Cricket
Bangladesh Tigers camp starts focusing on out-of-form players
While the Bangladesh National Cricket Team is gearing up to prove their prowess in the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai, some out-of-form star cricketers joined the Bangladesh Tigers program in Dhaka to stay fit for forthcoming challenges.
Experienced cricketers like Litton Das and Mominul Haque have also joined this camp.
Local coaches, Mizanur Rahman, Nazmul Islam, Tarek Aziz and Sohel Islam are overseeing this camp, focussing on both fitness and skill development.
Participants include players such as Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Naeem Hasan, Hasan Murad, and Sadman Islam, along with Litton and Mominul.
Bangabandhu National Stadium renamed as “National Stadium, Dhaka”
“We started the camp by sitting down with the players and discussing their individual goals and areas for improvement,” said Sohel Islam. “We talked about what they want to work on personally, and where they want to improve their skills.”
This camp came as a great chance for Litton to prepare for future matches. The right-handed wicketkeepr batter just lost his place in the national team that is to take part in the Champions Trophy.
Sohel said Litton’s struggles in white-ball cricket and emphasized the camp's intention to address them. He said the coaches have already identified some aspects of Litton’s batting that need to go through some adjustments.
Tigers set to roar in Champions Trophy
Sohel added that one of the core ideas of this camp is to keep the players fit so that they can meet the requirements of the national team at any point. He added that the coaches are maintaining regular communication with the national team coaches.
“We're all working together to ensure that players who come through the Tigers program are fully prepared for international cricket,” he said.
1 hour ago
New Zealand gears up for Champions Trophy by beating Pakistan in tri-nation series final
New Zealand rounded off perfect preparation for the Champions Trophy by thumping Pakistan by five wickets in the tri-nation series final on Friday.
Five days before the teams meet again to open the Champions Trophy, host Pakistan was dismissed for 242 and New Zealand cruised to 243-5 in the 46th over.
Fast bowler Will O'Rourke staked his claim for for Wednesday's opener with 4-43 and captain Mitchell Santner returned his best-ever economical one-day international figures of 2-20.
None of the Pakistan batters got a half-century while Daryl Mitchell (57) and Tom Latham (56) led New Zealand to a third successive win in the tournament, clinched by Pakistan's 16th wide delivery. The Black Caps beat Pakistan and South Africa in group games in Lahore.
Sri Lanka wins the toss and bats in the second ODI against Australia
“Different guys stepping up at different times is good, but it means nothing till we play that first game at the Champions Trophy,” Santner said.
They will return to the same ground on Wednesday.
“It (the pitch) was a bit slower than what we thought it would be," Santner said. "We just wanted to put in a good spot and build pressure. If we take wickets up front, it makes the job easier in the middle.”
Lucky Latham
Left-hander Latham, who came into the final without a run in both games at Lahore, could have been dismissed on 15 and 27.
However, he was dropped both times and Pakistan didn’t go for an lbw video referral when replays suggested leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed could have overturned the on-field umpire’s decision. Latham stretched his luck when he successfully reviewed an on-field out ruling for caught behind off Shaheen Shah Afridi. He reached his half-century off 60 balls.
Latham and Mitchell put on 87 runs off 88 balls, dominating the spinners with sweep shots, before both fell late in the run chase.
“He (Latham) is pretty relieved as well," Santner said of Latham's 64-ball knock. "We know how good he is and it was just a matter of time. It was nice for different guys to fire as well.”
Conway gives platform
Devon Conway (48) played another meaningful knock after being inserted as an opener while Rachin Ravindra was rested after a head knock in the field during the first game against Pakistan.
Conway laid the foundation in a 71-run partnership with Kane Williamson (34), who missed out on his third successive half-century.
Conway top-edged Naseem Shah (2-43), which brought Latham to the crease to join Mitchell.
Pakistan batters pinned down
New Zealand perfectly read the tacky pitch after losing the coin toss, and pinned down Pakistan with pacers hitting tight lengths early and Santner drying out the runs in the middle overs.
Babar Azam became the joint-fastest batter to reach 6,000 ODI runs with Hashim Amla of South Africa, but perished soon after the achievement in his 123rd innings.
