The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has named the squad for the two ICC World Test Championship (WTC) matches against the West Indies. It'll be Bangladesh's first Test series in West Indies since 2022, when they suffered a clean sweep in a two-match series. Bangladesh brought back left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam for this series. He missed home series against South Africa and also missed the India series before that. The first Test is scheduled to begin on November 22 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, followed by the second match on November 30 at Sabina Park in Jamaica. The tour will begin with a 4-day warm-up match from November 15-19 at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. After the Test series, Bangladesh will play a limited-overs segment, with the first ODU set for December 8 at Warner Park in St. Kitts. The subsequent ODIs are scheduled for December 10 and December 12, both at the same venue. Read: Pakistan beats Australia by 8 wickets to clinch 3-game ODI series Following the ODI series, the tour will conclude with a three-match T20I series in St. Vincent. The T20Is are slated for December 15, December 17, and December 19, all taking place at Arnos Vale Playing Field in Kingstown. Bangladesh Test Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Kumer Das (Wicketkeeper), Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice Captain), Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad.

To play a two-match Test series against the hosts, the South Africa cricket team arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday morning. The first Test of the series will take place in Dhaka on October 21, while the second Test will be played in Chattogram. This series is part of the ongoing cycle of the ICC Test Championship. With two wins in six matches, South Africa are currently in fifth place in the points table, while Bangladesh are in seventh place with three wins in eight matches. So, the upcoming series will provide a great chance for both teams to advance their position in the points table to finish as top two. South Africa’s regular captain, Temba Bavuma, will not be available for the first match in Mirpur due to an injury. In his absence, Aiden Markram will lead them in the series opener. Bavuma is expected to return for the second match in Chattogram, beginning on October 29. Read: BCB appoints Phil Simmons as Head Coach of Bangladesh National Cricket team Left-arm pacer Nandre Burger was named in the original squad, but he is missing the tour due to a lumbar stress fracture. To replace, the South Africa Cricket added Lungi Ngidi for the Bangladesh series. While the South African team has already landed in Dhaka, the BCB has yet to announce the squad. The Bangladesh team just returned home from their disastrous tour of India, where they lost all of two Tests, and three T20Is. South Africa Test squad for Bangladesh series: Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, a regular face in the commentary box during the ongoing India-Bangladesh series, expressed concerns that infrastructural shortcomings are hindering the development of Bangladesh cricket. Tamim gave an interview to the Indian sports magazine, Sportstar, where he candidly discussed his retirement, potential return to international cricket, his relationship with Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's continued struggles in Test matches, and the factors impeding the cricketing progress of Bangladesh. In the extensive interview, Tamim also addressed the possibility of a Bangladeshi coach leading the national team. The former captain, who has scored over 15,000 runs and 25 centuries in international cricket, said that the lack of adequate facilities in Dhaka is a big factor to the slow development of Bangladesh cricket. “I made my debut in 2006-2007, and as we speak in 2024, not a single new training facility has been developed in Dhaka over the past 17 years,” Tamim said while discussing the areas Bangladesh cricket needs to focus on for growth. “Some aspects in Bangladesh are fine, but most need to change.” Tamim was critical of the board's financial management. The previous board president, Nazmul Hasan, often boasted about the board having hundreds of crores of taka in the bank to indicate the financial strength of the board. However, Tamim believes that instead of accumulating money in bank accounts, the board should invest it in developing infrastructure. “The funniest thing is that when the BCB claims to have Rs 1200 crore in its bank account, it feels like a slap in the face,” Tamim said. “There shouldn’t be 1200 crore sitting idle; there should be 200 crore in the account, and the remaining 1000 should be invested in developing infrastructure.” He added that corporate entities typically reinvest their earnings to facilitate growth, something the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) fails to do. The left-handed batter also questioned the absence of another facility in Dhaka comparable to the one in Mirpur and advocated for the need for good quality pitches across the country. “You definitely need a facility like Mirpur, and while I’m okay with playing to your strengths on certain pitches, it’s crucial to produce quality wickets at the domestic level as well,” he said. “This way, you can test your cricketers and prepare them for the international stage.” Regarding his potential return to international cricket, Tamim said that there needs to be a clear path and purpose for him to consider it. He neither explicitly ruled out a return nor definitively confirmed it. On his relationship with Shakib, Tamim remained somewhat vague and did not explicitly state what transpired between them to cause their relationship to deteriorate. Furthermore, one of Bangladesh's all-time best batters expressed his belief that Bangladesh currently lacks someone capable of being the head coach of the national team. He suggested that the board should recruit coaching staff for the national team at a 30:70 ratio, with 30% being foreign coaches in top positions and the remaining 70% being local officials, allowing them to develop for a better future. Tags: BCB, Bangladesh cricket, Tigers, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is set to host a camp with at least 32 cricketers starting from July 31st. Initially, the camp will provide an opportunity for the cricketers to improve their fitness. On August 3rd, the players will undergo a Yo-Yo Test. Those who pass the fitness test might earn a spot in the main squad for the Asia Cup. Minhazul Abedin, the chief selector of BCB, said that the squad for the Asia Cup will be announced in the first week of August. Shoriful gets BCB's nod to play in LPL"We want to assess the fitness level of the cricketers," Minhazul told the reporters on Sunday in Mirpur. "We've initially selected 32 players for the camp. Following the Yo-Yo Test, we will narrow it down to 21 cricketers. By the end of the first week of August, we'll announce the final squad for the Asia Cup." Tamim Iqbal, the opener, is going to miss the start of the camp as he is currently in London, undergoing treatment for a back injury. It's unclear whether he will join the camp soon. Asia Cup 2023 Fixtures: Team List, Schedule, and VenuesBangladesh's last assignment was the home series against Afghanistan. Since then, most of the cricketers have had an extended break from cricket, with a few of them participating in foreign leagues. Mushfiqur Rahim and Taskin Ahmed took part in the Zim Afro T10 League in Zimbabwe, while Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das are busy playing in Canada. Shoriful Islam, Towhid Hridoy, and Afif Hossain went to Sri Lanka to play in the new season of the Lankan Premier League, so they will miss the start of the camp. Bangladesh's probable squad for ICC ODI World Cup 2023Apart from them, most of the cricketers are currently not engaged in any cricketing activities. For them, proving their fitness is key to earning a spot in the squad. "It's been weeks since the conclusion of the Dhaka Premier League and National League. So, we would like to assess the fitness levels of the cricketers," Minhazul said.

Tamim Iqbal scored 69 runs and Mushfiqur Rahim contributed 45 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 274 in 48.5 overs in the third ODI of the three-match series against Ireland on Sunday. Although Bangladesh looked set to reach 300, some quick wickets— five wickets in 13 runs— toward the end of the innings prevented them from achieving their target. Bangladesh’s biggest partnership came on the sixth wicket when Mushfiqur and Mehdiy Hasan Miraz added 72 runs on the board. Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl first at County Ground, Chelmsford. Bangladesh began their innings well, with opener Tamim leading from the front. He scored a fifty after nine innings. However, he fell for 69 runs off 82 balls with 8 fours and a six, caught by Craig Young off the bowling of George Dockrell. Debutant Rony Talukdar was the first wicket to fall for Bangladesh, dismissed by Tucker for 4 runs. Najmul Hossain Shanto scored a useful 35 runs off 32 balls, but was caught by Balbirnie off the bowling of Craig Young. The middle-order batsmen Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy also contributed with scores of 35 and 13 runs respectively, but both were dismissed by Mark Adair. Litton looked set to build a big innings, but he failed to carry on. Mushfiqur scored 45 runs off 54 balls but was eventually dismissed lbw by Andy McBrine. The onus was on him to accelerate the scoring rate towards the end of the innings, but he was given out lbw after a review went against him. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also played an important role, scoring 37 runs off 39 balls before being caught by Craig Young off the bowling of Mark Adair. Mrittunjoy Chowdhury played a crucial cameo towards the end of the innings, scoring an unbeaten 10 runs off just 8 balls, helping Bangladesh reach a total of 274 runs. Mark Adair was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland, finishing with figures of 4 for 40 in his 8.4 overs. Andy McBrine and George Dockrell also bagged two wickets each for Ireland. Bangladesh won the second ODI by chasing down a total of more than 300 runs, with Shanto scoring his maiden ODI century, while the first match was washed out due to rain. A victory in this match would secure the series for the Tigers.    

Despite a maiden half-century from Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh fell to a three-wicket loss in the first ODI of their three-match series against England Wednesday (March 01, 2023) due to a lacklustre performance in the middle overs. The left-handed batter's impressive knock went in vain as the rest of the team failed to support him in building a solid total. Bangladesh's innings ended with a below-par 209, leaving them with a tough task to defend against a strong England side. Tamim Iqbal and Litton Das put on a brief opening stand, but things soon took a turn for the worse as Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim also failed to deliver. Read more: Malan century guides England home as Tigers bemoan batting woes "I think losing three quick wickets in the middle overs was the main reason behind our defeat," Shanto said in the post-match press conference. "We have a good bowling attack that can defend this sort of total, but we failed today." Shanto also said the team fell short of 20-30 runs in their innings. The second match of the series will also take place in Dhaka's Mirpur on March 3 at the same venue; the third and final match will be played on March 6 in Chattogram. Read More: Analysis of BAN vs ENG 1st ODI 2023 After the ODI series, both the teams will lock horns in a three-match T20I series.

Bangladesh's wicket-keeper batter Liton Das has expressed optimism regarding their chances of coming away with a win in the ongoing Dhaka Test against India. At the close of day three, India slumped to 45-4 in pursuit of 145 runs. In the last session of the day, the tourists had lost four wickets, thanks to Mehidy Hasan Miraz's three-wicket haul. "A win is absolutely possible," Liton said in the post-day press conference Saturday. "We need to take early wickets tomorrow. If we can take early wickets, it will be difficult for them to win the match, no matter how small the target is." Both Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli were dismissed before the end of the day's play. However, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer are yet to bat. Read more: Dhaka Test: India pursuing 145 as Mehidy bags 3 wickets "They have some batters who can give us a tough time, but they are the side who will be under more pressure," Liton said. Bangladesh batted first in this match and scored 227 runs; Mominul Haque scored 84. India responded with a better performance. Pant and Iyer did well to help their team earn a first-innings lead of 87 runs with a score of 314. Read more: Dhaka Test: Bangladesh set a target of 145 for India Bangladesh put up a fight in the second innings. Zakir Hasan hit a half-century to help his team score 231.

Bangladesh and India are both eagerly awaiting their second Test of the two-match series, set to take place tomorrow at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. India have already won the first Test of the two-match series in Chattogram, and are now aiming to secure a comfortable sweep of their opponents. However, Bangladesh are eager to prove their Test match ability at their most-familiar surface of Mirpur, where they previously won two consecutive ODIs against India prior to this series. Spinners are likely to play a pivotal role in this match on the pitch which is traditionally known to aid spin bowlers.  Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan have been in top form with the ball in Chattogram while Shakib Al Hasan was out of action due to a rib injury, but the southpaw is now fit and ready to bowl  in the Dhaka Test.  Allan Donald, the bowling coach of Bangladesh, cleared the doubts about Shakib's availability as a bowler, confirming that “Shakib is okay; he will bowl. He was briefly hampered by a bruise during the ODI game in Mirpur, but has since fully recovered and is available for selection.” India boasts an impressive spin attack, headed by Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel who decimated the Bangladesh batting line-up in the first Test. In Chattogram, the Bangladeshi batters were left in distress when confronted with the duo's skills. But Vikram Rathour, the batting coach of India, said they are not worried much about spin. He instead said that when the game is in the subcontinent, one team should be aware of the turn.  “When you play in Asia, subcontinent, you expect the wickets to turn,” he said in the pre-match press meet on Wednesday.  Read more: Indian tail wags to carry team past 400 He added that the turns in Bangladesh will help them to prepare well for the next series against Australia.  “After this we are playing Australia and we expect them to turn. So good practice for us. Good preparation. No special things tactically,” the Indian batting coach added. “We are not discussing anything too much. They need to decide what areas and the shots that are on, depending on the bounce we get here.” Ahead of this match, India escaped an injury scare. Lokesh Rahul, the stand-in captain of India, suffered a blow to his hand during the practice session. But, as their batting coach stated, Rahul has no reason to be worried about. He is all fit to take on the field.  Bangladesh will be eying on the batting skills of Zakir Hasan, who hit a century in his debut Test at Chattogram, becoming the fourth Bangladeshi batsman to do so. He had already been showcasing his talent in the domestic circuit and has now finally delivered when it matters most.  “The young man has surprised many. It is the first time I have seen Zakir. I love his attitude, boldness, and attacking mindset. He has come to play,” Alland has said.  Read more: Ctg Test: Zakir hits a ton on debut, but Bangladesh still in trouble Before this match, Bangladesh had faced India in 12 matches, with 10 of them resulting in defeats and two ending in a draw. However, this time around, Bangladesh will approach the match with a winning mentality.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday congratulated the Bangladesh cricket team for their ODI series win against India. In a congratulatory message, the prime minister greeted the players, coaches and officials of the national cricket team. Read more: Mehidy Miraz achieves 2 milestones with blazing century against India Bangladesh pulled off thrilling five-run win over India to seal the three-match ODI series, with a match to spare, riding on the heroics of Mehidy Hasan Miraz at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The main target of the hunters of the Sundarbans is to kill tigers. Unless they get caught, no one knows how many tigers get killed in the world’s largest mangrove forest that straddles the border of Bangladesh and India. After killing the tigers, hunters and hide traders smuggle the hides and body parts of the big cats out of the country. In most cases, law enforcement agencies fail to find the criminals, and even if they are found, they have to be released due to a lack of proper evidence. According to sources at the forest department, a total of 13 cases have been filed against 59 people for killing tigers in the eastern side of the Sundarbans in the last 21 years, among whom only nine have been apprehended. Read more: Sundarbans to have 4 more eco-tourism centres Trial of six cases has ended till now, and in three of the cases, all the accused have been acquitted due to the forest department’s inability to produce evidence. In the three other cases, a total of seven accused have received jail terms ranging from six months to four and a half years. Currently, seven cases are pending with the court, the forest department said. The size of the Sundarbans is 6,017 square kilometers, including a land area of 4,143 square kilometers. More than half of the Sunderbans is reserved forest area where tigers roam freely. Unfortunately, hunting by the hide traders and effects of climate change has put the lives of the animal in great risks. In 2017-2018 fiscal year, the number of tigers in the Bangladesh part of the mangrove forest was found to be at 114 through camera trapping system. Forest department said that they’ll soon start counting tigers to fix their new number. According to data from the forest department, a total of 28 tigers have either died or have been killed between 2001 and 2022. Among these dead tigers, 14 were killed by hunters, five died due to mob beating, one died in cyclone Sidr and eight others died naturally. These numbers are based on joint or separate drives against hunters by the forest department, Rab and police. During these drives, hides, bones and other body parts of the tigers had been recovered and in rare cases, bodies of dead tigers were found inside the forest. Read more: Sundarban tigers: Inbreeding leads to generation of weak, diseased cubs Among the eight subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct and five are struggling to survive in adverse conditions. The forest department is working round the clock to protect tigers following the government’s special preference and internationally signed protocols. To protect the Royal Bengal Tiger of the Sundarbans, the forest department has taken up a 10-year project titled “Tiger Action Plan”. Habib Talukder, a hunter from Sonatola village under Bagerhat’s Sharankhola upazila, said that he is currently on bail in 10 cases filed against him for killing tigers and deer. “The Bhola river separates my village from the Sundarbans. I've been going to the forest to catch fishes since the age of five. I was in jail for two years in false cases. There are at least 30 people in my village who are involved in hunting tigers. They use poisonous traps and bullets for killing tigers,” Habib said. Prof Dr Md Anwarul Islam, Chief Executive of Wildteam and former Chairman of Zoology department of Dhaka University (DU), said that to stop the killing of tigers, alternative income sources have to be created for the people who currently rely on the Sundarbans for a living. “Social protection nets for people living around the forest have to be created. The forest department also needs trained informers. Most importantly, exemplary punishment has to be given to the hunters and hide traders so that others stay away from the practice,” Anwarul said. Mohammad Belayet Hossain, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sundarbans East, provided a list of the activities that the forest department is running to stop the killing of tigers. Read more: Tiger recovered from Sundarbans canal most likely died of natural causes “A total of 62 patrol camps, 16 stations and eight patrol teams are working inside the forest round the clock to ensure safe roaming of the tigers. Besides, co-management committees (CMC), community patrol groups (CPG) and village tiger response teams (VTRT) are also working to prevent the killing of tigers,” said Belayet. Belayet added that they’re ensuring protection of the tigers by excavating canals and rivers running through the forest, making fences on the borders of the forest using nylon ropes and taking preventive measures to save tigers during natural disasters.