cricket
Australia names full-strength squads for Sri Lanka tour
Australia will be at close to full strength for all three legs of its Sri Lankan tour as 34 players were named Friday for the all-format matches in June and July.
Marcus Harris was the biggest surprise after not being named in the 16-man test squad which will play two matches in Galle to end the seven-week tour. The tour begins with three Twenty20 matches followed by five one-day internationals.
Read: IPL 2022: Halfway Through, Playoffs Qualification Scenarios for Ten Teams
Star players Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell have all returned to the limited-overs squads having missed the recent white-ball games in Pakistan.
It will be new head coach Andrew McDonald’s first tour with the team.
Test captain Pat Cummins will sit out the T20 matches while first-choice spinner Adam Zampa will miss the entire tour due to the impending birth of his first child.
Fringe players could still push their cases for inclusion in the test series in the two four-day games for Australia A in Hambantota.
Read: Stokes chosen as England test captain
“It’s incredibly exciting to have an Australia A component which offers the further flexibility and opportunity for players to be available for and cross over into all squads,” said selection chief George Bailey. “That could be from a test or white-ball preparation perspective or an opportunity to impress at an international level.”
Australia squads:
Test: Pat Cummins (captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
ODI: Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
Twenty20: Aaron Finch (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
Australia tour of Sri Lanka:
June 7: 1st T20, Colombo
June 8: 2nd T20, Colombo
June 11: 3rd T20, Kandy.
June 14: 1st ODI, Kandy
June 16: 2nd ODI, Kandy
June 19: 3rd ODI, Colombo
June 21: 4th ODI, Colombo
June 24: 5th ODI, Colombo
June 29-July 3: 1st test, Galle
July 8-12: 2nd test test, Galle
Australia A matches
June 8: 1st one-day game, Colombo
June 10: 2nd one-day game, Colombo
June 14-17: First-class tour match Hambantota
June 21-24: First-class tour match, Hambantota
Al Amin bags six, Tamim hits a ton as Dhaka League ends
On the last day of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, Al Amin Hossain, the right-arm pacer of Legends of Rupganj, bagged six wickets against champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, and Tamim Iqbal of Prime Bank Cricket Club hit a century against Gazi Group Cricketers.
Riding on their performance, Legends of Rupganj secured a win by eight wickets while Prime Bank won by 78 runs.
In most parts of the Dhaka League, Al Amin remained out of form. Before the six-wicket haul on Thursday, Al Amin bagged eight wickets in eight matches in the league.
Also read: Key Takeaways from the DPL 2022
Sheikh Jamal batted first on Thursday and posted below-par total of 116 for all wickets in Mirpur. Captain Imrul Kayes hit a fifty but the other batters were unable to play well against the bowling attack of Rupganj led by Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
In reply, Rupganj chased the target of 117 in 25.1 overs with eight wickets in hand.
Along with Tamim, who hit a century in the previous match, Anamul Haque Bijoy of Prime Bank hit 96 on Thursday. These two guided Prime Bank to a big total of 355 for seven. Tamim ended up on 137.
Also read: Nayeem added to Test squad to replace injured Mehidy
In reply, Gazi Group fell short off 78 runs despite the fifties from Al Amin Jnr (87) and Meherob Hasan (71). For Prime Bank, Taijul Islam and Rubel Hossain bagged three wickets each.
In the other match of the league on the same day, Abahani Limited beat Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club by 63 runs. Mohammad Saifuddin bagged four wickets for Abahani while Mosaddek Hossain Saikat took three.
Stokes chosen as England test captain
Ben Stokes was appointed as captain of England’s test cricket team on Thursday, taking on the high-pressure role just a few months after returning from a long spell away from the game to protect his mental health.
The allrounder was the only credible option to replace Joe Root, who quit his position — which he had held for five years — two weeks ago with England having only won one of its last 17 test matches.
It is the first big decision by Rob Key, the former England batsman who was recently hired as managing director of men’s cricket in England in a turbulent period for the national team that is currently without a head coach.
Key said he was sure Stokes was ready to shoulder the burden of the captaincy despite missing most of 2021 to focus on his well-being and also recover from two finger operations. It could mean Stokes plays fewer one-day and Twenty20 internationals, though.
