The twenty20 International series between Bangladesh and New Zealand will start on September 1 (Wednesday). New Zealand's 16-man squad has already landed in Bangladesh. On the other hand, the Bangladesh T20 team has undergone some changes ahead of the upcoming series against New Zealand. Veteran Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das were both included in the team, but Mohammad Mithun was left out. We sought to create a joint T20I XI of players from both sides prior to the five-match bilateral twenty20 BAN vs. NZ Series 2021. Let's take a look at who made the Bangladesh-New Zealand Combined T20I XI.   BAN vs. NZ Series 2021: Combined Bangladesh-New Zealand T20I XI    1)      Liton Das (Bangladesh) M: 33 | Runs: 646 | HS: 61 | SR: 134.02 Liton Das is one of Bangladesh's finest batsmen, and he will have to shoulder greater responsibility in the absence of experienced opener Tamim Iqbal.   Read WI vs. PAK 2021: West Indies-Pakistan Test Series Ends in 1-1 Draw 2)      Tom Latham (New Zealand, WK)   M: 13 | Runs: 163 | HS: 39 | SR: 103.82 The wicketkeeper-batsman, Tom Latham will lead the New Zealand side in this contest in the absence of regular captain Kane Williamson. He is a tough player who will play an important role in the series. 3)      Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)    M: 84 | Runs: 1,718 | HS: 84 | SR: 122.53 | Wkts: 102 | BBI: 5/20 | Econ: 6.80    Shakib Al Hasan is one of the most experienced Twenty20 players in the world, and he will be a crucial player for Bangladesh in the New Zealand series. READ: Tigers start training ahead of NZ T20Is 4)      Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh) M: 86 | Runs: 1,282 | HS: 72* | SR: 120.03 Mushfiqur Rahim is Bangladesh's most dependable middle-order batsman. His inclusion in the squad will undoubtedly help the team in the forthcoming series against New Zealand. 5)      Henry Nicholls (New Zealand)   M: 5 | Runs: 19 | HS: 7 | SR: 67.85 Henry Nicholls is an experienced player in the team, despite not having the best T20I record with the bat. So, Nicholls will play an important part in the series.   Read ICC Test Championship 2021-2023: Bangladesh Likely to Start Campaign against Pakistan 6)      Mahmudullah Riyad (Bangladesh, Captain)   M: 97 | Runs: 1,651 | HS: 64* | SR: 121.21 | Wkts: 32 | BBI: 3/18 | Econ: 7.31 Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah Riyad performed well during the Australia series. He will have to emulate his performance in the next series against New Zealand.   7)      Afif Hossain (Bangladesh) M: 23 | Runs: 315 | HS: 52 | SR: 123.52 | Wkts: 6 | BBI: 2/9 | Econ: 8.06   Afif Hossain is one of Bangladesh's most promising young players. He has demonstrated his full potential in the recent series. READ: India vs England 3rd Test: Root extends form of life with 121 8)      Colin de Grandhomme (New Zealand) M: 36 | Runs: 487 | HS: 59 | SR: 143.23 | Wkts: 11 | BBI: 2/22 | Econ: 8.92 In the absence of some of the top players, experienced all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme will be crucial for New Zealand in this series against Bangladesh. 9)      Ajaz Patel (New Zealand) M: 2 | Wkts: 1 | BBI: 1/27 | Econ: 7.50    Ajaz Patel might not have significant international experience, but he does have a lot of experience in the domestic circuit. On Mirpur's slow wickets, his spin bowling will be crucial for New Zealand. Read New Zealand player tests positive for Covid-19 in Dhaka 10)  Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) M: 48 | Wkts: 68 | BBI: 5/22 | Econ: 7.59 Mustafizur Rahman will lead Bangladesh's pace bowling attack in the series. Australian batting lineups were decimated by his cutter bowling. The New Zealand campaign will very likely have to craft a strategic plan for Mustafiz. 11)  Nasum Ahmed (Bangladesh)   M: 9 | Wkts: 10 | BBI: 4/19 | Econ: 6.87    Nasum Ahmed is a great slow-pitch bowler, as he exhibited during the Australia series. He may once again be a game-changer in the series against New Zealand. READ: Doctors advise Nazmul to stay away from cricket on health grounds Bottom Line Getting the right XI from two international teams is never easy. The Bangladesh-New Zealand Combined T20I XI was picked based on recent form, experience, and weather conditions. Seven of the players in the XI are from Bangladesh because they have more experience and a better record on slow surfaces than this New Zealand team. However, New Zealand's this twenty20 team has the potential to surprise the home side in the upcoming BAN vs. NZ Series 2021. Read Blackcaps arrive in Dhaka for T20 series

