Cricket
2023 ICC Test Championship: Best batting and bowling performances thus far
Half of the second edition of the ICC Test Championship has been completed with the completion of 68 matches. Some memorable batting and bowling performances were witnessed during this period of the 2023 ICC Test Championship. The ICC identified the best five best individual performances in both the batting and bowling departments in order to recognize the players' efforts. Let’s take a look at the best batting and bowling performances so far in the current World Test Championship.
Top five batting performances in the 2023 ICC Test Championship
There were a few worthy candidates to be named on the list. The ICC picked the best five batting performances after evaluating some of the splendid individual knocks.
Tom Latham (252) vs Bangladesh
New Zealand were under pressure after losing the first Test of a two-match series against Bangladesh. They needed a commanding batting performance in the second Test. Thankfully, Tom Latham rose to the occasion and made a 252-run knock in the first innings of the Christchurch Test. New Zealand eventually clinched the match by an innings and 117 runs.
Read Shakib to play for Legends of Rupganj in Dhaka League
Babar Azam (196) vs Australia
The target was 506 for Pakistan, and it apparently seemed impossible. But Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's partnership almost did the impossible. The match eventually ended in a draw. However, Babar Azam’s 196 off 425 balls in his marathon innings was a remarkable effort.
Azhar Ali (185) vs Australia
Azhar Ali's 185 runs in the first innings of the series-opening Test in Rawalpindi against Australia was a magnificent effort. The match ended in a draw.
Read ICC Test Championship 2023: Mominul Haque among the best all-around performances
Joe Root (180) vs India
England captain Joe Root scored an undefeated 180* runs against India in the first innings of the second Test of the series at Lord's. This knock was significant because none of the other English batters had fared well in the innings. However, England were defeated by 151 runs in the contest.
Ravindra Jadeja (175) vs Sri Lanka
India’s Ravindra Jadeja produced a remarkable 175*-run knock in the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka last March. His effort helped India score a massive total in the first innings. Sri Lanka eventually conceded an innings defeat.
Read Bangladesh likely to tour Australia and England in the forthcoming ICC FTP fixtures
Top five bowling performances in the World Test Championship 2023
New Zealand's Ajaz Patel had the most noteworthy individual bowling effort, but he failed to inspire his side to win the contest. Patel is among the three spinners included in the list. Besides, Matt Henry is the lone pacer to make the top five charts.
Ajaz Patel (10/119) vs India
Ajaz Patel of New Zealand made history by taking 10 wickets in the first innings of the second Test against India at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium. He is only the third bowler in history to take ten wickets in a single innings. Despite the fact that New Zealand lost by 372 runs in the match.
Read Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2022: Meet the Favourites
Sajid Khan (8/42) vs Bangladesh
Bangladesh were all out for only 87 runs in their first innings in response to Pakistan's 300/4d in the second Test in Mirpur, Dhaka. Off-spinner Sajid Khan smothered Bangladesh's batting lineups with his spinning precision. He took eight wickets in that innings, and Pakistan went on to win the match by an innings and eight runs.
Matt Henry (7/23) vs South Africa
In the first Test of the 2-match series, South Africa were completely outplayed by the hosts, New Zealand, in the first Test. They were twice bowled out for a low total. In the first innings, medium-pacer Matt Henry rattled the Proteas batting order and picked up 7 wickets. New Zealand went on to win the contest by an innings and 276 runs.
Read IPL 2022: Delhi’s Mustafizur Rahman eyes to end his wicket drought
Keshav Maharaj (7/32) vs Bangladesh
Keshav Maharaj was brilliant for South Africa in the 2-match Test series against Bangladesh. In the first Test, Bangladesh had a target of 274 but Maharaj’s spin rattled the Bangladesh batting order. The visitors were bowled out for only 53 runs and lost the match by 220 runs. Keshav picked up 7 wickets in the fourth innings for the hosts.
Keshav Maharaj (7/40) vs Bangladesh
Like in the first Test, Keshav Maharaj did the same thing in the second Test against Bangladesh. The visitors came out to bat for the fourth innings to chase 413 runs. But they were bowled out for only 80 runs because of Maharaj’s brilliant spin bowling. The left-arm orthodox spinner once again bagged seven wickets in the fourth innings and showed his true potential as a bowler. Bangladesh lost the match by 332 runs.
Read ICC Cricket World Cup Super League: Bangladesh's Current Standings, Forthcoming Fixtures
Bottom Line
The batting and bowling performances stated above are among the finest in this edition of the competition thus far. Individual efforts by these players contributed to their respective teams' dominance over the opposition. The remaining fixtures of the 2023 ICC Test Championship are anticipated to offer even more spectacular and game-changing performances.
ICC Test Championship 2023: Mominul Haque among the best all-around performances
The second edition (2021–2023) of the Test Championship started on August 4, 2021, and the final match is likely to be held on March 31, 2023. According to the schedule, 138 matches will be played between the nine participating teams in the ICC Test Championship 2023. Half of the tournament is already over, with 68 matches completed and 70 more to go. On this occasion, the ICC revealed the best all-round performances so far in this two-year-long tournament. Let’s take a look at who made the cut in the top five all-rounders list.
Top five all-round performances in the ICC Test Championship 2023
The jury board had to go through a detailed analysis to identify the best performances in the all-round category. Because there were a number of brilliant performances and picking the best five is always a challenging task. Here are the best all-round performances picked by the ICC.
Read: Bangladesh likely to tour Australia and England in the forthcoming ICC FTP fixtures
Ravindra Jadeja vs Sri Lanka (First Test, 4-6 March 2022)
In the opening match of the two-match series in Mohali in March of this year, India's all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruthless against Sri Lanka. His all-round display helped India dominate the Lankan side all through the match. Jadeja made 175 runs after coming into bat at No. 7 and carried the first innings total to 574.
In reply, Sri Lanka were bowled out for only 174, in which Jadeja bagged a fifer. This time, India forced Sri Lanka to follow on, and this time they made 178. Once again, Jadeja was the main strike bowler for the Indian side and picked up 4 wickets. Overall, Ravindra Jadeja finished the match with 175 runs and a 9/87 bowling figure. India went on to win the contest by an innings and 222 runs.
Read Dhaka Premier League: Super League begins on Monday
Matt Henry vs South Africa (First Test, 17-19 February 2022)
New Zealand’s pace-bowling all-rounder Matt Henry produced a magical performance against South Africa in the first Test of their 2-match series in Christchurch. His 7-wicket haul in the first innings bowled South Africa out for only 95 runs. In reply, New Zealand made 482, in which Matt Henry played an important 58*-run knock.
The defeat was imminent for the Proteas side after a horrible first innings performance. They were bowled out for 111 in the second innings and lost the contest by an innings score of 276 runs. The sensational Matt Henry picked up 9 wickets apart from scoring a half-century in the match.
Read Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2022: Meet the Favourites
Shardul Thakur vs England (Fourth Test, 2-6 September 2021)
Shardul Thakur played an important role in India’s 157-run win over England in the fourth Test at the Oval, London. Shardul played a blazing 57-ball knock in the first innings and helped India get past the 150-run barrier. He also made an important 60 runs in the second innings, which helped India set a big target. Apart from scoring runs with the bat, Thakur also bagged 1 wicket in the first innings and 2 wickets in the second innings.
Keshav Maharaj vs Bangladesh (2-match series, 2022)
Spin bowling all-rounder Keshav Maharaj was outstanding against Bangladesh in the recently concluded 2-match Test series. He bagged 16 wickets at an average of 12.12 and made 108 runs with the bat. Maharaj’s best bowling figure in the series was 7/32, and he played an important 84-run knock in the first innings of the second Test. He was the most vital player in South Africa’s 2-0 clean sweep over Bangladesh.
Read: Anamul hits another fifty as Prime Bank beat Abahani
Mominul Haque vs New Zealand (First Test, 1-5 January 2022)
Captain Mominul Haque played an important role in Bangladesh’s historic Test match win over New Zealand at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui in January this year. Mominul made 88 runs in Bangladesh’s 458 runs first innings total. He also picked up two crucial wickets in the contest. Mominul removed two of the top scorers from New Zealand's first innings. Bangladesh eventually clinched the match by 8 wickets, where Mominul’s contribution was very much noticeable.
Bottom Line
The ICC recognized that the above-mentioned individual all-round performances were truly special. Most importantly, in all cases, the performances helped their respective sides to snatch a victory. As the tournament is heading towards an important stage, there is an expectation that more brilliant all-round displays will be witnessed in the remaining fixtures of the ICC Test Championship 2023.
Read Root quits as England test cricket captain after 5 years
Anamul hits another fifty as Prime Bank beat Abahani
Right-handed batter Anamul Haque Bijoy continued to shine with the bat in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.
In his first match of the Super League stage, Anamul hit 77 for Prime Bank Cricket Club against Abahani Limited and led his team to seal the match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
It was Anamul's sixth fifty in the league. He also has two centuries under his belt in the ongoing event. The right-handed batter already passed the 800-run mark.
Abahani won the toss and opted to bowl first. Prime Bank posted 273 runs for nine wickets riding on the 77 of Anamul and 44, 43 of Mohammad Mithun and Yasir Ali respectively.
Shahadat Hossain and Mahedi Hasan also did well with the bat scoring 38 and 34.
For Abahani, Dhananjaya de Silva was the best bowler taking 3 wickets conceding 57 runs in 10 overs while Mohammad Saifuddin also bagged two wickets for them.
In reply, Abahani tumbled for 131 for 10 wickets in 32.4 overs and lost the match by 142 runs. Captain Mosaddek Hossain scored 65 but the failure of the top five batters cost them the match. Only one of the top five batters of them was able to reach a double-digit score.
Rakibul Hasan and Nasir Hossain scalped three wickets each for Prime Bank.
READ: Bangladesh likely to tour Australia and England in the forthcoming ICC FTP fixtures
In the match between Legends of Rupganj and Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club in BKSP, Sabbir Hossain of Legends of Rupganj hit his first century of the season and guided his team to a 55-run win.
Along with Sabbir, Chirag Jani also did well with the bat scoring 95 not-out for Legends of Rupanj.
In reply to Legends of Rupganj’s 325 for five, the Rupganj Tigers socred 270 and lost the match. For them, Saad Nasim of Pakistan hit 116 but his effort was not enough for them to avoid a defeat.
In the other Super League match between Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Gazi Group Cricketers in BKSP, Sheikh Jamal won by 72 runs. Parvez Rasool won the player of the match award for his 77 runs and three-wicket haul for Sheikh Jamal.
And in the only match of the Relegation League, Khelaghar Samaj Kalyan Samity beat City Club by 85 runs in Fatullah.
Bangladesh likely to tour Australia and England in the forthcoming ICC FTP fixtures
The current round of ICC FTP fixtures will end in 2023. The 2023 ODI World Cup in India in October-November would be the final major tournament in this cycle. The new four-year cycle (2024–2027) will begin the following year. The BCB Operations Committee Chairman Jalal Yunus told the media on Sunday (April 17) that a brief discussion on the next cycle's FTP fixture was undertaken during the most recent ICC meeting. Almost 200 international matches were proposed for the Bangladesh national men's cricket team for the next cycle during the discussion.
Proposed FTP matches for the Bangladesh National Men’s Cricket Team
Bangladesh men's team is scheduled to play 160 matches in the current cycle, including 44 Tests, 59 One-Day Internationals, and 57 Twenty-20 Internationals. However, the fixtures were later revised due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. As per Jalal Yunus, Bangladesh will get nearly the same number of Test matches in the next cycle, but the number of ODI and T20I matches would significantly increase.
Read Root quits as England test cricket captain after 5 years
Bangladesh will play 40+ Tests, 70+ ODIs, and 76+ T20Is in the 2024–2027 cycle, as per initial discussions. BCB is also interested in competing in a number of tri-nation series. Besides, Bangladesh will compete in the T20I World Cups in 2024 and 2026, as well as the ICC Men's Champions Trophy in 2025 and the ICC One-Day International World Cup in 2027. The FTP fixtures will not include the matches for these events. Therefore, Bangladesh will play more limited-overs matches during this cycle.