“It’s just something we’ve got to do — we’ve got to manage that load, we have to prioritize at times where we think he needs to be playing. At the moment, that’s going to be test cricket,” Key said.
“I don’t think we have to overthink this. We have to make sure he is in a good frame of mind, his body is in good shape, and then we can plan accordingly.”
While announcing Stokes’ new role, Key also said veteran fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad — the top two wicket-takers in England’s test history — would also be available again after being controversially left out of the recent West Indies tour.
Read: IPL 2022: Mustafizur’s Delhi seek win against Kolkata in the race for top four finish
England plays test series against New Zealand and South Africa this summer, and also completes the series against India that was cut short last year with India 2-1 ahead with one test remaining.
“Before it got announced I was doing this job, I rang them up and said, ‘In my opinion you’re both available for selection,’” Key said of the 35-year-old Broad and the 39-year-old Anderson. “I can’t promise you you’re going to play but you are just available for selection.
“Ben Stokes was very clear on the fact that he wants Jimmy and Broady to come back in. It will purely be done on what’s the best XI to win that first test match. Nothing more, nothing less. If they are in that, which there’s every chance they will be because they are two great bowlers, then they play.”
Key said new head coaches would soon be hired to lead the men’s test and limited-overs teams, insisting the same person cannot handle both jobs.
“It’s just become a job that has become near-impossible for one coach to do,” Key said. “The amount of cricket we play, with all the COVID catch-up, all that stuff, you’re going to have times where you literally would be jumping on a plane to the other side of the world to coach a different format.”
Getting rid of COVID bubbles for teams is expected to further ease the mental burden on players and coach staff. That should help Stokes, one of the world’s best cricketers in all formats, as he settles back into the swing of a hectic cricket schedule.
“He cares about the people around him, he has understanding for why people struggle, he has understanding for why people might not be feeling right,” Key said. “All those traits, along with a very good cricket brain, make him the standout choice.”
Read: Nayeem added to Test squad to replace injured Mehidy
Stokes said Root will “continue to be a key ally for me” as he takes on the captaincy.
“I want to thank Joe for everything he has done for English cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport all across the world,” Stokes said. “He has been a massive part of my development as a leader in the dressing room.”
IPL 2022: Mustafizur’s Delhi seek win against Kolkata in the race for top four finish
Delhi Capitals’ recent loss against the Rajasthan Royals had created a lot of buzz. There were tensions between the two sides in the final over of the match before Rajasthan went on to seal the contest by 15 runs. The Capitals’ side has had five days of rest to regroup, and they are now gearing up to face the Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday evening. The Kolkata side is also under huge pressure to get back on track in their quest for a top-four finish in the IPL 2022 standings.
Team News: Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Delhi have six points from seven matches, and they have seven more matches to be played in the league phase. The Capitals' team is in the seventh position with a best net run rate of 0.715. Delhi certainly have strong run rates, but they need to win the majority of their remaining league stage fixtures to finish in the top four in the points standings. On the other hand, Kolkata haven’t won a match since Pat Cummins’ stunning knock against Mumbai Indians, which gave them a 5-wicket victory. The Knight Riders have remained winless in their last four encounters, and they have to find a way to overcome Delhi in this fixture.
Read IPL 2022: Halfway Through, Playoffs Qualification Scenarios for Ten Teams
Delhi Capitals
Mitchell Marsh and Tim Seifert both were out of the squad because of covid-19. They have rejoined the squad but whether they will be available for selection against Delhi is not a hundred percent confirmed. Players from the foreign category will have to make their way into the playing XI if they are selected. Apart from them, the rest of the players are available for selection. For Delhi Capitals, left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, opener David Warner, and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav will be key.
Predicted Playing XI (DC)
Top-Order: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Sarfaraz Khan, Middle-Orders: Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper and Captain), Lalit Yadav, Rovman Powell, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Lower-Order: Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Khaleel Ahmed.
Read IPL 2022 KKR vs DC: Delhi's Mustafizur could be crucial against Kolkata
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata’s big names have failed to make an impact to register a win for them. Andre Russell and Tim Southee have performed admirably in their respective roles, but their efforts have not resulted in victories. Pacer Pat Cummins is among the worst economy rate bowlers this season, which is a big concern for the Knight Riders. The Kolkata team needs to find a way to overcome their opponents in order to stay in contention for a top-four finish. Skipper Shreyas Iyer, all-rounder Sunil Narine and power hitter Andre Russell can play a big part in this contest.
Predicted Playing XI (KKR)
Top Order: Sam Billings (wicket-keeper), Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Middle-Orders: Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Tim Southee, Lower-Order: Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.
Read IPL 2022: Jos Buttler's Record-Breaking Knock Helps Rajasthan Reach the Top
Match Time (DC vs KKR):
Thursday (April 28) at 8 pm (Bangladesh Standard Time) | Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals: Head-to-Head
The two sides have met on 31 occasions. In a head-to-head contest, the Kolkata Knight Riders have a slight advantage against the Delhi Capitals. Kolkata have won 16 games, Delhi have won 14, and one match has ended in a draw.
Verdict
Given the recent form of these two teams, Delhi Capitals will start as favourites against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The Knight Riders have struggled to find a way to beat their opponents under their new captain, Shreyas Iyer. It seems they may end this campaign outside the top four unless they show magnificent consistency in the latter stages of the league phase. Oppositely, the Delhi Capitals are in a better position in terms of team spirit and gel. They have good run rates and it will improve even further if they win most of their remaining league phase IPL 2022 fixtures.
Read IPL : Delhi Capitals pummels Punjab kings to win one sided match
Jahanara, Rumana to play T20 league in Dubai
Bangladesh women cricketers Jahanara Alam and Rumana Ahmed will play a private T20 league in the UAE's Dubai.
At the "FairBreak Invitational 2022," right-arm pacer Jahanara will represent Team Falcon and Rumana Barmy Army, said Tawhid Mahmud, manager of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) women's wing.
"It's a new opportunity for me," Rumana told the media. "I've never played in such an event before."
Both players already got no objection certificates (NOCs) from the BCB.
READ: Nayeem added to Test squad to replace injured Mehidy
Rumana has played 69 T20s so far and scored 748 runs along with taking 61 wickets.
Jahanara has taken part in 71 T20s and bagged 55 wickets. She previously played in the Women's T20 Challenge in India – which is known as IPL for women.
This is the first edition of the FairBreak Invitational which will be organised under FairBreak Global, an initiative designed to create pathways for women to have better access to opportunities, education and high-level performance roles.
In this event, 19 matches will be played among six teams during May 1-15.
Nayeem added to Test squad to replace injured Mehidy
A finger injury ruled Mehidy Hasan Miraz out of the first Test against Sri Lanka that will begin on May 15 in Chattogram.
To replace Mehidy, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) added right-arm spinner Nayeem Hasan to the 15-man squad.
“Miraz dislocated his right little finger while trying to take a catch in a match on 24 April. An X-ray has revealed a small avulsion fracture,” Dr Debashis Chowdhur, the chief physician of BCB, said in a statement.
“A splint has been used to support and protect the injured area. Initial assessments suggest that the recovery could take at least three weeks which effectively rules him out of the first Test against Sri Lanka,” he added.
Mehidy sustained the blow on his right small finger during a Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match.
READ: Anamul's record-breaking season keeps getting better
The Sri Lanka cricket team will arrive in Bangladesh on May 8 for a two-match series. This series is a part of the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship.
While the first Test will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on May 15, the second Test commences at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on May 23.
Bangladesh squad (for 1st Test):
Mominul Haque(Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Yasir Ali, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam (subject to fitness)
Key Takeaways from the DPL 2022
The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League's traditional one-day format returned this year after a two-year break owing to the coronavirus epidemic. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club have clinched the DPL 2022 title, their first trophy in the Dhaka Premier League. Individually, top-order batter Anamul Haque Bijoy has had a fantastic season, while young, up-and-coming spinner Rakibul Hasan has been a revelation with the ball. Let's look at some of the key takeaways from the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League in 2022.
Dhaka Premier League 2022: Noteworthy Performers
The Dhaka Premier Cricket League 2022 consists of 73 matches, with three matches remaining until the season ends. This season has seen some truly phenomenal performances. Let's take a look at some of the most notable ones.
Batting
Anamul Haque Bijoy of Prime Bank Cricket Club has been the most in-form player this season. This right-handed top-order batter has set the DPL record for most runs scored in a single season. Anamul Haque Bijoy is also the only player in the history of the Dhaka Premier League to score 1,000 runs in a single season. With an average of 80.15, he has 1,042 runs in 14 innings. Anamul has amassed three hundred and eight half-centuries. The highlight of Anamul's season is his swashbuckling 184-run effort against Shinepukur Cricket. He can improve his record even further with one more match remaining. Bijoy's uncanny consistency has caught the attention of the selectors, and he deserves another chance to represent his country.
Read DPL 2022: Sheikh Jamal win championship, while Khelaghar are relegated
Apart from Anamul Bijoy; Naeem Islam of Legends of Rupganj (836 in 14 innings), Mosaddek Hossain of Abahani (658 in 14 innings), and Zakir Hossain of Rupganj Tigers (627 in 14 innings) have also had successful DPL 2022 season with the bat.
Bowling
Slow left-arm orthodox spinner, Rakibul Hasan has been the most successful bowler in the tournament on slow surfaces in Dhaka. He has been a reliable wicket-taker for his team, Prime Bank Cricket Club. Rakibul Hasan has 27 wickets in 14 innings with an average of 20.33. 4/40 has been his best bowling figure this season.
Apart from Rakibul Hasan, Parvez Rasool of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club (26 wickets in 14 innings), CS Jani of Legends of Rupganj (25 wickets in 14 innings), Tanvir Islam of Abahani Ltd (21 wickets in 14 innings), and Masum Khan of Khelaghar Samaj Kallayan Samity (20 wickets in 12 innings) have all taken over 20 wickets so far this season.
Read IPL 2022: Halfway Through, Playoffs Qualification Scenarios for Ten Teams
Others
There have been three 200+ partnerships this season. The 238-run third-wicket stand between CS Jani and Naeem Islam against Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club has been the best thus far. Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque's match-winning 234*-run stand against Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club was awe-inspiring.
Imrul Kayes, Shykat Ali, and CS Jani have each taken 10 catches this season. In wicket-keeping, City Club's Shahriar Komol has the most dismissals with 19 thus far. Gazi Group Cricketers Akbar Ali (18), Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club's Zakir Hasan (17), and Abahani Limited's Jaker Ali (16) have all had a successful season with gloves.
Aftermath
The primary talking point in the DPL 2022 has been Anamul Haque's record-breaking run with the bat. This right-handed batter has shown throughout the tournament that he is still a capable top-order batter who can consistently score runs. Furthermore, some young and prospective cricketers played well in this year's event, which is promising for Bangladesh cricket. Overall, the 2022 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League has been a success, with some exciting matches.
Read BAN vs SL Series 2022: Bangladesh Test Squad Analysis
DPL 2022: Sheikh Jamal win championship, while Khelaghar are relegated
The eighth season of the Dhaka Premier League (after receiving List A status) will come to an end on Thursday (April 28) with one more round in both the Super League and relegation phase. The winner of the DPL 2022 was determined on April 26. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club won their first-ever Dhaka Premier League trophy after defeating Abahani Limited by four wickets in Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla cricket stadium on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity cricket team has been relegated to the Dhaka first division cricket league.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Crowned Champions
The Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club enjoyed a considerable edge before the Super League commenced. They were four points ahead of Abahani Limited, who were in the second position. All they needed to do was keep up the momentum into the Super League phase. Sheikh Jamal has done just that, winning three of their four games in this phase to win the title for the first time. They have one more encounter against the Legends of Rupganj on Thursday. This game is crucial for the Legends to finish second in the DPL 2022 competition.
Read: Nurul Hasan guides Sheikh Jamal to maiden DPL title
Abahani Limited will meet Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club, while Prime Bank Cricket Club will face Gazi Group Cricketers in the last two Super League matches. Prime Bank will strive for a second-place finish, while Abahani Limited will aim for a third-place finish. Gazi Group Cricketers and Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club will compete for fifth and sixth places, respectively in the 2022 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.
Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity Down
At the end of the group stage, Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity, City Club, and Brothers Union were the bottom three clubs. Brothers Union and City Club had shown some battling spirit to avoid relegation, but the Khelaghar team had been decimated from the start of the campaign. They only won one game in the group phase, and they won the same number of games in the relegation phase. Khelaghar were demoted to the first division league after finishing the Dhaka Premier League 2022 season with only four points.
Read: Anamul's record-breaking season keeps getting better
With six points apiece, Brothers Union and City Club finished ninth and tenth, respectively, at the end of the league phase. Therefore, they enjoyed a substantial edge before the start of the relegation phase. Brothers Union escaped relegation after defeating Khelaghar by 8 wickets on April 21. City Club were defeated by Khelaghar by 85 runs in their first match of this phase, while their match against Brother Union was called off due to inclement weather.
Aftermath
For the first time ever, Bangladesh's Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club won Bangladesh's most prestigious club cricket championship. They were by far the best team in the competition and deservedly won the DPL 2022 tournament with a game to spare. On the other hand, Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity struggled all through the tournament and are down to the first division with only two victories this season.
Anamul's record-breaking season keeps getting better
An imperious Anamul Haque Bijoy became the first batter to cross 1000 runs in a single season of the Dhaka Premier League since the competition was awarded List-A cricket status in 2013.
In the fourth round of the Super League phase of DPL on Tuesday, Anamul scored the 15th ton in his List-A career, and with this ton, he completed 1000 runs. It was his third century in this season of the Dhaka League.
After 14 matches, Anamuld scored 1042 runs at an outstanding average of 80.15 with a strike rate of 97.47. He also scored eight fifties along with hitting 44 sixes— most by any batter in the league.
In the league’s 2019 edition, Saif Hassan scored 814 runs which remained the best batting performance after the league won the List-A status. Anamul surpassed Saif in this league and raised the bar to 1000.
READ: BAN vs SL Series 2022: Bangladesh Test Squad Analysis
Along with making this record, Anamul scored 184 in a match which is the highest by any batter in this edition of the Dhaka League.
Anamul played his last international match back in 2019 in Sri Lanka. He failed to impress the selectors in that series and subsequently lost his place in the national team.
The right-handed batter did not stop working hard to improve his game and proved that he was on the right track. The ongoing edition of the Dhaka League came as another demonstration of his batsmanship.
Recently, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the former Bangladesh captain, said that Anamul has improved a lot and the batter deserves to be close to the national team.
Nurul Hasan guides Sheikh Jamal to maiden DPL title
Another matchwinning knock by Nurul Hasan Sohan guided his team Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to their maiden title in the Dhaka Premier League on Tuesday beating Abahani Limited by four wickets.
In pursuit of 230 in Mirpur, Sheikh Jamal lost five wickets before posting 100 runs on the board. Nurul Hasan, the captain of Sheikh Jamal, came to the wicket at number seven and ended up winning the match scoring 81 off 81 balls with eight fours and two sixes.
On the seventh wicket, Ziaur Rahman and Nurul added 82 runs, to guide their team to an imperious record-making win. For Abahani, Mohammad Saifuddin scalped two wickets.
Earlier, Abahani posted 229 for six in 50 overs with the fifty of Towhid Hridoy. Wicket-keeper batter Jaker Ali was the second-highest runs scorer for them with 47. Saifuddin, the right-handed allrounder, posted 44 off just 33 balls with five sixes as well.
For Sheikh Jamal, Ziaur Rahman scalped two wickets.
With this win, Sheikh Jamal secured 24 points from 12 wins in 14 matches so far in the league. They still have a match to play. But even a defeat in the last match won’t be able to change their top place. The team that has the second-highest points- 20 points- is Legends of Rupganj.
READ: Former South Africa cricket captain Smith cleared of racism
In the other fourth-round matches of the Super League phase of Dhaka League, Legends of Rupganj beat Gazi Group Cricketers by 196 runs. Sabbir Rahman hit 90 for Rupganj while Shakib Al Hasan scored 59 off 26 balls.
Riding on their batting performance, Rupganj posted 293 for 9 wickets in 50 overs. In reply, Gazi Group tumbled for 97 with Chirag Jani bagging five wickets for Rupganj. Sabbir won the player of the match award.
In another match of the day, Prime Bank Cricket Club beat Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club by 10 wickets riding on the centuries of Anamul Haque Bijoy and Tamim Iqbal. These two have come up with an opening partnership of 234 runs.
And with the century in this match, Anamul completed 1000 runs in this league. Anamul’s 1000 is now the best batting performance in Dhaka League since it attained the List-A status in 2013.