India needs just 70 runs to win the second cricket Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after bowling Australia out for 200 in its second innings at lunch on Tuesday’s fourth day of play.

Debutant pace bowler Mohammed Siraj took 3-37, including claiming two of the four wickets to fall in Tuesday’s opening session.

Australia’s tail wagged after resuming on Tuesday in a desperate position of 133-6, an overall lead of two runs. However, with the first six wickets falling for 99 runs, it was always going to be an uphill task for Australia to post a competitive target.

Also read- Australia beats India by 8 wickets in 1st Test in 3 days

India’s decision to take the second new ball after 80 overs was a successful move, with a breakthrough coming in the 83rd over. Pat Cummins fended a bouncer from Jasprit Bumrah to second slip and was caught for 22 at 156-7, ending a 57-run stand with Cameron Green.

Second-gamer Green, 21, scored a stylish 45 before he pulled a short ball from Siraj to mid-wicket at 177-8.

Australia's Mitchell Starc dives to make his ground during play on day four of the second cricket test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Dec 29, 2020. AP Photo

Facing a series of bouncers, Nathan Lyon was caught behind off the bowling of Siraj with just another eight runs added to the tally.

Josh Hazlewood played no shot and was bowled by Ashwin (2-71) for eight, with Mitchell Starc left stranded on 14. It was the first time in the series Australia had managed to reach 200 runs in an innings as its batsmen continue to flounder.

Also Read- India gets its 1st test match win in Australia since 2008

Australia’s batting collapse on Monday came despite Umesh Yadav limping off with a calf-muscle injury midway through his fourth over.

Matthew Wade scored a gritty 40 before spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2-28) made a vital breakthrough by trapping the opener leg before wicket.

Australia then slumped to 99-6 after suffering a middle-order collapse, losing three wickets for one run including the dismissal of Tim Paine, who was caught behind off the bowling of Jadeja, following a video review.

Bangladesh National Women’s Team’s training camp begins on January 3 next year at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.  

A 29-member women's squad will undergo fitness and skills training in the month-long camp which also includes five limited overs practice matches.

Foisal Hossain Decans, Assistant Coach Bangladesh Women’s Team,  will conduct the training camp.  

The cricketers who have been called up to the camp are: Salma Khatun, Nigar Sultana Joty, Murshida  Khatun, Rumana Ahmed, Lata Mondol, Panna Ghosh, Sanjida Islam, Ayasha Rahman, Fargana Hoque Pinky, Jahanara Alam, Nahida Akter, Mst. Ritu Moni, Khadiza-Tul Kubra, Fahima Khatun, Shamima Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya, Puja Chakrabortty, Mumta Hena Hasnat, Suraya Azmim, Nuhat Tasnia, Most. Sharmin Akter Supta, Mst. Sarmin Sultana, Ishma Tanjim, Rubya Haider Jhilik, Aka Mollik, Mst. Fariha Islam Trisna, Mst. Shanjida Akther Maghla, Sumaiya Akter.

Former Bangladesh captain, allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, has been named in the CC Men’s ODI team of the decade as the only Bangladeshi.

ICC has also announced Test and T20 teams of the decade, but there is no Bangladeshi member in these teams.

In the ODI team, three members are from India- Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni; two members are from Australia- David Warner and Mitchel Starc and South Africa- AB de Villiers and Imran Tahir, and one member from England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh- Ben Stokes, Trent Boult, Lasith Malinga and Shakib Al Hasan.

To consider a player for this team, ICC evaluated their performance from January 1, 2011, to October 7, 2020.

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During this period, Shakib  scored 3489 runs in 96 innings and scalped 131 wickets in 102 innings, which is unarguably the best all-round performance in ODI cricket during this period.

During the same period of time, a total of 35 bowlers bagged more than 100 wickets, but none could score runs like Shakib. The second man in the list is Mohammad Nabi who scored 2458 runs in this period along with taking more than 100 wickets.

And during the same period, a total of 54 batsmen amassed at least 2500 runs, but none could take wickets more than Shakib. Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan is second in the list taking 94 wickets along with accumulating at least 2500 runs during this period of time.

ICC’s ODI team of the decade: Rohit Sharma, David Warner, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Shakib Al Hasan, MS Dhoni (c), Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Imran Tahir and Lasith Malinga

ICC Men’s Test team of the decade: Alistair Cook, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli (c), Steve Smith, Kumar Sangakkara, Ben Stokes, Ravi Ashwin, Dale Steyn, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

ICC Men’s T20I team of the decade: Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, MS Dhoni (c), Kieron Pollard, Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, and Lasith Malinga

The year of 2020 supposed to be a busy year for cricket in Bangladesh, but it has ended as a barren one due to the novel coronavirus which was detected first in the country in March this year.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had decided to host a two-match T20 series between Asia XI and the Rest of the World XI to commemorate the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. But the plan was sidelined indefinitely due to the deadly Covid-19 outbreak throughout the world.

