Sports
BCB appoints former Pakistan great Mushtaq Ahmed as spin-bowling coach
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced today the appointment of renowned spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed to its national team. The former Pakistan leg-spinner and World Cup winner brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to the role.
Mushtaq, 53, has previously served as spin bowling coach for prominent cricketing nations, including England, West Indies, and Pakistan. His impressive resume also boasts a stint as Pakistan's bowling consultant.
“It is a great honor for me to be a part of the Bangladesh cricket team as a spin bowling coach,” Mushtaq stated. “I am looking forward to the role and want to pass my experience to the players because they are very coachable and I always believe that they are one of the most dangerous teams around.”
Mushtaq’s appointment comes ahead of Bangladesh's preparation camp for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe later this month. He will be working closely with the team until the culmination of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, set to take place in the West Indies and USA.
Keep the expectation bar low': Shanto cautions ahead of World Cup
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto urged for tempered expectations ahead of the World Cup scheduled for June-July in the USA and the West Indies.
Shanto made the statement on Tuesday during a media session while signing a brand ambassador agreement with a corporation.
“I’ve a request to you all, we don’t need to expect much,” Najmul implored the reporters. “Everyone wants to achieve big things for Bangladesh, but when we talk much about these, I don’t like it personally. We will see when the result comes.”
Bangladesh recently concluded home series against Sri Lanka, with losses in the T20I and Test matches raising concerns about the team's form ahead of the World Cup.
Next, Bangladesh will host Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series, with the first three matches in Chattogram and the remaining two in Dhaka.
“I can assure you that we will give our 120 percent to play well and win,” Shanto added. “We will go to the World Cup with a high expectation.”
Shanto also addressed the potential return of Tamim Iqbal but couldn't provide a specific timeframe. He suggested Tamim might make a decision after the ongoing Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League season.
“If he returns to any format of the game, I will be so happy. Not just me, but I think everyone in the country, and every cricketer will be happy for him,” Shanto said of Tamim’s possible comeback.
For now, Shanto emphasizes the upcoming Zimbabwe series starting May 3rd in Chattogram: “This series is important for us. If we play well in this series, we will get confidence ahead of the World Cup. It would be ideal if the wickets in this series are similar to the ones we'll encounter at the World Cup in the World Cup.”
Gazi Group thrash Brothers Union in Dhaka League encounter
Gazi Group Cricketers secured a 130-run victory over Brothers Union in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League on Tuesday under the DLS method in the rain-affected game in BKSP.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Gazi Group piled on the runs. Anisul Islam Emon (65) and Habibur Rahman Sohan (81) built a strong foundation after losing the opener, Mehedi Maruf, early.The middle-order capitalized, with Sabbir Hossain (74) and Al-Amin (64) further boosting the total. Gazi Group ended their innings with a commanding 344 for 7 on the board.
For Brothers, Rahatul Ferdous took three wickets.
Brothers’ revised target was set at 309 in 41 overs, but they failed to chase it. They never got the momentum. Only Abdul Mazid (51) provided a bit of resistance, with Mahmudal Hasan (24) offering some support.
Gazi Group's bowlers, led by Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, who bagged four for 34, maintained relentless pressure. Brothers Union's innings folded at 178, handing Gazi Group a big win.
In the other match of the day, Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club beat City Club by a mere margin of five runs under the DLS method. Shamsur Rahman, the Rupganj captain, hit a century and led the team from the front. Riding on his century, Rupganj posted 297 for eight.
City’s target was 266 in 41 overs. But they fell short of 6 runs and lost the match. Arafat Sunny took four wickets for Rupganj in eight overs conceding 32 runs.
Nahid Rana takes five, Shinepukur beat Mohammedan in Dhaka League
Shinepukur Cricket Club secured a six-wicket win against giant Mohammedan Sporting Club on Tuesday in the ongoing Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League in Dhaka.
Nahid Rana, the young right-arm pacer fresh from his Test debut, bagged five wickets for Shinepukur.
Imrul Kayes, the captain of Mohammedan, scored a fifty, while Abu Hider Rony also pulled up a fifty for them. But the middle order failed to deliver well. Rony Talukdar and Mahidul Islam Ankon retured four and a duck, with both of them were taken by Nahid Rana.
National team stars Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mahmudullah Riyad scored 29 and 15, respectively, helping Mohammedan post a competitive total.
Nahid took five wickets, conceding 45 runs in 10 overs.
Rain revised Shinepukur's target to 158 runs in 30 overs, which they successfully chased in 27.4 overs.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim (36) and Marshal Ayub (30) laid the foundation, while Akbar Ali finished unbeaten on 27 off 20 balls.
This marks Shinepukur's fourth consecutive league victory, propelling them to third place in the standings. Mohammedan, on the other hand, suffered their second defeat in four matches and slipped to fourth place
Ex-test cricketer Slater in custody after facing an Australian court on domestic violence charges
Former Australian test cricketer Michael Slater has been remanded in custody while awaiting trial on 19 charges relating to domestic violence, stalking and breaches of bail.
The 54-year-old Slater was refused bail Tuesday when he appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court, about an hour north of Brisbane in Queensland state, charged with unlawful stalking or intimidation, breaking into a dwelling with intent at night, common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and choking or suffocation.
He was arrested Friday for the alleged offenses between Dec. 5 and April 12, and on 10 counts of contravening a domestic violence order.
Sheikh Jamal continue winning streak, as Nurul leads team to victory
Slater made his debut for Australia in 1993 and played 73 test matches, scoring 5,312 runs at an average of almost 43. He also played 42 limited-overs internationals before retiring from professional cricket in 2004 and launching a lengthy career in television commentary.
