sports
Tigers set for New York: T20 World Cup pitches arrive at Nassau County Stadium
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reached a significant milestone in its preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, with the arrival and installation of specially curated pitches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, where Bangladesh will play their second match of the event against South Africa on June 10.
Ten drop-in pitches, meticulously prepared in Florida since December, have made their way to New York via a convoy of over 20 semi-trailer trucks, thanks to the support of ICC's global logistics partner DP World. These pitches, cultivated with Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, were nurtured by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions, led by renowned curator Damian Hough, utilizing techniques perfected at the iconic Adelaide Oval, ICC revealed in a press release.
Bangladesh vs India Women’s 3rd T20I 2024: Match Preview
Four of these pitches will be installed at the Nassau County stadium, with the remaining six designated for nearby practice facilities. The Adelaide Oval team will remain on-site to assist local grounds crews in maintaining world-class playing surfaces throughout the tournament.
“The installation of these pitches is one of the final pieces in a project that is unprecedented in international cricket,” said Chris Tetley, ICC Head of Events. He highlighted the innovative approach of bringing the T20 World Cup to the United States with a temporary venue and pitches originating from across the globe.
Damian Hough, Adelaide Oval Head Curator, expressed his excitement about showcasing their expertise to a global audience. “We're now focused on bedding in the pitches here in New York to ensure we're delivering an end product of the highest quality.”
India Women secure lead with rain-affected win over Bangladesh
The state-of-the-art, 34,000-seat modular stadium in Nassau County will host eight World Cup matches featuring teams like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the USA, and Bangladesh. The first match on June 3 will see 2014 champions Sri Lanka take on South Africa.
Bangladesh vs India Women’s 3rd T20I 2024: Match Preview
Bangladesh and India women’s teams will face each other for the 3rd T20I of the 5-match series in Sylhet. Indian women’s team, who are currently leading the series by 2-0, will look to wrap up the series after comfortably winning the first two games. On the other hand, Bangladesh Women have one last chance to stay in the series. The match will start at 4:00 PM BST.
Details of BAN vs IND Women 3rd T20I
Table: Schedule and Venue of 3rd T20I between Bangladesh and India Women’s Team
Match
Date
Time
Venue
3rd T20I
Thursday, May 2, 2024
4:00 P.M BST
Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet
Preview of Bangladesh vs India Women’s 3rd T20I
India are in a comfortable position after winning the first two games in the ongoing series. Bangladesh are struggling with their batting mostly. They could only manage 101 and 119 in the two matches after completing their full quota of batting. This is a worrying sign for them as they are not giving the bowlers much to play with.
Additionally, only three Bangladesh batters reached double figures in the first T20I. The second match saw only four Bangladeshi batters reaching double figures. The highest scorer of the first game from Bangladesh was Nigar Sultana who took 48 deliveries to make 51 runs. Murshida Khatun was the highest scorer for Bangladesh in the second game scoring 46 (49).
Read more: India Women secure lead with rain-affected win over Bangladesh
Ahead of the 3rd T20I, Bangladesh Women would desperately want their batters to contribute a lot more.
The bowlers didn’t have much to do in these two games but they could and should have done a lot better. The pitch of the first game was not a 145-run pitch according to experts. In the second game, they failed to take advantage of a rain-inflicted condition which was a disappointing scenario to watch. Marufa Akter is among the wickets which is a boost for Bangladesh. However, Nahida Akter, the main strike bowler for Bangladesh, has been wicketless and expensive as well. She needs to step up in this game for Bangladesh to have any chance of winning.
India, on the other hand, have been dominating Bangladesh in the ongoing series. Their performance is reflected in the results as well. Their bowling department is working as a unit to restrict Bangladesh to a low score. Their spin trio of Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, and Shreyanka Patil have been economical and picked up crucial wickets. The woman of the match from the first game Renuka Singh was quite expensive in the 2nd game and will try to bring her rhythm back in this game. Pooja Vastrakar has also been handy.
The batters did exactly what was expected of them. Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Richa Ghosh played quick innings in the first game to give India a winning total of 145. Dayalan Hemalatha’s 41(24) almost single-handedly won the second match for them with the bat. They would now hope for Smriti Mandhana to shine as she has not performed well in this series yet.
India mostly relied on overall team performance so far in this series. They would expect the same in the remaining games as well.
