New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl on Sunday in the opening match of the five-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan at Hagley Oval. Salman Ali Agha will lead a revamped Pakistan side, which is recovering from a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign at home and setting its sights on the T20 World Cup, scheduled for next year. Premier Division Cricket: Abahani win big as Mominul shines, Prime Bank stumble against Gazi Group With seasoned players Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam absent, wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz will open the batting. Allrounder Michael Bracewell will captain New Zealand at home for the first time. England pacer Mark Wood to miss India series after knee surgery Tim Seifert and Finn Allen return as openers for New Zealand, who are coming off a Champions Trophy final defeat against India. Zac Foulkes joins Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy in the pace attack, while Ben Sears and Will O'Rourke are unavailable.

Since December 30, 2024, the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025 T20 Cricket Tournament has been spellbinding cricket fans with exciting performances. As the competition progresses towards Phase 4, standout players and teams have begun to shape the narrative. Let’s dive into the brilliance of the standout bowlers, batsmen, and teams leading the race. Bangladesh Premier League 2025 Tournaments Top 5 Batsmen To Date . Table: Top Run-scorers in the 11th Edition of BPL So Far No Batsman Team Most Run Match Highest Score Century Half Century 1 Tanzid Hasan Tamim Dhaka Capitals 420 10 108 1 3 2 Mohammad Anamul Haque Bijoy Durbar Rajshahi 379 10 100 1 2 3 Litton Das Dhaka Capitals 348 9 125 1 2 4 Zakir Hasan Sylhet Strikers 342 9 75 - 3 5 Graham Clark Chittagong Kings 335 8 101 1 1 The T20 cricket action has been a stage for outstanding batting displays, with Tanzid Hasan Tamim from Dhaka Capitals taking the lead. His collection is 420 runs in 10 matches, including a highest score of 108. He has one century and three half-centuries to his name. Mohammad Anamul Haque Bijoy from Durbar Rajshahi follows closely with 379 runs in 10 matches. His highest score of 100 and ability to deliver one century and two half-centuries underline his value. Litton Das, also from Dhaka Capitals, has 348 runs in 9 matches, with a remarkable performance of 125 runs. Apart from the century inning, he has 2 half-centuries in the remaining matches. Zakir Hasan from Sylhet Strikers has scored 342 runs in 9 matches, though without a century. He maintains a steady performance with 3 half-centuries including a top score of 75 runs. Finally, Graham Clark, an English player who played for Chittagong Kings, completes the list with 335 runs in 8 matches. His achievement also includes a half-century and the best batting delivery with a Centurion inning of 101 runs. Read more: BPL Football: 9th round begins Friday with leaders Mohammedan taking on Youngmen’s Club Top 5 Bowlers in the Ongoing BPL 2025 Tournament . Table: Leading Wicket-takers in the 11th edition of BPL Before Phase 4 No Bowler Team Wickets Match Overs Best Bowling in Innings 1 Taskin Ahmed Durbar Rajshahi 22 10 38.2 7/19 2 Akif Javed Rangpur Riders 15 7 26.5 4/32 3 Abu Hider Rony Khulna Tigers 15 8 30.5 4/44 4 Khushdil Shah Rangpur Riders 14 9 24 3/18 5 Aliss Al Islam Chittagong Kings 12 8 31 3/17 The bowlers have been equally influential in the tournament, with Taskin Ahmed of Durbar Rajshahi dominating the charts. He bowled 38 overs and 2 balls in 10 matches, securing 22 wickets with a personal best of 7 wickets against 19 runs. Akif Javed, Pakistani cricketer on behalf of Rangpur Riders is second with 15 wickets in 7 matches from 26 overs and 5 balls. He boasts a best figure of 4 wickets in 32 runs. Abu Hider Rony from Khulna Tigers also claimed 15 wickets in 30 overs 5 balls of 8 matches. His top spell was 44 runs off 4 wickets. Rangpur Riders' Khushdil Shah, a Pakistani player by origin, takes the fourth spot with 14 wickets in 24 overs across 9 matches. In an innings, he reached a maximum of 18 runs from 3 wickets. Aliss Al Islam of Chittagong Kings rounds off the top five with 12 wickets in 8 matches, bowling 31 overs. His personal best for an innings was 17 runs for 3 wickets. Read more: BPL Football: League leaders Mohammedan SC taste first defeat losing to Youngmen's Club Top 4 Teams in the 11th Edition of Bangladesh Premier League So Far . Table: Points Table Standings - Top 4 Teams Before Phase 4 of BPL 2025 No Team Match Won Lost Points Net Run Rate (NRR) 1 Rangpur Riders 9 8 1 16 1.223 2 Fortune Barishal 8 6 2 12 0.993 3 Chittagong Kings 9 5 4 10 1.045 4 Khulna Tigers 9 4 5 8 -0.148 The tournament is led by Rangpur Riders, who have won all but one of 9 matches, earning 16 points and the season's highest NRR of 1.223. Fortune Barishal holds second place with 6 wins from 8 matches, accumulating 12 points and an NRR of 0.993. Chittagong Kings sit third, with 5 wins and 4 losses from 9 matches, earning 10 points and maintaining an NRR of 1.045. Khulna Tigers round out the top 4, securing 4 wins and 8 points from 9 matches. However, their 5 losses have left them with a negative NRR of -0.148. Read more: 10th Shah Cement AKS Cup Golf Tournament begins Summary The BPL 2025’s best performers to date include batsmen Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mohammad Anamul Haque Bijoy, Litton Das, Zakir Hasan, and Graham Clark. Sitting atop the bowling charts with the highest wickets are Taskin Ahmed, Akif Javed, Abu Hider Rony, Khushdil Shah, and Aliss Al Islam. The teams dominating the competition are the Rangpur Riders, Fortune Barishal, Chittagong Kings, and Khulna Tigers. The 2025 Bangladesh Premier League will end on February 7. It is expected that the T20 Tournament will keep the cricket fans entertained with magical performances and exciting records. Read more: BPL Cricket: Durbar Rajshahi inflict first defeat of the season on leaders Rangpur Riders

A 13-year-old from India’s northern state of Bihar could become the latest T20 batting sensation after Rajasthan Royals bought the youngster for $130,000 during the mega auction of the Indian Premier League. Vaibhav Suryavanshi came to the limelight last month after he scored a century against Australia's Under-19 team off just 58 balls before he got out for 104. At the age of 13 years and 187 days, Suryavanshi broke the record of Bangladesh’s present test captain Najmul Hasan Shanto, who at the age of 14 years and 241 days held the previous record of scoring a century at youth level. Delhi Capitals also showed plenty of interest when the bid for Suryavanshi started at his base price of $35,500 before Rajasthan eventually bought him. “He’s (Suryavanshi) been to our high performance center in Nagpur, he had trials there and really impressed our coaching set-up there,” Rajasthan’s chief executive officer Jake Lush McCrum said after the auction ended in Saudi Arabia on Monday. “He’s an incredible talent and of course you've got to have the confidence so he can step up to the IPL level.” McCrum described Suryavanshi as a “hell of a talent” and hoped lots of work will go into the coming months before the IPL begins on March 14 with former Indian captain Rahul Dravid among the coaching panel of the franchise. Suryavanshi idolizes legendary West Indian batter Brian Lara and often gets tips from former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer, with whom he met during an Under-19 tournament in Bangladesh last year. India rout Australia by 295 runs in 1st test His father Sanjiv Suryavanshi is his coach and has worked with him since an an early age once his son started to show interest in the game. “He is not just my son now, but entire Bihar’s son," the elder Suryavanshi told Press Trust of India. "My son has worked hard.”    

Mahmudullah Riyad may not have been the most naturally gifted cricketer of his generation, but he was certainly among those with the best work ethic. The right-handed allrounder, who turns 39 in February, announced his retirement from T20Is on Tuesday. He confirmed that the final match of the ongoing Bangladesh-India series would be his last in the format. He, however, will continue to be available for selection in ODIs. Mahmudullah earned the title of “finisher” in limited-overs cricket for his ability to score quick runs and hit big boundaries in the lower order towards the end of the team's innings. His departure leaves a gap that will not be easy for Bangladesh to fill. At his retirement announcement, Mahmudullah said it was the right time to step down. Cricket analysts seem to agree. Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, veteran cricket coach and a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), told UNB that fans should respect Mahmudullah’s decision. “We have to thank Mahmudullah for his contributions to Bangladesh cricket,” Nazmul Abedeen said. “He did a lot for where Bangladesh cricket stands today. He has performed well, considering the era he played in.” Mohammad Isam, a cricket analyst and Bangladesh correspondent for ESPNcricinfo, echoed the same sentiments. “Mahmudullah's retirement is timely, given his age and dwindling form,” Isam said. “He made his T20I comeback earlier this year after missing 27 matches in 2022. He was almost forgotten in this format after the 2021 World Cup.” Mahmudullah waves goodbye to T20Is Mahmudullah, who has batted in nearly every position, truly earned global respect during the 2015 World Cup with two centuries. No Bangladeshi batter had achieved a World Cup century before him. Despite his versatility, Mahmudullah rarely had a fixed batting position, frequently shifting to suit the team’s needs. Reflecting on his career, Nazmul Abedeen said that Mahmudullah was often the best option at his position. “He never gave others a chance to claim his spot,” Nazmul noted, alluding to Mahmudullah's dedication. Despite primarily batting in the lower order, Mahmudullah is Bangladesh’s second-highest run-scorer in T20Is, with 2,395 runs and eight fifties—just 156 runs shy of Shakib Al Hasan. After his remarkable ODI World Cup run in 2015, Mahmudullah adopted a more aggressive approach, honing his big-hitting skills. His T20I career saw a significant transformation after 2016, as he averaged 26 in 85 matches after that, compared to his career average of 19 in 54 games before that. “Mahmudullah became a transformed cricketer,” Isam added. “His T20 career was stagnating until 2016 when Chandika Hathurusingha assigned him a new role. He raised his game with an emphasis on aerial shots and a positive outlook.” The right-hander also captained Bangladesh in 43 T20Is—more than any other Bangladeshi player—winning 16 of those matches. He was one of Bangladesh’s best T20I captains. Approaching 40, Mahmudullah has stayed fit enough for international cricket while many of his peers have retired. Ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup, he was expected to miss out, yet he proved his fitness to secure a spot. Ups and downs have defined Mahmudullah’s career, but he consistently found ways to fight back and make comebacks against all odds. “It will be hard to replace Mahmudullah’s experience, but his role has become outdated in T20s,” Isam noted. “Bangladesh will need to rethink their T20 batting structure, and replacing Mahmudullah may require a fundamental shift in their setup.”

The T20 Cricket World Cup has created a buzz. All cricket enthusiasts are watching the matches and supporting their favorite teams. However, cricket lovers may want to interact more with the tournament. Numerous games are on mobile platforms featuring the twenty20 cricket format. Let’s look at the top 10 high-rated T20 games for Android and iOS. These feature-enriched games offer diverse options for the players. Top 10 Twenty20 Cricket Games for Smartphones in 2024 Real Cricket 24 Real Cricket 24, released in August 2022 by Nautilus Mobile, offers a comprehensive cricket simulation experience on mobile. With a 4.4-star rating, this free-to-download game includes in-app purchases. The game features advanced motion capture for realistic animations, dynamic stadiums, and a variety of tournament formats such as RCPL 2023 and the World Cup 2023. Unique player faces and customizable jerseys enhance the experience. The game includes real-time multiplayer, manual fielding, and shot assist for over 600 batting shots. It requires Android 6.0 and up, with a download size of 659 MB, and offers commentary in English and Hindi from renowned commentators. Read more: Best Animal-related Android, iOS Games to Play During Eid-ul-Azha World Cricket Championship 3 World Cricket Championship 3 (WCC3), released in 2020 by Nextwave Multimedia, holds a 4.3-star rating on app stores. The game features real-time motion-captured actions, professional commentary, and detailed stadiums. Players can engage in T20, ODI, and Test matches, along with a Career Mode offering over 400 matches. It includes the official West Indies Cricket Team and allows advanced customization of players. The game supports English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Urdu commentary. WCC3 is free to download with in-app purchases, with a download size of around 700 MB. Multiplayer options include 1-on-1 and team-based matches against other gamers. World Cricket Championship 2 World Cricket Championship 2 was released in July 2015 by Nextwave Multimedia. This mobile cricket game has achieved a 4.3-star rating. It offers both online and offline multiplayer modes, 150 batting animations, 28 bowling actions, and realistic ball physics. Players can participate in numerous tournaments, including the World Cup and Ashes Test Series. Read more: Esports World Cup 2024: List of Games, Format, Schedule, and Prizes The game features professional English and Hindi commentary, cinematic cameras, and dynamic lighting. WCC2 is free to download with in-app purchases ranging from BDT 5.00 to BDT 5,600.00. The download size is 529 MB, and it requires Android 5.1 or higher. The game includes customizable players, manual field placement, and various gameplay modes. Indian Cricket Premier League 2023 The Indian Cricket Premier League 2023 game was released by Rockit Game Studio on 13th March 2020. It is a popular mobile cricket game with over 5,000,000 downloads and a 4.3-star rating. This offline and online game features teams like Chennai, Delhi Devils, and Mumbai Stars, offering various modes including Quick Play, Challenges, and Tournaments. The game supports Hindi commentary and includes realistic stadiums from around the world. Players can enjoy daily rewards and unlock items as they progress. The game requires Android 5.1 and up, with a download size of 65 MB, providing a comprehensive and engaging cricket experience with advanced AI and multiplayer modes. Read more: June 2024 Video Games Lineup: A Burst of Exciting Releases Across Genres Sachin Saga Cricket Champions Sachin Saga Cricket Champions was released on December 6, 2017. The game was developed by JetSynthesys Inc. It is a 3D mobile cricket game featuring advanced AI and multiplayer modes. Rated 4.2 stars, it allows players to relive Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic matches and participate in various formats like ODIs, Tests, and IPL T20. The game includes unique modes such as Legendary, PvP, and Quick Play. It features 24x7 live events, manual catching, dynamic camera angles, and realistic motion-captured animations. The game is free with in-app purchases ranging from BDT 50.00 to BDT 8,500.00. It requires Android 4.4 and up, with a download size of 243 MB.

The competition for the world championship of the shortest version of cricket is less than a week away. From the 2nd of June onward, the world will witness some fiery performances of the 20 best teams in the world for a month. You will find all the necessary details for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup here. Format  ICC Men’s World Cup 2024 will be the biggest T20 World Cup ever with the participation of 20 teams. The format has also been changed to keep up with that. Instead of a qualifier round like the previous few editions, this time the 20 teams would be divided into 4 groups of five teams. The top two teams of each group will play in the ‘Super Eight’ round where eight teams will be divided into two groups of 4. From there, the top two teams will advance to the semi-finals. Venues The hosts of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 are the West Indies and the USA. This is the first time ICC World Cup matches will be played in the USA. The matches will be played in a total of 9 venues - 6 in the West Indies and 3 in the USA. The opening game will be played in Dallas while the final will be held at Barbados. Tables: List of Venues of T20 World Cup 2024 Stadium Location Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium Dallas Guyana National Stadium Guyana Kensington Oval Barbados Nassau County International Cricket Stadium New York Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Antigua Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium Florida Brian Lara Cricket Academy Trinidad and Tobago Arnos Vale Ground St Vincent Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium St. Lucia Read more: Mushfiqur, Miraz, and Saifuddin join Bangladesh Tigers camp  Groups In the group stage, 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five. Tables: Division of 20 teams in 4 groups in the T20 World Cup 2024 Group A Group B Group C Group D India England New Zealand South Africa Pakistan Australia West Indies Sri Lanka Canada Namibia Afghanistan Bangladesh Ireland Scotland Papua New Guinea Netherlands USA Oman Uganda Nepal In the Super 8 stage, the top two teams from every group will qualify and they will be divided into two groups of four. Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Tables: Division of Qualifying Teams in 2 Groups at Super 8 stage Group 1 Group 2 A1 A2 B2 B1 C1 C2 D2 D1 Fixture The tournament will see a total of 55 matches. 40 of the matches will be played in the group stage. The Super 8 will feature 12 matches. Here is the full fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Table: Match fixtures and Schedules in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Date (BST) Team 1 Team 2 Time (BST) Venue 2/6/2024 USA Canada 6:30 AM Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas West Indies Papua New Guinea 8:30 PM Guyana National Stadium, Guyana 3/6/2024 Namibia Oman 6:30 AM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados Sri Lanka  South Africa 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York 4/6/2024 Afghanistan Uganda 6:30 AM Guyana National Stadium, Guyana England  Scotland 8:30 PM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados Netherlands Nepal 9:30 PM Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas 5/6/2024 India Ireland 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York 6/6/2024 Papua New Guinea Uganda 5:30 AM Guyana National Stadium, Guyana Australia Oman 6:30 AM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados USA Pakistan 9:30 PM Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas 7/6/2024 Namibia Scotland 1:00 AM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados Canada Ireland 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York 8/6/2024 New Zealand Afghanistan 5:30 AM Guyana National Stadium, Guyana Bangladesh Sri Lanka  6:30 AM Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas Netherlands South Africa 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York Australia England 11:00 PM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados 9/6/2024 West Indies Uganda 6:30 AM Guyana National Stadium, Guyana India Pakistan 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York Oman Scotland 11:00 PM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua 10/6/2024 Bangladesh South Africa 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York 11/6/2024 Pakistan Canada 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York 12/6/2024 Sri Lanka  Nepal 5:30 AM Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida Australia Namibia 6:30 AM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua USA India 8:30 PM Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York 13/6/2024 West Indies New Zealand 6:30 AM Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba Bangladesh Netherlands 8:30 PM Arnos Vale Ground, Arnos Vale, St Vincent 14/6/2024 England Oman 1:00 AM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua   Afghanistan Papua New Guinea 6:30 AM Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba   USA Ireland 8:30 PM Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida 15/6/2024 South Africa Nepal 5:30 AM Arnos Vale Ground, Arnos Vale, St Vincent New Zealand Uganda 6:30 AM Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba India Canada 8:30 PM Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida Namibia England 11:00 PM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua 16/6/2024 Australia Scotland 6:30 AM Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia Pakistan Ireland 8:30 PM Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida 17/6/2024 Bangladesh Nepal 5:30 AM Arnos Vale Ground, Arnos Vale, St Vincent Sri Lanka  Netherlands 6:30 AM Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia New Zealand Papua New Guinea 8:30 PM Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba 18/6/2024 West Indies Afghanistan 6:30 AM Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia Super Eight 19/6/2024 A2 D1 8:30 PM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua 20/6/2024 B1 C2 6:30 AM Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia C1 A1 8:30 PM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados 21/6/2024 B2 D2 6:30 AM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua B1 D1 8:30 PM Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia 22/6/2024 A2 C2 6:30 AM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados A1 D2 8:30 PM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua 23/6/2024 C1 B2 6:30 AM Arnos Vale Ground, Arnos Vale, St Vincent A2 B1 8:30 PM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados 24/6/2024 C2 D1 6:30 AM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua B2 A1 8:30 PM Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia 25/6/2024 C1 D2 6:30 AM Arnos Vale Ground, Arnos Vale, St Vincent Semi-Final 27/6/2024 T.B.C T.B.C 6:30 AM Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba T.B.C T.B.C 8:30 PM Guyana National Stadium, Guyana Grand Finale 29/6/2024 T.B.C T.B.C 8:30 PM Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Warm-up Matches: Fixtures, Teams and Venues

The Tigers will take on Zimbabwe as a last assignment before visiting the USA. Zimbabwe will tour Bangladesh for a 5-match T20I series to bolster their preparation for World T20 as well. This is the first time these two teams will be facing each other since the thriller in World T20 2022 at Brisbane. Both teams are likely to come up with their best possible squads for this series. Here is all you need to know for the Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe Men's T20I Series 2024. Full Fixtures of BAN vs ZIM T20I Series in 2024  The series is scheduled to kick off on Friday, May 3 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. It will end with the 5th T20I of the series on Saturday, May 11 at Dhaka's Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Table: Full fixture of the T20I series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe Match Date Venue 1st T20 Friday, May 3, 2024 Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram 2nd T20 Sunday, May 5, 2024 Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram 3rd T20 Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram 4th T20 Friday, May 10, 2024 Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka 5th T20 Saturday, May 11, 2024 Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka Read more: BCB appoints former Pakistan great Mushtaq Ahmed as spin-bowling coach BAN vs ZIM Head-to-Head T20I Records So Far Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe have faced each other 20 times in T20I. Bangladesh has won 13 games against Zimbabwe which is the most for them against a single opponent. Similarly, Zimbabwe has won 7 games against Bangladesh which is their highest (along with Ireland) against a single opponent. There have been 7 bilateral T20 series played between these two sides. 3 have been won by Bangladesh, 1 by Zimbabwe and the rest were a draw. However, Zimbabwe were the last bilateral series winners among them. Therefore, it is the perfect opportunity for both sides to brush up before the World T20. Let’s dive into some more detailed H2H records among these two familiar sides.  Table: Head-to-Head Records between Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe Records Bangladesh Zimbabwe Match Wins 13 7 Highest Total 200/3 205/3 Lowest Total 135/9 119/7 Largest Victories by Runs 48 Runs 31 Runs Largest Victories by Wickets 9 Wickets 3 Wickets Read more: Tamim's international career in limbo as BCB offers no clarity Table: Notable Individual Head-to-Head Records between Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe: Records Bangladesh Zimbabwe Most Matches Mahmudllah Riyad (16) Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams (16) Most Runs Litton Das (308) Hamilton MasaKadza (377) Highest Score Najmul Hossain Shanto(71) Hamilton Masakadza (93) Most 50 Litton Das (3) Wesley Madhevere (3) Most Sixes Soumya Sarkar (15) Malcolm Waller (18) Most Wickets  Mustafizur Rahman (24)  Graeme Cramer (11) Best Bowling Mosaddek Hossain (4-0-20-5) Neville Madziva (4-0-34-4) Most Catches Soumya Sarkar (8) Sikandar Raza (9) Most Dismissals  Mushfiqur Rahim (7) Regis Chakabva (5) Highest Partnership Shakib Al Hasan-Shamsur Rahman (118) Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza (101) Most Matches as a Captain Mashrafe Mortaza (6) Elton Chigumbura (4) Bottom Line Both of the teams are coming to the series after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh lost to them at their home while Zimbabwe lost to Sri Lanka. Therefore, both of them will go to the field having a similar situation. The last 1 year of Bangladesh at T20 cricket on home ground, where they beat England, Ireland, and Afghanistan, makes them a slight favorite for this series.  On the other hand, Zimbabwe lost their last 3 series in a row. Nevertheless, both teams can ulitilise the BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2024 to prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup tournament. Read more: 'Mustafizur has nothing to learn from IPL,' says BCB Cricket Ops chair

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has received its fair share of criticism over the years, but the head coach of the Bangladesh national team has gone further, saying he turns off TV when he sees BPL. In a recent interview with ESPNCricinfo, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed his disappointment with the culture T20 events. “There has to be some regulation,” he said. “A player is playing one tournament and then playing another tournament. It's like a circus.” Hathurusingha clearly outlined his frustration with Bangladesh “not having a proper T20 tournament.” He goes so far as to say, “This sounds very odd, but when I'm watching the BPL, I sometimes turn off the TV. Some players are not even of the class. I have a big issue with the current system.” The coach emphasized the need for a T20 event where Bangladeshi bowlers can practice bowling in the death overs, and where Bangladeshi batters can gain experience batting at the top of the order. Read more: BPL Spectacle: What Makes Tawhid Shine with a Century? “A franchise does what it wants,” Hathurusingha added. “Some of my best players are not playing (the BPL). So then how do you expect the Bangladesh team to be up with the other teams? I am fighting a steep battle.” The BPL 2024 has entered the playoffs, with the eliminator and the first qualifier taking place in Dhaka on February 27. Right after BPL, Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in a full series — three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests. Hathurusingha believes the series against Sri Lanka will see the real rivalry in the field, but he also mentioned that Bangladesh will be underdog against Sri Lanka in T20Is. “We are developing as a T20 team. We are underdogs, to be honest. It is a good challenge for us. I am still confident we will give them a good fight. We will understand where we are at, ahead of the World Cup, after this series,” Hathurusingha added in the interview. Read more: BPL Mid-Season Standout Stars: Naim, Shoriful Lead as Tournament Shifts to Chattogram

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday announced the Bangladesh squad for the upcoming three-match T20I and the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka next month. Right-arm spinner Aliss Al Islam earned his maiden call-up to the national T20I squad. Additionally, veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad returns to the T20I lineup based on his recent strong performances. Aliss’ inclusion was a surprising move, as he only scalped 19 wickets in 24 T20s. Overlooking spinners like Mehdiy Hasan Miraz or Tanvir Islam for T20Is was also a head-spinning decision. BPL 2024: Jacks Scores Century, Moeen Takes Hat-trick as Comilla Dominate Chattogram Afif Hossain and Shamim Hossain were also overlooked from the T20I side. They were part of the team in the last T20I series against New Zealand. The Sri Lanka series begins on March 4th with the first T20I at Sylhet International Stadium. The remaining two T20I matches will take place at the same venue on March 6th and 9th. The first two matches will start at 6 pm, while the third will begin at 3 pm. The series then shifts to Chattogram for the ODIs, with matches on March 13th, 15th, and 18th. The first two ODIs will start at 2:30 pm, and the third at 10 am. Mahmudullah included, Tamim axed from BCB's new central contracts Following the white-ball matches, the teams will compete in a two-match test series. The first test will begin on March 22nd in Chattogram, and the second test will commence on March 30th in Sylhet.   T20I squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Litton Das, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mohammad Naim, Tawhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Mahedi Hasan, Mahmullah Riyad, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and Aliss Al Islam Shanto named Bangladesh captain in all formats ODI squad (for the first and second matches): Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Anamul Haque Bijoy, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and Mustafizur Rahman.

When Tawhid Hridoy stepped onto the crease, the Comilla Victorians had already lost three wickets for just 23 runs, making their chase of a daunting target of 176 seems like an uphill battle. Yet, Tawhid Hridoy refused to yield. In a display of artistry and control, he steered the team to a remarkable five-wicket victory, notching up his maiden century in the format — the first of the ongoing season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). His innings culminated in a brilliant 108 off just 57 balls, embellished with eight fours and seven sixes—powerful brushstrokes against an ominous backdrop. His century was the only sixth century in BPL by the Bangladeshi batters. Overall, it was the 30th century in this prestigious T20 league in the country. Read: BPL 2024: Strikers cruise home comfortably against Tigers  Following the match, the right-handed batter shared his thoughts with the media. He attributed his success to the opportunity to bat higher up the order, expressing gratitude to his captain and the team management for the chance provided. “I am grateful for the opportunity to bat at the top order,” he remarked. “I would like to thank my captain and team management.” Tawhid had garnered acclaim as one of the finest batters during his U-19 cricketing days and has since become an indispensable asset to the national white-ball team. Yet, amidst the accolades, he retains a sense of perspective. Reflecting on his century in the BPL, Tawhid humbly remarked that while each century holds significance for him, his three centuries against Sri Lanka at the U-19 level stand out as particularly memorable. “Every century is special,” he affirmed, “but those three against Sri Lanka at the U-19 level hold a special place in my heart.” Read: BPL 2024: Sylhet triumph over Dhaka in battle of minnows