Bangladesh superstar Shakib Al Hasan, one of cricket's greatest all rounders, has been barred from bowling in international cricket and domestic competitions, following an independent assessment at an ICC-accredited testing centre in the United Kingdom. The suspension, effective immediately, draws on one applying to competitions under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that came to light recently. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has now been made to understand the wider implication of that ban. Victory Day friendly cricket on Monday in Mirpur According to a BCB media release, it has received communication from the ECB confirming that the suspension is in line with clause 11.3 of the ICC regulations for illegal bowling actions. According to this regulation, if a player is banned from bowling by a National Cricket Federation, the suspension is automatically enforced in international cricket and all other domestic competitions globally. ICC member countries' boards however may override the ban and allow someone in Shakib's position to bowl in competitions under their jurisdiction. It's a bizarre turn of events for the Bangladesh cricketer, who has plied his trade for at least 17 years in international cricket without raising eyebrows over his action. During this time, he has taken over 700 international wickets, including 246 in Test cricket. For him to be barred from bowling at the age of 37 suggests something has changed in his action. While Shakib is barred from bowling, he remains eligible to play as a batter in all formats of cricket. The BCB said that Shakib will soon undergo reassessment at an ICC-accredited center, and a clearance would allow him to resume bowling in international cricket and in competitions governed by other National Cricket Federations. Bangladesh add Nahid Rana to T20I squad against West Indies “The BCB is in regular contact with the ECB, the ICC, and the player throughout this process,” the board said in its media release, mentioning that no further comments would be made at this time. Shakib’s bowling action was initially flagged during his participation in a competition under the ECB’s jurisdiction. The ICC-accredited testing revealed irregularities, leading to his suspension. However, as per clause 11.4 of the ICC regulations, a successful reassessment could overturn the decision. Shakib’s forthcoming reassessment will determine when he can resume bowling. Until then, Shakib is expected to continue to play as a batter.  

Pakistan hopes it will get a fair deal on “equality” when the International Cricket Council holds a virtual meeting on Friday to finalize details for next year’s Champions Trophy. There’s an impasse for the eight-team, 50-over format tournament after India declined to tour Pakistan for the event, scheduled to be held from Feb. 19 to March 9. A decades-long tense political situation between the two south Asian countries hasn’t see India playing international cricket in Pakistan since 2008 when it competed in Asia Cup. Both nations have competed in ICC tournaments with Pakistan touring India last year for the 50-overs World Cup. “I promise we’ll do what is best for Pakistan cricket,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in Lahore. “We’re still clear in our stance that it’s not acceptable that we play cricket in India, and they don’t play cricket here. Whatever will happen, will happen on the basis of equality. We’ve told the ICC very clearly, and what happens next we’ll let you know.” The ICC board could decide the issue in a vote among members. “Whatever we do, we will make sure the best outcome for Pakistan is achieved,” Naqvi said. “But I repeat, and I am sure you know what I mean, it’s not possible that Pakistan play in India, and they don’t come here.” Earlier this month, the ICC told the PCB that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had informed the game’s governing body it will not tour Pakistan for the event. The PCB sent an email, asking the ICC reasons behind India’s refusal. 13-year-old cricketer Suryavanshi can become India's latest T20 batting sensation Naqvi said he’s been in “constant touch” with the ICC chairman Greg Barckley, but didn’t say whether he got the answers from the game’s governing body as to why India was not willing to tour Pakistan. Naqvi, who is also the interior minister in the Pakistan government, said that whatever decision the ICC makes on Friday, he will go to his government for the final approval. Pakistan has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of three stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi — the three venues chosen for the Champions Trophy. Naqvi said he hoped the renovation of three stadiums will be completed well in time to host the event.  

