Cricket
New Zealand takes 1st-innings lead vs Sri Lanka in 1st test
Daryl Mitchell rallied the tail with a superb century and Matt Henry blasted 72 from 75 balls as New Zealand achieved an improbable first-innings lead over Sri Lanka Saturday on the third day of the first cricket test.
Led by Mitchell and Henry with help from the inimitable Neil Wagner, New Zealand eked out a lead of 18. At stumps Sri Lanka was 83-3, a lead of 65 with Angelo Mathews 20 not out.
New Zealand began the day at 162-5, 193 runs behind Sri Lanka with Mitchell on 40 left to do his best with the tailenders.
There was no expectation at Hagley Park that New Zealand had any chance of doing more than paring back the deficit that existed after Sri Lanka’s exceptional first innings of 355.
Mitchell’s overnight partner Michael Bracewell fell at the end of a sedate first hour but captain Tim Southee gave an indication that tail was going to go down fighting when he struck 25 from 20 balls. Even when he was out, New Zealand 120 behind.
Also Read: New Zealand edge England by 1 run in test cricket thriller
Mitchell continued to play the steadying hand with a half century in three hours and a century — his fifth and first against Sri Lanka — from 187 balls.
“It’s always nice to get a hundred for your country and to do it in a situation in which we needed it was cool,” Mitchell said. “It was nice to put a team score on the board and for the boys to bowl the way they did tonight was awesome.”
Mitchell’s solidity gave license to other New Zealanders to hit out and Henry took full advantage. After a quiet beginning he went on the attack and struck 72 — his fifth half century — from 75 balls.
Henry blasted 10 fours and three sixes and after Mitchell was out for 102, Wagner joined in and stuck three more sixes. With each hefty blow the deficit fell: in the space of four balls at the end of the 102nd over and start of the 103rd, Henry and Wagner hit three sixes and a four. The deficit which had been 54 reduced with those shots to 32.
Another six from Wagner and New Zealand trailed by 20 Then in the 105th over, Henry struck 4, 4, 4, 6 and 4 from the bowling of Kasun Rajitha and New Zealand hit the front.
Henry was finally out, bowled by Asitha Fernando after having played a massive role for a New Zealand team which never seems to know when it is down.
Its extraordinary one-run victory over England after following on in its previous test was the ultimate demonstration of that fact. But here again, New Zealand seemed absolutely on the back foot with little chance of anything more than a substantial first-innings deficit.
Its motto might be the tail never fails. Once again the last five batsmen made up for the shortcomings of the top order which too often is brittle and inconsistent.
The value of the second half of the New Zealand order is obvious: Mitchell averages 55 in tests, wicketkeeper Tom Blundell 45, Michael Bracewell and Henry in the 20s, Tim Southee 16 with six half centuries, Wagner 14.
The four seamers New Zealand has played in the match have five centuries and 18 half centuries among them.
Sri Lanka lost three wickets before stumps: Oshada Fernando (28), Dimuth Karunaratne (17) and Kusal Mendis (14) while Blair Tickner took all three wickets and has 3-28. Wagner limped from the field before the end with an apparent ankle injury.
Bangladesh eye sealing T20I series against England on Sunday
With a win in the series opener, confident Bangladesh is looking to seal the T20I series against visitors England on Sunday in Dhaka.
Prior to the T20I series, Bangladesh lost the ODI series 2-1, losing the first two matches in Dhaka but ended with a win in the last match in Chattogram, which was also the venue for the first match of the T20I series.
Bangladesh won the first T20I by six wickets, their first-ever win in the format against the World Champions, England.
Ahead of the second match, Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud said that the Tigers are hopeful of winning the series with a victory in Dhaka.
"We are hopeful that we can win this series," Hasan said on Saturday. "The captain is encouraging us, and the momentum is on our side as well. So we are confident of pulling off another win."
Hasan scalped two wickets in the first match of the T20I series in Chattogram and conceded only 26 runs in his four overs. He was the first-choice bowler for the Bangladesh captain.
Hasan said that he learned how to keep his focus even during difficult situations. He recalled the first match when Joss Buttler hit him for two sixes, but he remained calm.
"During that time, when he hit me with two sixes in a row, I did not focus on those sixes or what he was doing," he said. "I was solely focused on what I needed to do. My challenge in the last two overs was to somehow give away fewer runs in those overs, and that's what I tried to do."
In the two previous matches in Dhaka, Bangladesh lost to England. Therefore, the wicket of Dhaka could be a point of discussion ahead of the upcoming match. But Hasan said that they are expecting a good wicket this time.
"Since the game will be played in Mirpur, it must be on a good wicket. We have played very well so far and beat them in Chittagong. We will try to beat them here too," the right-arm pacer said.
Preview of 2023 BAN vs ENG 2nd T20 Match
After winning the first T20 against England, the Bangladesh team is in a cheerful mood, and the Tigers want to confirm the series in the second match. Returning from Chittagong to Dhaka, the two teams will meet in Mirpur next Sunday, March 12, at 3 pm. Shakib Al Hasan's team won their first victory against the English on Thursday in the 20-over format. Bangladesh's cricket team, under the guidance of Chandika Hathurusingha, has excelled in batting, bowling, and fielding in the last T20, and they hope to keep up their success.
Bangladesh vs England 2nd T20I Match: Preview
Since the T20 inception, Bangladesh has already played 145 matches in the T20 format. The Tigers have faced England only two times. In the first encounter, Shakib's team lost the match by 8 wickets in the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, Bangladesh started this tour with a 2-1 loss in the three-match ODI series.
But Bangladesh got a good start in the T20 series with a win in the first match in Chittagong. Now the team will play their second match in Dhaka on Sunday. However, many members of the English champion team are not in this series. As the series is against a relatively less strong team like Bangladesh, they are giving some new cricketers a chance. This is the first time England's T20I team playing a series after becoming the world champions. And they already lost the first match, so they will surely try to get back in the series with a win in the second match.
Read More: Bangladesh stun England in T20I series opener
Considering England as a strong team, Bangladesh has made some significant changes in the T20 team. Apparently, coach Chandika Hathurusingha begins his T20 world journey with this series. So, the Bangladesh team will make some shuffle or add moves based on this series and upcoming series. This T20 squad has been built mainly on the basis of BPL performance. Three Batters – Rony Talukdar, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain; Pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja and left-arm spinner Tanvir Ahmed played well in the BPL and made it to the national team.
On the other hand, England's T20I team features Ben Duckett and Chris Jordan to boost their firepower, yet Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Alex Hales, and Liam Livingstone are absent, causing Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha to refer to it as an "experimental" squad.
The English team will expect a good performance from Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, and Ben Duckett, as they had a good performance in the first match. However, Dawid Malan may also come to the limelight in the second T20 as he is familiar with the Mirpur field.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: Bangladesh T20 Squad Analysis
Key Players for Bangladesh Team
After an eight-year absence, Rony Talukdar made his return to international cricket. This is an extraordinary comeback for Rony, where a player's career is usually over after being dropped from the team. Talukdar's success at the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) this year, with 425 runs in 13 innings and a strike rate of 129.17, has opened the eye of the BCB selectors. And Rony did not let the team down. He scored 21 runs in 14 balls, which is a good performance in T20.
After Rony, Najmul Hossain Shanto will get focus as he played an excellent inning with 51 runs in 30 balls. The left-handed batsman is the hero of Bangladesh's victory in the first T20 against England. So, fans have increased their expectations from Shanto.
Key Players for England
The English team was expecting a good performance from Phil Salt in the T20I series, yet he had only made 54 runs in the three ODIs, and 37 runs in two ODIs against Australia in November. But Salt gave his best in the last T20 with 38 runs from 35 balls. So, hopefully, he will repeat this or do better than this in the next match. His last notable performance was a remarkable 88 ran off 41 balls in a T20I in Lahore against Pakistan in September last year. It's now time for him to get some runs again.
