Dhaka, Aug 10 (UNB) – Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal wants to skip the first two international events of the Tigers through which their home season will start.

He requested the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not to consider him in the solitary Test against Afghanistan and then the tri-series involving Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Afghanistan will arrive in Dhaka on August 31 and they will play their first Test against Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram from September 5 to 9.

After the Test, Bangladesh will play a tri-series T20 with Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. Bangladesh will play at least four games in that series.

The southpaw went through a bad patch during the World Cup. He failed to live up to the expectations in the cricket’s showpiece event. After that, he failed in the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka as well.

Akram Khan, the chairman of cricket operation committee of BCB, said Tamim submitted a letter to BCB requesting not to consider him in the two events.

However, BCB is yet to make any decision in this issue. Akram told the media that BCB will come up with a decision after the vacation of Eid-Ul-Azha.

Harare, Aug 9 (AP/UNB) — The Zimbabwe cricket board has been reinstated by a government body in what could be the first step to ending a suspension by the International Cricket Council.

Zimbabwe Cricket's leadership under chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani will be allowed to return to their jobs after a court settlement was reached on Thursday with the government-appointed Sports and Recreation Commission.

The SRC suspended the entire board in June, alleging corruption and election irregularities. That led to the ICC suspending Zimbabwe from international competitions for government interference. The ICC said it will only reconsider Zimbabwe's suspension at a meeting in October.

The ban has come at a high price for Zimbabwe's cricketers. The men's team lost its place at the Twenty20 World Cup qualifying competition in the United Arab Emirates in October and November, and the women's team won't be allowed to take part in their T20 World Cup qualifiers starting at the end of this month.

The ICC ban also meant the governing body cut off its funding to the country, making it even more difficult for the struggling Zimbabwe cricket body to pay its players. Zimbabwe cricketers have often gone unpaid in recent years and reportedly haven't received salaries for at least two months.

Yet, the SRC's move to suspend the board appeared to have widespread support within Zimbabwe cricket and was backed by current and former players including star batsman Brendan Taylor, former captain Tatenda Taibu, and ex-player Grant Flower.

That didn't matter for the ICC, which found Zimbabwe in breach of its rules because of the action of the SRC.

The court settlement between the SRC and Zimbabwe Cricket stipulates that ZC must now appoint a new chief executive officer who is approved by the ICC. The agreement also gives players a voice on the board with a provision for a former international to be added to the board to represent their interests. The ex-player will be one of two new board members.

Dhaka, Aug 9 (UNB) — Most of Bangladesh’s star cricketers are set to celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha at their village homes on Monday.

Bangladesh’s next assignment is to play a Test and a tri-nation T20 series against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. Before that, the national players are enjoying a rare vacation.

ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is set to celebrate Eid in Dhaka while Test captain Shakib Al Hasan is performing Hajj.

Former captain Mushfiqur Rahim will be at his village in Bogura during the Eid, while his brother-in-law Mahmudullah Riyad is set to celebrate this Eid at his hometown Mymensingh. National team opener Tamim Iqbal will be in Dhaka during the festival.

Young all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who played a pivotal role during Bangladesh’s World Cup campaign, will celebrate Eid in his hometown Khulna while Mustafizur Rahma will spend the occasion at his village home in Satkhira. 

Pacer Rubel Hossain will be in Bagerhat during the Eid while Abu Jayed Rahi will celebrate Eid in Sylhet. 

After the vacation, Bangladesh Cricket Board will announce the squad for the solitary Test against Afghanistan who are scheduled to come to Bangladesh on August 31. After the Test, Zimbabwe will arrive in Dhaka to play a tri-nation T20.

Guyana, Aug 9 (AP/UNB) — The first one-day cricket international between the West Indies and India was washed out by rain Thursday after only 13 overs had been bowled.

The West Indies were 54-1 when the umpires decided the match, which had been shortened to 34 overs per side, could not continue. Evin Lewis was 40 not out and Shai Hope 6 not out.

Opener Chris Gayle, who began his 299th one-day international needing 11 runs to overtake Brian Lara as the West Indies' leading scorer in ODIs, was bowled by Kuldeep Yadav for 4.

Rain plagued the match and 14 overs had already been lost when the toss was made 90 minutes late. India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and chose to field because of the reduced number of overs and a fresh pitch.

Rain returned several times during the day, shortening the match further before it was finally abandoned just after 3 p.m.

"It's probably the worst thing in cricket, the stop-start game," Kohli said. "The more stops you have, the more you have to be careful about injuries on the field."

The second match of the three-match series will be played at Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Monday.

Johannesburg, Aug 8 (AP/UNB) — South Africa batsman Hashim Amla has retired from all international cricket.

Amla called time on a 15-year international career during which he gained a reputation as one of the country's most naturally gifted batsmen.

Amla finished as South Africa's second highest run-scorer in test cricket behind Jacques Kallis and the third highest in one-day internationals behind Kallis and AB de Villiers.

The stylish right-hander averaged more than 45 in both formats and also holds a string of South African batting records. He is the only South African to make 300 in test cricket and has his country's highest test scores against England, India and the West Indies, and the highest against Australia in the post-apartheid era.

Amla said "I learned many lessons during this incredible ride, made many friends and most importantly shared in the love of a brotherhood."