New Zealand cricket team will arrive in Bangladesh in the fourth week of August for a bilateral T20I series against Bangladesh, which will begin on September 1st. On Thursday (August 19), BCB revealed the squad for the series. BCB includes all of the expected names in the team for the next series. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has made young players a priority in the Twenty20 format. The Cricket Board appears to have a defined plan for the selection process, which is good for the team's future growth. Take a look at Bangladesh's squad for the BAN vs. NZ T20I Series 2021. Bangladesh’s T20 Squad for BAN vs. NZ T20I Series 2021 BCB announced a 19-man squad on Thursday (August 19) for the Twenty20 series against New Zealand in September. The selectors have picked both Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das. They both missed the Australia series for breaching bio-bubble protocol. Tamim Iqbal was left off the list because he has yet to declare himself fit for selection. Read ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Dubai to Host Epic India-Pakistan Group Stage Match The selectors also have picked leg-spinner Aminul Islam Biplob for the series, indicating that he has a chance to make the T20 World Cup team. We should expect spin-friendly surfaces for the New Zealand series. Selectors may include Biplob for the World Cup if he shows promise during the bilateral contest. Meanwhile, Mohammad Mithun Ali was not selected for the series. Lately, he was criticized for not being consistent enough to be a part of the Bangladesh squad. With the exception of him, all of the players that competed in the Australia series have been selected for the next home series. Mahmudullah Riyad will be captaining the Bangladesh team. Liton is expected to open the innings with Mohammad Naim, with Mushfiqur at number four. Bangladesh will have a strong chance to win a T20 series against New Zealand since the Blackcaps will send a second-tier team. Read Mushfiqur, Liton return as Bangladesh announce squad for NZ T20Is Bangladesh Squad: Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Aminul Islam Probable Bangladesh XI for the first T20I   Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed The Declared Squad's Major Highlights Mushfiqur and Liton have returned to the team Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das were both unable to participate in the historic Twenty20 series against Australia earlier this month. Bangladesh went on to claim a 4-1 victory in the series. Mushfiqur had to leave the bio-bubble during his Zimbabwe tour due to his parent's illness, and Liton Das had to leave the bubble for personal reasons. Read ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021: Who Are Favourites? Aminul Biplob is still on Selectors' Radar Aminul Islam Biplob made a fantastic debut in 2019, but he is yet to live up to expectations to earn a spot in the national squad. Though the selectors have not given up on him, they believe Aminul Biplob will be an important weapon for Bangladesh in the next series against New Zealand. Biplob may earn a spot in Bangladesh's 15-man T20 World Cup squad if he performs well throughout the series. The World Cup Team will be Picked From this Squad      All of the predicted names have been selected for the New Zealand series, with the exception of veteran Tamim Iqbal. BCB will select players from this group for the World Cup. So, all 20 players will give it their all in the forthcoming series in order to secure a spot in Bangladesh's T20 World Cup 2021 team.    Read BAN vs. NZ 2021: Notable T20I Records Between Bangladesh and New Zealand Final Thoughts Bangladesh's T20 team will play New Zealand in a five-match series commencing September 1. This will be Bangladesh's final Twenty20 series before the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, which will take place in the months of October and November. So, Bangladesh will get another opportunity to prepare for the major event. Beating this second-tier New Zealand team will not be impossible for Bangladesh if they play with their full ability. Moreover, the New Zealand team will be looking to maintain their unbeaten record in the T20 format against Bangladesh. The approaching BAN vs. NZ T20I Series 2021 will be fascinating to watch in this regard.   