International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim AA Khan on Wednesday announced that he is filing an application for a warrant of arrest against Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing before Pre-Trial Chamber I. After an extensive, independent and impartial investigation, his office has concluded that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that Senior General and acting President Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, bears "criminal responsibility" for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, committed in Myanmar, and in part in Bangladesh. This is the first application for an arrest warrant against a high-level Myanmar government official that his office is filing. Since 14 November 2019, they have been investigating alleged crimes committed during the 2016 and 2017 waves of violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, and the subsequent exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar to Bangladesh. ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan to visit Bangladesh Nov 25-28; will meet Prof Yunus "My office alleges that these crimes were committed between 25 August 2017 and 31 December 2017 by the armed forces of Myanmar, the Tatmadaw, supported by the national police, the border guard police, as well as non-Rohingya civilians," Khan, who is visiting Bangladesh, said in a statement. Today’s application draws upon a wide variety of evidence from numerous sources such as witness testimonies, including from a number of insider witnesses, documentary evidence and authenticated scientific, photographic and video materials. In collecting this evidence, the office has benefitted from the crucial support of States, civil society partners and international organisations. In particular, the cooperation, the confidence and the steadfast commitment from the Rohingya community, the support of the government of Bangladesh, and excellent cooperation from the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar have been essential to advancing this investigation, Khan said. "I wish in particular to express my deep, profound gratitude to the Rohingya. More than a million members of their community have been forced to flee violence in Myanmar," he said, adding that they are grateful to all those who provided testimony and support to his office, those that have shared their stories, those that have given us information and material. Yunus, ICC discuss ways to file crimes against humanity case in July-Aug massacre In his visits to the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar over the last three years, including just Tuesday, Khan met Rohingya women who spoke with clarity and purpose about the need for accountability. "I sat with youth activists who wanted to play their own role in seeking justice. And I spoke with men of all ages including the old and the sick, who were united in demanding to be seen and to have accountability for what befell them," he said, adding that their work seeks to vindicate their resilience and their hope in the power of the law. Khan said it is now for the judges of the International Criminal Court to determine whether this application meets the necessary standard for the issuance of an arrest warrant.  "In the event that the independent judges of the ICC issue the requested warrant, we will coordinate closely with the Registrar of the Court in all efforts to arrest the named individual," Khan said. When he first travelled to Bangladesh, he announced that they would seek to accelerate their investigations, and they committed to providing additional resources in that effort. "Since then, we have reinvigorated our activities in line with that promise. Today marks a culmination of this renewed focus in relation to this situation," Khan said. He said they will continue this focus in the coming weeks and months as we submit additional applications in this situation. "In doing so, we will be demonstrating, together with all of our partners, that the Rohingya have not been forgotten. That they, like all people around the world, are entitled to the protection of the law," Khan said.

Bangladesh lost the toss and were sent in to bowl first in the third and final T20I of their three-match series against India, which was also the farewell of Mahmudullah Riyad’s from the format. With the series already lost after defeats in the first two games, Bangladesh heads into this match hoping to end on a high note. Mahmudullah waves goodbye to T20Is The team made two changes to their lineup from the previous match. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali were rested, allowing Tanzid Hasan and Mahedi Hasan to step in. Ahead of the game, the Bangladesh team presented Mahmudullah with a commemorative crest, thanking him for his years of service to the national team. 3rd T20I: Bangladesh take on India Saturday, aiming for consolation win Mahmudullah, who debuted in T20Is back in 2007 in Kenya, will be playing his 141st match in the format today.

India got the expected winning start in the Super 8 and would like to put one foot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 semis by beating Bangladesh, who must win this game to advance to the semis. Table: Schedule of BAN vs IND Match in the Current T20 World Cup’s Super 8 Stage  Match Details Match Date (BST) Teams Time (BST) Venue 47 22/6/2024 Bangladesh vs India 8:30 PM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua . Preview of BAN vs IND Match in ICC World Cup Super 8 India are one of the only two teams in this World Cup who did not lose a game. Apart from the rain that hit the last match of the group stage against Canada, they won every single game of theirs. So far, India’s T20 World Cup 2024 journey has been a strange one. They do not have any batter who features in the top 15 run-scorers of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which is not usual. Playing all the group games on the tricky surfaces of New York and Florida had an impact on their batting.  However, they regained form in the much more batting-friendly pitches of West Indies when they scored 180+ against Afghanistan. Moreover, their bowling attack was spot on and restricted every opponent to a severely low total. Thus, they didn’t lose a game even after not scoring much. Especially, their strike bowlers are in tremendous form picking up 18 wickets combined already. Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Groups, Match Fixtures, and Venues Bangladesh also found the same relief from their bowling unit which has been rather brilliant so far. Both Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Rishad Hossain have picked 9 wickets each. Apart from that, Mustafizur Rahman has also picked up 7 wickets. Nonetheless, their batting is out of form at this moment. It seems like they just cannot find a way to click at this point.  Bangladesh ended up scoring only 140 on a pitch which was brilliant to bat on. Therefore, it is increasingly seeming hard to see Bangladesh do much in the Super 8 with such miserable batting form. It is not the case for India who can rely on their batting now after scoring 181 against a solid Afghanistan bowling attack. Additionally, all of their batters scored at an excellent strike rate except for skipper Rohit Sharma. As a result, India will feel confident about facing Bangladeshi bowling attack ahead of the game. One thing that might be a matter of slight concern for them is their opening pair which consists of two of the greatest hitters of the generation but yet not clicking. Their highest opening stand is 22 which is quite underwhelming. India would be confident about their openers getting runs but it will be in their minds as well. Read more: Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Table: India Team’s Performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup At a Glance India Performance in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Match Played 5 Won 4 Lost 0 Tie/ NR 1 Highest Run-scorer Rishabh Pant (116) Highest Wicket Taker Arshdeep Singh (10) . Table: Bangladesh Team’s Performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup At a Glance Bangladesh Performance in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Match Played 5 Won 3 Lost 2 Tie/NR 0 Highest Run-scorer Towhid Hridoy (135) Highest Wicket Taker Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain (9) . H2H T20I Records Between Bangladesh and India So Far Table: BAN vs IND head-to-head records in T20I So Far Head-to-Head Records in T20I Matches Played India Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 13 12 1 0 . Table: BAN vs IND head-to-head records in the T20 World Cup Tournaments So Far Head-to-Head Records in T20 World Cup Matches Played India Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 4 4 0 0 . The tie was largely dominated by India where Bangladesh could manage only 1 win against them. India is one of many opponents whom Bangladesh couldn’t beat in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Probable Lineups Most Probable XI of India Team Rohit Sharma ©, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav Most Probable XI of Bangladesh Team Tanzid Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto ©, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman Key Players to Watch in India Team Virat Kohli Virat Kohli had an unexpectedly poor campaign by his extremely high standards. But he gave symbols of coming back to runs with his 24 against Afghanistan. It can be felt that he will have a big score soon and no opponent would be more suitable than Bangladesh against whom he averages 96.5 in the T20Is Suryakumar Yadav With his half-century in the last game, Suryakumar Yadav is surely gaining ground in this ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and might be the most impactful batter against Bangladesh. Jasprit Bumrah The ace bowler of India is going to be crucial against Bangladesh, against a struggling top order who find it difficult to deal with raw pace, Jasprit Bumrah will be key to picking early wickets and rattling the top-order of Bangladesh's batting line-up. Read more: Analysis of India Squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World 2024 Key Players to Watch in  Bangladesh Tanzim Hasan Sakib Bangladesh has been largely reliant on their bowlers to get a result in this World Cup. This game is not going to be any different it seems. Therefore, the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh this time would be the most important player for them in this game as well. Mustafizur Rahman Mustafizur Rahman and India go a long way back. He is simply in a different mode while facing India. Bangladesh team need him to step up once again and dominate the Indian batters like he used to do in his early and best days.   Litton Kumer Das This might seem a bit controversial given the current situation. But like Mustafizur Rahman, Litton Kumer Das also loves performing against India. Everyone will remember the exceptional innings of 60 runs from him in the 2022 T20 World Cup. In a situation, where big runs are necessary to win and the top order is heavily underperforming, Bangladesh fans will hope for Litton Das to bring that Adelaide innings from the 2022 T20 World Cup at Antigua this time. Verdict India are the favorites in every match in this ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. They would not want to break their winning streak. The BAN vs IND T20 match in the Super 8 stage might not be different either. However, Bangladesh have a slender hope given their batters' performance. Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

