangladesh all-rounder Nasir Hossain is enjoying a good run of form in the Bangabandhu 22nd National Cricket League (NCL).
He hit a century (115) off 252 with 11 fours and four sixes for Rangpur against Dhaka on Wednesday at BKSP. The all-rounder also bagged four wickets in the second innings.
However, Dhaka is in a good position in the game as Rangpur will need to score 299 runs on the fourth and last day of the game with eight wickets.
NCL match score after day three
Dhaka 1st innings
365/10 in 106.3 overs (Saif 127, Nadif 69, Mahidul 47, Arafat 42; Alauddin 4/46, Mahmudul 2/78)
Rangpur 1st innings
230/10 in 93.4 overs (Nasir 115, Mahmudul 27, Alauddin 22; Nazmul 4/89, Shakil 2/12, Sumon 2/31)
Dhaka 2nd innings
128/10 in 45.5 overs (Arafat 40, Rony 21, 19 Shuvagata; Nasir 4/21, Sohrawordi 3/26, Mahmudul 2/39)
Rangpur 2nd innings
35/2 in 17 overs (Sohrawordi 12*, Mahmudul 4*)
Khulna 1st innings
375/10 in 109.4 overs (Tushar 99, Imrul 90, Nahidul 48, Robiul 37; Ebadot 3/79, Abu Jayed 3/94, Alok 1/52)
Sylhet 1st innings
134/10 in 60.4 overs (Imtiaz 37, Enamul Jr 30, Jaker 18, Amit 14; Ziaur 3/24, Masum 3/71, Halim 2/60)
Sylhet 2nd innings (follow on)
250/5 in 83 overs (Zakir 118*, Amit 66, Jaker 17, Alok 14*; Moinul 2/30, Halim 2/40)
Barishal 1st innings
241/10 in 76 overs (Ashraful 48, Abu Sayem 46, Sohag 45, Shykat 36; Abu Haider 3/34, Rakibul 3/76, Arafat 2/59)
Dhaka Metro 1st innings
413/10 in 129.2 overs (Marshall 112, Shohidul 106, Zahiduzzaman 60, Zabid 41; Kamrul 2/49, Sohag 2/77, Monir 2/80, Tanvir 2/84)
Barishal 2nd innings
177/7 in 58 overs (Moinul 63, Salman 44, Shykat 25; Shohidul 2/34, Abu Haider 2/35)
Chattogram 1st innings
287/10 101.2 overs (Shahadat 108, Yasir 63, Mehede 55; Farhad 4/44, Asaduzzaman 2/21, Taijul 2/63)
Rajshahi 1st innings
152/10 in 44.3 overs (Farhad 27, Forhad 24, Shabbir 24; Noman 4/47, Mehede 3/22, Hasan 2/35)
Chattogram 2nd innings
147/10 in 50.5 overs (Irfan 65, Mahmudul 39, Shahadat 19; Towhid 3/19, Farhad 3/37, Taijul 3/48)
Rajshahi 2nd innings
147/5 in 53 overs (Junaid 51*, Tanzid 28, Towhid 23, Farhad 4*; Ifran 2/35, Yasir 1/15, Mehede 1/22)
Bangladesh vs New Zealand 2021: Tamim-led team shows promise in 2nd ODI
While Bangladesh lost the second one-day International against New Zealand in Christchurch, the players' performance and attitude have significantly improved. Team tigers' could have won if they had been more concentrated on fielding in the last 10-15 overs of the match. But, in the end, Bangladesh had to concede a 5 wicket loss to the hosts due to numerous dropped catches and misfields. New Zealand clinched the series with one match in hand. Bangladesh's batsmen and bowlers maintained enough discipline in this match, therefore it was a closely-contested match. We will be explained in this article how the Tamim-led team shows promise in the Bangladesh v Newzealand 2nd ODI.