O’Rourke struck in his second over when Fakhar Zaman (10) struggled to gauge the two-paced pitch and chipped an easy catch to square leg, and Saud Shakeel (8) was clean bowled by off-spinner Michael Bracewell in his first over inside the batting power play.
Afridi among 3 Pakistan players fined for conduct breaches in win over SAfrica
Babar looked to shape up well for a big innings and struck cover-driven boundaries until he offered a tame return catch to Nathan Smith on 29. Babar threw down his bat in dismay as Pakistan’s most accomplished white-ball batter totalled 62 runs in three innings.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan (46) and Salman Ali Agha (45) tried to revive the innings with an 88-run stand but couldn’t score at the pace they managed in the epic run chase against South Africa on Monday.
O’Rourke clean bowled Rizwan with a scrambled seam in his return spell, and Salman reverse swept Bracewell to short third man where Jacob Duffy caught the ball over his shoulders.
“We wanted to bat first because we thought in the second half the pitch would be tough,” Rizwan said. “Credit goes to their bowlers. I tried to build a partnership with Agha but they were not giving us the (loose) balls.”
Tayyab Tahir (38 off 33 balls) tried to up the scoring rate after Rizwan and Salman fell within five overs but he was caught at mid-wicket, and Santner chipped in with two wickets in one over to finish with impressive figures.
Allrounder Faheem Ashraf, playing his first ODI since 2023, was dropped twice before O'Rourke bagged him and finished Pakistan’s below-par effort with the bat by claiming the last two wickets.
1 day ago
Sri Lanka wins the toss and bats in the second ODI against Australia
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat in the second and final one-day international against Australia at R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday.
Australia is preparing for the Champions Trophy tournament later this month in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. It made five changes, including recalling regular players Travis Head, Glen Maxwell and Josh Inglis, who were rested in the first match of the series which Australia lost by 49 runs.
Fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis and legspinner Tanveer Sangha were also added to the Australian lineup. Alex Carey, Marnus Labuschagne, Cooper Connolly, Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis were left out.
Sri Lanka dropped opener Avishka Fernando and called up Nishan Madushka.
Afridi among 3 Pakistan players fined for conduct breaches in win over SAfrica
Lineups:
Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando.
Australia: Steven Smith (captain), Matthew Short, Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha.
2 days ago
Afridi among 3 Pakistan players fined for conduct breaches in win over SAfrica
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was among three Pakistan cricketers fined for breaching the ICC code of conduct during the record run chase against South Africa in Karachi.
Afridi was fined 25 per cent of his match fee by the ICC for deliberately obstructing batter Matthew Breetzke when he ran a single in the 28th over, resulting in physical contact and a heated exchange between them in the tri-nations match on Wednesday.
Auction of franchises in The Hundred ends with Southern Brave going to Indian investors for $62M
Saud Shakeel and substitute fielder Kamran Ghulam were fined 10 per cent of their match fees after they celebrated too closely to South Africa captain Temba Bavuma after he was run out in the 29th over.
In addition, all three players received one demerit point each on their disciplinary records, and accepted the sanctions, the ICC said.
Pakistan recorded its highest ever successful one-day international run chase of 355-4 and will play New Zealand on Friday in the final, a warmup for the Champions Trophy.
3 days ago
Auction of franchises in The Hundred ends with Southern Brave going to Indian investors for $62M
The auction process selling stakes of franchises in English cricket competition The Hundred concluded Wednesday with a deal for 49% of Southern Brave by GMR, the co-owner of Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
GMR agreed to pay a reported fee of nearly 50 million pounds ($62 million), taking the amount paid for stakes in the eight franchises — ranging to 49% to 100% — to over 500 million ($620 million).
The England and Wales Cricket Board reportedly had a target of raising a total of 350 million pounds ($435 million) from the auction but is set to comfortably exceed that. It was helped by a major deal for London Spirit, bought by a billionaire tech consortium including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for a reported price of 145 million pounds ($180 million).
Also, Cain International, a company co-funded by Chelsea part-owner Todd Boehly, agreed to a deal to pay 40 million pounds ($50 million) for 49% of Trent Rockets.
