Cricket
New Zealand's stand-in captain embraces Bangladesh challenge
Every time a team like New Zealand visits Bangladesh, the local conditions take centre stage in discussions. The New Zealanders, who arrived in Dhaka later last week, anticipate conditions different from what they are accustomed to at home.
However, Lockie Ferguson, the stand-in captain of the Blackcaps, expressed minimal concern about the conditions. Instead, he eagerly anticipated embracing the challenge Bangladesh presents.
On his first visit to Bangladesh, the New Zealand captain had his first media interaction today in Dhaka's Mirpur.
New Zealand cricket team's Sept tour: All ODIs to be held in Dhaka
Ferguson believes that the seasoned players who have previously played in Bangladesh will provide valuable insights into the conditions and other nuances. They also have an advantage with the former Bangladesh coach, Shane Jurgensen, now part of New Zealand's coaching staff.
"We will certainly lean on Jurgensen and a few of our players who were here a couple of years ago in terms of understanding how the pitch plays," Ferguson emphasised. "The conditions are slightly different from what we experienced in England (in their last series). I enjoy playing in the subcontinent."
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Similarly, several members of the New Zealand squad are preparing to step on to the field in Bangladesh for the first time.
The New Zealand captain expressed that Bangladesh's spin attack could play a pivotal role in this series, presenting a significant challenge for those new to the Bangladesh terrain.
"Bangladesh is undoubtedly formidable in their home conditions. Hopefully, the rain holds off, but I'm curious to see how the pitch fares tomorrow and throughout this series," he remarked.
According to him, New Zealand's spinners may need to assume the role of wicket-takers in this series. However, he didn't discount the potential contributions of the pacers.
"I've seen some highlights from here when England visited, and there were still some favourable conditions for pacers. That's when the change-ups become more crucial," he added. "Given the high humidity, the ball tends to swing. We're known for our swing bowling, and I'm confident we'll capitalise on that tomorrow."
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For both Bangladesh and New Zealand, this series presents a final opportunity to fine-tune their squads ahead of the upcoming World Cup later this year. Some players in the New Zealand team are not part of the World Cup squad. Nonetheless, the stand-in captain sees this series as a chance for them to solidify their positions within the setup.
"There's been considerable rotation within international cricket over the past few years, creating more opportunities for them. Undoubtedly, they'll seize this opportunity wholeheartedly this week," added the stand-in captain of the Kiwis.
BAN vs NZ ODI Series 2023: Bangladesh Squad Analysis
Bangladesh could not perform well in the recently ended Asia Cup 2023. Shakib Al Hasan’s team will play at home against New Zealand to regain their confidence before the World Cup 2023. The New Zealand team has already reached Dhaka to play the three-match ODI series. BAN vs NZ series will start on September 21, 2023. All the matches will start at 2 pm Bangladesh time at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
Bangladesh Squad for Bangladesh vs New Zealand ODI Series 2023
Litton Das (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Zakir Hasan, Rishad Hossain and Syed Khaled Ahmed.
Analysis of Bangladesh Squad Against New Zealand
Bangladesh has made the strategic decision to give a break to several key players during the initial two ODIs against New Zealand. Bangladesh Cricket Board aims to maintain the top players’ physical fitness for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Read more: 'Dil Jashn Bole': ICC releases World Cup 2023 Anthem
Experienced players Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah have been included in the squad for the initial two ODIs. Their return will surely add valuable depth to the squad, and the selectors can decide if these two should be selected for the World Cup.
Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Shoriful Islam are being given rest by the cricket board. This means that when the series starts next Thursday, we will see some new faces on the field. Since Shakib is on rest, Litton Das will be the captain of the Bangladesh cricket team. Some other players, like Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, and Mohammad Naim, were dropped from the squad. Instead, Soumya Sarkar and Nurul Hasan, along with three new and uncapped players, Zakir Hasan, Rishad Hossain, and Khaled Ahmed, have been selected to join the team. So, the upcoming series gives the selectors a chance to see how some other players perform before the World Cup and see if any hidden gem comes out.
It can be said that the team has a mix of both experienced and young players. Among them, only Zakir, Khaled, and Rishad haven’t played in ODIs yet. Zakir almost got a chance to play against Ireland in March, but he got injured. Khaled has shown good performance in List A cricket, and Rishad brings something unique to the bowling strategy.
Read more: Nic Pothas Steps in as Bangladesh's Interim Coach in Chandika's Absence
On August 3, Tamim stepped down from his role as Bangladesh’s ODI captain. He also mentioned that he wouldn’t be playing in the Asia Cup because he needed time to recover from several injuries, and now he is back.
Mahmudullah is making a comeback to the team after his last ODI series against England in March. He was given a break initially during the Ireland series in March-April but was later not selected for the away series against Ireland in Chelmsford in May. Additionally, he was also left out of the ODIs against Afghanistan and didn’t play in the Asia Cup.
However, Soumya Sarkar’s selection is quite unexpected because he has been struggling with his performance for a while now. It was even surprising when he was picked for the Bangladesh A team in the recent Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams tournament. However, even at that level, he managed to score only 95 runs in three innings, which isn’t considered a strong performance.
Read more: BAN vs NZ ODI Series: Tigers seek solutions to persistent issues
Additionally, Bangladesh will be without Ebadot Hossain, who has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a recent knee surgery earlier this month. Furthermore, Najmul Hossain Shanto will also be absent from the New Zealand series due to a hamstring injury he sustained after participating in just two games during the Asia Cup.
Among the new and uncapped players, Zakir, Rishad, and Khaled have all represented Bangladesh in various forms of cricket but have not played in ODIs yet. Zakir, who usually opens the batting, has an average of 29.92 after playing 103 List A matches. Rishad, who is only 21 years old, has participated in just three List A matches and made his T20I debut against Ireland earlier this year. Khaled, who is nearly 31 years old, is a medium-pace bowler with 64 List A wickets in 47 games. He has also played 12 Test matches for Bangladesh.
Read more: New Zealand's stand-in captain embraces Bangladesh challenge
Key Players to Watch in the Bangladesh Squad
Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Tanzim Hasan Sakib is a recent addition to the Bangladesh cricket team. He did great on his ODI debut against India in the last match of the Asia Cup Super Four round. He managed to take two important wickets of Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma and showed his skills before the 2023 World Cup. The speedster was a member of the Bangladesh Under-19 team that won the 2020 World Cup in South Africa. So, he will definitely get all the attention in this series.
Tawhid Hridoy
He has been performing well and scoring consistently ever since he made his T20 debut, and he also did pretty well in the Asia Cup. He scored 158 runs with 82 high scores and 68.69 strikes from five appearances in the Asia Cup. Further, his 54 runs off 81 balls contribution against India gave Bangladesh a good fighting chance. So, it is expected he will keep shining in the New Zealand series, too.
Mahmudullah
Mahmudullah was missed greatly in the Asia Cup 2023 as Bangladeshi top orders failed miserably, and there were no stable players to play in the middle orders. Mahmudullah could have contributed to those situations. So, fans will be looking to his performance in this series and see if he can give his best to be included in the World Cup squad. Overall, Mahmudullah played 218 ODIs for Bangladesh and scored 4950 runs with a highest score of 128 runs.
Read more: Bangladesh Women's cricket team reaches China to compete in Asian Games
Nasum Ahmed
Nasum Ahmed can be a great pick for the middle order. While he did not get much chance to show his talent, he got attention in the last match against India. He scored 44 runs from 45 balls while batting at number 8. His bowling performance was also satisfactory. Although he did not get any wickets in the Asia Cup, his economy rate was 4.05 after bowling 20 overs. So, he will surely try to prove himself in both batting and bowling.
Final Words
This New Zealand series is an ideal opportunity to check the alternative players for the World Cup while giving the regular players rest. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken the opportunity perfectly. Now, we have to wait until the series ends on September 26 to see the outcome. This BAN vs NZ ODI series is considered as preparation for the World Cup 2023. Hence, the Tigers’ performance in this series will give us an idea about their performance in the World Cup.
Read more: How to buy Online Tickets for Bangladesh vs New Zealand Series
'Dil Jashn Bole': ICC releases World Cup 2023 Anthem
Just two weeks before the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the official anthem, "Dil Jashn Bole," has been released, ICC said on Wednesday.
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This collaboration features Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and music by Pritam, a prominent composer.
The anthem offers a cinematic journey across India on the One Day Express, showcasing a celebration leading up to the largest Cricket World Cup ever.
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Available on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, fans can soon tune in to Big FM and Red FM.
Ranveer Singh, a devoted cricket fan, expressed his elation at being a part of this anthem launch, celebrating the sport he loves. Pritam, equally enthused, stated that composing music for this event was a tremendous honour.
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The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will run from October 5 to November 19. A total of 10 teams will participate in this year’s World Cup, five of them from South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Nic Pothas Steps in as Bangladesh's Interim Coach in Chandika's Absence
In the absence of the regular coach Chandika Hathurusingha, Bangladesh's assistant coach, Nic Pothas, will assume the role of head coach for the team.
Bangladesh team has just returned home from the Asia Cup played across Sri Lanka and Pakistan. They ended up being third in the six-team event. Chandika coached the team in the Asia Cup.
Jalal Younus, chairman of cricket operations at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), stated that the head coach is presently in Australia to support his wife, who is scheduled to undergo a major surgery in the near future.
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The Bangladesh squad, announced just two days earlier for the New Zealand series, is set to commence their final preparations on Wednesday.
"Chandika will be with his family and won't be available for the first two ODIs against New Zealand," Jalal informed the media on Tuesday. This means Nic Pothas will lead the Tigers during Chandika's absence.
In this series, Bangladesh will face off against the visiting team in a three-match ODI series starting on September 21st in Dhaka. The other two matches are scheduled for September 23rd and 26th.
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New Zealand will return to Bangladesh for a two-match Test series after the World Cup, slated to be held in India in October-November of this year. Following the Test series, Bangladesh will journey to New Zealand for a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series.//
'My mother is a woman. I can’t be a misogynist’: Tanzim Sakib
Bangladeshi cricketer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has offered apology, vehemently asserting that he is not a misogynist, in response to severe backlash over some of his older social media posts.
Tanzim, a right-arm pacer, recently made his debut for the Bangladesh national cricket team and played a pivotal role in their first victory against India in the Asia Cup in over a decade.
Read: Test cricket to return to Sylhet after 5-year hiatus
In a now-deleted social media post, Tanzim suggested that if a woman works outside, she may struggle to fulfil her duties to her husband and children. In another post, which is also currently inaccessible, he implied that a coeducational environment at educational institutions makes it difficult to find a “shy” wife.
Both posts ignited fierce debate on social media due to their strongly prejudiced nature against women.
“We have engaged with Tanzim,” stated Jalal Younus, chairman of cricket operations of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). “He admitted to posting those remarks, but he clarified that it was never his intent to offend anyone.”
Read: Tamim, Mahmudullah return as Bangladesh announces squad for New Zealand series
Jalal further mentioned that Tanzim asserted that he harbours no disrespect towards women, saying that his mother is a woman and he “cannot be a misogynist.”
“We have cautioned him about the posts that sparked controversy,” Jalal added. “We have advised him to exercise caution while posting on social media, as his behaviour on these platforms may be subjected to monitoring by the board.”
Tanzim conveyed his regrets for the posts through the board, affirming that he will refrain from making similar statements in the future.
Read: Bangladesh poised to be a formidable contender in World Cup, Shakib believes
“Tanzim Sakib’s family is also concerned about his posts,” noted Jalal. “He is a young player, and that’s why we felt it necessary to caution him.”
Bangladesh Women's cricket team reaches China to compete in Asian Games
Bangladesh Women’s cricket team reached the Chinese city of Hangzhou on Monday to compete in the 19th Asian Games.
A 15- member Bangladesh squad, led by Nigar Sultana Jyoti, left Dhaka for China Sunday night and reached Hangzhou Monday noon.
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Bangladesh in the past clinched the silver medal in women's cricket on two occasions, back-to-back in Guangzhou in 2010 and Incheon ub 2014. This time looking for the gold.
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Cricket is back this time after not being included in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
Bangladesh women's cricket team will directly play in the quarter final stage of the meet on September 22, named of the opponents will be known after the qualifying round matches on September 20.
Also read: Bangladesh team reaches Hangzhou to participate in Asian Games Football
Test cricket to return to Sylhet after 5-year hiatus
After an absence spanning half a decade, cricket enthusiasts in Sylhet are poised to relish Test cricket on their home turf once again. Bangladesh is set to square off against New Zealand following the World Cup slated for later this year in India.