Former South African international Ashwell Prince has been named as Bangladesh's full-time batting coach till the end of the Twenty20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. Prince was hired as Bangladesh's temporary batting coach for the Zimbabwe series in July. He later also stayed with the team during Bangladesh's historic 4-1 series triumph over Australia. The BCB has extended Ashwell Prince's contract till the next year’s ICC's mega-event, stating his performance as satisfactory. Let's take a look at Ashwell Prince's coaching and professional cricket career to discover his potentials to assist Bangladesh cricket as a batting coach.   Who is Bangladesh's New Batting Coach, Ashwell Prince? Former Proteas international Ashwell Prince has been named as the Tigers' batting coach, succeeding Jon Lewis, who left Bangladesh Cricket as a batting consultant in May this year. Early Life Ashwell Prince was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1977. He made his first-class debut for the Eastern Province side on October 27, 1995. In the mid-1990s, Prince went from Eastern Province to Western Province on the advice of Duncan Fletcher. Ashwell also spent two seasons with the English cricket club Morecambe Cricket Club in his earlier career. Read Ashwell Prince named Bangladesh’s full-time batting coach International Career Ashwell Prince made his Test debut against Australia at the Wanderers in February 2002. He justified his inclusion in the playing XI lineup by scoring 49 runs. He just missed out on a half-century in the third Test in Durban, but his 48 was crucial in his team's triumph. Ashwell Prince played 66 Tests (3,665 runs at an average of 41.64) and 52 One-Day Internationals (1,018 runs with an average of 35.10) during his ten-year international career.   Coaching career Ashwell Prince began coaching at the domestic level following his retirement from international cricket. He was the head coach of the Cobras (a team that has now merged into Western Province) before becoming the permanent batting coach of Bangladesh's national team. The Cobras did not win any trophies during Prince's reign, but they did develop some national team players, notably the Kyle Verreynne, George Linde, Malan brothers, and Zubayr Hamza.   Read Tamim Iqbal signs as brand ambassador of IPDC What to Expect From Ashwell Prince Ashwell Prince has been assigned a key role by BCB. His main responsibility will be to instill confidence in the batters when they are up against a strong opponent. Bangladesh are eager for big hitters in the Twenty20 format. So, Ashwell Prince has to develop some good hitters prior to the actual T20 World Cup in the October-November window. He also needs to identify the primary causes for failure in the T20 format. Ashwell Prince may motivate the upcoming talents to develop their approach in the twenty20 format. Then he will be able to teach them everything they need to know about power-hitting in this format. His appointment will be useful if the players respond by getting proper lessons from him. Read Shakib Al Hasan Reclaims No.1 Spot in T20I Rankings, Wins ICC's POTM Award for July 2021 Bangladesh players must be attentive and sincere to play the longer version format. They need to understand the importance of playing multiple sessions in Test cricket. In order to succeed, batters must play the game with the mindset of putting all of their energy in the contest. Batsmen must also be able to switch their attention quickly from one format to another. The Bangladesh Cricket Board will be satisfied if Ashwell Prince can bring consistency to the players' batting approach.   Verdict    Bangladesh Cricket Board is set on forming three different teams for the Test, One-Day International, and Twenty20 formats. Each format has its own traits, and batters must be aware of them. Bangladesh's batsmen have played well in the previous series under Ashwell Prince's supervision, winning four bilateral series in a row. Young batters who have been given opportunities to play for the national team are doing well at the international level. The majority of the players appear to be confident, and they are not afraid to express themselves in front of giant international opponents. BCB believes that Bangladesh's batters would improve under Ashwell Prince's guidance. Therefore, his contract has been extended till the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2022.    Read When Aussie coach chided staffer for posting Bangladesh's celebrations online

Pakistan and the Windies are playing a four-match bilateral Twenty20 International series with the intent of enhancing their preparations for the 2021 T20 World Cup. The opening match of the series at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown was abandoned due to persistent rain. The remaining three matches will be held at the Providence stadium, Guyana on July 31, August 1, and 3. The Windies are full of confidence after winning their recent home series against Australia 4-1. However, we can expect a thrilling battle between these two sides. The preview of the PAK vs. WI 2021 series are discussed in this article. Personal Milestones that can be Achieved during the PAK vs. WI 2021 Series Several personal milestones may be achieved during the PAK vs. WI 2021 series. The following are some of the approaching milestones. # Chris Gayle can reach his 2,000 T20 international runs. He needs 175 more runs to achieve the milestone. # Andre Fletcher may be on his way to 1,000 T20I runs, as he only needs 81 runs to achieve the milestone. # Windies all-rounder Kieron Pollard needs only 3 wickets to complete his 300 wickets in Twenty20 cricket. # Pakistani spinner Imad Waism is only 7 wickets shy to take 200 twenty20 wickets. # Pakistan skipper Babar Azam needs 282 runs to complete his 7,000 runs in twenty20 cricket. # Kieron Pollard only needs 2 runs to reach his 4,000 international runs. # Top order batsman Lendl Simmons requires 256 runs to score his 4,000 international runs. # Shimron Hetmyer will reach his 3,000 international runs if he scores 193 runs in the remaining matches of the series. # Hasan Ali is only 3 wickets away to reach his 200 international wickets milestone. # Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will reach his 150 international wickets milestone if he takes 8 more wickets in the series. # Kieron Pollard needs 8 more wickets to complete 100 international wickets. READ: Ben Stokes take 'indefinite break' from all cricket Pakistan Squad for PAK vs. WI 2021 Series There are a few talented cricketers on the Pakistani side who have the potential to be match-winners on any given day. With Babar Azam at the helm, Pakistan are anticipated to do well in the series. The desire for success may be a helpful tool for this youth-oriented team. Pakistan does have a chance to surprise the Windies if they take the right strategy during the series. Pakistan's bowling attack is quite formidable, and the Windies batsmen may struggle against them. This is a battle between Pakistani bowlers vs. the Windies batters. The three important players in the Pakistan team are Captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Hasan Ali. Probable Playing XI (Pakistan) Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir READ: Five-match T20Is: Australian cricket team arrives in Dhaka The Windies Squad for PAK vs. WI 2021 Series The Caribbean team is full of confidence after winning the series against Australia and they have a home-ground advantage in this series. So, they have a slight edge over Pakistan. Aside from a few veteran players, this West Indies team has some real talent. They can destroy any team in the world on any given day. In addition, the West Indies Cricket Board recalled Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, and DJ Bravo to bolster their Twenty20 squad ahead of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup. The Windies team has several good bowlers, but it lacks the versatility, which needed to win a major event. They have Jason Holder, Bravo, and Oshane Thomas in the bowling troops. However, Sunil Narine's exclusion from the national setup was a huge decision, and they may struggle in the series. The Windies are known for producing big hitters and we should anticipate some swashbuckling performances from their destructive batters. READ: Triumphant Tigers are back! Probable Playing XI Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Hayden Walsh, Akeal Hosein Toss Prediction and Weather Forecast Rain is expected throughout the week, thus the remaining matches of the series may be washed out. The best option would be to bat first after winning the toss at Providence Stadium in Guyana. Verdict Pakistan are among the top five ranked teams in the ICC rankings, while the Windies are now ranked eighth. Every match in this contest is crucial in determining the teams' weaknesses and strengths. Therefore, Pakistan and the Windies are both taking this PAK vs. WI 2021 series very seriously, and predicting who will win the series is difficult.