The investors will enter an exclusivity period to finalize the deals.
Salman and Rizwan centuries power Pakistan to record chase and place in tri-nation series final
Proceeds from the sales will be split 19 ways — between the 18 long-established county teams in the English and Welsh domestic game and the Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns the storied Lord’s ground and is regarded as the guardian of the laws of the game. A large donation will also go to the recreational game in England and Wales.
The Hundred only began in 2021.
A total of four IPL ownership groups have now claimed a piece in the Hundred, with GMR’s interest in the Brave following on from Reliance (Mumbai Indians and Oval Invincibles), Sun Group (Sunrisers Hyderabad and Northern Superchargers) and RPSG (Lucknow Supergiants and Manchester Originals).
3 days ago
Salman and Rizwan centuries power Pakistan to record chase and place in tri-nation series final
Pakistan eliminated South Africa from the tri-nation series with centuries from captain Mohammad Rizwan and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha leading the home team to its highest-ever successful run chase in an ODI just a week ahead of Champions Trophy.
Rizwan struck an unbeaten 122 off 128 balls and Salman notched his maiden ODI hundred with 134 off 103 balls as they cruised Pakistan to 355-4 in 49 overs for a six-wicket victory Wednesday to set up Friday’s final against New Zealand.
Pakistan's previous highest successful chase was 349 against Australia at Lahore in 2022.
South Africa had earlier posted 352-5 — fourth-highest total at the newly upgraded National Bank Stadium — with Heinrich Klaasen (87), Matthew Breetzke (83) and captain Temba Bavuma (82) all missing out on centuries.
It was the second time in three days that South Africa lost after posting over 300 runs as it failed to defend 304 against New Zealand on Monday.
Rizwan and Salman dominate
Asalanka hits career-best 127 in Sri Lanka's 49-run win over Australia
Rizwan and Salman decimated South Africa pace bowlers Lungi Ngidi (1-74), Corbin Bosch (1-70) and Wiaan Mulder (2-79) on a flat wicket and lightning outfield as they shared a Pakistan record of 260 runs in a match-winning fourth-wicket stand.
With frontline pace bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen joining the South Africa squad for Champions Trophy over the weekend, the three pace bowlers couldn’t pose threat to the pair of Rizwan and Salman in ideal batting conditions.
Mulder had struck twice in his opening spell but Pakistan still managed to rack up over 90 runs in the first power play of 10 overs in an ODI for the first time in 20 years with Fakhar Zaman making a quickfire 41 off 28 balls.
Babar Azam made 23 off 19 balls in the opening stand of 57 off 37 balls before Mulder pinned him leg before wicket and then found the outside of Fakhar’s bat with Klaasen holding onto a sharp catch to his left.
Rizwan and Salman took their time and watchfully played out spinners Tabraiz Shamsi (0-53) and Keshav Maharaj (0-54) in the middle overs before countercharging against the pace.
Rizwan reached his hundred off 106 balls in style with a monstrous six over mid-wicket to Mulder, and three balls later Salman completed his first ODI hundred off 87 balls with a single.
Ngidi got some consolation when Salman, who struck 16 fours and two sixes, edged the fast bowler with only two needed for victory before Tayyab Tahir sealed the game with the boundary off the first ball he faced.
Breetzke misses century
South Africa top-order batters also capitalized on a perfect batting wicket with only left-arm spinner Khushdil Shah (1-39) conceding less than run a ball.
Bavuma and Breetzke batted with lot of aggression against pace and spin after Toni de Zorzi (22), one of the four changes South Africa made from the first match, was brilliantly snapped by Salman in the first slip of Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-66).
Breetzke, who became the first batter to score 150 in his debut ODI on Monday, added 119 off 125 balls with Bavuma as Pakistan bowlers gave away too many lose deliveries.
Mitchell Starc withdraws from Champions Trophy, leaving Australia without key pacers
Bavuma, who hit 13 boundaries, got run-out in a mix-up with Breetzke in the 29th over, but South Africa continued to score at a brisk pace after Klaasen was promoted at No. 4 in his first outing in Pakistan.
Breetzke, overlooked for the Champions Trophy, looked set for his second successive century but Salman took up another stunning catch at short cover in the 39th over to deny South African another record.
