Cricket
New Zealand cruise home to win ODI series, Soumya’s century in vain
New Zealand comfortably chased down Bangladesh's challenging total of 291 to win the second BAN vs NZ ODI by seven wickets and clinch the three-match series with one match remaining. The victory was fueled by composed half-centuries from Henry Nicholls (95) and Will Young (89).
Soumya Sarkar was the undisputed star for Bangladesh, smashing a career-best 169 – the highest ODI score by any Asian batter on New Zealand soil. However, his heroics were not enough to compensate for the lack of support from the rest of the batting lineup. Apart from Soumya and a fighting 45 from Mushfiqur Rahim, the middle order collapsed, leaving Bangladesh's total short of a truly threatening one.
William O'Rourke and Jacob Duffy, with three wickets each, were the standout bowlers for New Zealand, effectively restricting Bangladesh's late flourish.
From duck to diamond: Soumya reborn with brilliant 169 vs New Zealand
In response, the Kiwis' chase was a clinical affair. Nicholls and Young laid the foundation with a commanding century partnership, taking the pressure off the middle and lower order. The wicket, admittedly offering little assistance to the bowlers, further aided their dominance.
Bangladesh's bowling lacked penetration on a traditionally batter-friendly surface. Debutant leg-spinner Riashad Hossain failed to pick up a wicket. Hasan Mahmud was the best Bangladeshi bowler in this match with two scalps, but his expensive spell, 57 runs in 7 overs, reflected the overall struggles of the Bangladeshi attack.
Chennai Super Kings secure Mustafizur Rahman for IPL 2024
The final match of the BAN vs NZ ODI series will be played on December 23, followed by a three-match T20I series commencing on December 27. Both Bangladesh and New Zealand will be looking to end the tour on a high note in the remaining matches.
Bangladesh aim to bounce back in 2nd ODI vs New Zealand
From duck to diamond: Soumya reborn with brilliant 169 vs New Zealand
After a prolonged period of struggles, Soumya Sarkar roared back to life with a dazzling century against New Zealand. In the second BAN vs NZ ODI in Nelson, Soumya blazed 169 runs off 151 balls, peppering his innings with 22 fours and two sixes.
This knock marked a monumental turnaround for the left-hander who last reached a half-century in 2019. The following years saw him sidelined from the ODI team in 2020, failing to impress in his limited opportunities in 2021, and dropped again in 2022.
His return under head coach Chandika Hathurusingha began with two consecutive ducks in 2023, raising questions about his selection. However, Hathurusingha remained committed to Soumya, and the faith paid off spectacularly.
Bangladesh aim to bounce back in 2nd ODI vs New Zealand
The opener unleashed his fury on the Kiwis, dispatching deliveries to all corners of the ground. In doing so, he not only stood tall amidst Asian batters on New Zealand soil but also etched his name in record books. His 169 surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's 163 not out in Christchurch in 2009, claiming the mantle of the highest ODI score by an Asian batter in New Zealand.
This was Soumya’s third ODI century, adding to his previous accomplishments in 2015 and 2018.
Fueled by his career-best knock, Bangladesh piled up a formidable total of 291 all out in the second ODI against New Zealand. Bangladesh lost the first match. If the Tigers can defend this total on Wednesday (December 20, 2023), the last match will turn into a final of this series.
Triumphant U-19 boys eager to keep shining
Chennai Super Kings secure Mustafizur Rahman for IPL 2024
Mustafizur Rahman, Bangladesh's seasoned pace bowler, has been acquired by the Chennai Super Kings for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The auction saw Mustafizur, being snapped up at his base price of Rs 2 crore. Having previously played for four different franchises in the IPL, Mustafizur is a familiar face in the tournament.
Also read: IPL 2022: Delhi’s Mustafizur Rahman eyes to end his wicket drought
This year's IPL auction featured three Bangladeshi cricketers: Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam. However, Mustafizur is the lone Bangladeshi representative in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) withdrew the others ahead of the auction.
While Mustafizur gears up for his IPL stint, the Bangladesh national team is currently engrossed in a series against New Zealand. The team is participating in a challenging tour featuring three ODIs and three T20 matches against the hosts.