Bangladesh secured a victory over Sri Lanka in their opening match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in Dallas, Texas on Friday. Over half of the spectators at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, filled to capacity, left with smiles brought on by their team's win. To watch this match in USA’s cricket capital, Dallas, thousands of expatriate Bangladeshis gathered from around the USA. This win does Bangladesh's chances for advancing to the next phase a big favour, while Sri Lanka, already defeated by South Africa in their first match, now faces a challenging path. Sri Lanka, asked to bat first, were restricted to a paltry 124 runs for nine wickets. Bangladesh chased down the target with two wickets in hand and six balls remaining. T20 World Cup: Bowlers do the business for Tigers, restricting Sri Lanka to 124/9 However, the victory was not as easy as the target might have suggested. Despite a below-par score, Sri Lanka's total proved to be a difficult chase for Bangladesh. Bangladesh lost their struggling opener, Soumya Sarkar, for a duck in the first over. Soumya attempted to sweep a good-length delivery but top-edged it to Wanindu Hasaranga at mid-on. The next over saw the dismissal of the other opener, Tanzid Hasan. Nuwan Thushara bowled a full-length delivery that angled inwards. Tanzid tried to drive but was beaten by the late swing, resulting in his off stump being shattered. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto soon followed, also dismissed cheaply, extending his struggles. He was lured out of position by a wide full-length delivery and edged a sharp catch to Charith Asalanka. At this point, Bangladesh found themselves in a precarious position despite the low target. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy worked hard to keep Bangladesh in the contest. Embassy Cup Cricket Carnival 2024 Kicks off in Dhaka Towhid launched a particularly impressive assault in the 12th over, smashing three sixes off three consecutive deliveries from Sri Lankan captain Wanindu Hasaranga. The first two sixes were slog sweeps off Hasaranga's googlies. The third six came when the bowler tried to adjust his line with a wide full-length delivery outside off. However, Towhid was ready with an inside-out shot over cover for his third consecutive six. These sixes significantly boosted Bangladesh's run rate, easing the pressure on the remaining batters. Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan departed quickly, bringing a sense of tension, but Mahmudullah Riyad finished the job with a brief but impactful 16 runs. Sri Lankan bowler Nuwan Thushara took four wickets, including two in consecutive deliveries. Given the nature of Bangladesh's victory, a crucial question arises: has this win boosted their confidence ahead of the challenging clash against South Africa on a tricky New York surface? Earlier, leg spinner Rishad Ahmed and experienced pacer Mustafizur Rahman bowled brilliantly to bring Bangladesh back into the game after Sri Lanka were put in to bat and got off to a fast start in the powerplay. Taskin Ahmed, who was initially questionable for the match due to a fitness issue, struck in the second over to remove Kusal Mendis for 10 runs. Mendis had started aggressively with two boundaries before being dismissed. Sri Lanka were 48/1 off 5 overs, when Mustafiz was introduced into the attack. He then took two wickets in the sixth and eighth overs. He dismissed Kamindu Mendis with his first ball and then Pathum Nissanka, who top-scored for Sri Lanka with 47 runs off 28 balls. Nissanka's innings included seven fours and a six. Rishad Hossain, the legspinner who is steadily gaining prominence in Bangladesh cricket, bowled a crucial 14th over. He removed both Charith Asalanka (19 runs) and Wanindu Hasaranga (a golden duck) in two consecutive deliveries, breaking a promising partnership. Rishad ended with figures of 3/22 off 4 overs, that earned him the man-of-the-match award. Sri Lanka's innings faltered in the final overs as Tanzim Hasan Sakib claimed two wickets in the 20th over, including the key wicket of Angelo Mathews. Mathews was caught at short third man for 16 runs, becoming Sakib's first World Cup wicket. Read more: T20 World Cup: Bangladesh aims to unleash full potential despite challenges

After a shocking start in the current T20 World Cup with a humiliating defeat against South Africa, Sri Lanka would look to bounce back in the tournament with a confident win. For that, they will face Bangladesh, who are not in great shape at the moment. Let’s take a look at the BAN vs SL match preview in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.   Table: Schedule of BAN vs SL Match in the 2024 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup Match Details Match Date (BST) Teams Time (BST) Venue 15 8/6/2024 Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka  6:30 AM Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas Read more: Analysis of Australia Squad in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Preview of the BAN vs SL Match in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Sri Lanka had a really poor and unexpected start at this World Cup. They were wrapped up for only 77 against South Africa in New York. However, their bowlers put up a good fight and stretched the game to the 17th over against the explosive Proteas batting line-up. Their bowling performance should give them some serious confidence and hope ahead of this game.  Additionally, despite the poor batting performance, they might still feel they have the upper hand against this Bangladesh team. Bangladesh had come to the USA early and played a series against the hosts as well for better preparation and adapting to the conditions. Everyone can argue about how well the preparation went. They lost the series against the USA 2-1, their winning game was against a USA side that rested some of their regular starters, and then had a hapless batting performance against India in the warm-up game. Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Groups, Match Fixtures, and Venues Table: Sri Lanka’s Performance in the T20I Matches in 2024 Sri Lanka Performance in T20I Format in 2024 Played 10 Won 6 Lost 4 Tie/NR 0 Highest Run-scorer Kusal Mendis (303) Highest Wicket Taker Wanindu Hasaranga (15) Table: Bangladesh’s Performance in the T20I Matches in 2024 Bangladesh Performance in T20I Matches in 2024 Played 11 Won 6 Lost 5 Tie/NR 0 Highest Run-scorer Towhid Hridoy (263) Highest Wicket Taker Mustafizur Rahman (15) Read more: T20 World Cup: Bangladesh aims to unleash full potential despite challenges Both teams have the same problem but in different manners. Bangladesh’s batting lineup crumbles because of the failure of the top order. It has been misfiring miserably this year. Their opening pair went past 30 only 4 times this year and it was undone 4 times in less than 10 runs. The performances of Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, and Nazmul Hossain Shanto are not up to the mark. Tanzid Tamim has been a breath of fresh air scoring 3 half-centuries in his first 7 games. Still, there is a lot to correct in this batting line-up. However, their middle order has been clicking so far. Four of their top five run-scorers this year have been batting in the middle order.  Sri Lanka, on the other hand, is in the opposite situation. While their top-order is firing well, it is their middle-order who are not putting up performances. Their lack of batting depth is causing big problems for them. Even in the game against South Africa, they were at 31/2 from where they lost 8 wickets for a meager 46 runs.  Read more: Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Both the teams won’t have much complaints about their bowling as it has been decent throughout the years. For Bangladesh, their batters are not giving them much to fight with. However, the potential absence of their two strike bowlers, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, adds to Bangladesh’s woes.  BAN vs SL H2H Records in T20I Format and T20 World Cups So Far Table: Head-to-head T20I Records between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka So far Head-to-Head Records in T20I Matches Played Sri Lanka Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 16 11 5 0 Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Table: BD vs SL H2H Records in T20 World Cups So far Head-to-Head Records in T20 World Cup Matches Played Sri Lanka Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 2 2 0 0 Another sign of hope for the Sri Lankans is the head-to-head records. They usually have the upper hand over Bangladesh. Sri Lanka won the last 4 out of 5 games against Bangladesh. Adding to that, they won the latest series against Tigers this year in Bangladesh. The Sri Lanka team are yet to be beaten by Bangladesh in a T20 World Cup match so far. Read more: Squad Analysis of Sri Lanka for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Bangladesh can gain confidence by how the pitch is playing. There have been plenty of low-scoring encounters in this T20 World Cup. The game of Sri Lanka vs South Africa is an example of that. Bangladesh usually does better in slow pitches. Dallas, where the game will be played saw Nepal and Netherlands fight it out in a low-scoring battle. However, this field also saw the first game between Canada and the USA where the USA chased down 194 of Canada with 14 balls to spare. With their batting form, Bangladesh would hope this to not be the case in their game. Probable Lineups in the BAN vs SL T20 Match Most Probable XI of the Sri Lanka Team Wanindu Hasaranga (Captain), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Dhanajya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, and Nuwan Thushara. Read more: Stars who can be game-changers for Bangladesh in T20 World Cup Most Probable XI of Bangladesh Team Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Litton Kumer Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Sakib, and Mustafizur Rahman. Key Players to Watch in Bangladesh Team Tanzid Hasan As mentioned before, Tanzid Hasan has been in the new era of Bangladesh's top-order since his debut. He scored 237 runs in his 7 games averaging 47. If Bangladesh want to put up a big total, Tanzid has to perform one of his best games so far to contribute largely to the team Tiger’s victory. Mustafizur Rahman Mustafizur Rahman is always a key bowler for Bangladesh in T20Is. With the probable absence of Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur is supposed to lead the team’s bowling attack. He has a good T20I bowling record against Sri Lanka with 14 wickets in 12 innings striking at 18.85. Without a doubt, he needs to be at his best in this game. Read more: Analysis of India Squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World 2024 Towhid Hridoy Towhid Hridoy is the highest run-scorer for Bangladesh this year in T20Is with 263 runs and a couple of half-centuries. He also scored 36.86 runs on average this year. Bangladesh needs him to go big in this game to have a solid winning chance. Key Players to Watch in Sri Lanka Wanindu Hasaranga Sri Lanka will rely on their skipper heavily for this game. He bowls in the middle overs where he is supposed to face the in-form middle order of Bangladesh. If he manages to do what he usually does against them, Sri Lanka will feel inches closer to a win in this game. Kusal Mendis Kusal Mendis is the highest scorer for Sri Lanka so far in 2024. Given that Bangladesh’s batting order has been clumsy, Sri Lanka might feel putting up a good total on the board does 90% of the job for them to win. And it does not need to put more emphasis on how much Sri Lanka would rely on their most in-form and productive batter to deliver the goods this time. Read more: Fixtures of Bangladesh Team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Matheesha Pathirana Matheesha Pathirana has been in great form with 11 wickets in his last 6 games and coming from a wonderful IPL campaign. He was also the best bowler for Sri Lanka in the game against South Africa. He can give his team an early advantage against Bangladesh’s clumsy top order. If he does his job well, Sri Lanka have a real winning chance. Verdict  In the 2024 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup tournament, both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have similar kinds of issues with their respective teams. However, the recent forms and history between these two sides give Sri Lanka the edge. As a result, Sri Lanka will enter the BAN vs SL T20I match as favorites in this enticing rivalry of cricket. Read more: USA vs BAN T20I Series 2024: Analysis of Bangladesh’s Series Defeat Against USA

Team Australia are looking to be the ultimate king of white-ball cricket as they are on a mission to be the world champion of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 Cup tournament after winning the trophy in the ODI Cricket World Cup last December. They have established a strong squad for this mission which will be analyzed in this article.  Australia Squad in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Table: List of Players in the Australian Team in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Names  Role Mitchell Marsh (Captain) Allrounder Ashton Agar Bowler Pat Cummins Bowler Tim David Middle Order batter Nathan Ellis Bowler Cameron Green Batting Allrounder Josh Hazlewood Bowler Travis Head Top Order Batter Josh Inglis Wicketkeeper Batter Glenn Maxwell Batting Allrounder Mitchell Starc Bowler Marcus Stoinis Batting Allrounder Matthew Wade Wicketkeeper Batter David Warner Opening Batter Adam Zampa Bowler Reserves Jake Fraser-McGurk Batter Matt Short Top Order Batter Read more: Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 The Australian side will be led by their veteran all-rounder Mitchell Marsh who played a crucial role in the final of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 which they eventually won. In their squad, they have prioritized experience.  The squad is very much star-studded. Some of them are among the best of the generation. It is always a daunting task to select only 15 players from such a large pool of players as Australia. Yet it seems to be one of the unmatchable ones.  Here, some of the aspects of the Australian squad will be analyzed in which they did brilliantly and in which they might have done slightly better. Read more: Squad Analysis of Sri Lanka for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Strength of Australia Team for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 Cup  Experience One thing that the selectors have ensured is that there is no shortage of experience in the squad. If you look through the 15-man group, you will see the most familiar names of world cricket. They have been playing for really long and in almost all the franchise leagues of the world. Therefore, it is unlikely that any pressure will crumble them.  Big match performers This has been the key for Australian cricket throughout history. They have always had some players who shine in the ultimate games that differentiate between the bests and the greats. Players like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, Travis Head, and even skipper Mitchell Marsh have frequently passed the test of these moments and ensured Australia’s victory. This time it is not supposed to be any different either.  Explosive batting line-up The team is enriched with seasoned players like Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and Mitchell Marsh. One can hardly argue the solid batting line up of this squad. These players can single-handedly win matches for their teams as they have done so often. It will not be a surprising thing if they do it again in the current T20 World Cup. Read more: Analysis of India Squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World 2024 Strike Bowlers Just like the batters, the names of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Adam Zampa will give you the reassurance for this. They are some of the greatest wicket-taking bowlers of this generation. And having them together makes their bowling the deadliest in this tournamnet.  Given the way the pitches are behaving this T20 World Cup tournamnet, it will not be easy to score big and win against Australia. Depth in every department Any of the probable starting XI of Australia will see them having batters till at least 9 and having 7 bowlers. It‘s the volume of the depth this team have. With players like Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, and Tim David who can act as frontline batters and can bowl for 4 overs adds to this depth. Similarly, Pat Cummins and Ashton Agar often add valuable runs late in the order after doing a fantastic job with the bowl. Therefore, at any point, their skipper won’t feel like being short of options which will ease the job for him. Read more: Fixtures of Bangladesh Team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Weakness of Australia Squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 However mighty they look, there is always some weakness in every team. It is not any different for this team as well.  Not including James Fraser-McGurk It is not like not including him has weakened the side. They still have brilliant batters. However, he has been in tremendous form in the last few months in various franchise leagues. As a result, one might argue that they should have valued his form, explosiveness, and fearlessness over the likes of David Warner and Matthew Wade to add some dynamics to the team. Lack of Spinners It looks like a problem after the World Cup started. The pitches are behaving really slow and difficult for the batters to score. In such situation, the spinners thrive. The options Australia have in this regard, are Adam Zampa, Ashton Agar, and Glenn Maxwell. Among them, Ashton Agar and Glenn Maxwell might not bowl full quota. However, inclusion of an extra spinner could have been a nice weapon for this team. Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Groups, Match Fixtures, and Venues Key Players for Australian Squad in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Travis Head This cricketer had a brilliant half-year in 2024. With his fiery batting, he provided the team with a foundation for some astounding scores. Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 250+ on three occasions in IPL 2024 and he had scores of 62(24), 102(41), and 89(32). These are only some of the examples of the explosiveness he brings to the side. Australia will rely on this in the whole of the World Cup. Glenn Maxwell There is no need to explain more about this all-rounder. His explosiveness is world-known.  He will be particularly important in this T20 World Cup because he is the only spin-bowling all-rounder on the side. Additionally, the batters are supposed to face a lot of spin bowlers against which he is a master.  Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Pat Cummins It might have come as a wonder when the Australian squad was announced and Pat Cummins was not named captain. However, this talented cricketer is expected to play a big role in the team with his bowling. Besides, his leading capabilities can help Mitchell Marsh to guide the team. After winning the ICC Test Championship, ICC ODI World Cup, and leading Sunrisers Hyderabad to the finals as a captain, he is expected to excel in this role. Adam Zampa Adam Zampa has been the go-to spin bowler of Australia. He has entered this World Cup with great form as well. In situations, where the pitches are slow and balls are spinning, Adam Zampa is supposed to be the most crucial bowler for Australia this time.  Verdict Australia is one of the most powerful teams who are favourite in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Despite the lack of spinners, Australia have put up a squad that is a force to reckon with. Given the strength of batters and bowlers they have in the team, they can easily be the champions once again. Read more: T20 World Cup: Bangladesh aims to unleash full potential despite challenges

As Dallas hosts several matches of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the city's burgeoning cricket scene remains largely unnoticed by many of its residents, including an Ethiopian cab driver who expressed surprise upon learning about the tournament. The cab driver, who has lived in Dallas for 30 years, was astonished not only to discover that the World Cup was taking place in his city but also that a team from Bangladesh was participating. His reaction is emblematic of a broader unfamiliarity with cricket in the Texan city, despite serving as a key venue for the event. Catherine, a rideshare driver who introduced herself only by her first name, also knew little about the World Cup. She remarked that she had a vague understanding of cricket, likening it to baseball and noting that it involved a “sort of flat bat.” Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Dallas is quickly emerging as a hub for cricket in the USA, driven by a favorable climate and a significant South Asian diaspora passionate about the sport. This positive environment is fostering the sport's growth across the country. However, for many residents like the Ethiopian cab driver and Catherine, cricket remains relatively unknown. Both were unable to pinpoint the exact location of the stadium that is becoming a focal point for cricket in the USA. Amidst this growing but still nascent awareness, the Bangladesh team arrived in Dallas with the aim of regaining some pride after a demoralizing series defeat against the USA. Their World Cup campaign is set to begin on June 8th at 6:30 am (Bangladesh time). On June 5th, the Bangladesh team practiced at a facility adjacent to the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, which can accommodate 7,000 fans. However, the practice area, still seemingly under development, posed challenges for the team's fast bowlers—Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib—who struggled to find sufficient space for their full run-ups. The difficulties faced by Taskin and his fellow pacers highlighted a sense of underpreparedness as their World Cup campaign approached. Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Despite having two warm-up matches scheduled before the main event, the team's preparations were hampered. Their first warm-up match ended in a heavy defeat to India, offering a chance to assess their weaknesses. The second warm-up match against the USA was abandoned due to inclement weather, further disrupting their preparation. Afif Hossain, a left-handed batter traveling with the Bangladesh team as a standby player, hesitated when asked about the quality of the practice facilities. His reluctant “yes” suggested the facilities were less than ideal for preparing for a major tournament. On a positive note, Taskin Ahmed, the team's key pace bowler, resumed bowling at full strength on Wednesday, providing a boost for the team. Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, Bangladesh's chief selector, expressed optimism about the team's prospects in the World Cup. “Injury was a big concern for us even before we came to the USA,” he acknowledged during a media interaction in Dallas. “Now Shoriful (Islam) needed six stitches, which is a new concern. We need more time to assess his recovery. But the good news is that Taskin is expected to play against Sri Lanka on June 7th if there are no further setbacks.” Stars who can be game-changers for Bangladesh in T20 World Cup

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 tournament started this month. There’s a considerable buzz over the venues of the World Cup. The group stage matches will be played in USA and West Indies venues with the Super Eight and beyond moving exclusively to the Caribbeans. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s T20 World Cup venues.  Venues in the USA  Central Broward Park – Florida Central Broward Park in Lauderhill, Florida is one of two dedicated cricket stadiums in the USA. The stadium started operating on 9th November 2007 at a construction cost of 70 million USD with a capacity of 25,000.  Central Broward Park marks a lot of firsts for US Cricket. It’s the first pitch to receive ICC certification, the first stadium in the USA to host a T20 series in 2010, and USA’s first ODI series which also marked the home country’s first ODI win.  The stadium will host 4 group-stage games in the World Cup including one each of the USA, India, and Pakistan along with three warm-up matches.  Read more: Squad Analysis of Sri Lanka for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Nassau County International Cricket Stadium – New York The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium is a modular stadium made specifically for the T20 World Cup. The stadium is situated on the grounds of Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, New York. After the World Cup, the outfield is slated to be left intact as a legacy of the event.  The stadium's design was unveiled by ICC on 17th January 2024 with a seating capacity of 34,000. It was officially inaugurated by Usain Bolt on 15th May.  The stadium will host 8 group stage matches including the high voltage India vs Pakistan on 9th June.   Grand Prairie Stadium – Texas Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas is the second of the two dedicated cricket stadiums in the USA. The stadium used to be the home ballpark of Texas AirHogs. After the AirHogs folded in 2020, American Cricket Enterprise acquired the lease of the stadium with a 20 million USD redevelopment program. It has a seating capacity of 15,000.  Read more: Stars who can be game-changers for Bangladesh in T20 World Cup The stadium will feature 4 matches of the World Cup including Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka on 7th June. The host country USA also has two matches scheduled against Canada and Pakistan here.  Venues in the West Indies  Sir Vivian Richards Stadium – Antigua and Barbuda Sir Vivian Richards stadium is located in North Sound, St. George. The stadium was established in 2006 for the 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. It has a seating capacity of 10,000 with possible arrangements for capacity extensions.  The stadium will feature 8 games with 4 group matches and 4 super eight matches. Notable group matches include Australia vs Namibia and England vs Namibia on the 11th and 15th of June respectively. One of the best things about Sir Vivian Richards stadium is the in-house food. Spectators can enjoy the signature local lobster, ducana, saltfish, pepperpot, and jerk chicken on the stadium grounds.  Read more: Analysis of India Squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World 2024 Kensington Oval – Barbados Kensington Oval is the premier and the oldest cricket stadium in Barbados. The stadium was built in 1871 and has since featured local and international games in its illustrious run. It is currently under the management of the Barbados Cricket Association and has a seating arrangement of around 28,000.  Kensington Oval will host 9 matches in the tournament including the all-important final. There will be 5 group stage matches including the high voltage England vs Australia on 8th June. The stadium will also feature 3 Super Eight stage matches.  The majority of the concessionaires will be situated at the western concourse of the stadium. Additionally, each stand will have its own food operations.  Guyana National Stadium – Guyana The Guyana National Stadium was constructed in 2006 ahead of the 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The stadium has a capacity of around 20,000 and can be converted into a multi-use facility in addition to a cricket stadium. The ground is most notable for the 2007 World Cup match between Sri Lanka and South Africa where the Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga took 4 consecutive wickets in 4 balls, a first in cricketing history.  Read more: Shakib keen to play another T20 World Cup Guyana National Stadium will host 6 matches in the T20 World Cup. Five of these matches will be group stage ones and the 2nd semi-final on 27th June.  Daren Sammy Cricket Ground – St. Lucia The Daren Sammy Cricket Ground is situated in Gros Islet, St. Lucia. The stadium was founded in 2002 and has a seating capacity of around 15,000.   The stadium holds the prestigious position as a standard for all current and future stadiums in the Caribbean owing to its high facilities. This year, the stadium will host 6 games of the World Cup with 3 group-stage games and 3 Super Eight games. One of the group stages games will feature the host West Indies taking on Afghanistan on 17th June.  The stadium itself has several food stalls offering meats, seafood, Halal, vegan, vegetarian options, snacks, and desserts. Read more: T20 World Cup matches to be broadcasted on Nagorik TV and Toffee Arnos Vale Ground – St. Vincent and Grenadines Arnos Vale Stadium is located in Kingstown, St. Vincent. The stadium held its first international match back in 1981. Today the stadium is part of the Arnos Vale Sports Complex and works as a multi-sports ground. This is the same stadium where Bangladesh recorded their maiden test victory over West Indies in 2009.  The Arnos Vale stadium will feature 3 group stages and 2 Super Eight matches. Bangladesh will face the Netherlands and Nepal in this stadium on the 13th and 16th of June respectively.  Brian Lara Cricket Academy – Trinidad and Tobago Brian Lara Cricket Academy stadium is situated in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago. The stadium was inaugurated in 2017. Initially, the plan was to inaugurate the stadium for the warm-up matches of the 2007 Men’s Cricket World Cup. However, the plan was later postponed. The stadium has a total capacity of around 15,000.  The ground will host 4 group stage matches and the first semifinal on 26th June. The stadium also hosted 4 warm-up matches leading up to the World Cup.  Read more: Fixtures of Bangladesh Team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 The stadium offers a unique gastronomic experience with Indo-Caribbean dishes, creoles, and local favorite “Bake n Shark”.  Final Words  In addition to the 9 stadiums listed above, Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago was also selected to host 4 warm-up games leading up to the main event. It’s a unique opportunity as ICC plans to make a resounding impact on cricket in North America with this mega event.  One thing to note is that no food and beverages are allowed in any of the USA stadiums. But thankfully, every ground will have cart operations right outside the stadium premises. With the event already underway, all eyes are now on the USA and West Indies to see who becomes the champion of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.  Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Groups, Match Fixtures, and Venues