Klaasen struck 11 fours and three sixes and played a key part in helping South Africa score 110 runs in the last 10 overs before he holed out in the deep in the penultimate over.
Kyle Verreynne made an unbeaten 44 off 32 balls as South Africa middle-order batters charged against the pace of Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain, who conceded 72 runs for no wickets in his eight overs after being inducted into the playing XI in place of injured Haris Rauf.
3 days ago
Tigers set to roar in Champions Trophy
Bangladesh is all set to travel to the UAE on Thursday to play the ICC Champions Trophy, which will also be played in Pakistan. Before travelling to the UAE, Bangladesh's captain held a press conference on Wednesday, where he said the team needs collective efforts to do well and needs to score 300-plus to compete against top teams like India, Pakistan and New Zealand.
In their first match, Bangladesh will take on India on February 20 in Dubai. In this match, India will miss their premium bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is not part of their squad for this event.
“Each cricketer in every team can win the game for their team,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said, addressing a question about whether Bumrah’s absence would be helpful for them.
Asalanka hits career-best 127 in Sri Lanka's 49-run win over Australia
“There are 'X factors' within each team. Bumrah is definitely a great bowler,” he added.
The Bangladesh captain downplayed the significance of Bumrah’s absence, but said they have a plan for the whole Indian team, which is a great team, he admitted.
“We don't want to plan separately for anyone,” Shanto said. “There is a team plan on how to handle which bowler and how to stop which batter. There is an overall team plan.”
He also said that not only India, Pakistan and New Zealand are also balanced teams. Along with India, Bangladesh will have to tackle New Zealand and Pakistan in the first phase of the Champions Trophy.
Following the India match, Bangladesh will travel to Rawalpindi for their group-stage matches against New Zealand on February 24 and Pakistan on February 27. With the expectation of batting-friendly wickets in both Dubai and Rawalpindi, Shanto stressed the importance of posting big totals.
Bangladesh coach concerned over Champions Trophy preparation
“I’m expecting more than 300 runs in Pakistan,” he said. “If we bat first, we must score such totals.”
The Bangladesh captain estimated that 260 or 280 would be good scores in Dubai. However, he also added that the pitches in Dubai play differently at different times of the year.
While Shanto is expecting a total passing the 300-run mark, there were instances in the past when 300 or scores close to 300 were not enough for them to win, meaning the Tigers will have to bat their best to make the Champions Trophy a memorable event.
While the team performance is what Shanto is concentrating on most, his own batting will also be under scrutiny in this mega event. He played only five matches in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), by the date of Bangladesh’s first match, his absence from a competitive match will be five weeks.
But he is focusing more on the "positive aspects" of the time off.
Bumrah, Kerr shine as ICC names top cricketers of 2024
“I have regularly had the opportunity to spend extra time batting in practice so that I can prepare better. The coaches helped. I have also worked on fitness. I was able to prepare very well during the BPL period. I hope if everything is okay, the tournament will go well,” Shanto, the left-handed batter, added.
Shanto also added that the team is simulating match scenarios in the practice sessions to give the players a feel of the real situations. The Bangladesh captain believes this approach will help them bridge the gap.
4 days ago
Asalanka hits career-best 127 in Sri Lanka's 49-run win over Australia
Charith Asalanka scored a career-best 127 to help Sri Lanka beat Australia by 49 runs in the opener of a two-match one-day international cricket series on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka was bowled out for 214 in 46 overs after Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat first at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium. Asalanka played a captain's innings and carried his team with his fourth ODI hundred in his 72nd game.
In reply, Australia was bowled out for 165 runs in 33.5 overs.
Fast bowler Spencer Johnson (2-44) quickly provided Australia with its first breakthrough, having opener Pathum Nissanka caught behind in the first over of the match. Opening partner Avishka Fernando fell in the next over when he was caught by Australia captain Steve Smith off fast bowler Aaron Hardie, who took 2-13 in six overs.
Sri Lanka wins the toss and bats first in the one-day series opener against Australia
Kusal Mendis (19), Kamindu Mendis (5) and Janith Liyanage (11) fell in quick succession to leave the hosts precariously placed on 55 runs for five wickets.
But Asalanka and Dunith Wellalage's 67-run partnership off 68 deliveries for the sixth wicket provided Sri Lanka with a base for a competitive total.
Wellalage made a useful 30 off 34, including a six and two boundaries, before being caught by Smith off spinner Matthew Short.
Sri Lanka looked in trouble again at 135-8 after losing two more quick wickets, but No. 10 batter Eshan Malinga came to Asalanka's assistance by keeping his captain company in a 79-run ninth wicket stand in which he contributed just one run.
Asalanka hit 127 off 126 deliveries, including five sixes and 14 fours.
Fast medium Sean Abbott took 3-61.
Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando struck in the first over of Australia's chase by trapping Short lbw with no score on the board. In his second over he had Jake Fraser-McGurk caught and bowled. Cooper Connolly and Smith, too, were dismissed quickly to leave Australia at 31-4.
Alex Carey and Manus Labuschagne added 52 for the fifth wicket at around a run-a-ball pace
Labuschagne was out lbw by Maheesh Theekshana and in the following over Carey also departed, caught by Nissanka in the deep for 41 which effectively ended his team's chances.
Theekshana took 4-40 while Fernando and Wellalage had two wickets each
Australia rested front-line players Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell. Sri Lanka made one change from its last ODI against New Zealand in Auckland in January — Wellalage replaced Chamindu Wickramasinghe.
The series is a warmup for the Australians ahead of the Champions Trophy to be played later this month in Pakistan. Sri Lanka did not qualify for the tournament.
Australia won the recently concluded test series 2-0.
4 days ago
Mitchell Starc withdraws from Champions Trophy, leaving Australia without key pacers
Mitchell Starc has withdrawn from the Champions Trophy, leaving Australia without any of its three front-line fast bowlers.
Australia’s bid to win cricket's Champions Trophy for the first time since 2009 will be made with an entirely new-look pace bowling lineup after Starc withdrew Wednesday for personal reasons.
The tournament, to be played primarily in Pakistan but with India playing its matches in the United Arab Emirates, begins Feb. 19. Australia plays its first match on Feb. 22 against England.
Starc was the only member of Australia’s so-called big three fast bowling attack to play all seven recent tests against India and Sri Lanka. He joins captain Pat Cummins (ankle injury) and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood (side strain) on the sidelines.
Starc quiet on decision
Starc, who said he will not be commenting about his decision and has asked for privacy, appeared to be in discomfort with a left ankle issue in bowling just four overs during Sri Lanka’s second innings of last week’s second test at Galle. Australia won that test series 2-0.
Cricket Australia said the 35-year-old Starc has its full support. He has played 96 tests for Australia and has taken 382 test wickets, as well as being a regular bowling spearhead in the limited-overs formats.
“We understand and respect Mitch’s decision,” national selection panel chairman George Bailey said Wedneday. "Mitch is deeply respected for his commitment to international cricket and the priority he places on performing for Australia.
The new quicks
With the three veteran pace bowlers injured and Marcus Stoinis announcing his ODI retirement last week, there's an opportunity for next-generation quicks Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis, who have been included in Australia’s 15-man squad.
Left-armer Johnson has played two ODIs and eight T20 internationals and is seen as a similar replacement for Starc. Ellis was a member of Australia’s squad for last year’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States and has previous experience in Pakistan, having debuted on the ODI tour there in 2022.
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Australia squad: Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Cooper Connolly.
4 days ago
Sri Lanka wins the toss and bats first in the one-day series opener against Australia
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat in the first of the two-match one-day international series against Australia on Wednesday.
The series will be a warmup for the Australians ahead of the Champions Trophy to be played later this month in Pakistan. Sri Lanka did not qualify for the tournament.
Australia rested front-line players Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell. Sri Lanka made one change from its last ODI against New Zealand in Auckland in January — Dunith Wellalage replaced Chamindu Wickramasinghe.
Breetzke becomes first South African batter to score 150 on ODI debut
Australia won the recently-concluded test series 2-0.
Lineups:
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (captain), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando
Australia: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cooper Connolly, Steve Smith (captain), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
4 days ago