Possibility of away series in Australia and England
Bangladesh Cricket Board is eager to play bilateral series against top cricket nations outside of Bangladesh. Playing a series in Australia and England is one of their top ambitions. Bangladesh last played a bilateral series in Australia in 2008. They didn't get the chance to play at major Australian cricket venues, as their matches were played at unknown grounds. On the other hand, Bangladesh last visited England in 2010.
Read Mohammedan’s Mushfiqur set to play for Sheikh Jamal
Bangladesh will most likely travel to Australia in 2027 for a bilateral series, according to Jalal Yunus. Prior to that, Australia will play a series in Bangladesh in 2026. On the other hand, BCB has yet to reach an agreement for a possible tour in England. The two bodies are still negotiating, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board is attempting to convince the ECB to play a series in England. Apart from that, Bangladesh will likely travel to Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies to play a series.
Bottom Line
Bangladesh will get a significant number of Test and Twenty20 matches in the forthcoming cycle, according to BCB Operations Committee Chairman Jalal Yunus. Bangladesh's favourite format is the One-Day International, but they won't be able to play enough ODIs in the upcoming cycle as per expectations. Apart from that, the Bangladesh men's national team will likely get a chance to play in Australia and England. Hopefully, the next ICC FTP fixtures would help Bangladesh cricket in reaching new heights.
Read Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2022: Meet the Favourites
Dhaka Premier League: Super League begins on Monday
The final stage of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League— the Super League— is all set to begin on Monday.
A total of six clubs— Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Legends of Rupganj, Abahani Limited, Prime Bank Cricket Club, Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club and Gazi Group Cricketers— will participate in this phase of the Dhaka League.
In the first round matches, Sheikh Jamal will take on Gazi Group, Legends of Rupganj will play against Rupganj Tigers, and Abahani will take on Prime Bank Cricket Club.
City Club, Brothers Union and Khelaghar Samaj Kalyan Samity will take part in the Relegation phase of the league. The two teams who will end up being at the bottom will be relegated from the event, they won’t be able to participate in the next season of the league directly.
Ahead of the Super League, two veteran coaches of the Bangladesh domestic circuit— Khaled Mahmud and Mohammad Salahuddin— expressed disappointment about the quality of fitness of the cricketers.
“Every cricketer needs to be aware of their fitness,” Mahmud told the reporters on Sunday. “Having good fitness is key to doing well in cricket. Every cricketer knows it. The players of the national team are aware of it, but the cricketers who play at the domestic circuit need to be more careful.”
Mahmud, the former captain of the Bangladesh team, is the head coach of the Abahani Limited.
Salahuddin, who is the coach of the Prime Bank Cricket Club, was also disappointed while talking about the fitness of the cricketers of his club. “Most of the players of my club are unfit. They don’t have the minimum standard of fitness. I’ve already passed my message to them. If they cannot manage good fitness, they might not be able to play for this club in the coming years,” Salahuddin said.
Sheikh Jamal ended up in the league phase of this season of Dhaka League as the best team with 18 points from nine wins in 10 matches while Abahani became number two in the points table with 14 from seven wins in 10 matches.
Veteran batter Naeem Islam scored the highest runs of this season so far— 749 from 10 matches with two centuries and five fifties. He is representing Legends of Rupganj. Prime Bank’s Anamul Haque Bijoy also hit two centuries and five fifties and scored 728 runs in this season of the league.
Parvez Rasool of India who has been playing for Sheikh Jamal has scalped 20 wickets so far in 10 matches while Rakibul Hasan of Prime Bank is right after him with 19 wickets in 10 matches.
All the matches of the Super League phase will be telecast live by the private tv channel T-Sports.
Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2022: Meet the Favourites
The ongoing Dhaka Premier League’s first phase ended on Friday (April 15). The Super League phase and relegation league play-offs will start on Monday. The winner of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2022 will be decided in the Super League phase. On the other hand, the bottom two teams in the relegation play-offs will be relegated to the first division of the cricket league. The performances of the teams in the first phase as well as the favourites to win DPL 2022 are discussed in this article.
Outcomes of the first phase of the DPL 2022
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club finished top of the first phase with an impressive 9 wins out of 10. Abahani Limited and Legends of Rupganj won 7 matches in the first phase. Thanks to net run rates, Abahani surpassed Rupganj for second place. Prime Bank, Rupganj, and Gazi Group finished fourth, fifth, and sixth in the standings. Mohammedan Sporting Club failed to finish in the top six as they finished seventh in the points table.
Read Dhaka Premier League: Super League begins on April 18
DPL 2022: First Phase Points Table
Teams
Match
Win
Lose
Points
NRR
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club
10
9
1
18
+0.619
Abahani Limited
10
7
3
14
+0.416
Legends of Rupganj
10
7
3
14
+0.344
Prime Bank Cricket Club
10
6
4
12
+0.680
Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club
10
5
5
10
+0.100
Gazi Group Cricketers
10
5
5
10
-0.228
Mohammedan Sporting Club
10
5
5
10
-0.243
Shinepukur Cricket Club
10
4
6
8
-0.320
Brothers Union
10
3
7
6
-0.484
City Club
10
3
7
6
-0.509
Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity
10
1
9
2
-0.467
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Mohammedan’s Mushfiqur set to play for Sheikh Jamal
Who are the favourites to win DPL 2022?
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Abahani Limited, Legends of Rupganj, Prime Bank Cricket Club, Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club, and Gazi Group Cricketers advanced to the Super League phase. On the other hand, Brothers Union, City Club, and Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity were the bottom three clubs in the points table. Let’s take a look at which clubs are in the best positions to win the Dhaka Premier League.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club
Sheikh Jamal are in a very good position to clinch the DPL 2022 after earning 18 points in the first phase. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi can clinch the league if they win at least three out of five matches. Therefore, it’s Sheikh Jamal’s league to lose.
Abahani Limited
One of the favourites, Abahani Limited, have 14 points to its name. Abahani have to focus on winning all of the matches in the Super League in order to be in a better position to win the tournament. They will, however, have to rely on the results of the Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and the Legends of Rupganj.
Read IPL 2022: Delhi’s Mustafizur Rahman eyes to end his wicket drought
Legends of Rupganj
Like Abahani, Rupganj also have a fair chance to win the 2022 DPL competition. However, the Legends of Rupganj can’t afford to lose points in this Super League round as Sheikh Jamal already have a good edge over them.
Prime Bank Cricket Club
Prime Bank have 12 points, and they do have an outside chance to clinch the trophy. However, Sheikh Jamal, Abahani, and Rupganj will all have to drop significant points if Prime Bank want to win the competition.
Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club
The Rupganj Tigers have 10 points, which will not be good enough to put up a fight for the championship race. They will aim to finish in the top three in the Super League stage.
Read Root quits as England test cricket captain after 5 years
Gazi Group Cricketers
Gazi Group didn’t do well in the first phase. They lost five matches and won five, earning 10 points in 10 matches. Gazi Group can only hope to better their position in the final Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2022 points table.
Verdict
After examining the current situation in the league points table, it is clear that Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club have a better chance among the six participating teams in the Super League. However, it will undoubtedly be a competitive round, as all of the teams are keen to win the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2022.
Dhaka Premier League: Super League begins on April 18
The Super League stage of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League is set to begin on April 18, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Saturday.
A total of six clubs— Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Legends of Rupganj, Abahani Limited, Prime Bank Cricket Club, Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club and Gazi Group Crickters— will participate in this phase of the Dhaka League.
Mohammedan Sporting Club who had roped in some big names of Bangladesh cricket has failed to qualify for the Super League. Two of their players— Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz— will play the Super League for Sheikh Jamal.
Mohammedan ended up as the seventh team with only 10 points from five wins in 10 matches.
Each of the five rounds of the Super League will have a reserve day.
