United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is all set  to skip the South Africa tour, confirmed Jalal Yunus, the chairman of the cricket operation department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). “I have talked to Shakib today and asked about his plan. He said he is unfit mentally and physically. He is reluctant to tour to South Africa,” Jalal told the media on Wednesday. Read: BCB can't run after Shakib: Khaled Mahmud He also said the board has decided to Shakib until the end of April.  “I along with the board president, CEO and other board directors decided to rest him as he has been suffering from mental and physical fatigue. He will now be out of all forms of cricket,” Jalal added.  It means the all-rounder might be available for the Dhaka Premier Divison Cricket League. Shakib is supposed to play for Mohammedan Sporting Club in this 50-over event in Dhaka.  “He told the media that he is not mentally fit to play now. Now can you force someone to play who is not fit? We had told him to take a few days to think more. He now told us that he is not set to play,” Jalal added.  BCB has recently announced two squads for the tour of South Africa where Bangladesh are scheduled to play a three-match ODI and two-match Test series. Shakib was part of the squads.  Read: Is Shakib Al Hasan Considering Retirement? However, on Sunday, Shakib said he is not in a condition to play international cricket at the moment due to mental and physical fatigue.   At the same time, the 34-year-old all-rounder said he likes to focus more on white-ball cricket instead of red-ball cricket.  It’s not clear if Shakib will nbe available for all formats after this hiatus. “He will return home tomorrow (Thursday) from the UAE. After that, he wants to sit with the board to discuss further his future plan,” Jalal added.  This is not the first time Shakib is skipping a foreign tour. Earlier, he skipped the Test series in South Africa in 2017. He also skipped the last two tours to New Zealand, and he also skipped a series against Sri Lanka to take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL).  Khaled Mahmud, the former captain of Bangladesh and the current board director, has recently said the senior players like Shakib, Mushfiqur (Rahim), Tamim (Iqbal), and Mahmudullah (Riyad) are at the end of their career, so the board should introduce new faces who could serve the nation for a longer time.  “We have to accept this truth,” he told the media on Tuesday. “If Shakib doesn't want to play, the board doesn't care about it. We have to bring new players to the fore.”

Bangladesh will tour South Africa this month for an ODI and Test series beginning March 18. The two teams will begin their bilateral battle with a three-match limited-overs series. The tour is crucial for Bangladesh since the limited-overs series is part of the ICC World Cup Super League, while the longer-version series is part of the ICC Test Championship. Take a look at the ODI records between two sides, venue statistics, and important players for the SA vs BAN Series 2022. South Africa vs Bangladesh: Head-to-Head Statistics for One-Day Internationals South Africa and Bangladesh have met in twenty-one ODIs. South Africa have a 17-4 edge in the head-to-head meeting. Bangladesh have won two matches at home against South Africa, with the other two triumphs coming on neutral grounds. Bangladesh defeated South Africa for the first time in the 2007 ICC World Cup in the West Indies, and their most recent triumph came in the 2019 ICC World Cup in England. On the other hand, South Africa have won seven games in Bangladesh against the hosts. South African team has stayed undefeated with nine wins in a row at home. However, the Bangladesh team has a 2-1 advantage at a neutral venue. Read Is Shakib Al Hasan Considering Retirement? Notable One-Day International records between South Africa and Bangladesh   Bangladesh South Africa Matches Played (21) 4 17 Most Runs Shakib Al Hasan (397 runs) Graeme Smith (572 runs) Highest Score Mushfiqur Rahim (110*) AB de Villiers (176) Most Hundreds Mushfiqur Rahim (1) Hashim Amla (2) Most Wickets Shakib Al Hasan (13) Makhaya Ntini (18) Best Bowling Figures Rubel Hossain (4/62) Kagiso Rabada (6/16) Most Matches Shakib Al Hasan (14) JP Duminy (12) Highest Partnership Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar (154) Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla (282*) Most Catches Sabbir Rahman (6) Graeme Smith (10) Most Dismissals Mushfiqur Rahim (7) Mark Boucher (19)    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Rumana Ahmed on the verge of reaching two milestones as first Bangladeshi woman cricketer 2022 South Africa vs Bangladesh ODI Series: Stats of ODI Venues The three One-Day Internationals of the bilateral series between South Africa and Bangladesh will be played at two different grounds. SuperSport Park in Centurion and Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg are the venues. ODI stats: SuperSport Park in Centurion Matches Played: 57 | Bat-first (won): 23 | Bat-Second (won): 31 | Highest Innings: 178 (Quinton de Kock) | Best Bowling (Innings): 5/15 (Trent Johnston) | Highest Team innings: 392/6 | Lowest Team Innings: 118     South Africa’s record at the SuperSport Park: Played: 43 | Win: 26 | Lost: 15 Read IND vs SL 2022: India celebrate thumping victory, Virat’s 100th Test touches another milestone ODI stats: Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg  Matches Played: 50 | Bat-first (won): 21 | Bat-Second (won): 29 | Highest Innings: 193 (Fakhar Zaman) | Best Bowling (Innings): 5/20 (Shaun Pollock) | Highest Team innings: 439/2 | Lowest Team Innings: 109 (twice)      South Africa’s record at the Wanderers Stadium: Played: 22 | Win: 17 | Lost: 5  Bangladesh’s record at the Wanderers Stadium: Played: 1 | Win: 0 | Lost: 1  Read Allan Donald: What Can Bangladesh Cricket Expect From Their New Pace Bowling Coach? Fixtures of 2022 SA vs BAN ODI Series The first and third ODIs will be played at SuperSport Park in Centurion, with both games starting at 5 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). The second match will take place at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, and will begin at 2 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). First ODI: 18 March | Venue: SuperSport Park | Time: 5 p.m. Second ODI: 20 March | Venue: Wanderers Stadium | Time: 2 p.m. Third ODI: 23 March | Venue: SuperSport Park | Time: 5 p.m. Read BAN vs AFG Series 2022: Performance Analysis of Bangladesh Cricket Team Players to Watch in the SA vs BAN ODI Series 2022  The selectors of both teams have named a strong squad for the ODI series. Key players of each side will be available for the series with the exception of Shakib Al Hasan. Bangladesh's best all-rounder has yet to confirm his participation in the series. Let's take a look at the key players on both teams for the limited-overs SA vs BAN Series 2022 excluding Shakib Al Hasan. Bangladesh Three Key Batters: Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim Three Key Bowlers: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed Bangladesh's Predicted Playing XI (1st ODI) Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicket-Keeper), Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed. Read Shane Warne's Death: The Spin Wizard's Astounding Cricket Moments and Records South Africa    Three Key Batters: Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, David Miller Three Key Bowlers: Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi Predicted Playing XI (1st ODI) Quinton de Kock (Wicket-keeper), Janneman Malan, Temba Bavuma (Captain), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Can Bangladesh Whitewash Afghanistan in Twenty20 Series? Bottom Line The hosts will start the SA vs BAN Series 2022 as favourite because Bangladesh have never won a match against them in South Africa. The Proteas national side will strive to win all three ODIs to improve their current position in the ICC ODI World Cup Super League. On the other side, Bangladesh will be hoping to win at least one match in order to improve their Super League standings. Bangladesh would need a spectacular effort from its players if they are to beat South Africa in their own backyard. The Tamim Iqbal-led team has the potential to shock the Proteas side, but they must execute their strategy effectively on the field to do so. Read BAN vs AFG Series 2022: Bangladesh’s Predicted Playing XI for First T20I

Khaled Mahmud Shujon, the former captain of Bangladesh and now a director at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), has said if Shakib Al Hasan is reluctant to play for the national team, the BCB cannot be bothered to persuade him. After being named in the squads for the Test and ODI teams to tour South Africa this month, Shakib once again disappointed Tigers fans  by declaring he isn't mentally or physically fit to play international cricket, before catching a flight to the UAE. The Bangladesh team will travel for South Africa on March 11, and the first match of the series will take place on March 18. Nazmul Hasan, the president of BCB, had earlier said Shakib would travel to South Africa. But on Sunday, just before flying for the UAE, Shakib expressed his reluctance to play international cricket for now to a group of journalists at the airport. Read: Is Shakib Al Hasan Considering Retirement? “As far as I knew Shakib would tour South Africa. I’m