Dhaka, Dec 29 (UNB) — The year started on a hopeful note for Bangladesh as Shakib Al Hasan had returned to international cricket early this year after serving a ban imposed by the ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches by a known bookie. But by the time it ended, supporters of the Tigers were hoping they could forget 2021 as soon as possible. Shakib was the most valuable player immediately upon his return, in the ODI series against the West Indies early this year. It was not the right indicator of what was in store for the remainder of the year. The downhill slide began in the Test series that followed the ODIs against the men from the Caribbean, who were severely depleted yet totally outplayed Bangladesh in both matches on the way to winning 2-0. Bangladesh won 20 international matches across all three formats this year, out of 46 played. Although that makes it their second-best year in terms of matches won, this does not reflect the suffering that Bangladesh went through playing at home or abroad in 2021, and across all three formats really. The poor show in Tests continued all through the year. At the end of the year, the Mominul Haque-led team suffered another 2-0 series defeat at home, this time against Pakistan.

Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan has revealed what had been their strength during the just-concluded T20 World Cup where Pakistan progressed to the semi-final. Rizwan was one of the players who drew the attention of millions during the event. He played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s success in T20Is in recent years. “Not losing wickets in powerplay and getting early breakthroughs in the powerplay was our strength in the T20 World Cup,” Rizwan said through a video message after arriving in Bangladesh. Also read: Rizwan spends two nights in a hospital with chest infection Pakistan will take on the hosts in a three-match T20 and two-match Test series. The first T20I of the series will take place on November 19 in Mirpur. The Pakistan opener became the first batter in history to score 1000 or more runs in T20Is in a calendar year. He credited Richard Pybus, Inzamam ul Haq and Shahid Aslam for his success. “I'm happy that I have scored the most runs in the calendar year. But I'm more delighted that I was able to secure this record for my country,” Rizwan told the media. Also read: Australia pull off late comeback to kill Pakistan's World Cup dream Pakistan team conducted their first training session on Monday at the BCB Academy ground. Rizwan was not part of the first day’s practice. He is expected to start preparation on Tuesday. Pakistan captain Babar Azam and veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik are yet to join the team. They are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formed a two-member committee to review the Bangladesh national team’s poor performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup’ 2021 in Oman and UAE. The two-member committee comprises BCB Directors Enayet Husain Siraj and Mohammed Jalal Yunus. Also read: T20 World Cup Upset: BCB may take big decisions for the Pakistan series The committee has been tasked to talk to the members of Bangladesh team including players and team management and relevant stakeholders to assess why the team could not deliver the expected performance in the global event and share its findings with the BCB.

Defeat in four consecutive matches has ended Bangladesh’s hope to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup. Still, the Tigers have a good chance to register a consolation win when they take on Australia on Thursday in Dubai. Australia have played three matches so far and won two of them. They currently are in third place on the points table. The top two teams of the Group 1 of the Super 12s will qualify for the semi-finals. England and South Africa are leading the table with eight and six points respectively from four and three wins. Also Read: ICC Ranking Update: Nabi catches up Shakib  Right before the World Cup, Bangladesh won two T20Is series on the trot against Australia and New Zealand, which had boosted Bangladesh’s confidence to do well in the World Cup. But they stumbled in the tournament as the wickets of the UAE are not similar to the pitches of Dhaka where they beat Australi and New Zealand.  “We have another chance to win against Australia tomorrow. The guys will analyse what they have done, and what they have to do. I am sure they will come back strongly tomorrow,” Rangana Herath, Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach told the media on Wednesday.  “As a professional team, we need to come back strongly. We have another game to go. We need to maintain that winning mindset and build winning confidence. We have to think about Bangladesh cricket’s way forward,” he added. Also Read: ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Bangladesh vs. Australia Match Preview  Bangladesh are going to miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan once again as the allrounder has been ruled out of the event with a hamstring blow. The Bangladesh team management did not call up any replacement which came as a big surprise to the fans. It seems that the team management accepted defeat in the last match even before it took to the field.  Aminul Islam Biplob, the legspinner, was part of the Bangladesh team as a standby player. But right before the World Cup began, he was sent home citing that his service won’t be required.  “We had three spinners so the management thought that it was the best combination. I am sure for the next tour against Pakistan or for the next few series Biplob will join the team,” Herath told about Aminul.  “Lot of wrist spinners are doing well in this tournament. I am sure Biplob will join in the next two tours. He will hopefully get the opportunity to play for Bangladesh,” he added.  Herath also said that the Bangladeshi players need to be more professional and understand their roles in the team and perform accordingly.  “As a cricketer, playing for your country is a matter of pride and responsibility. We should all understand the responsibilities and roles whether you are playing for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. If you can identify that role, and then improve day by day,” Herat, who was an integral part of the Sri Lankan side for years, also added.  Right after the World Cup, Bangladesh are set to take on Pakistan in a full series which will take place in Dhaka and Chattogram.  Also Read: ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Bangladesh, India can still qualify for Semifinals if …  

A six-wicket defeat to South Africa on Tuesday ended Bangladesh’s slim chance to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup. To grab the slimmest chance to book a berth in the semi-finals, Bangladesh had a must-win situation in their matches against South Africa (played today) and the final game against Australia. On Tuesday, Bangladesh batted first in this match and posted only 84 runs suffering the worst batting collapse in this World Cup. In reply, South Africa sealed the match with six wickets in hand in 13.3 overs with the captain Temba Bavuma hitting the highest 31 not out. Taskin Ahmed was Bangladesh’s best bowler taking two wickets conceding 18 runs off four overs. Earlier, four Bangladeshi batters— Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain and Nasum Ahmed— each suffered a duck and three of them fell for golden ducks. While going to 35 from 22, Bangladesh lost five wickets— three to Kagiso Rabada inside five balls. Also read: T20 World Cup: disastrous batting compounds Bangladesh miseries Rabada led the terrific bowling display from South Africa on a pitch that had something in it for the quicks. Rabada conceded 20 runs to take three wickets in four overs, Anrich Nortje also bagged three wickets conceding eight runs in 3.3 overs.

Sri Lankan leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva hit a hattrick against South Africa in the Super 12 stage of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Saturday. It was the 2nd hat-trick in the ongoing T20 World Cup and the 3rd hat-trick in the T20 World Cup history and the overall 23rd hat-trick in the T20 International Cricket. Ireland pacer Curtis Camphen made the maiden hat-trick in the current T20 World Cup against the Netherlands in Abu Dhabi on October 18. Read: Shakib, Sohan uncertain for SA clash

Bangladesh were outplayed by Sri Lanka in their first match of the Super 12s of the ongoing T20 World Cup at Sharjah on Sunday. Sri Lanka needed to score 172 to seal this match and register a flying start to the Super 12s, and they did it in style as Bangladesh missed two crucial catches of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Charith Asalanka when they were batting at 17 and 63 respectively. “Had we not missed those catches, the story would have been better,” Mahmudullah said after the match, “Batters did a great job. Liton and Naim gave us a very good start. Mushfiqur played a brilliant innings. We lost a few chances. Would like to correct those things in the next game.” After getting lives from Liton Das’ sloppy hands, Rajapaksa scored 36 and Asalanka added 17 more runs, and eventually sealed the match for Sri Lanka. It was only the third time when Bangladesh lost a T20I match after scoring 171 or more while batting first. On two of those three occasions, Bangladesh lost to Sri Lanka. Read: T20 WC: Naim hits his second World Cup fifty Apart from missing catches, Mohammad Saifuddin’s third over was also one of the main reasons behind Bangladesh’s defeat. The right-arm pacer gave away 22 runs with two sixes and two fours in the 16th over.

England beat defending champions West Indies by six wickets in their first Super 12s match of the ongoing T20 World Cup Saturday in the UAE's Dubai. Asked to bat first, the Caribbeans were bundled out for 55 all out in 14.2 overs – their lowest in T20 World Cups. Chris Gayle was the only West Indian batter to reach double-digit figures (13). Read: T20 World Cup: Australia make a flying start to Super 12s

Australia beat South Africa by a big margin of five wickets in the first match of the Super 12s stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup on Saturday at Abu Dhabi. It was the first match of the Super 12s of this World Cup. A total of 12 teams are fighting this phase dividing into two groups. Australia and South Africa are in Group 1. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, England and West Indies are also in this group. In Group 2, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Scotland, Namibia and New Zealand will fight each other. In Saturday’s match, South Africa were tumbled for only 118/9 in 20 overs while batting first after losing the toss. However, it was not an easy walk for Australia to chase down a target of 119 runs as they had to bat till 19.4 overs. Read: ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka Match Preview Aiden Markram was the highest scorer for South Africa amassing 40 runs off 36 balls while Kagiso Rabada scored 19. For Australia, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Adam Zampa took two wickets each. In reply, Australia lost the captain Aaron Finch for a duck in the second over of the innings. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh were not in good touch as they posted 14 and 11 respectively. Steven Smith posted the highest runs— 35 off 34 balls, while in the sixth wicket stand, Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade scored unbeaten 40 off 26 balls to seal the match. On October 24, four Asian teams will take the field— Bangladesh will face off Sri Lanka at 4pm at Sharjah while arch-rival Pakistan and India will fight at 8pm in Dubai. Read: ICC T20 World Cup 2021: High-Voltage Match between India and Pakistan Among the teams who advanced to the Super 12s playing Round 1, Namibia are the biggest surprise. It was expected that Sri Lanka and one of Ireland and the Netherlands would make it to the next phase, but Namibia beat both Ireland and the Netherlands to book a place in Super 12s. David Wiese and Gerhard Erasmus played exceptionally well for Namibia scoring 100 and 105 respectively in three matches of Round 1. They could be a big threat for the big teams of Group 2 in Super 12s. Meanwhile, after losing the first match of Round 1, Bangladesh beat Oman and Papua New Guinea in two consecutive matches to ensure a Super 12s berth. They will now face more non-Asian teams in this stage which may be more helpful for them to make it to the semis.

The Bangladesh national cricket team is all set to take on their Asian counterparts Sri Lanka on October 24 aiming to start their Super 12s stage of the T20 World Cup on high.  Both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka advanced to the Super 12s stage playing in Round 1. Bangladesh beat the hosts Oman and Papua New Guinea in Round 1 but lost to Scotland while Sri Lanka beat all three teams— Ireland, Netherlands and Namibia in Round 1.  Right before the World Cup began, Bangladesh lost a warm-up match against Sri Lanka, which added an extra dimension to Sunday’s match. Sri Lanka also played their Round 1 games in the UAE, which might help them a bit. But Bangladesh’s head coach said they are not bothered about the result of Round 1.  “I don’t think what happened in the first round counts so much in the main event now. Both teams are starting from scratch from tomorrow,” he said on Saturday. “We have had some good contests against them in ODIs and Tests. We have a well-balanced side with skilful bowlers and some dangerous batters. We have a world-class allrounder in Shakib (Al Hasan). These types of conditions can suit us. Sharjah is similar to the wickets in Dhaka. Hopefully, that can assist us in tomorrow’s game.”