Key areas Bangladesh shown improvement in the BAN v NZ second ODI
Batting
Bangladesh were all-out for just 131 runs in the first match due to the failure of the batsmen. As a result, Bangladesh was defeated by 6 wickets in the match. The batsmen surrendered helplessly in front of the world-class Kiwi pacers due to their lack of experience playing on bouncy wickets and a lack of proper thinking. The bowlers, on the other hand, had little to do after the batsmen struggled.
In the second match, the complete opposite scenario was seen. After losing the toss, Captain Tamim Iqbal started batting very carefully. Seeing his attitude, it was clear that he came on the field with the conviction of playing a big innings. The way he was batting, the ODI captain of the Bangladesh team could have scored his 14th century on this day.
Read Bangladesh's five most memorable overseas ODI wins
He was run out for 6 runs and was deprived of another century. However, Tamim touched another milestone that day. He became the first Bangladeshi to score fifty fifties in the ODI format. Before him, only six openers in world cricket history made more than fifty half-centuries in the limited-overs format.
On this particular day, not only Tamim but also the rest of the team's batsmen looked solid. Soumya and Mushfiqur scored runs with the bat. Mohammad Mithun shocked everyone by coming in at number five in the batting order. Mithun played an attacking knock of unbeaten 73* off 57 balls until the end of the innings.
Read Key ODI Records between Bangladesh and New Zealand
Bangladesh's score would have been close to 300 if the lower middle-order batsmen had cooperated as expected. However, 271 runs was a challenging score to beat.
A certain kind of urge has been noticed among the batsmen. They wanted to prove their worth, as a result, Bangladesh did very well in the batting department. If professionalism is maintained, it is possible to deal with any obstacles. Bangladesh is expected to play well in the last match of the series.
Read: Pro Kabaddi Tournament Could Rejuvenate Bangladesh’s National Sport
Bowling
The bowlers gained trust as a result of the batsmen's responsible batting. In order to win this match, they started putting pressure on the visiting batsmen straight away. As a result, the Kiwis lost three wickets in 11 overs for just 53 runs.
Mahadi Hasan played the most important role in getting the wicket in the beginning. In his second ODI, Mahadi has already earned the confidence of the team management. Mehidy Hasan Miraj faces the toughest competition for a place in the XI.
Read: Shakib Al Hasan: What lies ahead after a dispute with BCB?
When comparing their performances, it is clear that Mahadi Hasan has outperformed Mehidy in both matches. Tamim Iqbal opted to keep both players in the starting XI in order to get the best out of them. Of course, the Bangladesh team benefits the most from this.
To get New Zealand back on track, Conway and Latham put on a century stand for the fourth wicket. Tamim Iqbal sent Conway to the pavilion with a direct thru run-out. Bangladesh hoped to make a comeback at that stage. Team tigers were able to put a lot of pressure on the Kiwis in the next few overs, but they were unable to win the match due to poor fielding performance.
Read: Potential Young Players Who Could Rule World Football Next Decade
Bangladesh's spinners looked excellent in this match. They didn't allow New Zealand batters to score freely. On the other hand, although the pacers' bowling figures showed some expense, they actually bowled very well. Taskin and Saifuddin bowled some bad deliveries under pressure. Mustafizur Rahman, on the other side, took two wickets but gave up 7.30 runs per over.
Captaincy
Tamim Iqbal captained this match very well. He has always been involved in inspiring the team after performing his duties with the bat. Also fixing the field position, changing the bowling everything was fine. Tamim Iqbal is slowly becoming a full-fledged captain. Bangladesh cricket fans are hoping for a bright future under his leadership.
Read Top Online Shops to Find Sports Equipment in Bangladesh
The particular areas where Bangladesh need further improvement
Despite their good batting and bowling performances, Bangladesh's fielding is the key reason for their loss in this match. Bangladesh came under fire for dropping catches at crucial moments. Furthermore, towards the end of the match, the Bangladeshi players seemed nervous. As a result, despite being in a strong position, the Tigers were unable to win the do-or-die match.