not sure why he said otherwise now,” Mahmud told the media on Wednesday. “Cricket is not only a physical game but it is also a mental game. So if someone is not fit in both ways, it’s tough to play cricket. And if someone is not interested to play, there is no scope to force him to play.” Shakib has missed the Test series in the last South Africa tour as well along with two consecutive series in New Zealand. He also skipped a series against Sri Lanka to take part in the Indian Premier League citing that it would help him to do well in the T20 World Cup that has taken place in Oman and UAE last year. Following his about-turn, the BCB president questioned whether Shakiub's mental and physical issues, such as they are, would have popped up if he had managed to obtain the IPL contract he coveted. Consider it beneath the dignity of the country's cricket board, BCB follows a policy of not trying to persuade anyone who doesn't  want  to play for the national team, considering it an honour and privilege that should take no persuasion. Mahmud said that Bangladesh has different plans for every tour. If Shakib finally skips this tour, they would go with the other plans. Read: Australia beats Pakistan by 7 wickets at Women's World Cup “Shakib has been doing this for a while now. We know Shakib is a man of his own way. But at the same time, Bangladesh has a huge investment in Shakib and the players like Mushfiqur (Rahim), Mahmudullah (Riyad) and others. So it’s also important that the country need their service and commitment,” Mahmud added. The former captain also said the BCB is looking for new faces who could serve the national team for a longer period of time. “It’s true that we won’t have the service of Shakib and other big players forever. So we have to find new faces. We have already started working on that. The new players will come ahead and they will also play well. It’s true and we have to accept this,” Mahmud added.

Shakib Al Hasan assured BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon that he will be available for the South Africa trip in both ODI and Test formats. Shakib was not selected in the IPL 2022 auction, so he will be free in March and April. The BCB was confident that he would be available throughout the upcoming series. However, Shakib's participation in the next South Africa series has been hit by a huge setback when he refused to confirm his availability for the tour on Monday (March 7). The dispute between the BCB President and Shakib Al Hasan BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon said after the third match of the Afghanistan ODI series that Shakib Al Hasan has agreed to tour South Africa. Therefore, Shakib was included in both the ODI and Test series squads, which were released on Sunday (March 6). Read Rumana Ahmed on the verge of reaching two milestones as first Bangladeshi woman cricketer Shakib Al Hasan departed Dhaka for the UAE the next day, on Monday. He spoke with the press before leaving Bangladesh. Shakib stated to the media that he is in poor mental and physical condition following a disappointing performance during the Afghanistan series. Therefore, playing in such conditions would have a negative impact on a team's performance. Because the ace all-rounder believes he will fall short of expectations and does not want to be a passenger on the squad. Earlier, Shakib told BCB that he would be available for the tour. However, Shakib believes that touring with the Bangladesh national team would be unjust considering his current state of mind. Read: 2022 International Women’s Day: Five South Asian Female Athletes Who Defy Stereotypes Meanwhile, the BCB President became enraged after hearing Shakib's explanation to the media. According to Nazmul Hasan Papon, Shakib Al Hasan would not have stated the same if he had been picked by any side in the IPL 2022. He also warns senior players that if they don't act more professionally, the BCB would take more serious measures against them. What exactly was Shakib Al Hasan's intention? There is no denying that finding a successor for Shakib Al Hasan is impossible. He is a one-of-a-kind talent who excels with both the bat and the ball. However, Shakib's performance since returning to international cricket has been subpar, particularly in the batting department. Shakib has only four fifties with no century since 2021. Read IND vs SL 2022: India celebrate thumping victory, Virat’s 100th Test touches another milestone Shakib Al Hasan’s all-round stats since January 2021   Match Runs HS Ave Wickets BBI Ave 35 845 96* 25.60 54 5/30 20.35    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Allan Donald: What Can Bangladesh Cricket Expect From Their New Pace Bowling Coach? Furthermore, Shakib's