Right-arm pacer Mohammad Saifuddin scalped five wickets in the opening round of the Bangladesh Cricket League on Sunday in BKSP.  Saifuddin was not a part of the Bangladesh team during the T20 World Cup that took place in Australia. But he is under consideration for Bangladesh’s home series against India starting early next month.  Saifuddin is playing the one-day edition of the cricket league for BCB North Zone who bowled first in the first round against BCB South Zone.  Read more: BCL one-dayers to kick off on Nov 20 South Zone were bowled out for 199 for all wickets in 43.3 overs with Mohammad Naim scoring 54 off 66 balls with four fours and two sixes, and Towhid Hridoy scoring 66 off 71 balls as well.  For North Zone, Saifuddin bowled superbly and scalped five wickets conceding 30 runs in eight overs. Taskin Ahmed and Shafiqul Islam took two wickets each.  In the other match of the first round, Islami Bank East Zone and BCB Central Zone are taking on each other in BKSP. Islami Bank batted first and scored 254 for all wickets with Yasir Ali Chowdhury scoring 80 for them.  Read more: BPL: From “world’s second-best” to “best domestic” league

Thailand sealed a stunning one-wicket win against Pakistan in the ongoing Women’s Asia Cup on Thursday in Sylhet. It was Thailand’s first-ever win against Pakistan in T20Is.  Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They posted a moderate total of 116 runs for five wickets with opener Sidra Ameen hitting 56 runs off 64 balls with six fours.  Thailand bowlers were disciplined enough to restrict Pakistan to a moderate total.  For Thailand, Sornnarin Tippoch scalped two wickets while Thipatcha Putthawong took one wicket.  In reply, Natthakan Chantham guided Thailand to a historic victory. She scored 61 off 51 balls with five fours and two sixes.  Read: Women’s Asia Cup: Jemimah, Deepti guide India to stunning win Pakistan pushed the match to the last over. But with only one wicket in hand, Thailand sealed the match with one ball to play.  Nida Dar and Tuba Hassan scalped two wickets each, but their efforts were not enough to avoid a loss.  It was Pakistan’s third match in the event. They have won the first two matches. The Indian women’s team is on top of the table, with three wins in three matches.  Sri Lanka have also played three matches and won two of them while Bangladesh played two matches and won one. Bangladesh is set to take on Malaysia on October 6. 

Bangladesh is off to a strong start against the West Indies in their third match of the Super 12s stage of the T20 World Cup on Friday at Sharjah.  Mahedi Hasan bagged two wickets in his first three overs conceding only 11 runs while Mustafizur Rahman scalped one wicket removing Evin Lewis in his first over.  West Indies lost Chris Gayle, Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer inside eight overs of their innings for 39 runs.  READ: T20 World Cup: Bangladesh bowl first vs West Indies with two changes Bangladesh made two changes to their playing XI including Soumya Sarkar and Taskin Ahmed to replace Nurul Hasan Sohan and Nasum Ahmed.  Nurul had been suffering from an injury, and Nasmu was rested.  Bangladesh lost the first two matches of the Super 12s stage, and West Indies have also lost their first two matches.  So this match came as a chance for both the teams to keep their Semi-finals dream alive.  READ: Australia canters to 7-wicket World Cup win over Sri Lanka Bangladesh took on the West Indies in 13 T20Is before and won five of them.  West Indies have won two T20 World Cups while Bangladesh are yet to register a win in the Super 12s stage. 

Veteran Bangladesh batsman Imrul Kayes is expecting better wickets to be provided in Dhaka as the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)  resumes on Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.