Bangladesh's ODI series against Zimbabwe commenced with a crushing victory for the tigers. Bangladesh won the first ODI by 155 runs on Friday (July 16). If Bangladesh win the next match, they will clinch the series. Bangladesh will play with the same confidence in the second match to wrap up the series with a game in hand. The best thing of the match was that both the senior and junior players made important contributions to the victory. Three reasons behind the tigers thumping win in the first match of the Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe 2021 ODI series are discussed in this article. Three Factors Contributed to Bangladesh's Victory Over Zimbabwe   Liton Das’s Fantastic Hundred Liton Das has had a terrible year, and he was under fire heading into the series-opener against Zimbabwe. However, the team management decided to give him another chance to start the innings with skipper Tamim Iqbal. Opener Liton Das seized the opportunity and played a key knock after the early exits of three senior players – Tamim, Shakib, and Mithun. Liton Das remained at the crease till the 42nd over, when he was bowled by Ngarava. Prior to that, Liton had a responsible 102-run knock, his fourth ODI century. He also formed two key partnerships during the contest. At first, he and Mahmudullah put together a 93-run stand to rebuild the team's innings. After that, he made 40 runs with Afif, helping Bangladesh in surpassing the 200-run barrier. Overall, Liton's role in Bangladesh's victory in this match was vital. READ: Bangladesh drawn with minnows in qualification round Effective Partnership Between Liton and Mahmudullah   Bangladesh's innings was carried over by opener Liton Das and veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad after losing four wickets for 74 runs in 19 overs. They had put up a 93-run fifth-wicket stand to take the total close to 200. Stylish opener Liton Das was the more aggressive of the two. On the other side, Mahmudullah Riyad scored 33 runs off 52 balls. Bangladesh's score would not have reached 250 if it hadn't been for this pair. One of the match's decisive phases was Liton and Mahmudullah's solid partnership. Apart from this partnership, talented all-rounder Afif Hossain (45) and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan (26) both played vital innings for Bangladesh. READ: Shakib bags five as Bangladesh register emphatic win vs Zimbabwe Shakib Al Hasan's Superb Spin Bowling Bangladesh's best-ever player Shakib Al Hasan had an amazing performance in the first ODI. He passed Mashrafe Mortaza for the most ODI wickets for Bangladesh after taking five wickets against Zimbabwe on Friday. Shakib was proving to be a highly effective bowler with his outstanding performance in the first match. Captain Tamim Iqbal introduced Shakib Al Hasan with the aim of maintaining constant pressure on the Zimbabwean team in the early stages of the innings. Shakib did a fantastic job of repaying the captain's faith in him. Shakib took Bangladesh's fourth wicket by sending veteran Brendon Taylor to the pavilion in the 15th over. He then took four more wickets to completely demolish Zimbabwe's middle order in the middle of the innings. Shakib, who claimed his third five-wicket haul in ODIs for Bangladesh, was instrumental in the team's first-match triumph. Shakib finished his spell with a tally of 9.5-3-30-5. READ: Liton smashes a ton to propel Bangladesh to 276 in first ODI Bottom Line By taking a look at the three reasons for Bangladesh's massive victory over Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe 2021 series, it's evident that experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and opener Liton Das had a superb performance.  The players must put in consistent performances in the next two matches in order to win the series. Also, Bangladesh's players must try to fix their mistakes so that they do not repeat those in the next encounter. If Bangladesh can work efficiently, they will win the series by defeating Zimbabwe in the second game.

Mahmudullah Riyad is an efficient batsman and one of the trustworthy cricketers when quick runs are required in the death overs. Riyad is regarded as a silent killer and a competent Test batsman as well. However, he was ignored by the selectors for the Test format after the Pakistan series in February 2020. Mahmudullah was recalled for a one-off Test against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh won the series thanks to his career-best 150 runs in the first innings. Meanwhile, Riyad has decided to retire from Test cricket following a superb innings against Zimbabwe. In this article, we have picked Mahmudullah's best Test innings for Bangladesh. Mahmudullah’s Best Innings in Test Matches 5) Against New Zealand (1st Test, 2019) Venue: Hamilton Result: New Zealand won by an innings and 52 runs Mahmudullah: 146 (2nd innings) Mahmudullah Riyad produced a counter-attacking 146-run knock in the second innings on a bouncy track against a deadly New Zealand pace attack. When all of Bangladesh's batsmen failed to adapt to the Kiwis' blistering pace attack, Mahmudullah and Soumya came out strong and put up a 235-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Though Bangladesh lost the match by an innings and 52 runs. READ: Mushfiqur to miss remainder of Zimbabwe series 4) Against West Indies (2nd Test, 2018) Venue: Dhaka Result: Bangladesh won by an innings and 184 runs Mahmudullah: 136 (1st innings) Bangladesh won by an innings and 184 runs, making the game a one-sided affair. Bangladesh scored 508 runs in the first innings, owing to a crucial 136-run innings by Mahmudullah Riyad. He was accompanied by Shakib and Liton on his way to hundred. Riyad produced a really great knock. Miraz was named man of the match after taking 12 wickets in the match. Read  BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021: Bangladesh Player Ratings 3) Against Zimbabwe (2nd Test, 2014) Venue: Khulna Result: Bangladesh won by 162 runs   Mahmudullah: 56 & 71 Mahmudullah played two solid innings in the 2014 bilateral Test series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. In particular, his 71-run knock in the second innings was important to the match's outcome. Bangladesh declared their second innings at 248/9d after gaining a 313-run lead. Bangladesh went onto win the match by 162 runs. Read  Mominul “not well-informed” about Mahmudullah’s retirement 2) Against Zimbabwe (2nd Test, 2018) Venue: Dhaka Result: Bangladesh won by 218 runs  Mahmudullah: 101* (2nd innings) Zimbabwe scored 304 runs in their first innings in response to Bangladesh's mammoth 522-run total. Bangladesh required quick runs in the second innings to get a commanding lead. Mahmudullah rose to the occasion and played an aggressive 101*-run knock to set Zimbabwe a 443-run target. Zimbabwe ultimately crumbled and was defeated by 218 runs. READ: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021: ODI Series Preview 1) Against Zimbabwe (Only Test, 2021) Venue: Harare Result: Bangladesh won by 220 runs  Mahmudullah: 150* (1st innings) Mahmudullah Riyad stunned everyone with a brilliant 150*-run knock in the first innings of the only Test against Zimbabwe after returning to Test cricket. He also recorded a 191-run partnership with pacer Taskin Ahmed on the ninth wicket. Bangladesh were all out for 468 runs in the first innings and were in an excellent position. Bangladesh won the match by 220 runs in the end. READ: Mushfiq to play T20Is in Zimbabwe Bottom Line Mahmudullah Riyad showed once again that he is one of the most effective Test batsmen for Bangladesh after a magnificent performance against Zimbabwe in the last Test. Moreover, analyzing Mahmudullah's best Test innings for Bangladesh highlights his importance as a player for the Test setup. That's why his decision to retire from Test cricket is terrible news for Bangladesh cricket. 

The ongoing Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket league's battle for the championship and relegation began on Saturday (June 19). The first day's Super League matches were postponed due to inclement weather. Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club, Prime Bank Cricket Club, Abahani Ltd, Gazi Group Cricketers, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, and Mohammedan Sporting Club are playing in the super league. Legends of Rupganj, Partex Sporting Club, and Old DOHS Sports Club were the bottom three clubs in the points table, and they are currently fighting for survival. n this article, we discussed who is the favourite to win DPL T20 2021 Cricket League? DPL T20 2021: Rating Chances of all super league teams winning the tournament Prime Bank Cricket Club – 7/10 Prime Bank finished the DPL T20 2021 round-robin league as the table-topper, winning nine of eleven games and losing only two. The opening combination of Tamim Iqbal and RonyTalukdar is one of the most important aspects of Prime Bank's success. The pair has gotten off to a strong start at the top, scoring runs freely. However, Tamim will be unavailable in the Super League, which will undoubtedly upset Prime Bank. While skipper AnamulHaque has made a few mistakes, otherwise he has performed well for the most part. MohamadMithun, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shoriful Islam have also contributed to the team's consistency throughout the campaign. Read  BAN vs Zim 2021: BCB May Use the Zimbabwe Series as an Opportunity to Find New Talents Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club–8/10 Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club finished second on the points table in the Dhaka Premier League 2021, making them one of the most consistent teams in the league. Prime Doleshwar performed well as a team in the first phase of the tournament, winning seven of their eleven matches. They have a few talented players who are in excellent form. Prime Doleshwar's best players are top-order batsman SaifHasan and pace bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi. Abahani Ltd – 9/10 Abahani Ltd haven't been the most consistent team this season despite finishing third in the first phase of DPL 2021's points table. The batting unit of Abahani Ltd, particularly two young players Mohammad Naim and MunimShahriar, contributed significantly to the team's success. However, Abahani does have the strongest team in the competition and they will come back strong in the super league stage. Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Taijul Islam are among the top talents on Mushfiqur Rahim's side. They may also rediscover their form in the Super League phase. Read BAN vs AUS 2021: Australia Announce Squad For The Bangladesh T20 Series Gazi Group Cricketers – 8/10 The Gazi Group Cricketers initially struggled in the tournament, but they have gradually regained their rhythm and secured a spot in the Super League. With 14 points, they finished fourth in the first stage. Gazi Group Cricketers have a number of quality players in their squad who can win games on their own. They have Akbar Ali, Soumya Sarkar, Yasir Ali, and MahediHasan in addition to skipper Mahmudullah and veteran MominulHaque. Gazi have a chance to win the championship if they can stay consistent during the super league stage. Mohammedan Sporting Club – 6/10 Shakib Al Hasan guided Mohammedan Sporting Club to secure a place in the Super League. However, the best all-rounder is unavailable for this round, and ShuvagataHom has taken over as Mohameddan's captain in the crucial stage. Mohammedan came in fifth place in the points table, with six victories and four losses, indicating that they struggled in the first round. Mohammedan has a minimal chance of winning this year's competition because their players are inexperienced compared to the other teams. Shamsur Rahman, Irfan Sukkur, and Abu Hider Rony are three of their most important players. Read: DPL Super League begins Saturday without Shakib, Tamim Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club – 7/10 The defending champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club are placed sixth in the first round of the DPL T20 2021. Out of the eleven games, they won six and lost four. Captain NurulHasanSohan has been in terrific form from the beginning of the campaign. The squad has notable match-winners, but they haven't fared well in the competition. Ziaur Rahman, Mohammad Ashraful, Elias Sunny, and ImrulKayes will have to perform well in the Super League round if Sheikh Jamal want to defend the title. Verdict After examining the strengths and weaknesses of the teams, it is clear that all the teams have a fair chance to win this season’s DPL T20 Cricket League.  However, it will undoubtedly be a competitive round, as all of the clubs are keen to win the championship. Teams must be consistent in order to win this sort of competition. Overall, we believe the best team will win the tournament. Read Racism in Cricket: Five Racist Incidents in the Gentleman’s Game

The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will host the inaugural World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand from June 18-22. In the lead-up to the final, New Zealand will be locked in a Test match against England in Birmingham. This will definitely make New Zealand battle-ready before the final. At the same time, this will give the Kiwis a fair chance of ascending to the top of the ICC Test Match Team Rankings -- of course, if they win the Test against England. Let's analyse New Zealand's chances of being the world's top Test team Advantage Kiwis? New Zealand can climb to the top spot of the ICC Test Match Team Rankings only if they beat England in the second Test of the ongoing series. The first Test at the Lord's ended in a draw, where opener Devon Conway scored a double century and experienced pacer Tim Southee bagged six wickets in the first innings. One bad news is that New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the second Test due to an elbow injury. Tom Latham will instead lead the Blackcaps in the series-deciding match against England. Will Young is likely to replace Kane Williamson in the playing XI. Read  Who is the favourite to win ICC Player of the Month Award for May? However, the New Zealand team management hopes that Kane Williamson will be ready for the World Test Championship final. This is essential as Kane Williamson has the potential to make a difference in the crucial championship match against India. With the exception of Kane Williamson, New Zealand have some outstanding cricketers who may cause problems for England. In addition to veteran Ross Taylor and Tim Southee, the team also has some great players like Tom Latham, Henry Nichols, Trent Bolt and Neil Wagner. New Zealand will have to put in a lot of effort to win the match against a highly competitive English team. On the other hand, India now lead the ICC Test team standings with 121 points. New Zealand are in the second place with only one point separating between the first and second positions. Winning the second match against England will increase New Zealand's ratings by four points, putting them in the first place in the ICC Test Match Team Rankings with 124 points.  Read International Fixtures Which Could Help Bangladesh's T20 World Cup Preparation India, in such a scenario, will drop to the second position. Australia is likely to move up to the third place. Among the other teams, Pakistan are ranked fifth in the ICC Test Match Team Rankings, followed by the West Indies and South Africa. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe are ranked eighth, ninth, and tenth, respectively. Among the players, Kane Williamson leads the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen. Australian pacer Pat Cummins leads the rankings for bowlers and West Indian player Jason Holder is the best Test all-rounder in the world, according to the latest ICC player rankings for the longer format of the game. Read Prime Doleshwar continue their winning run in DPL T20 2021 Verdict New Zealand would definitely want to win the series against England before facing India in the World Test Championship final. Defeating the host England will no doubt boost the confidence of the Kiwis.  Further, if New Zealand can play as the ICC's number one team, they will be psychologically ahead in the match against India. However, we can expect a fascinating clash because the top two teams are competing in the final, and hopefully, the best team will win the inaugural edition of the tournament. Read Mahmudullah, Rubel, Nurul Spark in DPL T20 2021