You must be equally strong in all areas to win in harsh environments on foreign soil. Cricketers must realize that even the tiniest error will alter the outcome of the game. Fielders must be more concentrated and committed in their play. In this situation, the captain must take on a unique role in reawakening the squad.
Read: Famous Bangladeshi athletes with the most unique records
Bottom Line
Bangladesh, on the whole, put a lot of pressure on New Zealand at home. If they had given it their all in the fielding department, the outcome of the game may have been different. Bangladesh will be able to play better in the future when they go on tour to countries like South Africa and Australia, thanks to the trust they gained from this match. Tamim's team has unquestionably shown tremendous potential.
Read How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline
Sloppy fielding costs Bangladesh series to New Zealand
Despite a better batting performance, Bangladesh endured a second successive defeat to New Zealand by 5 wickets on Tuesday at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Some sloppy fielding cost the Tigers series with one match to play on March 26 at Wellington.
New Zealand won the toss and sent Bangladesh bat first, who were extra cautious at the start of the innings. Tamim smashed Trent Boult in the first over for a four, but later on, he played slowly against the Kiwi pace-attack.
Also read:New Zealand crush Bangladesh in 1st ODI
Despite the vigilance, in the second over of the match, bowled by Matt Henry, Bangladesh lost Liton Das for a duck. Eventually, Tamim hit 78 and Mohammad Mithun scored 73 not-out to post a challenging total of 271 for six— Bangladesh’s second-highest total in New Zealand.
Securing a challenging total and taking some early wickets hinted that Bangladesh could end the winless drought in New Zealand in this game. But things changed when Mushfiqur Rahim missed a dolly off James Neesham who partnered with Tom Latham to finish the match in style.
Mahedi Hasan, who was playing only his second ODI, took two early wickets to put extra pressure on the hosts. But he erased his early success missing another easy return catch off Tom Latham who ended up hitting a ton and winning the game for the home side.
Latham got another life when Mahedi missed a catch at the boundary line when he drove Mohammad Saifuddin for a four. Mahedi needed to move ahead to get that catch but he failed to respond on time. As a result, he missed the catch and also failed to save the boundary.
Also read:Key ODI Records between Bangladesh and New Zealand
These three dropped catches were enough to cost Bangladesh this match. New Zealand ended up on 275 for five with Latham remained not-out for 110 off 108 balls with 10 fours.
At one point, the Kiwis were struggling at 53 for three wickets. The Tigers needed to put more pressure on the hosts’ batting line-up. But they couldn’t do that. In the fourth wicket stand, Devon Conway and Latham posted 113 runs on the board, which eventually proved to be a game-changing affair.
Had Mushfiqur and Mahedi taken those catches, the things would have been different at the end. In the fifth wicket stand, Latham and Neesham added 76 runs, which has ended Bangladesh’s chance in every way.
For Bangladesh, Mustafizur and Mahedi bagged two wickets each.
Earlier, Bangladesh started slowly after sent to bat first. After losing the toss, Tamim said the strategy is to start slow and accelerate later. The plan was working well but Soumya Sarkar and Tami himself got dismissed in an unwanted fashion.
Also read:Tigers collapse to 131 in series opener against New Zealand
Soumya came out of the crease to hit Mitchel Santer but he missed the ball and the wicketkeeper didn’t miss to shatter his stumps. And Tamim called Mushfiqr for a single what wasn’t there, and he cost with being run-out at 78.
Bangladesh needed more runs in the last 10 overs. But it was unfortunate for them that Mushfiqur was removed in the very first of the last 10 overs, which cost them a lot. Mahmudullah Riyad came in to bat at six but failed to come with some big shots. However, Mohammad Mithun was at his best in this match. He remained unbeaten for 73 off 57 balls with six fours and two sixes.
For New Zealand, Santner bagged two wickets while Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson took one wicket each.