Also read: IPL Auction: 3 Bangladeshi pacers potential candidates for upcoming season
The left-arm pacer has taken 48 wickets in 48 IPL matches for four different teams. His inclusion in the Chennai Super Kings adds an exciting dimension to the team's pace attack. Chennai is the winner of five IPL titles, jointly having the highest number of titles along with Mumbai Indians.
Bangladesh aim to bounce back in 2nd ODI vs New Zealand
Smarting from the series opener loss against the hosts, Bangladesh are eyeing a comeback in the second match of the three-match ODI series in Nelson on Wednesday.
Ahead of the crucial clash, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed optimism about the good weather conditions in Nelson and their desire to level the series. He acknowledged their batting shortcomings in the rain-affected first match, where top-order starts weren't converted into substantial scores.
"The wicket looks good for cricket," Chandika said. "The outfield is great and fast."
Bangladesh's white-ball cricket has never known victory in New Zealand. Before this series, stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto declared their intention to rewrite history.
However, bad weather was blamed by Chandika for disrupting their plans in the first match. "We got a good start, but the rain ruined our plan. We have no control over the weather," he asserted.
The absence of regular captain Shakib Al Hasan is a significant void. Injured and involved in election campaigning for the next general election, Shakib's leadership and all-round skills are sorely missed.
In his absence, the team surprisingly entrusted Soumya Sarkar with the task. But he failed to deliver in the first match.
"I don't know what's going on with Soumya," Chandika admitted when questioned about his lean performance. "We need someone who can contribute with both bat and ball."
Rishad Hossain, a leg spinner with handy batting ability, might be considered for the next match. Chandika hinted at Rishad's potential inclusion in the first game but ultimately opted for a different combination.
Triumphant U-19 boys eager to keep shining
Returning home after their victory in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup, the Bangladesh boys expressed their eagerness to continue their successful run at the senior level.
While Bangladesh had previously won the ICC U-19 World Cup, this marked their first Asia Cup title.
ACC U-19 Asia Cup: Ashiqur's brilliant century leads Bangladesh to first-ever title
During their title-winning journey, the Bangladesh U-19 boys secured victories in all their matches, including a big triumph against India in the semifinals. India had been Bangladesh's opponent when they secured the World Cup title in 2020.
Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, the captain of the Bangladesh team, conveyed their aspiration to replicate their outstanding performance at the senior level.
U-19 Asia Cup Cricket: Bangladesh march to final beating India
"Although we have won the World Cup before, the Asia Cup has remained elusive," Rabby said. "Now that we have won it, it brings immense joy."
Members of the Bangladesh U-19 team were warmly received after they reached the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters on Monday evening. And subsequently, they faced the media there.
Ashiqur Rahman Shibli, the right-handed wicketkeeper-batter, played a pivotal role with two centuries in the event, including one in the final that propelled the team to a formidable total, ultimately proving too challenging for the UAE.
Expressing his delight, Shibli said, "I'm thrilled that the team won based on my performance, but we are a team, and I always strive to play for my team."
Recognised as the best batter of the event, Shibli said that the main strength of the Bangladesh team lies in playing cohesively as a unit, supporting each other throughout.
In a notable moment, when Shibli completed his century in the final, Ariful Islam, who was at the non-striker's end, celebrated as if he himself had reached the milestone. Shibli acknowledged Ariful's support, describing him as a senior figure who guided him through the challenges of the bigger stage.
PM congratulates Young Tigers for winning maiden ACC U-19s title
In addition to being named the man of the final, Shibli was crowned the best batter of the event and the overall best player. "I never aimed to be the best batter; I just wanted to play my best cricket. I will continue striving for the same in the future."
ACC U-19 Asia Cup: Ashiqur's brilliant century leads Bangladesh to first-ever title
A brilliant century by opener Ashiqur Rahman Shibli guided Bangladesh to clinch their first-ever Asian Cricket Council (ACC) U-19s Asia Cup title with all-win record beating hosts United Arab Emirates, or UAE, by 195 runs in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
This is the maiden title for any Bangladesh team in the Asian level cricket after Bangladesh national cricket team deprived of the Asia Cup title despite of playing finals on three occasions --2012, 2016 and 2018
Bangladesh Youth team under the leadership of Akbar Ali won the ICC U-19 World Cup Cricket crown in 2020 beating India in the final.
Bangladesh tumble vs New Zealand in series opener
With victory in the final, Bangladesh beat UAE twice in the tournament, after winning by 61 runs in the Group B opener
Sent into bat first in the final, Bangladesh piled 282 runs for 8 wickets in stipulated 50 overs - a big score going by the tournament's standards.
After the departure of opener Jishan Alam for 14, Ashiqur and Chowdhury Md Rizwan contributed a poilshed 125 run- partnership for the 2nd wicket, before Rizwan fell for a well-made 60 off 71 balls, with four fours and a six.
Opening batsman -cum- wicketkeeper Ashiqur, who scored an unbeaten 116 against Sri Lanka in the last Group B match, again displayed his brilliance hammering 129 runs off 149 balls hitting 12 fours and one six.
Bangladesh women cruise to victory vs South Africa in series opener Later, he was adjudged man of the match and man of the series.
Ariful Islam, batting at number 4, made a half century contributing just 50 runs off 40 balls with six hits to the fence while captain Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby quickfired 11-ball 21 runs with two fours and a six.
Ayman Ahamad grabbed four Bangladesh wickets for 52 runs, Dhruv Parashar and Hardik Pal took one wicket each.
Chasing the target of 283 runs, hosts UAE were bundled out cheaply for just 87 in 24.5 overs to suffer a humiliating defeat, with only two batsmen scoring the double digits.
Two down Dhruv Parashar contributed the team' s highest and unbeaten 25 runs off 40 balls including two boundaries while opener Akshat Rai scored 22-ball 11 runs with one boundary.
Australia stay in control of 1st test against Pakistan, extend lead to 300 on Day 3
Rohanat Doullah Borshan and Maruf Mridha claimed three UAE wickets each conceding 26 and 29 runs respectively while Sheikh Parvez Jibon and Iqbal Hossain Emon grabbed two wickets each giving away 7 and 15 runs respectively.
A good number of Bangladesh fans gathered at the Dubai Stadium to encourage the team.
Earlier, Bangladesh booked a seat for the final eliminating their giant neighbor India by four wickets with 41 balls remaining while hosts UAE emerged as the surprished finalist beating stronger Pakistan by 11 runs in the semifinals.
Bangladesh emerged Group B champions to reach semifinals with all-win record securing full six points , hosts UAE finished group runners up to qualify for the semis collecting four points
On the other hand, Pakistan emerged Group A champions securing full six points while India finished group runners up collecting four points to reach the semifinal.
Bangladesh made a flying start in the four-team Group B outplaying United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 61 runs in the first match.and outplayed Japan by nine wickets with 232 balls remaining in the 2nd match and eliminated Sri Lanka besting them by six wicket in last group match,
Meanwhile, senior cricketers Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and Mehedi Hasan Miraz congratulated Bangladesh U-19 team for their triumphant victory in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup.
Bangladesh tumble vs New Zealand in series opener
In a rain-affected encounter, New Zealand secured a 44-run victory over Bangladesh in the first ODI of the three-match series in the DLS method, with the match reduced to 30 overs per side.
Will Young's stellar performance, scoring 105 runs off 84 balls and taking two catches, marked a standout display for New Zealand.
Read: Australia stay in control of 1st test against Pakistan, extend lead to 300 on Day 3
Opting to bat first, Young anchored the innings with a century, guiding his team to a challenging total of 239 for 7 in the allotted 30 overs. Captain Tom Latham's explosive 92 further bolstered the Kiwi innings.
Bangladesh's bowlers faced an uphill battle, with Shoriful Islam being the most successful, claiming two wickets for 28 runs. Despite Bangladesh’s efforts, New Zealand's total posed a challenging target.
In pursuit of a revised target of 245 runs in 30 overs, Bangladesh's batting order faced early setbacks. Anamul Haque's 43 and Towhid Hridoy's 33 showcased moments of resilience, but the required run rate and consistent fall of wickets posed insurmountable challenges.
Bangladesh eventually ended up of a total of 200 for 9 in 30 overs. While Litton Das, Afif Hossain, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz all made promising starts, they were unable to capitalize and build on their initial momentum.
