Cricket
ODI Series: Chandika confident ahead of high-stakes ODI series vs England
The three-match ODI series between Bangladesh and England is set to begin on Wednesday in Mirpur. Ahead of the first match, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed confidence in the team's ability to perform well despite the fast bowling threat posed by the visitors.
Bangladesh enters this series with the happy memory of beating India at home in December 2020. Hathurusingha said the teams for the first two ODIs would be similar to the one that beat India.
The Bangladesh coach believes that the pace attack of the English side will be the biggest challenge for the hosts.
“They have one of the best pace attacks in the world. They have five fast bowlers and three spinners on this tour. The challenge will be to play their fast bowlers in this series,” Hathurusingha said.
Bangladesh is expected to field a formidable team in this series, whereas England will be without some of their key batters who are currently playing a Test series in New Zealand. Nevertheless, Hathurusingha acknowledged that despite being understaffed, England remains a formidable opponent given their impressive performances in the past decade.
“They are the world champions. They have one team playing somewhere else; they have another team here. They have a mind-blowing depth of talent,” Hathurusingha added.
Ahead of this ODI series, which is a part of the World Cup Super League, Bangladesh's coach is confident about the performance of Mustafizur Rahman.
“When he is in form, he is one of the world’s best bowlers. We won the India series when he started,” he said. “He is coming back to that form now. He bowled really well in the recent India series too. He always bowls in the crucial moments, so we will try to use him as a strike bowler.”
Moeen Ali, the England allrounder, also said that Mustafizur may play an important role for the Tigers.
“We know he is a very good bowler and he is a threat,” Moeen said. “We also know Bangladesh actually has a very good bowling attack, especially in these conditions.”
Spinners are likely to play a significant role in this series. In addition to Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh has Taijul Islam in their arsenal. The combined attack of these three spinners could pose a significant challenge to the English batters. In contrast, England has Moeen, Adil Rashid, and young Rehan Ahemd. They can be the biggest threat to the Tigers on home soil.
“When you come to these places, you expect good spinners bowling, good spin bowling,” Moeen said. “They are very good, we know how well they've done over the years here, and Bangladesh as a team has done really well. But it's not just their spinners; their seamers are also very good.”
Before this series, Bangladesh played a total of 21 ODIs against England and won only four of them, with the last win coming more than six years ago.
The first two ODIs are scheduled to take place on March 1st and 3rd in Dhaka, while the third ODI will be held in Chattogram on March 6th. All matches will commence at 12 pm each day.
Mustafizur a big threat, Moeen says ahead of first ODI
Ahead of the first match of the three-match ODI series between England and Bangladesh, England allrounder Moeen Ali spoke about the threat posed by Bangladesh's left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman.
While Mustafizur took one wicket only in two ODIs against England in England, his record of 141 wickets in 82 ODIs with five five-wicket hauls at home shows his skills on home surfaces.
Moeen acknowledged Mustafizur's abilities, saying, "We know he is a very good bowler and he is a threat. We also know Bangladesh actually has a very good bowling attack, especially in these conditions."
When asked about England's plan to face Mustafizur, Moeen said that they will prepare for all of Bangladesh's bowlers, not just him.
Also Read: Tamim-Shakib Clash: How ready Bangladesh are to face England
Moeen also commented on the expected spin on the wicket in Mirpur, stating that England expects good spin bowling but also acknowleded the strength of Bangladesh's seamers.
Despite England's recent struggles in ODIs, Moeen expressed confidence in their ability to implement their attacking approach in Mirpur and said that they have a strong group of players.
England has faced Bangladesh in 21 ODIs to date, with Bangladesh winning only four of them. As the current champions of both white-ball World Cups, England will be looking to continue their winning streak in this series, and in contrast, Bangladesh are eying to continue on home dominance.
Tamim-Shakib Clash: How ready Bangladesh are to face England
The England national team is ready to compete in three 'One Day Internationals' and three Twenty20 matches. The first match is scheduled to take place on March 1. Right before the series, there was speculation surrounding a clash between Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan. This raises a question about Bangladesh’s preparation and rhythm in the team before the BAN vs ENG ODI Series 2023.
Tamim Shakib Clash
Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal are two influential stars in the country's cricket based on performance and seniority. The environment of the team's dressing room also depends on them. Ahead of the upcoming England series, everyone is dreaming about the series win. But if the internal environment of the team is not good, it is sure to affect the match. That is why the Shakib-Tamim relationship is again in discussion. Board President Nazmul Hasan Papon has also opened up about this.
The rivalry between Shakib and Tamim has intensified in recent times. Both Shakib and Tamim appeared at an event a couple of weeks ago. But they were not seen talking to each other there, which did not escape the attention of Tiger fans. After that, the issue became a topic of discussion on social media. However, the relationship between the two is not unknown to Papon. He also tried to solve it.
Read More: BAN vs ENG ODI Series 2023: Top Players to Watch
Speaking to sports media, Cricbuzz, the BCB President, said the Bangladesh team’s dressing room environment is not good due to grouping issues. And the clash between Tamim and Shakib works as a catalyst for that. However, BCB president Papon has spoken to both of them and understands that it is not easy to resolve the issues between them at this moment.
Nazmul Hasan Paonon conveyed that we don't know what is going on between them, but in the match or series, their personal problem should not affect the field performance. Later they both promised to comply.
The relationship between Shakib and Tamim has been quite bitter for a long time. They talk to each other on the field if needed. But it is limited to the field. There is not a word between the two outside the field. And Bangladeshi cricketers are also facing trouble because of this. However, Tamim assured that these issues would have any effect on the field.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: Bangladesh ODI Squad Analysis
How Ready Are Bangladesh Squad to Face England?
Right before the England-Bangladesh series, Papon pointed out the grouping issue inside the Bangladesh cricket team. And this grouping is currently the biggest problem in Bangladesh cricket, and this is the reality. Other than that, everything seems to be fine.
This issue raises the question that whether the Bangladesh team are ready to give their best against England. Well, Bangladesh cricket team captain Tamim Iqbal is hopeful for a series win.
Left-handed opener Tamim did not directly deny the issue of his relationship with Shakib. However, he claims that it has no effect on the team. He emphasized that nothing else matters except what takes place during the game. ODI captain Tamim has clearly said that everything is fine on the field; it doesn't matter what happens outside the field. At a press conference prior to the England series, Tamim made such a claim.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: Key ODI Records, Who Holds Advantage in Records So Far
However, Tamim denies the grouping issue. He pointed out that whenever the team did not play well, some people rumored the grouping issue. But he didn't see grouping in the teams even 16 years ago. He didn't see it even 10 years ago.
However, he has not been with the team for the last 6 months. But he claims that he still sees everyone doing well and doesn’t see groupings within groups. Hence, the Bangladesh team is ready to face England.
To support his claim, Tamim talked about the result of the recent series of Bangladesh, as the team won most of the games. He also claimed that, When Shakib and Tamim take the field, if they both give their best, nothing else matters.
Read More: Bangladesh vs England ODI Series 2023 Preview: Schedule, Fixtures, Team
Bangladesh’s most recent win was the series at home against India in December, although Tamim Iqbal did not play. Last year, Bangladesh won the ODI series against Afghanistan, South Africa, West Indies, and India, only losing a series against Zimbabwe. So, it is expected that the Bangladesh team will continue their good performance.
Bottom Line
Bangladesh's ODI squad has already started training under Chandika Hathurusingha, who is back as the coach of Bangladesh for the second time. However, Shakib Al Hasan has not joined the training yet due to a family issue. Although there are various discussions about the relationship between Shakib and Tamim, the two biggest stars of Bangladesh cricket at this moment, the impression of that relationship was not seen on the field.
Rather, Shakib and Tamim were seen talking or celebrating the team's victory at various times on the field. Even in the last match of the three-match series against South Africa in 2022, Shakib and Tamim hugged each other and left the field smiling after securing victory by the wicket.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: England Squad Analysis
Keeping aside the Tamim Shakib issue Bangladesh team is getting prepared to face England in the upcoming BAN vs ENG ODI Series 2023.
New Zealand edge England by 1 run in test cricket thriller
New Zealand completed a dramatic fightback on the last day to beat England by 1 run Tuesday and become only the fourth team in history to win a cricket test after being forced to follow-on.
On a day of constant twists and turns, Joe Root scored 95 in a partnership of 121 with Ben Stokes (33) which appeared to have secured England’s victory and a 2-0 win in the two-match series.
Root and Stokes were out within a run of each other with 56 runs still needed and the match which had been heading England’s way tilted back in favor of New Zealand with seven wickets down and the lower-order exposed.
Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes then made 35, facing down the New Zealand attack and shepherding the tailenders to guide England within sight of victory. But in another twist, Foakes was out with seven runs still needed.
Last man James Anderson clubbed a four down the ground which left England two runs from a match and series victory and the crowd holding its collective breath. Then in the last, dramatic moment, Anderson was caught down the leg side by a diving Tom Blundell from the bowling of Neil Wagner.
In a defining comeback for Wagner and his short-pitch bowling, he took 4-62, dismissed Root and Stokes and held three catches on the final day to seal New Zealand’s narrowest test win.
England twice and India once are the only other teams to have won a test after having to follow. The last occasion was in 2001 when India beat Australia by 171 runs at Eden Gardens.
Read: Shakib joins team camp ahead of England series amidst rift with Tamim
The result also ended England’s run of six consecutive test wins and leveled the two-match series, allowing New Zealand to avoid its first defeat in a home series since 2017. The New Zealanders were heavily beaten in the first test and were again well behind in the game after the first innings in Wellington.
“It’s a special win this and we’ll celebrate what is an amazing achievement,” Wagner said. “I think it’s just the character of the team. We love to fight for one another, find a way and keep on doing the hard yards out there.
“The first test we didn’t get on the right side of it and they played well. I thought they played really wellin the first innings here in really tough conditions but we just found a way of contributing and get in a good position and (this) is a special one.”
The grassy banks of Wellington’s Basin Reserve were crowded on a workday Tuesday to see the denouement of an already extraordinary match.
For the second time in the series, Stokes made an assertive first innings declaration with England 435-9. England then bowled out New Zealand for only 209 to take a 226-run first innings lead.
Stokes chose to enforce the follow-on with his attack having bowled 53.2 overs and the second innings became an ordeal as Kane Williamson made 132 and New Zealand batted more than 160 overs to post 483, setting England 258 to win.
England came into the final day at 48-1, still needing 210 runs but with the odds on its side and 103 overs in the day. Under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum and the so-called Bazball approach to the game, England has won six tests while chasing, notably scoring 378 to beat India at Birmingham last year.
Read: Fans can get tickets from online store in Ireland series: BCB
But when New Zealand took four wickets in the first hour of an extended first session, the equilibrium of the match was disturbed. England lost nightwatchman Ollie Robinson, opener Ben Duckett then Ollie Pope and Harry Brook to consecutive deliveries to slip to 80-5 with 178 still needed.
Brook’s wicket was crucial after he made 186 in the first innings for his fourth century in five tests. Root was the guilty party in his dismissal Tuesday, taking a hazardous single and running out Brook before he’d faced a ball.
Root and Stokes seemed to have repaired the England innings. Root was the aggressor, reaching his 57th test half century from only 51 balls, while Stokes seemed restricted by an injury to his left knee and made his 33 from 116 balls.
But Wagner’s double blow to dismiss them both in consecutive overs likely was the turning point of the match. Foakes’ diligent innings ensured a thrilling finish as the upper hand in the match passed moment by moment from one team to the other. Even England’s Barmy Army of fans was largely rendered silent as they watched the action in almost breathless tension.
“It’s obviously very disappointing to get a loss here with the great winter we’ve had,” Stokes said. But “to be able to come away and win four out of five away from home is something we’ll take great pride in. We’ve got a few months off before the Ashes (series against Australia) starts and hopefully we can get back to doing what we love doing.” ___ More AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Fans can get tickets from online store in Ireland series: BCB
Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, CEO of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), announced that the BCB is working to make ticket sales for international matches available online, starting with the series against Ireland.
In this digital age, tickets are widely available for purchase from online stores all over the world. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) still sells them manually, which is a great inconvenience for fans — particularly female fans, who cannot stand in long lines to obtain tickets.
“We have been working to make the tickets available online from the Ireland series,” the BCB CEO said on Monday in Mirpur.
Spectators often find it difficult to purchase tickets due to long queues and the prevalence of black market ticketing. However, this could be alleviated if tickets were made available to purchase online.
The Bangladesh team is currently gearing up for the three-match ODI series against England starting on March 1. After the ODI series, both the teams will lock horns in a three-match T20I series.
BCB has already announced the price of the tickets for the first ODIs. Cricket fans can buy tickets for the upcoming ODI series in Dhaka from February 28.
The tickets will be sold at Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur from 9 am to 7 pm on the day before and on the day of each match. The ticket prices range from Tk 200 to Tk 1,500, depending on the stand.
BCB aims to implement DRS for all international and BPL matches till 2027
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is striving to ensure that Decision Review System (DRS) technology will be accessible for all international and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) matches held in Bangladesh till 2027, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the BCB CEO told the media on Monday.
In the last season of BPL, BCB was able to introduce DRS in the playoffs only, which created immense criticism among fans and cricket enthusiasts. And the lack of DRS also created waves of bas decisions in the fields as well.
The BCB stated that they had attempted to employ the DRS system since the start of the league, however, due to a lack of personnel able to operate the technology, they were unable to do so.
“We want to make sure we have the DRS in all matches in Bangladesh that are telecast,” the BCB CEO said. “So we are signing a contract with the provider so that we can get it in every match till 2027.”
The DRS is a tool that helps match officials make decisions during a cricket game. The on-field umpires can talk to the third umpire to get help with their decision-making, and players can also ask the third umpire to review a decision made by the on-field umpires.
Shakib joins team camp ahead of England series amidst rift with Tamim
Bangladesh's all-rounder and captain of the Test and T20 team, Shakib Al Hasan, has joined the national team camp ahead of the three-match ODI series against England. The series is set to begin on March 1 in Dhaka.
Shakib was spotted batting at the indoor facilities in Mirpur, with Tamim Iqbal also present in the nets. Although they were batting close to each other, there were no visible interactions between them.
The team began preparations for the upcoming England series a few days ago, but Shakib was unable to join the camp earlier as he was with his family in the USA. Before his trip to the USA, he was playing for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League. However, he had to leave the Zalmi squad due to family issues.
The strained relationship between Shakib and Tamim has garnered attention from Bangladesh's cricket followers in recent days, particularly after BCB president Nazmul Hasan publicly acknowledged it.
Read more: 'When Shakib and I step onto the field, nothing else holds importance for us': Tamim
Tamim faced questions about the issue at a press conference on Sunday in Mirpur, but Shakib has not made any statement about it yet.
Tamim said when he and Shakib take the field wearing a Bangladesh jersey, they only focus on playing well for Bangladesh; nothing else matters to them. He, however, did not deny the authenticity of a troubled relationship with Shakib.
In the upcoming series, along with three ODIs, both the teams will lock horns in a three-match T20I series.
The ODI series is a part of the World Cup Super League. England are currently at number three in the points table while Bangladesh are at number six.
BAN vs ENG ODI Series 2023: Top Players to Watch
The England national team arrived in Bangladesh to play three ODI and three T20 matches starting from March 1. This marks England's return to Bangladesh for the first time since 2016, with this being their fourth bilateral series tour in the country. Let’s see some of the key players from Bangladesh and England squads can shine in the BAN vs ENG ODI Series 2023.
6 Key Players from Bangladesh ODI Squad
BCB already announced a 14 member squad for the ODI series. While there are regular faces, new players are also included in the team. Now, it is time to see how many of them impact the Bangladesh team. The following are the key players for the Bangladesh team.
Tamim Iqbal
Tamim Iqbal, the left-handed opener of the Bangladesh senior cricket team, is one of the most successful batsmen against England. Having played 14 matches and scored 488 runs, including two centuries with a top score of 128 against England, Tamim is expected to give his best in this series. However, Tamim was forced to be absent from the team due to an injury.
Read More: England Look to Bangladesh ODI Series with One Eye to World Cup
Now that he is returning, fans are eager to witness his best performance. Due to a groin injury, Tamim was unable to participate in the ODI series against India in December, yet Litton Das led the team to a victorious 2-1 outcome.
Litton Das
Recently, Litton Das has been in outstanding form, and with his upcoming ODI against England, we are excited to see his incredible batting ability against an opponent he never faced before. Last December, he captained Bangladesh against India, but sadly his performance was not up to the mark, as he scored only 77 runs in three ODIs.
Despite this, he earned praise for his captaincy skills, as Bangladesh was triumphant against India, winning the series with one match left in hand. Therefore, since Litton Das will be free of extra pressure in this tournament, we expect that he will be able to provide his regular performance.
Read More: 'When Shakib and I step onto the field, nothing else holds importance for us': Tamim
Towhid Hridoy
Towhid is a new name in Bangladesh T20, but he got a call for the ODI team. Bangladeshi cricket fans eagerly await Hridoy's first appearance in this one-day series, as he was given the opportunity to join the national team due to his impressive performances in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
This year, he scored 403 runs with the bat in the BPL season, boasting a strike rate of 140 and five fifties. In the past, he has made 49 ODI appearances for the Bangladesh Under-19s, racking up 1624 runs with five centuries and ten half-centuries. Now, it's time to see if this experience has come to any help in the success of Bangladesh against England.
Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan is widely regarded as the greatest cricketer in Bangladesh's history, and his ability to turn a match around at any time has been well known. His incredible performance against England, which saw him notch up 399 runs and take 14 wickets in 14 appearances, has left fans eagerly anticipating his performance.
Read More: Who Will Win IPL 2023: Odds and Predictions?
Furthermore, the current number one in both ICC ODI and T20I rankings has the chance to reach two major milestones in the England series. If Shakib can manage to score an additional 165 runs with the bat, he will become the second Bangladeshi, after Tamim Iqbal, to collect 7000 ODI runs; 43 players have achieved this feat so far.
His current tally stands at 6835. Additionally, if he takes 6 more wickets with the ball, he will be the first Bangladeshi to reach 300 ODI wickets; only 13 bowlers have accomplished this, and Shakib is at 13th with 294 wickets currently.
Taskin Ahmed
Starting his international career in 2014, Taskin has become a dependable name for the Bangladesh cricket team. So far, 52 matches and taken 69 wickets with 5/28 best bowling figure.
Read More: England Men's Cricket Team Arrives Dhaka for White Ball Series
Taskin Ahmed has proven himself to be a devoted cricketer for Bangladesh, as he has recently declined an offer from Multan Sultans to play three matches of the current PSL in preference of playing against England. He appeared in 4 ODI matches against England and took 5 wickets, his best bowling performance being 3/47 against the English team.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz
England will never forget Miraz. He has an outstanding record against England, having made his Test debut against them on October 20, 2016. During that match, the English batsmen were unable to counter his skilled bowling, with Miraz taking six wickets in the first innings and one in the second. He then went on to play an ODI against England and claim two more wickets.
As a more experienced bowler now, Miraz has a total of 79 wickets in 67 ODIs for Bangladesh. Meeting England again after such a long time is sure to motivate him to give an even better performance.
Read More: IPL 2023: Schedule, Fixtures, Venues, Team List
Australia win Women’s T20 World Cup for 3rd straight time
Australia won the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday, beating host South Africa by a comfortable 19 runs to underline their status as the best team in the world with a third straight title.
Australia have now won six of the eight T20 World Cups played.
The latest victory at Newlands came through a disciplined bowling and fielding effort from the Australians, who batted first and scored 156-6, then shut down South Africa’s batters, who never came close.
South Africa finished well short on 137-6.
“We felt like it was a good score but we had to bowl well,” Australia captain Meg Lanning said. “We had to put pressure on South Africa. It was about enjoying the process and doing what we were doing, about keeping things simple when the pressure is on.”
Lanning has now led Australia to four T20 World Cup titles and one ODI World Cup title, more ICC tournament wins than any other captain in men’s or women’s cricket.
Megan Schutt, Ashleigh Gardner, Darcie Brown and Jess Jonassen all took a wicket each for Australia, but it was a team effort in the field as the Aussies’ big-match temperament shone through.
Read more: Tamim brushes off reports of 'rift' in Bangladesh dressing room
Australia were playing in their seventh straight final.
“You guys are very annoying,” South Africa captain Sune Luus said, jokingly, of Australia’s all-conquering squad. “But congratulations to Meg and the team. You are setting the benchmark for other teams to live up to.”
Australia’s total was built on opener Beth Mooney’s 74 from 53 balls and 29 off 21 from Gardner, who was promoted to No. 3.
No one else got to the 20 mark for Australia but it was enough.
Opener Laura Wolvaardt top-scored for South Africa with 61 from 48 but Australia’s bowling was tight and disciplined throughout and the South Africans couldn’t ever break free. The hosts only had a glimpse of a chance when they needed 59 off the last five overs with Wolvaardt still there.
Her partnership of 55 with Chloe Tryon (25) threatened to lead to a late challenge from South Africa, but Schutt trapped Wolvaardt lbw in the 17th over to break that stand and South Africa’s hopes of a first title in their first appearance in a final went with her.
Tryon was out in the next over, two balls after cracking a six over long-on, and Australia closed it out, conceding just 39 runs off those last five overs.
Tamim brushes off reports of 'rift' in Bangladesh dressing room
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan in a recent interview hinted at a “rift” in the national cricket team dressing room, with Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan being the cause of it.
Asked about the issue on Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, ODI captain Tamim said he has no idea about it.
“I have been playing international cricket for the last 16 years,” he said. “I’ve heard rumours about ‘grouping’ in the national team, but I’ve never experienced such a thing.”
Tamim added that he had not been with the team for the last six months and had no idea if something developed during this time.
Read: 'When Shakib and I step onto the field, nothing else holds importance for us': Tamim
The Bangladesh team is now gearing up for the three-match ODI and three-match T20I series against touring England, starting on March 1 in Dhaka.
Ahead of this crucial series, the Bangladesh captain was expected to talk about cricket a lot in his first press meet in months. Instead, he had to talk about the strained relationship between him and Shakib.
However, Tamim said he and Shakib are committed to the Bangladesh team when they take the field wearing the jersey of the national side.
The atmosphere of the team is good, and they are only looking forward to playing well against England, he said.