In the first round matches, Sheikh Jamal will take on Gazi Group, Legends of Rupganj will play against Rupganj Tigers, and Abahani will take on Prime Bank Cricket Club.
Read: Mohammedan’s Mushfiqur set to play for Sheikh Jamal
City Club, Brothers Union and Khelaghar Samaj Kalyan Samity will take part in the Relegation phase of the league. The two teams who will end up being at the bottom will be relegated from the event, they won’t be able to participate in the next season of the league directly.
Sheikh Jamal ended up the league phase of this season of Dhaka League as the best team with 18 points from nine wins in 10 matches while Abahani became number two in the points table with 14 from seven wins in 10 matches.
Veteran batter Naeem Islam scored the highest runs of this season so far— 749 from 10 matches with two centuries and five fifties. He is representing Legends of Rupganj. Prime Bank’s Anamul Haque Bijoy also hit two centuries and five fifties and scored 728 runs in this season of the league.
Parvez Rasool of India who has been playing for Sheikh Jamal has scalped 20 wickets so far in 10 matches while Rakibul Hasan of Prime Bank is right after him with 19 wickets in 10 matches.
Mohammedan’s Mushfiqur set to play for Sheikh Jamal
Mushfiqur Rahim, the former Bangladesh captain, will play the Super League phase of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, who ended the initial league phase as the top team.
Mushfiqur was initially roped in by Mohammedan Sporting Club. But due to national duty in South Africa, Mushfiqur was unable to feature for Mohammedan. By the time Mushfiqur returned from South Africa, Mohammedan were almost out of the prospect of being qualified for the Super League.
According to the laws of Dhaka League, if a player does not feature for a team who ended their campaign, the player can play for other teams who are still in the race.
Also read: IPL 2022: Delhi’s Mustafizur Rahman eyes to end his wicket drought
Both Sheikh Jamal and Legends of Rupganj tried to secure the service of the veteran batter. Eventually, Sheikh Jamal managed to rope him in, and thus the wicketkeeper-batter will feature in the remaining part of the league for them.
Not just Mushfiqur, Sheikh Jamal also secured the service of the allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz who was also roped in by Mohammedan.
Also read: ICC Cricket World Cup Super League: Bangladesh's Current Standings, Forthcoming Fixtures
Mohammedan only managed to secure 10 points with only five wins in 10 matches.
The Super League will begin on April 18. In the first round matches, Sheikh Jamal will take on Gazi Group, Legends of Rupganj will play against Rupganj Tigers, and Abahani will take on Prime Bank Cricket Club.
IPL 2022: Delhi’s Mustafizur Rahman eyes to end his wicket drought
The Delhi Capitals managed to win two of their first four encounters in the ongoing Indian Premier League season. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore have clinched three out of their first five fixtures. At the moment, Bangalore and Delhi are in the middle of the points table. Therefore, the game is crucial for both sides in order to move up the IPL 2022 points table. Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman has been struggling to pick up wickets after a brilliant start to the campaign. Mustafizur will be hoping to end his wicket drought in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: Team News
With six points after five games, Royal Challengers Bangalore are presently in the sixth position in the IPL 2022 points table. Oppositely, the Delhi Capitals are in the eighth position with four points. As the fifteenth season of the Indian Premier League is moving closer to its halfway stage, the teams are all set to push for top-four finishes. Therefore, the remainder of the league phase will be crucial for franchisees in their quest for a playoff berth. Let’s take a look at the match preview between the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Read Imran Khan: The Greatest Pakistani Cricketer
Delhi Capitals
The Delhi Capitals have one of the best opening pairs in the ongoing season. The Delhi side finds the right combination with Prithvi Shaw and David Warner in the opening positions. Their middle orders are also solid, where skipper Rishabh Pant is responsible for taking charge of the team. Delhi’s bowling has a variation too. Mustafizur Rahman is one of their most economical bowlers. Besides, Khaleel Ahmed and Kuldeep Yadav have picked up wickets for the Capitals.