The disappointing year for Bangladesh for the game of cricket started with a three-match T20 series in Pakistan. It was Bangladesh’s first tour to Pakistan in 12 years. After much talk, the series was split into three different phases. In the first phase, both countries locked horns in a three-match T20 series which was won by Pakistan 2-0 with the third and final match was abandoned due to rain.

Also Read- International cricket set to return with WI tour of BD in January confirmed

After the T20 series in January, the Bangladesh team toured Pakistan in February to the first match of the two-match Test series. The Tigers lost the Test as well. It was Bangladesh’s third match in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship. Bangladesh was due to tour Pakistan in April to play the remaining Test and an ODI, but the Covid-19 forced to halt that part of the series.

Right after the second phase of Pakistan tour, Bangladesh hosted Zimbabwe for a Test, three ODIs and two T20Is. Bangladesh won the Test riding on the third double-ton by Mushfiqur Rahim in the format. The Tigers won the other matches of this series as well.

In the last ODI of the series, Liton Das smashed 176 off 143 with 16 fours and eight sixes. This is the record of the highest individual total by a Bangladeshi in an ODI. Along the way of making this record, Liton surpassed his opening partner Tamim Iqbal who also hit 128 in that game.

Also Read- After 20 years, Bangladesh still finding its feet in Test cricket

In the same game, Bangladesh recorded their highest partnership in ODIs at any wicket— 292 by Tamim and Liton.

After the Zimbabwe series at the home, Bangladeshi cricketers head to the most prestigious domestic event- Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League- the only 50-over competition of the country. But it was postponed indefinitely after the first six games due to the Covid-19 situation in the country.

Since that, all sorts of cricketing activities were on hold till September when some cricketers started individual training programmes after months-long lockdown. The Tigers were supposed to tour Sri Lanka for a full series, but the Covid-19 situation came to the fore again, and the series was postponed indefinitely.

Due the same, at least 14 international matches of Bangladesh have been postponed including a Test series against Australia, an ODI and T20I series against Ireland.

Also read: Bangladesh celebrates 20 years of Test Status

Right after the postponement of the Sri Lanka series, Nazmul Hassan, the BCB president had announced that the board will focus on bringing back domestic cricket to the field. And as he said, BCB hosted a 50-over competition, the BCB President Cup, in November comprising three teams consisting of the top cricketers of the country.

In this event, the board maintained a strict bio-secure bubble for the cricketers, coaches, staff and others who are involved in organizing the event.

With the experience of hosting the President Cup, BCB introduced a brand new T20 league0- the Bangabandhu T20 Cup 2020- with five teams taking place.

Also Read- BCB reluctant to host cricket at home due to Covid-19

This event probably was the only positive thing for Bangladesh cricket to take forward from this year. Unlike the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), all the cricketers of Bangabandhu T20 Cup were Bangladeshi. The local talents got a golden chance to prove their mettle in the format.

Young cricketers like Najmul Hossain Shanto, Parvez Hossain Emon, Anisul Islam Emon, Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan displayed some tremendous performance in the event. And along with them, Mustafizur Rahman, Liton Das have also proved their class. While Mustafizur was the best cricketer of the event, Lition was awarded the trophy of the best batsman.

Hosting two events in two months, opened the door for Bangladesh to bring international cricket back at home as the West Indies have confirmed their visit to Bangladesh in January- February 2021.

Also read: BCB eyes to resume domestic cricket soon

During the Bangabandhu T20 Cup, a two-member delegation of West Indies toured Bangladesh to oversee the health protocol that the BCB is providing to ensure safety for the cricketers and other staff.

After a short visit in Dhaka and Chattogram, they expressed their happiness, and within the next few days, West Indies confirmed the tour.

Despite a barren year in 2020, Bangladesh are looking forward to playing more cricket in 2021. After the West Indies series at home, Bangladesh are scheduled to tour New Zealand. In 2021, Bangladesh will also take part in the ICC T20 World Cup which is scheduled to take place in India during the later part of the year.

Australian fast bowler Aaron Summers will become the first foreign player to play in revamped Pakistan domestic cricket when he represents Southern Punjab in the Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament in Karachi next month.

The 24-year-old Summers had played for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League in 2019 and also represented Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League.

Summers is scheduled to arrive in Lahore on Monday for a week-long training camp at the National High Performance Centre before joining Southern Punjab at Karachi.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s domestic competition rules allow one foreign player per side.

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“Pakistan is a breeding ground for the fast bowlers,” Summers said Saturday in a statement issued by the PCB.

“While I look forward to developing as a quality fast bowler,” he said, “I am equally keen to help my side (perform) strongly in the Pakistan Cup.”

PCB’s High Performance Director Nadeem Khan said the cricket board wanted to attract foreign players to Pakistan domestic cricket.

“We are aspiring to make our domestic structure robust, tough and challenging that can not only benefit our cricketers but also attract foreign cricketers — just like our cricketers who are regularly featuring in Australia and England’s domestic circuit,” he said.

“I am hopeful Aaron’s participation will also attract other foreign cricketers. It will also help our local players interact and integrate with players from other environments and enhance their understanding of different cultures.”