Read more: BCB announces ticket sales for Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe T20I Series
Bangladesh vs India Women’s H2H T20I Records So Far
Table: Head-to-head T20I Records between Bangladesh and India Women’s Team
Matches Played
Bangladesh Won
India Won
Tie
No Result
18
3
15
0
0
Bangladesh Squad Against India
Table: List of Bangladesh Players in the BAN vs IND Women’s 3rd T20I 2024
Bangladesh Player
Role
Nigar Sultana ©
Wicketkeeper Batter
Dilara Akter
Wicketkeeper Batter
Fahima Khatun
Bowler
Fariha Trisna
Bowler
Habiba Islam
Bowler
Marufa Akter
Bowler
Sobhana Mostary
Middle order Batter
Murshida Khatun
Opening Batter
Nahida Akter
Bowler
Rabeya Khan
Allrounder
Ritu Moni
Allrounder
Rubaya Haider
Wicketkeeper Batter
Shorifa Khatun
Bowler
Shorna Akter
Allrounder
Sultana Khatun
Bowler
Read more: Women’s Cricket: India register easy win in series opener vs Bangladesh
India Squad Against Bangladesh
Table: List of Indian Players in the BAN vs IND Women’s 3rd T20I 2024
India Player
Role
Harmanpreet Kaur ©
Batting Allrounder
Yastika Bhatia
Wicketkeeper Batter
Richa Ghosh
Wicketkeeper Batter
Dayalan Hemalatha
Top order Batter
Saika Ishaque
Bowler
Amanjot Kaur
Batting Allrounder
Smriti Mandhana
Opening Batter
Shreyanka Patil
Allrounder
Renuka Singh
Bowler
Titas Sadhu
Bowler
Sajeevan Sanjana
Allrounder
Shafali Verma
Opening Batter
Deepti Sharma
Allrounder
Asha Sobhana
Allrounder
Pooja Vstrakar
Bowler
Radha Yadav
Bowler
Read more: Women's Cricket: Bangladesh Restrict India to 145
Key Players from Bangladesh Squad
Nigar Sultana
Nigar Sultana scored a half-century in the first game of the ongoing BAN vs IND T20I series and is arguably the most consistent batter for this Bangladesh team. In a series where Bangladeshi batters are struggling so much, Nigar Sultana’s captain’s knock is exactly what’s needed for the team. She has also stepped up on such occasions and is expected to do it again.
Nahida Akter
Nahida Akter is still wicketless in this series. But Bangladesh needs their most in-form bowler to rise up. Especially the effective bowling from Indian spinners automatically asks a lot more from her. She is very much capable of providing such performance and both the team and their fans will expect her to deliver in this game.
Key Players from India Squad
Smriti Mandhana
The dashing Indian opener is yet to get runs in this series. She would be more than willing to get runs on the pitches where she would lead India’s batting in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Therefore, Bangladesh must be especially aware of this cricketer who is always hungry for runs.
Deepti Sharma
Deepti Sharma already picked three wickets in this T20I series against Bangladesh. But most importantly she kept an economy of 3.625 which kept Bangladesh under pressure and made the task easy for other bowlers. She is expected to do something similar in the 3rd T20I as well. Her strong game sense and effective bowling would also be key for India’s victory this time.
Final Words
India are the favorites ahead of the 3rd T20I in the 2024 BAN vs IND Women’s T20I series. But Bangladesh have grown a fighting and ‘never giving up’ mentality over the last 1-1.5 years. Therefore, tigresses are expected to fight strongly in this game to survive in the series. The stage is set for an exciting game on Thursday, May 2 at Sylhet.
Read more: Preview of Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Match of 2024
India Women secure lead with rain-affected win over Bangladesh
India Women clinched a 19-run victory over Bangladesh Women in the second T20I at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The match was interrupted by rain, with the DLS method ultimately deciding the outcome.
Batting first, Bangladesh Women struggled to build momentum and were restricted to a total of 119 runs in their 20 overs. Murshida Khatun top-scored with 46, while Sobhana Mostary contributed 19. India's bowlers were disciplined, with Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil taking two wickets each, while Radha Yadav chipped in with three.
In reply, India Women started aggressively, with Dayalan Hemalatha smashing a quickfire 41 off just 24 balls.
However, rain intervened with India at 47/1 after 5.2 overs. With the DLS par score at 28, India were declared winners by 19 runs.
India lost only one wicket when Marfua Akter scalped Shefali Verma.
Hemalatha's explosive innings earned her the Player of the Match award. The Indian bowlers' disciplined performance and Hemalatha's aggressive batting proved to be the decisive factors in securing the series victory for India Women.
The remaining matches of the series will be played on May 2, 6 and 9 in Sylhet.//
Chinese Taipei Women's team to play two Friendlies against Bangladesh in May-June.
The Chinese Taipei Women's Football team to play a two-match International Football series against hosts Bangladesh women's team in next May-June window.
Current SAFF Women's Champions Bangladesh will play the two-match series against Chinese Taipei as a part of their preparation for the 2024 SAFF Women's Championship to be held in Bangladesh in October -November this year.
The first match of the two series will be held on May 31 and the 2nd and last match will be held on June 3, both at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.
AFC council member and Chairperson of the BFF Committee for Women's Football Mahfuza Akter Kiron disclosed it after a committee meeting held on Tuesday at the BFF office in Motijheel.
Bangladesh women's football team will play international football after about five months after winning the two match series 2-0 against Singapore in Dhaka last December.
Bangladesh beat Singapore by 3-0 goals in the first match and outplayed them by 8-0 goals in the 2nd match.
BCB announces ticket sales for Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe T20I Series
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially announced ticket sales for the five-match T20I series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Set to begin on May 3rd in Chattogram, fans can choose from a range of seating options to fit their budgets. Prices vary depending on location within the stadium, with premium options like the Grand Stand and Roof Top Hospitality offering the closest views, while the Eastern and Western Stands provide more affordable choices.
Fans can secure their tickets starting May 2nd. Physical tickets will be available from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM at the Shagarika Ticket Counter (near BITAC Circle) and the M.A. Aziz Stadium Ticket Counter. Tickets can also be purchased on match days or the day before.
For those wanting to avoid queues, online ticket sales begin May 1st, with collection from the M.A. Aziz Stadium Ticket Counter between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM on the day before a match. Online tickets can be purchased from the official BCB website.
The first three T20I matches are scheduled for May 3rd, 5th, and 7th in Chattogram. The series will then conclude with the final two games in Dhaka on May 10th and 12th.
Dhaka League: Abahani Secure Title with Two Matches Remaining
Abahani Limited have claimed the title of the prestigious Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League with two matches still to play. Their 14 consecutive wins in the league further solidified their record-breaking number of titles.
In the latest Super League round, Abahani defeated Shiekh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by four wickets in Savar. Sheikh Jamal were the runners-up in the last season of the league.
Despite a depleted squad, with 10 core players joining the national team's preparatory camp ahead of a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in Chattogram, Abahani pulled through. After requesting the BCB's cricket operation department for a one-day exemption, they were able to field national team players Afif Hossain, Tanvir Islam, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Two of them— Afif and Tanzim— played well and their performance was vital for Abahani’s win.
This allowed Abahani to secure their 14th consecutive Dhaka League win and their 22nd overall title. Since the league's promotion to List-A status in 2013, this is Abahani’s fourth championship.
In contrast, Sheikh Jamal were bolstered by Shakib Al Hasan, whose decision to prioritize the Dhaka League over national team duty sparked controversy.
Despite this, Abahani opted to field first after winning the toss – a decision vindicated by their bowlers who removed three Sheikh Jamal wickets inside the powerplay, leaving their opponents struggling at 15 runs.
A 72-run partnership between Shykat Ali and Shakib steadied the innings, defying the early damages, while Ziaur Rahman provided late fireworks with a blistering 85 off 58 balls (eight sixes, six fours). Shakib contributed 49 runs as Sheikh Jamal posted a challenging 267 for nine.
Tanzim Hasan and Rakibul Hasan claimed three wickets each for Abahani, with Nahidul Islam taking two.
In reply, Abahani reached their target with only one ball remaining thanks to half-centuries from Anamul Haque Bijoy, Afif Hossain (a team-high 83), and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat.
Shafiqul Isalm picked up two wickets for Sheikh Jamal, and Shakib was economical (34 runs, one wicket), but his efforts weren't enough to defend their total. Abahani captain Mosaddek sealed the victory with a six in the final over.
In other matches of the same round, Mohammedan Sporting Club defeated Shinepukur Cricket Club, securing their position as the likely runners-up. In the other match, Prime Bank Cricket Club won against Gazi Group Cricketers.
Fed Cup Football: Dhaka Abahani reach semifinal eliminating Fortis FC by 3-1 goals
Dhaka Abahani Ltd reached the semifinal of the Bashundhara Federation Cup Football Tournament' 2023-24 eliminating Fortis Football Club Ltd by 3-1 goal in the 4th and last quarterfinal at the Bashundhara Kings Arena here on Tuesday.
Dhaka Abahani will play the 2nd semifinal against BPL champions Bashundhara Kings on May 14 while defending champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC will face Bangladesh Police FC in the first semis on May 7.
The final match will be held on May 21 .
In the day's match, St Vincent forward Stewart Cornelius scored first for the sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani in the 9th minute (1-0).
Brazilian striker Washington Brandao doubled the margin in the added time of the first half (45+2 minute) to dominate the first session by 2-0 goal.
Brazilian midfielder Jonathan Fernandes scored the 3rd goal for Abahani in the 79th minute (3-0).
Jummon Nijum scored the consolation goal for Fortis FC in the added time of the match (90+7 minute) (3-1).
Earlier, Dhaka Mohammedan SC beat Sheikh Russel KC 2-1, league champions Bashundhara Kings defeated Rahmatganj MFS 2-0 while Police FC outplayed Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club 3-0 to reach semifinals of the Federation Cup Football.
Preview of Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Match of 2024
Bangladesh will face Zimbabwe for the 1st T20I match of the 5-match series starting from May 3 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Bangladesh, who saw a break in their winning run after losing against Sri Lanka, will look forward to regaining momentum and confidence in this series. On the other hand, Zimbabwe will take this series as an ideal preparation for the T20I World Cup 2024. The match will start at 6:00 PM BST.
BAN vs ZIM 1st T20I 2024: Match Details
Table: Schedule and venue of the first T20 Match between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe
Match
Date
Time
Venue
1st T20I
Friday, May 3, 2024
6:00 P.M BST
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram, Bangladesh
Read more: Shakib Gets Dhaka League Green Light, While Mustafizur Pulled from IPL for National Duty
First T20I Match between Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe in 2024: Preview
Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Sikandar Raza are responsible for leading Bangladesh and Zimbabwe respectively in this series. Bangladesh will depend on Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, and Nazmul Hossain Shanto in the top order.
The middle order is expected to be led by Tawhid Hridoy and then carried by Mahmudullah Riyad and Jaker Ali. Apart from that, the pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib are expected to play a big role in this game. However, the real competition would be for no. 7 and 8 positions. Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin are all in an equal battle and have equal claims for this position. But it is unlikely for Bangladesh to go with 4 pacers. Hence, Mahedi and Rishad should grab the spots for the first games. Another option could be to go with all three of them and drop one of the frontline seamers.
Operations Chairman of BCB Jalal Yunus has emphasised managing the workload for seamers in previous press interviews. After a long DPL season, this series would be a good opportunity to rotate the seamers. This can be beneficial for workload management as well as finding the best combination of seamers ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Zimbabwe would highly depend on their star and most in-form player Sikandar Raza with both bowling and batting. They have put a good amount of weight on the performance of African Games Cricket 2023 in their squad selection. Clive Mandane, Brian Bennett, and Johnathan Campbell got call-ups in their squad after their performances in this tournament. Johnathan Campbell, son of former Zimbabwean captain Alistair Campbell, got his maiden call-up in this series.
Their batting will be reliant on Craig Ervine and Sean Williams anchoring, and Sikandar Raza-Ryan Burl’s explosiveness. Apart from that they’d expect the likes of Tadiwanashe Marumani and Brian Bennett to step up. Their bowling department will be primarily led by Richard Ngrava and Blessing Muzarabani. Wellington Masakadza will have his part to play as well. Apart from that, Sikandar Raza’s off-spin can be their trump card. Johnathan Campbell might have a key role to play here as well with his leg-spin.
Read more: Squad announced for first 3 T20Is against Zimbabwe
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe H2H T20I Records So Far
Table: Head-to-head T20I records between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe
Total Matches
Bangladesh Win
Zimbabwe Win
Tie/NR
20
13
7
0
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe always provide an exciting battle for the fans and audiences. These two sides have met 20 times. Bangladesh came out victorious 13 times and Zimbabwe won 7 of them.
They have fought in seven bilateral series, of which Bangladesh won three and Zimbabwe won only 1. The rest were a tie.
However, Zimbabwe is the winner of the last series between these two sides in Zimbabwe 2022. On the other hand, Bangladesh won the last game between these two sides in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Read more: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe T20 Series 2024: Fixtures, Head-To-Head Records
Bangladesh Squad Against Zimbabwe
Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmud Ullah, Litton Kumer Das, Tawhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Sharif Uddin, Jaker Ali Anik, Taskin Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Saifuddin, and Afif Hossain.