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The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced on Monday that the inaugural Test of the two-match series will kick off in Sylhet on November 28th.
The second Test of this upcoming series is scheduled to be held in Dhaka.
The solitary Test match held to date in Sylhet transpired in 2018, pitting the Tigers against Zimbabwe, culminating in a defeat for the Tigers.
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Currently, the Bangladesh team is in full-throttle preparation mode for the three-match ODI series against the same adversary, commencing on September 21st in Dhaka. The subsequent two matches will be played at the same venue on September 23rd and 26th, respectively.
The New Zealand cricket team has already touched down in Dhaka, conducting their maiden training session in Mirpur on Monday.
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The Bangladesh team is slated to check into the team hotel on Tuesday and restart their preparations on Wednesday in earnest for the ODI series.//
How to buy Online Tickets for Bangladesh vs New Zealand Series
Online tickets for the Bangladesh vs New Zealand series, starting later this week, are on out on the official website of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
To streamline the ticketing process, fans are advised to mark their calendars for a specific window.
Online ticket sales for the First ODI, slated for September 21st, will be exclusively available on the Bangladesh Cricket Board's official website [www.tigercricket.com.bd](https://ticket.tigercricket.com.bd/) starting from 9 am on Tuesday, September 19th, 2023, until 9 am the following day, Wednesday, September 20th, 2023.
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To complete the registration, fans must ensure that they have a valid National ID (NID) and an active mobile number. Each registered account allows for purchasing a maximum of two (02) tickets.
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After confirming tickets online, the fans will have to collect the physical copy of the tickets from a collection booth located near Gate 1 of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS). The collection window opens from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm on both the day before and on matchday.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand team has already arrived in Dhaka, and the BCB has also announced the squad of Bangladesh the first two ODIs.
Tamim, Mahmudullah return as Bangladesh announces squad for New Zealand series
Read more: BAN vs NZ ODI Series 2023: Bangladesh Squad Analysis
India clinch 8th Asia Cup title in dominant fashion
India chased down a modest target of 51 in a mere 6.1 overs against Sri Lanka, securing their record eighth Asia Cup title in Colombo on Sunday.
Coming into this match, India might not have anticipated such a smooth ride to victory in the final.
Sri Lanka had little to offer with only 50 runs on the board. As India took to the field for their chase, a handful of Sri Lankan fans remained in the gallery at Colombo. They departed, carrying with them the sting of a defeat that may linger for years.
Sri Lanka bat first in Asia Cup final against India
Ishan Kishan contributed a solid 23, while Shubman Gill notched an unbeaten 27, ensuring a comprehensive 10-wicket victory for India.
In the earlier innings, Mohammad Siraj dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order, claiming six wickets for a mere 12 runs. India swiftly bundled out Sri Lanka for a paltry 50 runs in just 15.2 overs.
Although Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first, fortune did not favor them. The home side lost their first wicket in the opening over, with four more tumbling in the third over.
Tamim, Mahmudullah return as Bangladesh announces squad for New Zealand series
Siraj's performance in that critical third over was nothing short of spectacular, as he clinched four wickets. Though a hat-trick narrowly eluded him, that one over effectively extinguished India's competition.
His remarkable figures of six for 12 now stand as the second-best bowling performance for India in ODIs.
For Sri Lanka, a staggering nine batters were dismissed with single-digit scores, with five of them enduring a duck each. It was a day the Sri Lankan team will undoubtedly wish to expunge from their memory.
Chandika sees Tanzim as vital to Bangladesh’s World Cup lineup
Sri Lanka bat first in Asia Cup final against India
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first in the Asia Cup final against India at R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Both teams qualified for the finals with two wins each in the Super Four stage.
Read: Chandika sees Tanzim as vital to Bangladesh’s World Cup lineup
India made six changes for the final from their last game of the Super Four round, which they lost to Bangladesh.
Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, all of whom were rested for the dead rubber against Bangladesh, were back in the side while all-rounder Washington Sundar replaced the injured Axar Patel.
Read: Bangladesh bat first against India in their last Asia Cup outing
Sri Lanka made one change bringing in leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha for the injured Maheesh Theekshana.
Teams:
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Matheesha Pathirana and Pramod Madushan
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah