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Shakib Al Hasan named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March 2023
Bangladeshi star cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has been named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March 2023.
The award recognizes Shakib's outstanding performances with bat and ball, which included a series win over Ireland and a historic 3-0 T20I series victory over touring world champions England.
Shakib, who has now won the award twice, cemented his position at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings for all-rounders.
Read more: Shakib becomes leading wicket-taker in T20s
Meanwhile, Rwanda's Henriette Ishimwe has been named the ICC Women's Player of the Month for March 2023. Ishimwe was the standout player in Rwanda's opening match against Ghana during the NCF Women's T20I Tournament in Lagos. She contributed significantly with both bat and ball, showcasing her potential as an eye-catching prospect in the women's game.
The awards were decided after a vote conducted by a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives. Global cricket fans registered at the official website of ICC also had the opportunity to vote for their favorite players.
Read more: Mushfiqur, Shakib see Improvements in ICC Rankings
Shakib and Ishimwe edged out their fellow contenders to claim the coveted awards. Asif Khan of UAE and Kane Williamson of New Zealand were the other nominees for the ICC Men's Player of the Month, while Sibona Jimmy and Ravini Oa of PNG were nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Month.
The ICC Player of the Month awards recognize the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all formats of international cricket. The awards aim to celebrate the standout performers and highlight their contributions to the game.
Mushfiqur, Shakib see Improvements in ICC Rankings
Mushfiqur Rahim's outstanding performance in the only Test against Ireland has significantly improved his rankings. He scored a century and a half-century in the two innings, making him the best batter of the match.
In the latest weekly ranking update by the ICC, Mushfiqur has moved up to number 17 on the list of batters for this edition.
The ranking update also revealed that Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam have made progress among Test bowlers. Taijul has advanced three places in the list of bowlers and is currently at his best position for Bangladesh at number 20, while Shakib has improved by three places and is now at 38th place among Test bowlers.
Meanwhile, Liton Das is still in the best position in Bangladesh, despite dropping two places. Australia's Marnus Labuschagne tops the rankings of Test batters, and Ravichandran Ashwin of India tops the bowlers' list.
However, not all Bangladesh players have had positive changes in their rankings. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has dropped four places in the rankings and is now tied with Shakib at number 26. On the other hand, Ebadot Hossain has made an impressive jump of 15 places in the rankings and is now at number 67 among Test bowlers.
Mrittunjoy earns call-up as BCB announces ODI squad for Ireland ODIs
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Ireland in May, with left-arm pacer Mohammad Mrittunjoy Chowdhury being a notable inclusion. The series, which is part of the World Cup Super League, is set to take place in Chelmsford, England.
Mrittunjoy has demonstrated decent bowling performances throughout his cricketing career so far, having picked up 18 wickets in 9 First-class matches at an average of 33.22, along with 39 wickets in 28 List-A matches and 26 wickets in 25 T20s.
However, allrounder Mahmudullah Riyad has once again missed out on selection due to a prolonged off-form. Mahmudullah was first excluded during the recently concluded ODI series against Ireland.
The first ODI is scheduled to commence on May 9th at 10:45 am local time (GMT +1), followed by the second ODI on May 12th and the third and final ODI on May 14th. All three matches will be played at The Cloud County Ground in Chelmsford, with the start time remaining the same.
In the team's most recent series against Ireland, which included three ODIs, three T20Is, and one Test, Bangladesh won all but one T20I.
Bangladesh squad for Ireland ODIs in England: Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das, Rony Talukdar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, and Mohammad Mrittunjoy Chowdhury.
Shakib Skips IPL for Family Emergency
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has said that he skipped this year's ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a family emergency.
Bangladesh on Friday concluded their home series against Ireland with a seven-wicket victory in the only Test. After the match, Shakib spoke to the media and explained the reason behind his decision to skip the IPL.
Earlier, a source close to Shakib had stated that the all-rounder would not be able to participate in the entire IPL season as he is scheduled to play for the national team in May. As a result, the Kolkata Knight Riders team officials asked Shakib if he was willing to skip the tournament so that they could sign a player who would be available for the entire season, to which Shakib agreed.
However, on Friday, Shakib revealed that there was another reason for his absence from the IPL - a family emergency.
“I had a great opportunity to play in the IPL during the year of the World Cup,” Shakib said. “But what can I do? I have a family emergency to attend to.”
Bangladesh wrap up one-off Test against Ireland with seven-wicket win
Bangladesh won the one-off Test against Ireland by seven wickets in Dhaka's Mirpur on the fourth day Friday, with more than four sessions to spare.
In the fourth innings, Bangladesh needed 138 runs to win, a target they reached with the loss of three wickets. Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored 126 in the first innings, remained unbeaten on 51.
Earlier, Bangladesh had lost eight of their last nine Tests. Their last Test win came last year against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui where Ebadot Hossain delivered an outstanding bowling performance.
Although Ireland batted grittily, Bangladesh ultimately emerged victorious. The visitors lost four quick wickets for 13 runs in their second innings. However, they made a strong comeback, thanks to the century of wicketkeeper-batter Lorcan Tucker and 72 of Andy McBrine.
In reply to Ireland's first innings score of 214, Bangladesh posted 369, securing a 155-run lead. Taijul Islam took five wickets for the hosts, while McBrine took six wickets for Ireland.
Ireland not only chased down 155 runs but also set a target of 138 runs for the hosts.
Litton Das scored 23 off 19 balls to give Bangladesh a fluent start. Although Najmul Hossain Shanto fell quickly and Tamim Iqbal perished when the Tigers were 33 runs away from the win, Mushfiqur and Mominul Haque sealed the victory for their team. Mark Adair, Ben White, and McBrine took one wicket each for Ireland.
"It wasn't enough in the end," said Andrew Balbirnie, Ireland captain, after the match. "We showed a lot of grit. We all really enjoyed playing Test cricket again, you have to show a lot of fight, which we did."
This was only the fourth Test for Ireland, who had previously lost the three Tests they played.
Mushfiqur was named the player of the match for his century and fifty. He praised the bowlers of Bangladesh for their efforts on the track which was not very bowling-friendly.
Bangladesh's next assignment is a three-match ODI series against Ireland in England next month, which is part of the inaugural 2020-2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League. All three ODIs will be played at the County Ground, Chelmsford, in England.
Bangladesh vs Ireland: Tigers need 138 runs to win Dhaka Test
Ireland were bowled out for 292 runs in their second innings Friday, setting a target of 138 runs for Bangladesh in the Dhaka Test.
The visitors managed to add only six runs to their overnight total on the fourth morning of the Test. Starting the day with two wickets in hand, they lost both wickets to right-arm pacer Ebadot Hossain.
Ireland lost four wickets for 13 runs in their second innings, but Lorcan Tucker's 108 and Andy McBrine's 72 powered them to 292.
In the first innings, Ireland posted 214 runs. In reply, Bangladesh scored 369 runs, securing a 155-run first-innings lead, with Mushfiqur Rahim scoring a century for the hosts.
Tucker shines in Test debut as Ireland dominate Bangladesh on day three
In a riveting turn of events, Ireland made an electrifying comeback in their ongoing Test match against Bangladesh in Dhaka. At the close of day three, the Irish team secured a commanding lead of 131 runs with two wickets left to spare.
After losing four of their top batters for a measly 13 runs on day two, the Irish side seemed to be on the brink of a crushing defeat. However, the trio of Lorcan Tucker, Harry Tector, and Andy McBrine had other plans in store.
With a display of exceptional batting, the Irish team fought back against the Bangladesh bowlers, forming significant partnerships that left the hosts reeling. Tucker's magnificent Test debut saw him become only the second Irish batter after Kevin O'Brien to hit a century in his debut.
Despite the hard efforts of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and his team, they were unable to stifle the Irish resistance. The visitors managed to score an impressive 259 runs on day three, losing only four wickets in the process.
However, the day's outcome could have been vastly different had Litton Das not missed a crucial opportunity to dismiss Tucker early on. Nonetheless, the Irish team persevered, displaying a potent mix of patience and passion to overcome their early struggles.
Earlier in the first innings, Ireland had struggled to score and were dismissed for a paltry 214, with Taijul claiming five wickets for Bangladesh. In response, the hosts posted a total of 369 runs, giving them a significant 155-run lead over Ireland, with McBrine taking six wickets— the most by a Ireish spinner in a Test innings so far.
BCB names Nic Pothas as new assistant coach
Former South African batter Nic Pothas has been appointed as the Assistant Coach of the Bangladesh cricket team.
The 49-year-old has signed a two-year agreement with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and will start his new role next month during the three-match ODI series against Ireland in the United Kingdom. The series is a part of the ODI World Cup Super League.
Pothas has an extensive coaching career spanning over a decade, during which he served as the head coach of the West Indies (2018-2019) and Sri Lanka (2017-2018) cricket teams.
Read More: BCB announces search for new assistant coach for Tigers
He also worked as an assistant coach and fielding coach for the West Indies and was the lead fielding coach for Sri Lanka. Before joining Bangladesh, Pothas was the wicketkeeping coach of Hampshire County Cricket Club.
As a right-handed batsman during his playing days, Pothas appeared in three ODIs for South Africa and made over sixteen thousand First-class and List-A runs.
Pothas expressed his excitement about his new role, saying, "I am honoured to commit to the Bangladesh National Team. The depth and array of talent running through Bangladesh is exceptional, and I believe we have some exciting years ahead of us.
Read More: Chandika Hathurasingha takes over as head coach of Bangladesh cricket
Dhaka Test: Batters lead Ireland’s resistance
Despite losing four early wickets in their second innings, Ireland held firm during this morning's session of day three of the Dhaka Test against Bangladesh.
At lunch break on day three, Ireland were batting at 93 for five and still needed 62 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam scalped two wickets each for the hosts.
Overnight unbeaten batter Harry Tector had scored 43 runs so far, facing 132 balls. He was technically more sound than expected against the quality pace and spin attacks from the hosts.
Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam got the only wicket of the morning session on day three, removing Peter Moor for 16 off 78 balls. However, Tector and Lorcan Tucker made a strong partnership that kept the Bangladeshi bowlers at bay.
In the first innings of the match, Ireland tumbled for 214 as Taijul Islam took five wickets for Bangladesh.
In reply, Bangladesh posted 369, securing a big 155-run first-inning lead. For Ireland, Andy McBrine recorded a six-wicket haul, the first instance of such a record for an Ireland spinner in Tests.
Mashrafe awarded honorary lifetime membership of London’s Marylebone Cricket Club
Former Bangladesh captain and current lawmaker Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was awarded honorary life membership of London's Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Wednesday.
In addition to the recognition given to players, the Club granted two honorary life memberships to individuals who made significant contributions to the sport.
The MCC Committee awards the membership to individuals in appreciation for their contributions to cricket and projects related to the game, often over a very long period.
The list of honourees for this year features prominent figures from eight out of the 12 countries that play in Test cricket, including some of the most renowned names in the contemporary game.
Merissa Aguilleira of West Indies (2008–2019), MS Dhoni of India (2004–2019), Jhulan Goswami of India (2002-2022), Jenny Gunn of England (2004-2019), Muhammad Hafeez of Pakistan (2003-2021), Rachael Haynes of Australia (2009-2022), Laura Marsh of England (2006–2019), Eoin Morgan of England (2006-2022), Mashrafe (2001-2020), Kevin Pietersen of England (2005-2014), Suresh Raina of India (2005-2018), Mithali Raj of India (1999-2022), Amy Satterthwaite of New Zealand (2007-2022), Yuvraj Singh of India (2000-2017), Anya Shrubsole of England (2008-2022), Dale Steyn of South Africa (2004–2020), and Ross Taylor of New Zealand (2006-2022) were awarded lifetime membership of the MCC in 2023.