He was remanded in custody until his next appearance in the same court on May 31.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that Slater collapsed to the floor and had to be helped up by security staff when Magistrate Raelene Ellis denied his bail application.
BCB extends Mustafizur's IPL NOC by just one day
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has granted a one-day extension to Mustafizur Rahman's No Objection Certificate (NOC), allowing him to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a BCB source.
Mustafizur was previously scheduled to leave the IPL on April 30th but can now play for his team, the Chennai Super Kings, on May 1st. He will return to Bangladesh on May 2nd.
Bangladesh will face Zimbabwe in a five-match T20I series starting May 3rd in Chattogram. Mustafizur is expected to join the national team but may miss the first match. The last two matches of this series will take place in Dhaka.
The left-arm pacer has excelled in the IPL, taking 10 wickets in five matches. He has been one of the main bowlers of Chennai in this edition of IPL.
Following the Zimbabwe series, Bangladesh will travel to the USA for a three-match T20I series in preparation for the T20 World Cup, scheduled in the USA and the West Indies
Who's leading Bangladesh's Premier Cricket League?
The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League is in full swing, with 12 teams having completed at least nine rounds of matches. After the Eid break, Abahani Limited and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club each extended their win streaks on Monday to solidify their positions in the standings.
Abahani Limited remains undefeated, securing victories in all 10 of their matches and dominating the league table, securing 20 points. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club follows closely behind with 16 points from eight wins in 10 matches, having won their last three consecutive games.
Mohammedan Sporting Club, a renowned name in Bangladeshi cricket history, has earned 14 points with seven wins out of nine matches played. Shinepukur Cricket Club, Prime Bank Cricket Club, and Legends of Rupganj each hold 12 points, although Prime Bank and Rupganj have played 10 rounds while Shinepukur has played nine.
Gazi Group Cricketers occupy seventh place with 10 points from five wins in nine matches. Brothers Union follows with six points from three wins out of nine.
City Club and Gazi Tyres Cricketers each have four points, while Partex Sporting Club and Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club have two points apiece.
Many national team stars are currently participating in the Dhaka league but will soon leave for national team camps in preparation for the upcoming Zimbabwe T20Is later this month.
Shanto, Naim overshadow Mushfiqur in Dhaka League victory
Abahani Limited continued their undefeated streak in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, securing a 58-run victory over Prime Bank Cricket Club on Monday in Dhaka.
This marks their 10th consecutive win in the country's premier domestic cricket competition.
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mohammad Naim delivered commanding centuries for Abahani. Despite a valiant century from Mushfiqur Rahim in reply, Prime Bank fell short in their chase.
Sent in to bat first, Abahani posted a formidable 341 for 4 in their 50 overs. Captain Shanto led the charge with a blistering 118, while Naim Sheikh contributed 105. Tawhid Hridoy added a quickfire 65 off just 35 balls.
Bangladeshi batters make gains in Test rankings
Hasan Mahmud claimed two wickets for Prime Bank.
Prime Bank's chase stumbled as they lost wickets consistently. Parvez Hossain Emon managed 56 runs, but it was Mushfiqur's fighting century that offered a glimmer of hope.
However, Abahani's bowlers held firm, with Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat sharing wickets. Tanzim and Taskin took three wickets apiece, while Mosaddek claimed two.
Women's Cricket: Bangladesh suffer yet another big defeat to Australia
Prime Bank Cricket Club was ultimately all out for 283 in the 49th over. Abahani's 58-run victory solidifies their position at the top of the table with 20 points from 10 matches they’ve played so far.
Sheikh Jamal continue winning streak, as Nurul leads team to victory
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club (SJDC) secured a 5-wicket victory against Partex Sporting Club (PSC) in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League on Monday at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.
This was SJDC’s first match after the Eid break and their tenth match in the event. This win brings their points tally in the ongoing league to 16.
PSC won the toss and elected to bat first, starting steadily with a 41-run partnership for the first wicket between Munim Shahriar and Azmir Ahmed. But wickets began to fall at regular intervals, and PSC struggled to build partnerships.
Bangladeshi batters make gains in Test rankings
PSC managed a below-par total of only 205 runs, due in part to a late contribution of 35 runs by Ahrar Amin.
Shafiqul Islam was the pick of the bowlers for SJDC, bagging four wickets, while Taibur Rahman took three. Their effective bowling restricted PSC to a chaseable total.
In response, SJDC lost four wickets inside 100 runs. Despite the early losses, they remained in control of the match. Opener Shykat Ali posted 41, and SJDC captain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, anchored the chase with a well-played 76, guiding the team to victory.
Women's Cricket: Bangladesh suffer yet another big defeat to Australia
With this victory, SJDC has moved up to second place in the points table, while PSC has slipped to eleventh place, increasing their risk of elimination.
After a gruelling schedule, Bangladeshi cricketers celebrate Eid with family and friends
After a gruelling schedule packed with international matches and domestic leagues, Bangladesh's cricket stars are taking a well-deserved break to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with family and loved ones.
National team captain, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, will head to Rajshahi to celebrate Eid with his family. Similarly, Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been recovering from an injury, will spend the holidays in his hometown of Bogura.
Other players, including Tawhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahmudul Hasan, and Rishad Hossain, will also celebrate Eid in their respective home districts, relishing the opportunity to connect with family and friends.
However, not all players will be celebrating within the country. Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has embarked on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and he is celebrating Eid with his family in the USA, while fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman will celebrate Eid in India as he continues his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL).