Shakib Al Hasan once again registered a five-wicket haul in Tests taking five for 96 in the Dhaka Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. It was Shakib’s 19th five-wicket haul in the format. His last five-wicket haul in Test was in 2018 against West Indies in Kingston. It was Shakib’s longest period of time between two five-wicket hauls in Tests. However, Sri Lanka managed to secure a 141-run first-innings lead riding on the centuries of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal. Also read: Sri Lanka continue thriving as Mathews, Chandimal hit tons Chandimal fell for 124, but Mathews remained unbeaten for 145. For Bangladesh, Shakib bagged five and Ebadot Hossain took four.  

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first in the second Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka on Monday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.  Bangladesh made two changes to the playing XI— including Mosaddek Hossain and Ebadot Hossain to replace Nayeem Hasan and Shoriful Islam, who were out due to injuries.  Also read:Mominul eyes series win as Dhaka Test begins Monday The first Test of the series ended up in a draw in Chattogram where Angelo Mathews was the best performer scoring 199 while Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim also hit a century each for Bangladesh.  Nayeem bagged six wickets for the Tigers— his best in the format. But unfortunately, he got a blow on his finger and was ruled out of this series. 

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first in the Dhaka Test against Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday morning. The hosts will bank on their star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has staged a comeback along with right-arm pacer Khaled Ahmed. It will be marked as Shakib’s first Test in Mirpur in three years. He last played in Mirpur in November 2018.  Mahmudul Hasan Joy, the right-handed batter, is making his Test debut in Saturday's match at the age of 21 years, with Bangladesh making three changes to the playing XI from their first Test. Mahmudul has played a total of eight First-class matches and scored 574 runs at an average of 41.00, with two centuries and two fifties in his kitty. Read: Yasir determined to prove his mettle He was one of Bangladesh’s mainstays during the U-19 World Cup triumph last year in South Africa.  Bangladesh have replaced Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali and Abu Jayed Rahi with Mahmudul, Shakib and Khaled.  Saif, the right-handed opener, was diagnosed with typhoid, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. So one change was inevitable for the Tigers.  Shakib was so close to playing the first Test, but the hamstring injury delayed his return to Tests. The southpaw played his last Test in July 2021 in Zimbabwe while Khaled returned to Tests after about three years. He played his last Test in 2019 in Hamilton.  Pakistan did not make any change to their playing XI from Chattogram Test that they won by eight wickets. That was the first match for both teams in the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.  Read: Dhaka Test: Bangladesh, Pakistan teams return from Chattogram Bangladesh (Playing XI): Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (w), Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Pakistan (Playing XI): Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (w), Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Afridi

Aiming to avoid a whitewash in the three-match T20I series, Bangladesh will take on Pakistan on Monday in the final clash at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Due to the poor batting display, Bangladesh lost the first two matches without creating enough resistance against the quality bowling attack of Pakistan. Now, the Tigers stand on the edge of a whitewash. Bangladesh are missing the services of veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim and seasoned all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. While Mushfiqur was rested for this series, Shakib has been sidelined due to an injury. In their absence, the onus was on Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Najmul Hossain and Mohammad Naim to guide the batting line. But they failed to deliver in the first two matches. Read: Kamrul, Emon added to Bangladesh T20 squad Ahead of the third T20I, Bangladesh made two changes to the squad adding right-arm pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi and left-handed opener Parvez Hossain Emon. Emon was one of Bangladesh’s mainstays during their U-19 World Cup triumph in 2020 in South Africa. He also displayed his T20 batting prowess in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup last year. He has the record of hitting the fastest T20 century as a Bangladeshi batter. The left-handed batter played a total of 24 T20s and scored 563 runs in an average of 24.47 with a century. Kamrul has also shown some quality bowling in T20s. but he was never a part of the Bangladesh T20 team before. He played a total of 68 T20s and bagged 80 wickets with the best bowling figure of taking four wickets conceding 10 runs. He also played seven Tests. It was learnt that the right-handed opener, Saif Hassan, who got his T20I cap in the first match of the series and also took part in the second, has been asked to leave the team hotel and join the Test probable in Chattogram. Read: Pakistan wrap up series beating Bangladesh by eight wickets Now, Emon is the only opener in the team along with Mohammad Naim. So it is expected that Emon will join Naim to open the innings on Monday. Left-arm pacer duo Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam are uncertain for the final match due to some injury concerns. They might be replaced with other uncapped pacers Shohidul Islam and Rabbi. After the T20I series, both the teams will travel to Chattogram for the first Test of the two-match series beginning on November 26. The second Test of the series will be played in Dhaka from December 4.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first in the second T20I of the three-match series against Pakistan at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Pakistan won the first match by four wickets. They stand a chance to wrap up the series if they win this one. In contrast, for Bangladesh, this match is a chance to keep the series alive. And for that, they have to win this match.  READ:  Mahmudullah blames top-order batting after defeat to Pakistan Bangladesh is playing with an unchanged XI, while Pakistan made one change -- resting Hassan Ali to pave way for Shaheen Afridi. Hassan was the player of the match in the first T20I, taking three wickets.  Bangladeshi batters failed to post a challenging total on the board in the first match. Mahmudullah Riyad, the Bangladesh captain, blamed the top-order batters for the disappointment. The third and final match of the series will take place on Monday at the same venue.  Bangladesh (Playing XI): Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah(c), Nurul Hasan(w), Mahedi Hasan, Aminul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman READ:  Pakistan beat Bangladesh in low-scoring first T20I Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf

Pakistan won the first match of the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh by four wickets on Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. In the see-saw match, Bangladesh showed some resistance at some points while defending a moderate total of 127 runs. But Pakistan batters were calm enough to seal the match. They destroyed Bangladesh’s hope to erase the World Cup agony. Pakistan lost four wickets for 40 runs in 10 overs while chasing the target. They needed to score 88 in the last 10 overs to seal the match.  Bangladesh displayed some quality bowling in the powerplay when Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan scalped one wicket each including the wickets of Pakistan openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam.  In the fifth wicket stand, Fakhar Zaman and Khushdil Shah added 56 runs off 50 balls that put Pakistan back on the driving seat. The stand was broken by Shoriful Islam. The left-arm pacer removed Khushdil for 34 off 35 balls.  In the last five overs, Pakistan needed 46 runs with five wickets in hand.  They completed the task riding on the 8-ball 18 by Mohammad Nawaz, and 10-ball 21 by Shadab Khan. Nawaz smashed 15 off 19th over bowled by Shoriful with a four off the last ball of 18th over bowled by Mustafizur.  In the last over, Pakistan needed only two runs. Bangladesh captain gave the ball to Aminul Islam Biplob, only legspinner of Bangladesh squad, to bowl his first over. Shadab failed to take any run off the first ball, but he smashed the second ball to a six to seal the match with four wickets in hand and four balls to spare.  READ: Bangladesh opt to bat first in T20I series opener vs Pakistan For Bangladesh, Taskin bagged two wickets conceding 31 runs while Mahedi, Mustafizur and Shoriful scalped one wicket each. Earlier, Bangladesh posted a moderate total of 127 for seven 20 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat first.  Afif Hossain was the highest runs getter scoring 36, while Mahedi Hasan scored 30 and Nurul Hasan added 28.  Despite so manage changes to the playing XI, Bangladesh failed to register a solid start as they lost both the openers inside three overs.  Mohammad Naim, Bangladesh’s most successful T20 opener in recent time, was removed by Hassan Ali off the first ball of the second over of the innings. It was a delivery outside off stump, Naim went for a drive but without any foot movement. He only managed an edge to the wicketkeeper.  In the next over, Saif Hassan fell prey to Mohammad Washim after a horror debut of scoring one off eight balls. He also missed the foot movement while prodding the ball to Fakhar Zaman at the first slip.  Najmul Hossain Shanto came to bat at number three but failed once again. He scored only 7 off 14 balls. He was also haunted by Mohammad Wasim. READ: Quick wickets jolt Pakistan in first T20I  Bangladesh needed to play till 5.1 overs to get their first boundary— a four off Haris Rauf by the number five Afif.  Bangladesh amassed 25 runs for three wickets in the powerplay— another lean show by the Tigers in the first six overs in the T20Is.  Afif was the only batter to show some resistance against the quality bowling attack of Pakistan who overlooked Shaheen Afridi in this match. Afif fell as the fifth wicket scoring 36 off 34 with two fours and two sixes.  Before his dismissal, Bangladesh also lost the captain Mahmudullah Riyad for six off 11 balls. In 15 overs, Bangladesh posted 80 for 5. In the last five over, Bangladesh added 47 runs losing two more wickets.  Mahedi and Nurul scored 30 and 28 respectively. These two batters also put up the biggest partnership of the innings— 35 off 24 balls.  Bangladesh eventually reached 127 for seven in 20 overs.  For Pakistan, Hasan Ali bagged three wickets conceding 24 runs. It was his first T20I after missing a match-deciding catch in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup against Australia. Mohammad Wasim scalped two wickets conceding 24 runs.  The second match of the series will take place on Saturday at the same venue at 2pm. The third and final of the series will be played on November 22 at the same venue and at the same time. After the T20I series, both the teams will take on each other in a two-match Test series, with the first Test beginning on November 26 in Chattogram, and the second Test in Dhaka from December 4.

Leaving the T20 World Cup agony behind, Bangladesh are looking forward to a new start in the series against Pakistan  beginning on November 19 in Dhaka, said  right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed on Monday.   In the just-concluded T20 World Cup, Bangladesh played a total of eight matches and lost six of them. They failed to register any win in the Super 12s of the tournament. The two wins came against the teams like Oman and Papua New Guinea. Read:BAN vs. PAK: Who has the edge in head-to-head T20I contest? “We couldn’t perform well in the World Cup, it’s true. But that is in the past,” Taskin said on Monday when the Bangladesh team played an intra-squad match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium behind the door. “We now are looking forward to starting afresh in the Pakistan series. It won’t be easy for us, but we will put our best foot forward.” Taskin played six matches in the World Cup and bagged six wickets. He was one of Bangladesh’s few players who displayed some individual brightness in the World Cup.  “I’ve been trying to improve my bowling over the last couple of years,” Taskin added. “It’s a process and it’ll continue. I haven’t done anything big yet, but I’m trying to do it. Our coaches are helping me a lot, and I’m more consistent now.” Read: Thumb injury rules Tamim out of Pakistan series According to Taskin, Pakistan are one of the top teams in T20 cricket. He said the defeat in the semi-final was unfortunate for Pakistan.  In the upcoming series, Bangladesh and Pakistan will take on each other in a three-match T20I and two-match Test series. All the T20Is will be played in Dhaka while the first Test will take place in Chattogram and the second in Dhaka.

In the fifth and final T20 against Bangladesh, New Zealand posted a challenging total of 161 while batting first after winning the toss on Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Tom Latham, the New Zealand captain, continued on a good run and posted an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls while Finn Allen hit 41 off 24 balls. New Zealand made a good start as Allen and Rachin Ravindra added 58 runs in the opening stand— their highest in the partnership in this series. Shoriful Islam, the left-arm Bangladeshi pacer, who was playing his first match in the series earned the first breakthrough removing Rachindra for 17 in the sixth over. In the same over, Shoriful removed the other opener as well. Read: Bangladesh make four changes in final T20 vs New New Zealand In the last six over, New Zealand scored 65 runs which helped them to post their highest total in this series. The final match of the series was being played on a different wicket which was not used earlier in this event. For Bangladesh, Shoriful bagged two while Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed and Afif Hossain took one wicket each. Bangladesh made four changes to their playing XI in this match resting Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin. To replace them, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam and Shamim Hossain made it to the XI.

Bangladesh beat New Zealand by six wickets in the fourth match on Wednesday clinching their first T20I series sweep against the Kiwis at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Tigers scripted their historic win with one match to play in the five-match series. It came not long after Bangladesh stunned Australia by wrapping for the first time a five-match T20I series against them 4-1 at the same stadium. Bangladesh won the first match of the series by seven wickets, the second match by four runs, but they lost the third by 52 runs. They came back strongly in the fourth match, making their third win in the series. It was Bangladesh’s first T20I series win against the Blackcaps. Before this series, Bangladesh took on the Kiwis in 10 matches but failed to win any of them. On Wednesday New Zealand won the toss and posted only 93 while batting first. In reply, Bangladesh chased down the target of 94 in 19.1 overs with six wickets in hand. Mahmudullah Riyad, the T20I captain and Afif Hossain remained unbeaten for 43 and 6 respectively. Read: New Zealand opt to bat first in 4th T20I vs Bangladesh Bangladesh lost the first wickets in the third over, and subsequently, they lost two more wickets in quick succession. Liton Das (6), Shakib Al Hasan (8) and Mushfiqu Rahim (0) failed to shine with the bat.

New Zealand bounced back strongly beating the hosts Bangladesh by 52 runs on Sunday in the third match of the five-match T20I series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Bangladesh won the first two matches of the series, and they had a good chance to wrap up the series with two matches to play. But yet another poor batting performance handed the Kiwis a big victory and stay alive in the series. New Zealand have won the toss and opted to bat first. They posted a challenging total of 128 on the tricky Dhaka surface thanks to the 66-run stand in the sixth wicket by Henry Nicholls and Tom Blundell. In reply, the hosts tumbled for 76, their second-lowest in the format, and lost the match by 52 runs. Bangladesh never looked to dominate the Kiwis as they did in the first two matches. The hosts lost the first four wickets inside the power play. Openers, Mohammad Naim and Liton Das, returned to the dressing room in a span of one run. Liton smashed three fours and hinted that he would enjoy batting, but he failed to continue and fell for 15. He perished to Cole McConchie. In the very next over, Naim was removed by Rachin Ravindra. Also read: Tigers do enough to see off Latham's Black Caps in 2nd T20I Mahedi Hasan, who got a chance to bat up of the order, failed to justify the decision as he only scored one run, and right after him, Shakib Al Hasan was out for a duck. Both Mahedi and Shakib were hunted by Ajaz Patel. The onus was on Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain and Nurul Hasan to keep the Tigers in the match. While Mushfiqur was firm at one end of the wicket, Mahmudullah, Afif and Sohan fell in quick succession. Eventually, Bangladesh tumbled for 76 all out in 20 overs with Mushfiqur remained unbeaten for 20 off 37 balls. For New Zealand, Ajaz bagged four wickets while McConchie took three. Earlier, New Zealand failed to secure a good opening stand once again as they posted 16 on the first wicket. Mustafizur Rahman earned the first breakthrough for the Tigers removing Finn Allen for 15. Allen was playing his first match in this series. He was tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the series. He has recently returned negative in two Covid-19 tests and joined the New Zealand team. Also read: Tigers eye to seal series against Kiwis on Sunday For Bangladesh, Mohammad Saifuddin bagged two wickets conceding 28 runs in four overs while Mahedi Hasan, Mustafiz, and Mahmudullah Riyad took one wicket each. It was the 100th T20I for Mahmudullah. He became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to have played 100 T20Is. The hosts fielded an unchanged playing XI, while the visitors made three changes. They overlooked Hamish Bennett, Ben Sears and Doug Bracewell to pave the way for Finn Allen, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jacob Duffy. The remaining matches of the series will take place on September 8 and 10 at the same venue. Bangladesh need to win any of those matches to seal the series while the Blackcaps need to win both for the same.