IPL 2021 statistics was underwhelming, which was one of the main reasons no franchise bid for him at the IPL 2022 auction. Therefore, it's understandable that Shakib Al Hasan's mental and physical health isn't in the best shape right now. Maybe in the back of his mind, he's thinking of retiring from international cricket. Shakib hasn't been able to live up to his expectations at the international level since 2021. He has to reflect on his mistakes in order to enhance his game. That's why Shakib requires a break, and that's precisely what he meant during the press briefing on Tuesday. Shakib has no plans to retire from international cricket anytime in the foreseeable future. Read: Russians, Belarusians out of Paralympics amid boycott risk Way Forward If Shakib Al Hasan is able to participate in the South Africa tour, it will be fantastic news for the Bangladesh campaign. However, an unhappy Shakib cannot be a good fit for Bangladesh. Besides, he is unlikely to declare his retirement anytime soon since everyone expects him to play in the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup for Bangladesh. Not just Shakib, but all of the senior members of the squad will retire from cricket at some point, and that time is rapidly approaching, which BCB must realize. The Bangladesh Cricket Board must be ready to find suitable replacements for senior players, including all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.   Read BAN vs AFG Series 2022: Performance Analysis of Bangladesh Cricket Team

Six-time world champion Australia swept aside Pakistan by seven wickets Tuesday to remain unbeaten after two group-stage matches at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Pakistan scored 190-6 after being sent in to bat at Mount Maunganui and Australia surpassed that total in just under 35 overs. Australia's run chase was set up by opener Alyssa Healy who made 72 from 79 balls. Ellyse Perry (26 not out) and Beth Mooney (23 not out) were at the crease when the winning runs were struck. Also Read: Rumana Ahmed on the verge of reaching two milestones as first Bangladeshi woman cricketer For Pakistan, captain Bismah Maroof finished 78 not out, falling one run short of the highest score by a Pakistan player in a Women's World Cup match. Maroof shared a 99-run partnership with Aliya Riaz, a fifth-wicket record for Pakistan in one-day internationals. Riaz made 57. That simple synopsis of the match at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui doesn't come close to encapsulating its significance on International Women’s Day. Australia has competed in every women’s World Cup since the first in 1973, winning in 1978, ‘82, ’88, ‘97, 2005 and ’13. It has produced some of the greatest players in the history of women’s cricket and entered the tournament as the favorite to win again. Cricket Australia recently announced measures to boost the base salary for women players to $65,000 Australian dollars ($48,000) and women's cricket moves steadily toward pay parity with the men's game. There was no formal women’s cricket in Pakistan until the 1990s when it began with the most tentative of footholds at the initiative of sisters Shaiza and Sharmeen Khan. As late as 1997 the Pakistan women’s team was denied permission to play on religious grounds. But he Pakistan Cricket Board established a so-called Women's Wing in 2005 and the women's national team has since participated in four World Cups. With limited resources it had won only two World Cup matches before the current tournament. Most of the current Pakistan team are at least semi professional and the team’s coaches and support staff are full-time But the greatest measure of the progress women’s cricket has made on this IWD is that 29-year-old Mahroof played the innings while her daughter Fatimah, born in August, was in the pavilion. Maroof returned to international cricket six months after her daughter's birth. Also Read: India beats Pakistan by 107 runs at Women's World Cup The Pakistan Cricket Board is sharing costs to allow Maroof “to travel with a support person of her choice to assist in caring for her infant child.” Maroof’s mother cared for Fatimah while her mother was at the crease and in the field. “Of course in this comeback it was very important for me to perform and it’s very special as my mother and daughter are here so I wanted to make it count,” Maroof said. Pakistan played India in its opening match on the weekend and India’s star batter Smriti Mandhana described Maroof’s return to international cricket “inspiring.” “Coming back post pregnancy in six months and playing international cricket is so inspiring,” Mandhana said on Instagram. “Mahroof is setting an example for sportswomen across the globe.”

