cricket
BPL 2024: Sylhet Strikers bow out despite 6-wicket win against Khulna Tigers
Concluding their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024 campaign, Sylhet Strikers secured a commanding 6-wicket victory over the Khulna Tigers on Friday at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
This marks Sylhet’s fifth win in the ongoing BPL season, which is also marking the conclusion of the league phase.
Despite finishing on a high note, Sylhet's overall performance in the tournament was lackluster. With five wins under their belt, they fell short of qualifying for the playoffs, a fate shared by Khulna, who also managed five victories out of 12 matches.
BPL 2024: Tamim's guides Barishal to playoff spot
Batting first, Khulna posted a modest total of 128/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Afif Hossain showcased resilience with a notable 52 off 35 balls, anchoring the Tigers' innings.
Benny Howell emerged as the standout bowler for the Strikers, claiming 3/15.
In response, the Strikers stumbled early, losing two wickets, but a pivotal 70-run partnership between Najmul Hossain Shanto (39) and Yasir Ali (46) steadied their chase. Building on this foundation, the Strikers comfortably reached their target with 12 balls to spare.
The BPL now enters the playoff stage, commencing on Feb. 26th with a clash between the Chattogram Challengers and Fortune Barishal, who ended up being third and fourth in the points table. The winner of this match will progress to the second qualifier, while the loser will exit the tournament.
Australia beat New Zealand by 72 runs in 2nd T20 to win series
On the same day, Rangpur Riders will face off against Comilla Victorians in the first qualifier. The victor of this encounter will advance to the final, while the defeated team will compete against the winner of the eliminator in the second qualifier, determining the second finalist set to compete on March 1.
BPL 2024: Tamim guides Barishal to playoff spot
Fortune Barishal secured their place as the fourth team in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) playoffs on Friday with a convincing victory over Comilla Victorians, who had already confirmed their playoff berth.
Before Barishal and Comilla, Rangpur Riders and Chattogram Challengers also entered the playoff.
Captain Tamim Iqbal led the chase with a solid 66 off 48 balls, propelling Barishal to a comfortable six-wicket win over a moderate total of 140.
It was Tamim’s second fifty in this season's BPL. And with the latest fifty, Tamim became the most-run getter in this BPL, with 392. He surpassed Towhid Hridoy’s 383.
Read: Australia beat New Zealand by 72 runs in 2nd T20 to win series
Barishal's seventh win in the BPL league stage brings their total points to 14. This victory eliminates Khulna Tigers, whose slim hopes of a top-four finish were dashed by Barishal's success.
Comilla, batting first, posted a score of 140 thanks to Jaker Ali's quickfire 38 off just 16 balls. Taijul Islam was the standout bowler for Barishal, taking three wickets.
In reply, Tamim anchored Barishal's innings. After his dismissal in the 18th over, Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah Riyad finished the chase with ease, securing Barishal's six-wicket victory.
Read more: BPL 2024: Afghanistan star joins Cumilla Victorians
Australia beat New Zealand by 72 runs in 2nd T20 to win series
Adam Zampa took 4-34 as Australia rolled New Zealand for 102 in 17 overs to win the second Twenty20 international by 72 runs Friday and take an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The Australians will head towards the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States in June with more confidence after a comprehensive series win over New Zealand which is the world’s second-ranked team.
Australia won the first match by six wickets with a four off the last ball and the third match between the teams is at Eden Park on Sunday.
“It was a great win for Australia,” captain Mitch Marsh said. “Our backs were against the wall and we thought we were probably 50 runs short.
BPL 2024: Afghanistan star joins Cumilla Victorians
“But the way our bowlers came out and performed was outstanding. All of our teams over the last 12 months have been backed into a lot of corners and we’ve managed to find a way to get out of them. Tonight was another example of that.”
Australia looked to have fallen short of a competitive total when it was bowled out for 174 in 19.5 overs after being 72-1 at the end of the six-over power play.
Opener Travis Head blasted 45 from 22 balls including five sixes to give Australia a fast start as it batted after losing the toss. But Lockie Ferguson took 4-12 and Ben Sears 2-29 as the New Zealand seamers turned things around and provoked a sustained collapse of the Australian innings.
Australia lost six wickets for 59 runs in the last 9.5 overs.
New Zealand’s batting was depleted by the loss of Rachin Ravindra just before the start of play with a slight knee injury and Devon Conway suffered a thumb injury keeping wicket and was taken to hospital for X-rays. He returned to the ground when it was found there was no fracture.
Conway still was unable to bat and his opening partner Finn Allen had to take the gloves for the first time in his international career.
Regardless of injuries, New Zealand collapsed in the face of outstanding Australian fast bowling on a fast and bouncy wicket.
BPL 2024: Final phase begins Friday in Dhaka
Allen hit a six from the third ball of the first over and was out to the last ball, walking down to a good length ball from Josh Hazlewood which he edged onto his stumps.
Will Young (5) was promoted to open and was out to a brilliant catch by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Young top-edged a ball from Pat Cummins which he had attempted to pull and Wade took a catch on the edge of the circle running back toward fine leg.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner promoted himself from his regular place at No. 7 to No. 3 in the order and was 7 when he chopped a short ball from Nathan Ellis onto his stumps.
Mark Chapman also fell to a short ball, slashing at a ball from Marsh which was caught by Tim David at mid-on. New Zealand was 29-4 and its hopes of saving the series looked over.
Glenn Phillips and Josh Clarkson put on 45 for the fifth wicket in a brief display of defiance. But Clakson was bowled by Adam Zampa when he was 10 and Adam Milne fell in the same fashion to the next ball. New Zealand was 74-6.
Head was impressive at the top of the Australian order, blasting 20 runs including two sixes from the first over of the match bowled by Trent Boult.
Boult was recalled to the New Zealand team for his first T20 international since November 2022 and hoped to win a place in the Black Caps squad for the World Cup. But his four overs cost 49 runs and his selection chances have dimmed. Boult is no longer a New Zealand contracted player but plays in T20 leagues around the world.
Services Wrestling: Bangladesh Ansar clinch both men's and women's titles
Australia also made lineup changes, naming Steve Smith to open with Head in place of David Warner who played in the first match at Wellington. Wade came in for Matt Short and Ellis for Mitchell Starc.
Smith was out in the third over for 11 but Head kept up a savage attack which carried Australia to 50 from 24 balls.
Head finally was out in the seventh over when the total was 85-2. From then on the Australian batting effort waned and Ferguson was the main cause, producing some extraordinary fast bowling.
He was backed up by Sears and by Adam Milne, who took 2-40. Those players have solidified their places in New Zealand’s World Cup squad.
Marsh made 26 from 21 balls before falling to Santner who took 2-35 and Cummins made a valuable 28 from 22 balls before being caught by Ferguson off Milne’s bowling.
BPL 2024: Afghanistan star joins Cumilla Victorians
Defending Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) champions Cumilla Victorians have strengthened their squad with the addition of Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad for the remainder of the BPL 2024 season.
The team management confirmed Noor's inclusion on Thursday.
BPL 2024: Final phase begins Friday in Dhaka
Throughout the tournament, Comilla has relied on a strong contingent of foreign players.
However, several members of the team have recently shortened their BPL commitments due to other obligations.
With their playoff spot already secured, Comilla seeks to bolster their roster, leading them to sign Noor. The Afghanistan spinner brings significant experience to the team, having played 83 T20 matches and taken 88 wickets, including one four-wicket haul and one five-wicket haul.
Habibul Bashar takes new role as head of BCB women's wing
The BPL returns to Dhaka on Friday after the Chattogram phase. Cumilla, Rangpur Riders, and Chattogram Challengers have all confirmed their playoff berths.
BPL 2024: Final phase begins Friday in Dhaka
The final phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will begin on Friday in Dhaka with a match between Cumilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal.
After a thrilling Chattogram phase where three of the four playoff teams have been confirmed: Rangpur Riders, Chattogram Challengers, and Cumilla Victorians. Fortune Barishal holds a comfortable position to secure the final playoff spot.
Habibul Bashar takes new role as head of BCB women's wing
Rangpur Riders have the most wins in this BPL season so far, with nine victories in 12 matches. Cumilla follows closely behind with eight wins in 11 matches.
Tanzid Hasan of Chattogram leads the list of top batters with 382 runs, followed by Towhid Hridoy with 358 runs.
BPL 2024: Litton's 85 in vain as Comilla suffer defeat to Sylhet
Despite their elimination with a record 11 defeats-- most defeats in a single BPL edition, Durdanto Dhaka's Shoriful Islam tops the bowlers' chart with 22 wickets.
The BPL's final phase promises outstanding cricket as the top four teams go head-to-head for the championship title.
Habibul Bashar takes new role as head of BCB women's wing
Habibul Bashar, a former captain of the Bangladesh Cricket Team and previously a member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) selection panel, has been appointed as the head of the BCB's women's wing.
This new role follows Bashar's recent departure from the selection panel. When announcing the change, the BCB president stated that Bashar would be appointed to a new position.
Big change at BCB: Former captain Lipu replaces Nannu as chief selector
Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, BCB Director and Chairman of the Women's Wing Committee, along with Bangladesh Women's Captain Nigar Sultana Joty, welcomed Bashar to his new role on Tuesday.
Along with Bashar's release from the selection panel, Minhajul Abedin Nannu was replaced as chief selector of the BCB by Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu.
Shanto named Bangladesh captain in all formats
Hannan Sarkar, also a former Bangladesh batter, joins Gazi as a new member of the selection panel.
BAN vs NZ ODI Series: Shanto sees a challenging role for Soumya in Shakib’s absence
BPL 2024: Tanzid's century powers Chattogram's playoff charge
An electric century from left-handed opener Tanzid Hasan has sealed a playoff berth for the Chattogram Challengers in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Tanzid's maiden T20 ton propelled his team to an unassailable 14 points – securing their place in the tournament's next stage.