Read: Bangladesh women cruise to victory vs South Africa in series opener
Soumya Sarkar, called up for this series, had an unexpected return, falling early in the innings without scoring any runs. In the field, he missed two catches, and with the ball, he conceded more than 60 runs in just 6 overs, making it a challenging outing for him.
After the ODI series, Bangladesh will face the hosts in a three-match T20I series.
Bangladesh women cruise to victory vs South Africa in series opener
In a stellar display, the Bangladesh women's team secured a convincing win against South Africa in the first ODI at Buffalo Park, East London in the African country.
This marked Bangladesh women’s first victory over their South African counterparts since 2017 and their maiden triumph on South African soil.
Opting to bat first, the Bangladesh women's team set a challenging target of 251 runs. Murshida Khatun's unbeaten 91 and valuable contributions from Shamima Sultana (34) and Fargana Hoque (35) propelled the visitors to a commanding total of 250/3 in their allotted 50 overs.
Read: U-19 Asia Cup Cricket: Bangladesh march to final beating India
It marked Murshida’s career-best innings in ODIs, adding to her impressive record in 21 matches.
For South Africa, Eliz-mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, and Delmi Tucker scalped one wicket each. However, they failed to take wickets when they needed them the most, struggling to break the rhythm of Bangladesh women's dominant batting display.
In response, South Africa women's team faltered under the pressure, losing wickets at regular intervals. Despite efforts from Eliz-mari Marx (35) and Sune Luus (31), the hosts succumbed to the disciplined bowling attack of Bangladesh.
Read: Bangladesh Starts New Zealand Tour with Impressive Victory
For Bangladesh, Nahida Akter was the best bowler, taking three wickets and conceding 33 runs in 8.3 overs. Along with her, Sultana Khatun and Rabeya Khan also showed their bowling prowess, contributing to South Africa's downfall in the series opener.
With this comprehensive victory, Bangladesh women took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The next match will be played on Wednesday.
Australia stay in control of 1st test against Pakistan, extend lead to 300 on Day 3
Australia stayed in control of the first test against Pakistan despite an early stutter in the second innings after it didn’t enforce the follow-on Saturday.
Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja carried Australia to a watchful 84-2 in the last session on Day 3 for an overall lead of 300 after Pakistan collapsed to 271 all out at the stroke of tea and conceded a 216-run lead.
Smith was unbeaten on 43 and needed a brief on-field treatment after he was struck on the shoulder by a sharp Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ball late in the day with Khawaja not out on 34.
"Obviously getting used to the pace and the bounce of this wicket, it was a little bit hard,” Pakistan batting coach Adam Hollioake said. “Their bowling attack is arguably one of the best fast bowling attacks that we’ve seen in recent history, so they bowled well (and) they put the ball in good areas.”
Nathan Lyon grabbed 3-66 and was just one wicket away from the elusive landmark of 500 test wickets as Pakistan’s resistance faded in the first two sessions. Australia pacers bowled at a disciplined line and length and Lyon also squeezed the batters on a wicket which gave him some assistance.
Read: BAN vs NZ ODI Series: Shanto sees a challenging role for Soumya in Shakib’s absence
Allrounder Mitchell Marsh took the prize-wicket of Babar Azam in the first session to go along with his spirited knock of 90 in Australia’s formidable first innings score of 487.
David Warner, who scored a century in the first innings, and Marnus Labuschagne both fell in an impressive opening spell of debutant fast bowler Khurram Shahzad as Australia slumped to 2-5 early in the last session.
Warner went without scoring as he holed out at midwicket off Shahzad’s short-pitched ball while Labuschagne also got a top edge against the pacer before Smith and Khawaja played out Pakistan pacers cautiously and put the home team in the driver's seat in the opening test of the three-match series.
Earlier, Australian pace trio of Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood combined well with Lyon and broke Pakistan’s resistance in the first two sessions after Pakistan resumed on 132-2.
Read: Unsatisfactory Pitch Rating for Mirpur in ICC World Test Championship Series
The visitors lost nightwatchman Shahzad for 7 in the first over to Cummins (2-35) after he survived a close run-out off the first ball when Travis Head missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Babar and the Imam-ul-Haq combined to steady Pakistan as Babar opened his account with his trademark cover driven boundary.