Bangladesh national women's cricket team is currently competing in the ICC Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. Bangladesh have a slim chance of putting up a fight against the traditional cricketing heavyweights. They have already suffered big defeats to South Africa and New Zealand in their first two games. However, individually, talented female cricketer Rumana Ahmed can achieve two milestones in the upcoming matches. Let's see what milestones Rumana could be able to attain during the tournament. Expected WODI Milestones for Rumana Ahmed Rumana Ahmed's unwavering consistency has pushed her to greater heights in Bangladesh women’s cricket. She is also one of Bangladesh's best-known female cricketers on the international stage. Let's take a look at the two major milestones that Rumana is approaching. 1,000 WODI Runs Rumana Ahmed made her international debut against the Ireland Women's team in 2011. She has appeared in 44 Women's One-Day Internationals for Bangladesh since then. Rumana has scored 915 runs in 41 innings, averaging 25.41. She just needs 85 runs to reach 1,000 WODI runs for the Tigress. With five more matches to play for Bangladesh in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, Rumana has a genuine chance to achieve that feat. This right-handed batter is now Bangladesh's highest run-scorer for the women's team. Read IND vs SL 2022: India celebrate thumping victory, Virat’s 100th Test touches another milestone The top five WODI run-scorers for the Bangladesh women's team Player Innings Runs HS Ave 50s Rumana Ahmed 41 915 75 25.41 5 Fargana Hoque 42 901 69* 24.35 8 Nigar Sultana 22 416 59* 21.89 2 Salma Khatun 35 408 75* 13.16 1 Sharmin Akhter 25 402 74 16.08 3    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Allan Donald: What Can Bangladesh Cricket Expect From Their New Pace Bowling Coach? 50 WODI Wickets Rumana Ahmed has been Bangladesh's most successful bowler, just like she has been in batting. She has the most wickets for Bangladesh in the Women's One-Day International format. Rumana has 46 wickets for the Tigress at an average of 24.67 in 43 innings.

The Indian team made Virat Kohli's 100th Test a memorable one by crushing Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in the opening match of the ongoing bilateral series on Sunday, (March 6). The Sri Lankan team was unable to mount any resistance against the Indian team, and the match was lost in three days. Besides, former Indian skipper Kohli achieved a unique milestone in this match. Take a look at some of Virat Kohli's noteworthy Test records, as well as the first Test match report. India vs Sri Lanka 2022: First Test Match Report The Indian team was under pressure after losing the away Test series against South Africa in January. They needed to make a strong comeback in the series opener against Sri Lanka in order to maintain their position in the ICC Test Championship points standings. Thankfully, the Indian team replied brilliantly and did not allow their opponents a chance in the match. Rohit Sharma made his Test captaincy debut in this match. He began his career as a Test skipper with a resounding win. On the other side, Sri Lanka have plummeted to third place in the ICC World Test Championship Points table as a result of this disappointing loss. India’s First Innings India chose to bat first in Mohali and set up a massive 574/8d in their first innings. All-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja led the way for the hosts with an undefeated 175*-run knock. When Jadeja walked out to bat, India had amassed 228 runs for the loss of five wickets. The flamboyant Jadeja then put up three 100-run partnerships in the middle with Rishabh Pant (96), Ravi Ashwin (61), and Mohammad Sami, bringing the total close to 600. Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, and Lasith Embuldeniya each took two wickets for Sri Lanka. Read Allan Donald: What Can Bangladesh Cricket Expect From Their New Pace Bowling Coach? Sri Lanka’s First Innings Sri Lanka were only able to reach 174 in their first innings due to the pressure of India's first innings total. The Lankan team's lone combatant was Pathum Nissanka. He scored an unbeaten 61*. Ravindra Jadeja came out with a lot of energy with the ball after a good outing with the bat. He took five Lankan wickets in this innings. Sri Lanka’s Second Innings India were right to ask Sri Lanka to bat again. The Lankan side began their second innings with a 400-run deficit, and their performance was once again underwhelming. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 178 runs, allowing India to win by an innings and 222 runs. The visiting team's best scorer was wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. He went on to make an undefeated 51*-run. Jadeja once again did the job for India with four wickets in this innings. Off-spinner, Ravi Ashwin also took four wickets. Ravindra Jadeja batted and bowled superbly in this match, earning him the player of the match award. Read: Virat Kohli steps down as India's Test skipper Virat’s 100th Test: The Indian Maestro’s Notable Records Virat Kohli made his 100th Test appearance in this match following his debut in the longer-version format against the West Indies in 2011. Virat has smashed countless records and established himself as one of the top players in the game's history during this period. He also became the sixth Indian batter to reach the 8,000-run mark in Test cricket. Kohli scored 45 runs in his 100th Test before succumbing to Embuldeniya. However, he did attain the 8K Test runs milestone when he scored 38. Virat also became the fifth-fastest to reach 8,000 Test runs among Indian players. India's top Test run-scorers  Player Innings Runs HS Ave 100s Sachin Tendulkar 329 15,921 248* 53.78 51 Rahul Dravid 284 13,265 270 52.63 36 Sunil Gavaskar 214 10,122 236* 51.12 34 VVS Laxman 225 8,781 281 45.97 17 Virender Sehwag 178 8,503 319 49.43 23 Virat Kohli 169 8,007 254* 50.35 27    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read: Virat Kohli returns to lead India in the series-deciding Test against South Africa Besides, Virat Kohli is India's most successful Test skipper. The Virat Kohli-led Indian Test side has won 40 of their 68 matches. Kohli has the second-most Test hundreds (20) as a captain, after only South Africa's Graeme Smith's 25. He is also only the second player in Test captaincy history to hit two hundred, following Greg Chappell. The coveted Indian batter stepped aside as Test captain last January, allowing him to focus only on his batting. Virat can shatter many more records in the future if he can find his own rhythm with the bat. Afterward Virat’s 100th Test was a memorable one for India, as they were merciless in their victory over Sri Lanka. India's dominant victory against Sri Lanka in the first Test demonstrates the team's current level of confidence. However, Virat Kohli's century drought has continued. He hasn't hit a century since November 2019. Virat will seek to score his 28th Test century when the two sides meet again on March 12 in Bengaluru for the second Test. on the other hand, the Sri Lankan team had a disappointing showing in the first match and would be hoping to improve in the second. Read BAN vs AFG Series 2022: Performance Analysis of Bangladesh Cricket Team

Suzie Bates scored 79 and shared an unbroken 108-run partnership with Amelia Kerr to steer New Zealand to a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh on Monday in a rain-shortened match at the Women’s Cricket World Cup. The win breathed new life into New Zealand’s ailing campaign after its shock loss to the West Indies in the tournament's opening match put the host a step behind the leading teams after the first full round of matches. For much of Monday, New Zealand faced the bleak prospect that its match against Bangladesh would be washed out, that the teams would share the points and it would be left with only one point from two games. Read:Allan Donald: What Can Bangladesh Cricket Expect From Their New Pace Bowling Coach? But the rain that prevented the start of play at 11 a.m. local time lifted to allow a shortened match to get underway at 3 p.m. A minimum of 20 overs per side was needed to constitute a match. Bangladesh batted first after losing the toss and made 140-8, led by Fargana Hoque, who made 52 from 63 balls. New Zealand lost Sophie Devine, a century-maker in its opening match, with the total at 36 in the seventh over. Bates and Kerr came together and guided New Zealand to victory with seven overs or 42 balls to spare. Kerr dabbed the ball behind point for four to bring up the winning runs and finish 47 not out. Bates’ half century was her 28th in one-day internationals and at 73 she surpassed 1,000 runs in World Cup matches. Her innings was also her first in an international match on her home ground at the University Oval. It was played in intermittent rain and in bitterly cold conditions. New Zealand always faced the nervous prospect the rain might return intensely enough to stop the match before the 20th over, causing the points to be shared. The rain at times was heavy during the New Zealand innings but Bangladesh kept the contest alive regardless and New Zealand won at the completion of the 20th over. Read:India beats Pakistan by 107 runs at Women's World Cup “It’s been a strange day,” said Bates, who was player of the match. “It’s my home town, I’ve never played here and this morning I opened the curtains and I was devastated. “Once I got out there it was just about having fun and having that partnership with (Amelia) and absorbing that pressure. " Bangladesh began aggressively after being sent in, taking a toll on the New Zealand medium pacers and rushing to 31 after only three overs. But the advent of the spinners slowed down the scoring rate and, as wickets fell regularly, it struggled to rebuild momentum. New Zealand made a more cautious beginning and was 29-0 after, 57-1 after 10 overs. Bates and Kerr accumulated steadily, mostly through singles. Bangladesh set a tight ring field and fielded well, making boundaries hard to come by. Near the end, New Zealand stepped up the pace and the century partnership between Bates and Kerr came from 81 balls.

The legendary fast bowler from South Africa, Allan Donald has been picked as Bangladesh's first bowling coach till the Twenty20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. Donald's first tour as pace bowling coach will begin this month with Bangladesh's tour of South Africa and will last until November. He will try to impart his knowledge and expertise to Bangladesh's fast bowlers during the next eight to nine months. Let's look at Allan Donald's coaching and professional cricket careers to see how he could be able to help Bangladesh cricket. Allan Donald's Cricket Career Profile Bangladesh's national team was without a fast bowling coach after Ottis Gibson's departure in January this year. Finally, Allan Donald has been hired as his replacement. International Career Allan Donald was born in the South African city of Bloemfontein in 1966. He made his first-class debut for the Orange Free State in the 1985/1986 season. Later, Donald made his international debut against the West Indies after South Africa's return to international sport in 1992. He took six wickets in his first international match, including Brian Lara in the second innings, and justified his position in the playing XI. Read  BAN vs AFG Series 2022: Performance Analysis of Bangladesh Cricket Team Allan Donald was regarded as one of his generation's most deadly pacers. Along with Pakistan's Waqar Younis, he was one of the fastest bowlers of the 90s. Donald was dubbed 'White Lightning' because of his pace. He announced his retirement from international cricket in 2003. Allan Donald appeared in 72 Tests and took 330 wickets with an average of 22.25. His best bowling figure was 8/71 in the Test. Donald averaged 21.78 in ODI cricket, taking 272 wickets in 164 appearances. His best bowling figure was 6/23 in one-day internationals. Read ICC Women's World Cup: Tigresses start campaign on wrong foot Coaching Career Allan Donald began coaching the England national team in May 2007. He served as a temporary bowling consultant for the team and was lauded by the English players. Donald later served as a coach with Warwickshire County Cricket Club alongside Ashley Giles. They worked together to help the team win the County Championship Second Division in 2008. He also managed Zimbabwean club Mountaineers in 2010 and was the New Zealand national side's bowling coach during the 2011 World Cup. Read Shane Warne's Death: The Spin Wizard's Astounding Cricket Moments and Records The right-hand pacer was hired as the fast bowling coach of the South African national team in July 2011, a role he held until 2015. Donald also assisted the Sri Lankan national squad in the 2017 Champions Trophy as a bowling consultant. Allan Donald also worked as a bowling coach for the Royal Challengers Bangalore of IPL and Kent County Cricket Club. Overall, Donald has a lot of experience as a coach.  Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Can Bangladesh Whitewash Afghanistan in Twenty20 Series? What Can BCB Look Forward To From Allan Donald? Allan Donald was known for his speed during his playing career. He was also a disciplined bowler with a knack for picking up wickets. Given his mindset as a bowler, Bangladesh should expect Donald to demand strong effort from his pupils. Newcomers may learn about developing variations while keeping up with the tempo. Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, and other Bangladesh's quickest bowlers will gain from his hiring if they want to increase their pace while reducing injuries. Donald is a die-hard character and had the ability to take wickets on barren surfaces.  Pacers may also learn how to take up wickets on conditions that aren't conducive to bowling. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim to Leapfrog Afghanistan in ICC Rankings Based on CV, Allan Donald's selection seems to be a sensible BCB move. Now it's up to the players to make the most of this opportunity by learning new things from the legend. Bottom Line  International cricket has three formats, each of which requires the use of different mentality bowlers. Having worked with national teams, English County clubs, and T20 franchise teams, Allan Donald comprehends what it takes for a fast bowler to succeed in each format. Therefore, Allan Donald can provide the best advice to Bangladesh's pacers. He was a world-class Test bowler in his day. This will be a fantastic opportunity for Bangladesh's Test bowlers to learn some of his magic tricks. Besides, having one of the game's legends in the dressing room would bolster confidence in the Bangladesh players.  Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Players to Watch

Pooja Rastraka made a career-best 69 in a 112-run seventh-wicket partnership with Sneh Rana which lifted India to a 107-run win over Pakistan in its opening match Sunday at the Women’s Cricket World Cup. India was the first team in four matches at the tournament to bat first on winning the toss. The other three teams, New Zealand against the West Indies, Bangladesh against South Africa and England against Australia, all bowled first and failed in run chases. Read:ICC Women's World Cup: Tigresses start campaign on wrong foot In Sunday’s match, India made a commanding 244-7, then defended its total superbly through the spin bowling of Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Deepti Sharma and Rana as Pakistan struggled to generate momentum and was out for 137 in 43 overs. Left-armer Gayakwad and off-spinners Sharma and Rana bowled with relentless accuracy to a suffocating off-side field and the Pakistan batters couldn't find profitable scoring areas. Gayakwad took 4-31 from her 10 overs. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh claimed five dismissals. There wasn’t much turn from the pitch at the Bay Oval but the India spinners used flight and drop to restrict Pakistan. After five overs Pakistan was 6-0, after 15 overs 43-1, after 20 overs 65-3. Pakistan also bowled well early in the India innings, checking the scoring through the use of spin. India lost opener Shafali Verma in only the third over but a half century from Smitri Mandhana allowed it to recover to 96-1 in the 22nd over when Mandhana fell for 52. India then lost five wickets for 18 runs between the 23rd and 34th overs, slumping to 114-6 as Pakistan appeared to grab the upper hand. The wickets that fell included India captain Mithali Raj for 9. In taking the field Sunday, Mithali became the first woman and third player after Javed Miandad and Sachin Tendulkar to play at six World Cups after her first in 2000. Mithali has played in all 11 of India’s matches against Pakistan and India is unbeaten in those matches. Her goal on Sunday was for India to score 250 or more and they fell just short. Vastrakar was the reason they even came close, coming to the crease No. 7 and reaching her one-day international half century from 48 balls. Her entire innings of 69 came from 57 deliveries and swung the match heavily towards India. “I’m very happy to win my first Player of the Match trophy and in a World Cup game,” Vastrakar said. “The focus was to get the team towards 200 and I planned my batting with that in mind. “I love batting in pressure situations. In domestic cricket, coaches always send me out to bat when the team is under pressure.” Read:Domingo expresses disappointment over sloppy fielding Vastrakar found the perfect partner in in Rana who also scored at a high rate, reaching her maiden ODI half century from 45 balls with four boundaries. India was 160-6 in the 40th over and added 84 runs in the last 10 overs to put a score on the board which required Pakistan to reach its highest World Cup total to win. India’s win took it to the top of the points table on run-rate after the first full matches. South Africa, Australia and the West Indies also have two points.