Zimbabwe Squad Against Bangladesh
Sikandar Raza (Captain), Clive Madande, Faraz Akram, Wellington Masakadza, Ryan Burl, Johnathan Campbell, Joylord Gumbie, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Sean Williams, Blessing Muzarabani, Ainsley Ndlovu, and Richard Ngarava.
Read more: Zimbabwe cricketers arrive in Dhaka for 5-match T20I series against hosts
Key Players to Watch from Bangladesh Team
Litton Kumer Das
Litton Kumer Das has been a crucial factor in Bangladesh’s rise since T20I 2023. His quick starts in the powerplay set the momentum for a big score. Similarly, he can go big as well. In his last 10 innings, Litton scored 345 runs with an average of 38.33. Bangladesh would look for similar returns in this game as well.
Shoriful Islam
Shoriful Islam has developed himself as the key strike bowler of Bangladesh in recent times. He picked up 8 wickets in the last 6 games with a strike rate of 16.25. His success in making the batters of the opposition team unstable in the opening overs makes him a key player for this team.
Rishad Hossain
Rishad Hossain is one of the newest finds for Bangladesh. He sorts two sides where Bangladesh has been struggling for a long time. He can play as a pinch hitter in the lower-middle order. At the same time, his leg-spin is also a great help for the Bangladesh team.
Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Preliminary Squad in the Upcoming BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2024
Key Players to Watch from the Zimbabwe Team
Sikandar Raza
Sikandar Raza is the biggest threat to the opposition. His all-round capability as well as playing big roles in almost all the wins of Zimbabwe. He scored 398 runs and picked up 13 wickets in the last 8 games. This vastly experienced campaigner would be crucial for Zimbabwe.
Ryan Burl
Ryan Burl can take games away from the opponent with his big hits. He also shines against Bangladesh. He averages around 60 against Bangladesh. His explosive batting would be key in pitches like Chattogram
Richard Ngrava
Richard Ngrava is arguably the most in-form bowler for Zimbabwe currently. Picking up 16 wickets in the last 10 games with a strike rate of 13.75 makes him the most dangerous bowler for Zimbabwe in this game.
Final Words
In the upcoming BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2024, both teams are well-equipped to beat the opponent. Bangladesh might start the series as a favourite due to being the host country. But Zimbabwe will fight an equal battle under the captaincy of Sikandar Raza.
Read more: What lies ahead for Bangladesh spinners under Mushtaq Ahmed's guidance
Women's Football League: Nasrin Sports Academy start campaign in style, crushing Jamalpur KA
The national star studded Nasrin Sports Academy started their campaign in the UCB Women's Football League 2023-24 in style, crushing Jamalpur Kacharipara Akadesh by 19-0 goals at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Monday.
In the day's lone match, Nasrin Sports Academy comfortably dominated the first half with 8-0 goals.
National booters Sanjida Akter, Masura Parvin, and Sumaya Matsushima netted two goals each, while Marzia scored the other goal for Nasrin Sports Academy.
After a recess on Tuesday, two 2nd round matches will be held on Wednesday (May 1) at the same venue.
Uttara FC Ltd will play Dhaka Rangers FC at 5 pm while Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan College SC will face Farashganj SC at 7:30 pm.
The champions team of the nine-team fray will be awarded with Tk 5,00,000 (five lakh), while the runners up team will receive Tk 3,00,000 (three lakh).
END/UNB/MMK/MB
Fed Cup Football: Dhaka Abahani Ltd to play Fortis FC in last quarterfinal Tuesday
Dhaka Abahani Limited will play Fortis Football Club Ltd in the 4th and last quarterfinal of the Bashundhara Federation Cup Football on Tuesday (Apr 30) at the Bashundhara Kings Arena here.
The match will kick-off at 3 pm
Earlier, defending champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC and league champions Bashundhara Kings qualified for the semifinals of the Federation Cup Football, eliminating Sheikh Russel KC (2-1) and Rahmatganj MFS (2-0) in their respective quarterfinals.
Bangladesh Police FC also smartly reached the semifinal, eliminating former BPL champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 3-0 goals in the 3rd quarterfinal last Tuesday.
Dhaka Mohammedan SC will face Bangladesh Police FC in the first semifinal on May 7.