Read More: Bangladesh stun England in T20I series opener
Jos Buttler scored an incredible 67 runs from 42 balls. So, he might run this performance in the second match. On top of that, Buttler is familiar with the Mirpur pitch. Buttler made his partnership with Ben Duckett on the third wicket. In the 13th over, he achieved his 20th half-century by smashing Hasan Mahmud's delivery for a six on the fifth ball.
Probable Squad
Bangladesh XI
Rony Talukdar, Litton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan(c), Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud.
England XI
Jos Buttler(w/c), Philip Salt, Dawid Malan, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.
Read More: ENG v BAN: Virtuoso show from Shakib spares Tigers' blushes in 3rd ODI
How Bangladesh Won the First T20 Against World Champion England?
England lost the last four wickets for 11 runs in 20 balls, and Bangladesh won the match there. And when it comes to batting performance, Shanto is the ultimate hero. Shanto was the highest run scorer in BPL. International T20 started from where he left off. Bangladesh achieved triumph from his bat with a great innings of 51 runs off 30 balls, including eight fours. In addition to that, he took three great catches in the field. Earlier, Rony Talukdar and debutant Towhid Hridoy built the foundation of victory.
Rony scored 21 runs off 14 balls before being dismissed by Adil Rashid. Bangladesh's run was then 33 in 3.3 overs. Then Shanto and Hridoy took the team forward. The new player flew in the same way as he paired up in the BPL. The pair scored 65 runs together. Hridoy hit consecutive fours in the last two balls of the last over of the power play. The score was 52/2 at the end of the power play. After that, Shanto hit four consecutive boundaries in the next over. Hridoy stopped 17 balls for 24.
After that, captain Shakib and Afif Hossain passed the rest of the path smoothly. Shakib hit Chris Jordan a boundary to secure the victory. He remained not out for 34 runs off 24 balls. Afif scored 15 runs.
Read More: Shakib reaches 300 ODI wickets
Final Words
The T20 World Cup is not far away. And after 13 months, the West Indies and the United States will host the highest tournament of short-version cricket. So, team Bangladesh started their preparation with this series against England. And Bangladesh already won the first match. So, we will surely try to win the BAN vs ENG 2nd T20 Match.
Bangladesh stun England in T20I series opener
Bangladesh stunned England by six wickets in the first T20I of their three-match series in Chattogram on Thursday, delivering a clinical performance in both bowling and batting.
Bangladesh lost the ODI series by 2-1, but with this win, they made a great start to the T20I series.
Najmul Hossain Shanto continued his good form, hitting a half-century in this match and helping Bangladesh chase a challenging target of 157. He made 51 runs off 30 balls with eight fours, while Shakib Al Hasan remained unbeaten with 34 runs off 24 balls, including six fours.
Rony Talukdar, who returned to the T20I team after eight years, helped the Tigers get off to a flying start by hitting 21 runs off 14 balls. Towhid Hridoy, who made his international debut in this match, also impressed, scoring 24 runs off 17 balls and contributing the only six of Bangladesh's innings.
Overall, it was a collective batting effort from Bangladesh that secured their maiden T20I win against England.
Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and sent England to bat first. They scored 157 for 6, with captain Joss Buttler hitting the highest score of 67 runs off 42 balls. He and Philip Salt made 80 runs in the first wicket stand, providing England with a solid foundation.
However, left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed broke the partnership, and England lost another quick wicket when Dawid Malan fell to Shakib for just four runs.
England lost their third and fourth wickets at 135, and eventually ended their innings on 156 for 6.
Hasan Mahmud was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh, taking two wickets for 26 runs in his four overs. Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shakib Al Hasan each took one wicket.
The second and third T20I will be played in Dhaka on March 12 and 14.
ENG v BAN: Virtuoso show from Shakib spares Tigers' blushes in 3rd ODI
Bangladesh claimed victory over England by 50 runs to avoid a whitewash at home in the third and final match of the three-match ODI series at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday.
Premier all rounder Shakib Al Hasan hit a breezy 75 to guide the Tigers' innings and then scalped four wickets to help the hosts recover some morale after losing the first two matches and the series. With his fourth wicket, Shakib became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take 300 or more wickets in ODIs.
Winning the toss, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal elected to bat first. However, his decision backfired as Litton Das was dismissed for a duck in the very first over. Tamim himself couldn't last long as he was caught by James Vince off Sam Curran after scoring just 11 runs off 6 balls. But Najmul Hossain Shanto steadied the ship with a patient knock of 53 off 71 balls.
In the third wicket stand, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shanto added 98 runs, helping the hosts recover from the early damage. However, Shanto lost his wicket while running late for a single.
Read more: Shakib reaches 300 ODI wickets
Mushfiqur ended up on 70, while Shakib made 75 runs off 71 balls with seven fours. Bangladesh posted a total of 246 for all wickets in 48.5 overs, riding on their batting effort.
Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, and Mehdiy Hasan Miraz failed to do well in this match. For England, Jofra Archer scalped three wickets while Sam Curran and Adil Rashid took two wickets each.
In reply, England's openers, Jason Roy and Phil Salt, got off to a good start, adding 54 runs for the first wicket. But Shakib struck thrice in quick succession, removing both openers and James Vince, reducing England to 55 for 3. Sam Curran and Jos Buttler then put up a fight with a partnership of 47 runs. However, Mehidy Hasan Miraz ended Curran's resistance as he was caught for 23 runs.
Buttler then fell lbw to Taijul Islam for 26, and England's hopes of a victory were all but over. Chris Woakes was the only batsman who showed some resistance in the late order with a fighting knock of 34 runs off 46 balls. However, he was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman in the 44th over, and England were eventually bowled out for 196 runs in 43.1 overs.
Shakib was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh, finishing with figures of 4 for 35 in his 10 overs. Ebadot Hossain and Taijul Islam also picked up two wickets each.
Read more: Bangladesh Bat First in 3rd ODI vs England in Bid to Avoid Clean Sweep
The teams will now face each other in a three-match T20I series. The first match will be played in Chattogram on March 9, while the last two matches will take place in Dhaka on March 12 and 14.
Shakib reaches 300 ODI wickets
Shakib Al Hasan has become the first Bangladeshi bowler to claim 300 wickets in the ODIs.
The all-rounder achieved the milestone in the third ODI against England in Chattogram where he took four wickets for 35 runs, registering his 10th four-wicket haul in the format.
Shakib's performance placed him among the six spinners with 300 or more wickets in the format. He accomplished this feat in 227 matches, making him the only current cricketer with 300 ODI wickets.
Also, the all-rounder now ranks 14th on the all-time list of bowlers with the most wickets in ODIs.
Shakib made his debut in the ODIs in 2006 and has been a crucial player for the Tigers since then.
He took 82 wickets against Zimbabwe in ODIs. Another team that Shakib enjoys playing against is New Zealand, against whom he took 37 wickets in the ODIs.
Bangladesh Bat First in 3rd ODI vs England in Bid to Avoid Clean Sweep
Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to bat first in the final match of the three-match ODI series against England in Chattogram.
Having already lost the first two matches of the series in Dhaka, Bangladesh are aiming to avoid a clean sweep by securing a victory in this match.
This is the first ODI series in seven years that Bangladesh have lost at home.
Eabadot Hossain has been brought into the squad to replace Taskin Ahmed, with Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal confirming that Taskin has been rested.
Meanwhile, England have made three changes to their last playing XI, with Rehan Ahmed making his ODI debut in this match. Rehan previously played Test cricket as the youngest player for England, and is now set to make his ODI debut as the youngest England player in this format.
Also Read: Bangladesh Strive to Avoid Clean Sweep Against England
Following the ODI series, the two teams will face off in a three-match T20I series.
Bangladesh squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman.
England squad: Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Dawid Malan, James Vince, Sam Curran, Jos Buttler (capt/wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Rehan Ahmed, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer.
Bangladesh Strive to Avoid Clean Sweep Against England
On Monday, Bangladesh and England will face off in the third and final match of the three-match ODI series at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
Bangladesh suffered consecutive losses in the first two matches played in Dhaka, losing by three wickets and a crushing 132 runs, respectively. In both games, the Bangladeshi team struggled to deliver a strong batting performance.
Following the first match, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal acknowledged that they should have scored more runs to challenge England effectively.
Read: 2023 BAN vs ENG 3rd ODI Preview: Can Bangladesh turn back?
After the second match, he cited several factors that led to the big defeat, including poor bowling in the opening overs and losing quick wickets while chasing a total of over 300.
To shake things up, Bangladesh may make some changes to their lineup for the third match. Left-handed pacer Mustafizur Rahman failed to impress in the first two games, and the team management may opt to replace him with either Ebadot Hossain or Hasan Mahmud, both of whom are part of the ODI side.
After the ODI series, the teams will compete in a three-match T20I series, with the first match taking place in Chattogram and the second and third matches in Dhaka.
2023 BAN vs ENG 3rd ODI Preview: Can Bangladesh turn back?
In 2016, England triumphed over Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series held in Dhaka and Chittagong. Despite losing a match in Dhaka, Bangladesh put up a valiant effort in Chittagong in 2016, but ultimately, England won the series with a 4-wicket victory in the last match. On the other hand, Bangladesh already lost the 2023 series before their third match in Chittagong on March 6.
Bangladesh will aim to avoid a whitewash in Tamim Iqbal’s hometown tomorrow. However, England will want to give that opportunity to Bangladesh at any cost, as we have seen their performance in the last match. The third and final ODI of the BAN vs ENG series 2023 will start at 12 noon on Monday (March 06, 2023) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.
Preview of Bangladesh vs England 3rd ODI Match in 2023
Bangladesh and England teams reached the port city of Chittagong to play the third and last ODI of the series. Although both teams reached there early on Saturday, neither team practiced. Both teams have done their last-minute preparations on Sunday (March 5).
Bangladesh practiced at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium from 10 am to 1 pm, and England practiced from 2 pm to 5 pm. The English camp has confirmed the series by 2-0 by winning two matches of the three-match ODI series. The Tigers have lost the ODI series at home after seven years. Coincidentally, Bangladesh last lost their last ODI series at home to England in 2016.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: Bangladesh T20 Squad Analysis
While Engldoesn’tsn’t have any pressure on their shoulder, Bangladesh will surely take the pressure to win the last match. At least a win can be a consolation for the team as well as the fans.
Bangladesh don’t have any major changes in the team except for removing Shamim Hossain Patwari from the team. Shamim got a chance in the team on the evening before the second ODI against England. But he did not get a chance to play the match. However, the 22-year-old left-handed batsman is still on the team. England, on the other hand, seems to continue with their current playing XI.
There were roughly two types of wickets in Mirpur in the first two matches of the Bangladesh and England ODI series. The first match saw the familiar form of Mirpur - slow, turning, uneven bounce wickets. In the second, it was much more batting-friendly. And England has adapted better than Bangladesh with both types of wickets.
According to the condition and situation, Dawid Malan and Jason Roy scored two centuries and became the man of the match. On the other hand, in front of the English bowlers, Bangladeshi batsmen seemed to be foreigners on their own ground.
Read More: Bangladesh-England series tickets to go on sale in Chattogram Sunday
While all the England players got their expected performance, Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman seems to be dim in this series. Not only the first two matches of the England series but Mustafiz has also been lost in ODIs for quite some time.
But, no other Bangladeshi bowler has bowled as many overs (100.2) as him and has such a low economy rate (4.61) in the last year. Tomorrow will be Mustafiz’s another chance to do something for the country.
Probable Squads for 3rd ODI in 2023 BAN vs ENG Series
Bangladesh XI:
Tamim Iqbal (c), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.
England XI:
Jason Roy, Philip Salt, Dawid Malan, James Vince, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Will Jacks, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood, Mark Wood.
Read More: Tamim Disappointed Over Team's Sloppy Performance in Loss to England
Pitch Report and Weather
Batting conditions at Chattogram are great, so a high-scoring game is anticipated. Therefore, teams that win the toss should choose to bowl first. Ishan Kishan made a double century the last time an ODI took place here against India. Weather forecasts suggest no chance of rain and a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius with humidity in the 4
Bangladesh’s Dominance in Home Ground has Ended
Although Bangladesh fought in the first matTamim’sim’s team could not compete against England in the second ODI. After England scored 326 runs for 7 wickets with opener JaRoy’soy’s century, Bangladesh was knocked out of the match.
While there was a little hope in the run chase, it was also lost due to the failure of the top-order batsmen. After the top order collapsed, Bangladesh could not turn arouBangladesh’ssh’s innings stopped at 194 runs in 44.4 overs.
In the first match, Chris Woakes’ bowling troubled the Bangladteam’sam’s top-order batsmen. Sam Curran took the new ball in the second match as Woakes was rested. Curran is known for swinging the new ball. And that swing became a disaster for Bangladeshi batsmen.
Read More: Bangladesh's ODI series winning streak at home ends with a massive defeat to England
Two Bangladeshi batsmen, Litton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto were dismissed by Curran in the first over of the innings, leaving Mushfiqur Rahim with the challenge of facing the next over.
In a matter of moments, the Bangladesh team had lost three wickets for a mere nine runs, which is a far from ideal start for a team looking to reach 326 runs. After that, there was nothing else to talk about in the batting of the Bangladesh team except for Shakib-Tamim’sim’s partnership. As the partnership was broker, it was confirmed that Bangladesh lost the series as well as the winning streak in the home ground.
Final Words
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is a heaven for batters, leaving Bangladesh dependent on their bowlers to succeed. Will the Bangladeshi bowlers be able to sEngland’snd’s powerful hitters, though?
Evidence from the past two matches suggests it will be a significant challenge for Bangladeshi bowleIndia’sia’s last performance here was also noteworthy, so it is possible to anticipate a couple of centuries tomorrow. Nonetheless, Bangladeshi batsmen will do their utmost to prevent a whitewash by winning BAN vs ENG 3rd ODI.
Read More: Bangladesh secures spot in 2024 Women's T20 World Cup as hosts
BAN vs ENG Series 2023: Bangladesh T20 Squad Analysis
Bangladesh already lost the ODI series against England. Now, the upcoming 2023 BAN vs ENG T20 series starting from March 9 is the only hope to beat England in the bilateral T20 series. While England announced the T20 squad 21 days earlier in the one-day series, Bangladesh just announced the T20 team after the second ODI. The T20 series will start on March 9 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. The remaining two matches of the series will be played at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on March 12 and 14, respectively.
Analysis of Bangladesh T20 Squad Against England
Minhajul Abedin Nannu, the chief selector, revealed that Bangladesh think tank is taking a long-term approach to the T20 format and, thus, has included several new players in the T20 squad for the forthcoming England series.
Five players who had an impact in the recently completed Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) have been chosen for the Tigers T20I squad to take on England in the coming weeks. Shamim Hossain and Rony Talukdar were the returning players, while Towhid Hridoy, Rejaur Rahman Raja, and Tanvir Islam were selected for their first T20I appearance.
Left-arm spinner Tanvir has bowled well in BPL. He took 18 wickets for the champions Comilla Victorians in the 20-over tournament. Towhid Hridoy scored 403 runs in 13 matches for Sylhet Strikers. Sylhet Strikers pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja took 13 wickets in 8 matches. Rony Talukdar, who opened for Rangpur Riders, got a chance in the team after performing in BPL.
Read More: Bangladesh-England series tickets to go on sale in Chattogram Sunday
Shamim Hossain Patwari, who played the last international T20 match in 2021, has also returned to the squad, attracting attention towards the end of the BPL. He was a member of the U-19 World Cup winning team who played 10 T20s for the country and returned to the national team after a great BPL for Rangpur Riders. Mosaddek Hossain, Yasir Ali Rabi, Sabbir Rahman, and Mohammad Saifuddin have been left out of the T20 World Cup squad to make room for newcomers.
32-year-old Rony Talukdar played the only T20 for the country in 2015. Where he scored 21 runs off 22 balls against South Africa in Mirpur.
BCB has announced a 15-member squad for the first two matches of the T20 series against England with Shakib Al Hasan as the captain.
Bangladesh T20 Squad in BAN v ENG Series 2023
Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nasum Ahmed, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shamim Hossain, Rony Talukdar, Towhid Hridoy, Rejaur Rahman Raja and Tanvir Islam.
Read More: Tamim Disappointed Over Team's Sloppy Performance in Loss to England
Key Batters of Bangladesh Squad in 2023 BAN v ENG Series
Towhid Hridoy
Fans will be eagerly awaiting Towhid Hridoy's first appearance in the T20 series, as he got a chance in the national team due to his successful performance in the BPL. In BPL, he scored 403 runs with a strike rate of 140 and five fifties.
Overall, he played 49 T20 matches for the Bangladesh U19 team and scored 1126 runs with five 85 highest scores. It is now up to him to show what he can bring to the Bangladesh team for their match against England.
Litton Das
Litton Das has been in outstanding form lately. Although he only played one T20 against England, we are eager to see his incredible batting. With 379 runs, Litton is the fourth top scorer in BPL 2023. Apart from this, in his career from 2015-2022, Litton played 65 T20 matches for Bangladesh and scored 1388.
However, he only scored 9 runs in his only T20 against England in 2021. So, it is expected that Litton will continue his incredible T20 performance and help Bangladesh in the T20 series.
Read More: Bangladesh's ODI series winning streak at home ends with a massive defeat to England
Najmul Hossain Shanto
Najmul Hossain Shanto can be another key batter for Bangladesh. So far, he has played 17 T20 matches for Bangladesh and scored 384 runs with a high score of 71. However, he has a good track record in recent BPL. In his 15 BPL matches, Shanto has amassed 516 runs at an impressive average of 39.69. He has batted in all 15 innings, remaining not out twice, and has the highest score of 89.
Additionally, his BPL 2023 strike rate of 116.74 showcases his ability to score quickly and efficiently. With such impressive stats, Shanto is definitely a cricketer to watch out for against England.
Key Bowlers in Bangladesh Team in 2023 BAN v ENG Series
Mehidy Hasan Miraz
Since his white ball debut against England on October 20, 2016, Mehidy Hasan Miraz has been showing his excellence with the ball. The English batsmen were completely taken aback by the power of his delivery, as he took six wickets in the first innings in his debut test.
However, Miraz is yet to play any T20 against England. In his last two ODI matches with England, Miraz took 4 wickets, which indicates that he understood the English batsmen’s tactics. So, going up against England in the T20 will surely motivate Miraz to perform to the best of his abilities.
Read More: Bangladesh secures spot in 2024 Women's T20 World Cup as hosts
Taskin Ahmed
We must now look ahead to Taskin Ahmed's performance following Miraz, who is evidently a very committed bowler for Bangladesh. Taskin was invited to play three games in the ongoing PSL but declined the offer as he was more eager to take on England.
Up to now, he has got four wickets in two matches in this ongoing ODI series. So, he will surely give his best in the bilateral T20 series against the English.
Key Bangladeshi Allrounder in BAN v ENG T20 Series
Shakib Al Hasan
Regarded as the greatest cricketer of all time in Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan is capable of altering the course of any match at any time. We eagerly await his batting and bowling prowess in the T20 series.
However, he didn’t have an excellent performance in the ongoing ODI series. He scored 66 runs and took 2 wickets in two matches. Shakib played only one T20 against England and scored only 4 runs. Further, he is yet to get any wickets against England in T20. So, the upcoming series will be Shakib’s chance to show his class.
Read More: Tamim-Shakib Clash: How ready Bangladesh are to face England
Final Words
Bangladesh's T20 team is not as organized as ODIs. There is much room for change and development. Najmul Hossain Shanto’s opening pair has scope for change. Sylhet Strikers opener Tawhid Hridoy batted very well in the BPL. So, he might get a chance in the starting eleven. Since Bangladesh is moving forward with a long-term plan for the T20 team, we might see some changes in three matches of the BAN vs ENG T20 series 2023.