The pair had seemingly blunted Australia’s vaunted bowling attack for most of the first session, until Marsh (1-34) was given the ball and teased Babar (21) into edging behind with his fifth ball of the day to end the stubborn 48-run partnership off 17 overs.
The star batter’s demise triggered a flurry of wickets in the final overs before lunch as Pakistan lost three wickets for 14 runs and went to lunch at 203-6.
Lyon ended Imam’s impressive and patient innings at 62 off 199 balls, having the opener stumped by Alex Carey for his 498th test wicket.
“They got four world class bowlers (and) they can get you out at any time,” Hollioake said. “That’s the hard thing and that’s probably why they are the No. 1 side in the world. We’ve got to try and find a way of counteracting that. I thought they did that well at the beginning, but when we tried to accelerate, it was hard.”
It was the ninth half-century in tests for Imam and came with four boundaries, but the left-hander finally ran out of patience after staying at the wicket for well over 5-1/2 hours.
Starc (2-68) then claimed his second wicket of the innings, bowling Ahmed (3) through the gate with a ball that came back at the right-hander and uprooted the off stump.
Read: ACC U-19 Asia Cup: Bangladesh to play Japan in 2nd group match Monday
Australia continued to press Pakistan's middle-order with the second new ball after lunch as Saud Shakeel (28) fended to Hazlewood’s sharp bouncer and ballooned a simple catch to Warner in the slips and Faheem Ashraf (9) was brilliantly snapped low at square leg by Khawaja.
Lyon then had Aamer Jamal (10) got stumped before Travis Head kept the offspinner waiting for elusive milestone when he wrapped up the innings by having No. 11 Shaheen Shah Afridi, who offered a simply catch to Khawaja at mid-on.
On Friday’s second day of the three-match series, Pakistan fast bowler Jamal grabbed 6-111 in his debut test as Australia was bowled out for 487 on the back of Warner’s first century in almost a year in his farewell test series and Marsh’s 90.
Opening pair of Abdullah Shafique and Imam then thwarted the host’s attack for 36 overs before Lyon got Shafique for 42. Starc then removed captain Shan Masood for 30 late in the day.
The Australians are the world test champions. Pakistan hasn’t won a test match in Australia since 1995.
BAN vs NZ ODI Series: Shanto sees a challenging role for Soumya in Shakib’s absence
As Bangladesh gear up for the ODI series against New Zealand commencing on December 17 at the University Oval in Dunedin, stand-in ODI captain Najmul Hossain Shanto emphasized the demanding role that Soumya Sarkar will need to assume in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan.
While Bangladesh etched memories of triumphant encounters with the Kiwis in ODIs, securing a series victory on New Zealand soil remains an uncharted territory. This series offers Bangladesh a fresh opportunity to script a new chapter in their cricketing history.
However, the absence of key players such as Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah Riyad poses a big challenge. Shakib, dealing with an injury, is concurrently engaged in preparations for the upcoming general election where he is vying for a seat as an Awami League candidate. Tamim and Mahmudullah, for different reasons, will also be sidelined.
In addition to contending with the New Zealand team, Bangladesh must grapple with the colder conditions in New Zealand compared to their home country. Shanto, however, expressed a lack of concern about the unpredictable weather, emphasizing that it is beyond anyone's control. Undeterred by these challenges, Bangladesh is determined to clinch a victory in New Zealand, asserted Shanto.
Reflecting on previous tours to New Zealand, Shanto acknowledged the absence of a white-ball victory but remained optimistic about the current team's capabilities. "Some team has to do that. I believe this team has the required ability to beat New Zealand at their home. We all believe we will have a different result this time," Shanto remarked.
The inclusion of Soumya in the series adds a significant dimension to Bangladesh's strategy. While Soumya was part of the Bangladesh team leading up to the World Cup in India, he was excluded during the tournament. Shanto highlighted Soumya's pivotal role, particularly in the absence of Shakib.
"Since Shakib is not part of this series, Soumya’s bowling will be important for us. The team management included him considering this fact," Shanto explained.
In their 17 ODIs in New Zealand before this series, Bangladesh faced the hosts and Scotland in the ICC World Cup 2015, securing only one victory against Scotland. The upcoming series provides an opportunity for Bangladesh to rewrite their narrative on New Zealand soil.