The cutter-master Mustafizur Rahman has been outstanding with his bowling variations, which have made an impact at the start of the innings. However, Mustafizur hasn’t picked up a wicket since his three-wicket haul against Gujarat Titans. The left-arm pacer will be hoping to take a wicket or two in order to make even more of an impact in the match for his side.
Also Read: Root quits as England test cricket captain after 5 years
Predicted Playing XI (DC)
Top Order: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Middle-Orders: Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper and Captain), Lalit Yadav, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Lower-Order: Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Khaleel Ahmed
Royal Challengers Bangalore
On paper, Royal Challengers Bangalore have a strong batting unit. However, neither of their batters has made the top ten list of most run scorers. However, this record will definitely change in the coming matches, as newly appointed Captain Faf du Plessis, Kohli, and Maxwell are all capable enough batters to find their own rhythm at any time during the season.
Read ICC Cricket World Cup Super League: Bangladesh's Current Standings, Forthcoming Fixtures
Bangalore’s bowling line-up has real variations. So far, Lankan spinner Hasaranga is among the top five most successful bowlers this season. He will be their main weapon in this fixture, along with Hazlewood and Siraj.
Predicted Playing XI (RCB)
Top Order: Faf du Plessis (Captain), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Middle-Orders: Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suyash Prabhudessai, Dinesh Karthik (Wicket-Keeper), Wanindu Hasaranga, Siddarth Kaul, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood.
Read Andrew McDonald named head coach of Australian cricket team
Match Time (DC vs RCB): Saturday (April 16) at 8 pm (Bangladesh Standard Time) | Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Head-to-Head: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals
Both sides have met each other on 28 occasions. In a head-to-head encounter, Royal Challengers Bangalore have a significant lead over the Delhi Capitals. The RCB have won 17 out of 28 matches. In contrast, the Delhi Capitals have won 10 games.
Read SA vs BAN 2022: Bangladesh’s Top Five Performers From South Africa Tour
Verdict
Royal Challengers Bangalore lost their latest match against Chennai Super Kings, while Delhi Capitals registered a dominating victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in their previous match. It will be a tight battle as both sides are in the same kind of form in this ongoing IPL 2022 season. Whoever plays with full potential on the day will have a better chance of clinching the match.
Royal Challengers Bangalore can take some inspiration from their overall IPL record against the Delhi Capitals. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman could be a very effective weapon for the Delhi side. His bowling variations have had an impact on the batters in order to stop the run flow. The left-hand pacer needs to snatch wickets on a regular basis in order to improve his overall bowling figures in the tournament.
Also Read: Is Mominul Haque the right man to lead Bangladesh's Test team?
Root quits as England test cricket captain after 5 years
Joe Root stepped down as England’s test cricket captain on Friday, ending his five-year spell in a role that became increasingly challenging because of the team’s long run of series defeats — including 4-0 in the Ashes over the winter.
“I have loved leading my country,” Root said, “but recently it’s hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game.”
Read: ICC Cricket World Cup Super League: Bangladesh's Current Standings, Forthcoming Fixtures
Root leaves his post holding the record for the number of wins as England test captain — at 27 — while his status as one of the world’s leading batters is secure after scoring eight centuries since the turn of 2021.
However, his captaincy has come under scrutiny with England having only won just one of its last 17 test matches — the country’s worst run since the 1980s.
Losing heavily in Australia, England’s biggest rival, was followed last month with a 1-0 series defeat to the West Indies. That made it four series defeats in a row — and it could be five unless England can beat India in July in the remaining test left over from their unfinished series from last year.
“It has been the most challenging decision I have had to make in my career,” said the 31-year-old Root, who took over as captain from Alastair Cook in 2017, “but having discussed this with my family and those closest to me; I know the timing is right.”
Read: Andrew McDonald named head coach of Australian cricket team
Root said he wanted to carry on playing for England, for whom he is the country’s second highest run-scorer in tests behind Cook.
It leaves England’s men’s team not only without a captain, but also a coach and director of cricket after the departures of Chris Silverwood and Ashley Giles, respectively, in the wake of the Ashes.
Ben Stokes will be among the favorites to take over as captain, although the allrounder has just returned to the team after a spell out for mental-health reasons.