With this dominant win over the Khulna Tigers by 65 runs, Chattogram joins the Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians in the playoff fight. Fortune Barishal and Khulna Tigers now battle it out for the final spot.
Barishal sits on 12 points with one match remaining. The Tigers have 10, needing a win and hoping for Barishal's stumble. While Khulna faces this uphill climb, a more favorable net run rate could see Barishal through even if they lose their final fixture.
Chattogram batted first on Tuesday’s match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Led by Tanzid's masterful 116 off 65 balls, including eight fours and eight emphatic sixes, they amassed a daunting 192 for four. He was the second Bangladeshi after Tawhid Hridoy to score a century in this BPL season.
Khulna's chase faltered in the face of Chattogram's disciplined bowling attack. Shuvagata Hom returned with three wickets, while Bilal Khan picked up two. Regular dismissals ensured that the Tigers never mounted a true challenge.
Virat Kohli latest victim of deepfake?
In a startling revelation that underscores the perils of advanced artificial intelligence, social media platforms have become battlegrounds for deepfake videos targeting celebrities. Recently, Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket team’s star batter, found himself at the center of a controversy when a video falsely depicting him endorsing a betting app circulated widely, leaving fans and observers in disbelief.
This incident closely follows a similar situation involving Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary Indian cricketer, who publicly demanded stringent measures after a deepfake video of him promoting a betting app gained viral attention.
The latest video featuring Kohli was particularly shocking for its ability to replicate not just his appearance but also his voice, showcasing the frightening precision and potential harm of deepfake technology, according to an NDTV report.
Expressing his concerns, Sachin Tendulkar emphasized the critical need for vigilance among social media platforms. “Social Media platforms need to be alert and responsive to complaints. Swift action from their end is crucial to stopping the spread of misinformation and deepfakes,” Tendulkar advocated on X (formerly Twitter).
In response to the growing menace of deepfakes, the Indian government is contemplating the introduction of stringent regulations. Ashwini Vaishaw, the IT and Telecom Minister, highlighted the issue as “a threat to democracy,” signaling a move towards imposing penalties on both the creators of deepfakes and the platforms that host them. Proposed measures include watermarking AI-generated content, enhancing deepfake detection technologies, and implementing rules to address data bias, privacy concerns, and prevent the concentration of control.
BPL 2024: Abu Hider paints masterpiece as Rangpur tightens grip on BPL crown
Left-arm pacer Abu Hider Rony turned the pitch into his canvas, etching a historic performance in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
His five wickets for a mere 12 runs was not just a spell; it was a masterpiece—the finest bowling figures ever by a Bangladeshi in the tournament.
BPL 2024: Litton's 85 in vain as Comilla suffer defeat to Sylhet
On Hider's brilliance, Rangpur Riders cemented their position at the summit of the BPL points table, overcoming a spirited Fortune Barishal in a tense Chattogram encounter.
Barishal batted first; the runs dried up like paint on a hot day. Despite a 46 by Kyle Mayers, their star batters, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, and Mahmudullah Riyad, faded against the bowling onslaught.
BPL 2024: Chattogram, Barishal inch closer to playoffs
For Rangpur, Abu Hider wielded his brushstroke deliveries with deadly accuracy, taking five wickets, while Hasan Mahmud provided able support with two of his own.
Rangpur's reply started shakily, and Mominul Haque dismissed him for a duck. But Brandon King and Shakib Al Hasan steadied the ship, weaving a solid partnership of 53 runs.
BPL 2024: West Indies stars Narine, Russell join Comilla Victorians
Obed McCoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz struck back for Barishal, each snatching three wickets, threatening to tilt the match. Yet James Neesham and Dwaine Pretorius held their ground, their cool heads and defiant strokes guiding Rangpur to a one-wicket victory with three balls to spare.
While Barishal's playoff hopes dim slightly, they still have a fighting chance, contingent on a potential win over the Comilla Victorians, and the fate of other matches across the league may also impact their path to the playoff.
BPL 2024: Litton's 85 in vain as Comilla suffer defeat to Sylhet
The Sylhet Strikers, despite already being eliminated from the playoff race in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season, secured a 12-run win against the Comilla Victorians at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
Litton Das struck an 85 for Comilla, a career-best in T20s, but it wasn't enough to avoid defeat.
Winning the toss, the Strikers elected to bat and posted a competitive total of 177/5. Benny Howell's unbeaten 62 runs off just 31 balls powered their innings in the later overs. Kennar Lewis also contributed a solid 38.
For the Victorians, Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers, picking up two wickets, with Rishad Hossain also taking two.
In reply, the Comilla Victorians suffered early setbacks, losing opener Imrul Kayes and Towhid Hridoy cheaply. Skipper Litton Das offered resistance with his well-struck 85, but Tanzim Hasan Sakib's flurry of wickets (3/33) derailed their chase.
Despite a late resurgence from Andre Russell (23), the Victorians ultimately fell short of the target, finishing on 165/6.
While Comilla has already secured a playoff place, this defeat might hinder their chances of finishing the league phase at the top of the points table.