Mahmudullah
Mahmudullah hopes spinners shine in 3rd T20I
Bangladesh T20I captain Mahmudullah Riyad said he is hoping that the spinners would do better on the wicket of Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Bangladesh will take on the hosts West Indies in the third T20I on Thursday night aiming to level up the series.
The first match of the series was washed away due to heavy rain. The hosts won the second match by 35 runs and they are leading by 1-0 in the series. Now, Bangladesh has only one way to level the series— to win the final match.
Also read: BAN vs WI 3rd T20I 2022: Bangladesh seek to level the series
“Spinners can do well on this wicket,” Mahmudullah said before the match. “I’ve previously played ODI here and saw that the wicket of this venue is traditionally dry which is helpful for the spinners.”
But the Bangladesh team is yet to decide how the team will look. “Still, we have to think about many things. The condition might change if it rains here on the match day. We will decide about our playing XI later,” Mahmudullah added.
If the condition remains dry, Bangladesh might bring Nasum Ahmed, the left-arm spinner, back to the playing XI.
Also read: WI vs BAN Series 2022: 7 attainable personal milestones for Bangladeshi cricketers
Before the T20I series, Bangladesh played a two-match Test series against the West Indies and lost both matches.
After the T20I series, Bangladesh will take on the hosts in a three-match ODI series starting from July 10. The other matches will be played on July 13 and 16.
BPL 2022: Mahmudullah, Russell help Dhaka to register maiden win
Minister Group Dhaka finally won a match in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Monday beating Fortune Barishal by four wickets at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Mahmudullah Riyad and Andre Russell led the way to their maiden victory coming into the third match.
In the first two matches, Dhaka lost to Khulna Tigers and Chattogram Challengers by five wickets and 30 runs respectively.
On Monday, Shakib Al Hasan-led Barishal batted first and put up 129 on the board losing eight wickets in 20 overs.
Chris Gayle, the West Indian T20 giant, who was playing his first match in this season of BPL, scored the highest 36 for them while Dwayne Bravo posted 33.
For Dhaka, Russell and Isuru Udana bagged two wickets each.
In reply to a moderate total, Dhaka suffered a heavy batting collapse at the start of their innings.
Mahmudullah eyes to have a pace-bowling all-rounder in BPL
Bangladesh T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad said he will look for a pace-bowling all-rounder and a wrist spinner for the national team during during the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premeir League (BPL).
Mahmudullah is set to lead Minister Group Dhaka in BPL beginning on Friday in Dhaka.
Read: Bangabandhu BPL begins on Friday sans spectators
Along with Mahmudullah, Dhaka have Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Tamim Iqbal as well. Tamim is set to play from the beginning, but Mashrafe is uncertain for the first two matches.
“We will play another World Cup this year,” Mahmudullah said referring to T20 World Cup 2022 which will be played in Australia. “We may need more pace-bowling all-rounders and wrist spinners. We will keep it in mind in BPL.”
Bangladesh failed to impress in the last edition of the T20 World Cup that took place in the UAE last year. But Mahmdullah believes the Tigers have a good chance to do well in the next World Cup in Australia.
Read: Shakib, Mushfiq, Mustafiz make way into ICC Men’s ODI team 2021
“We had expected to do well in the last World Cup. Our confidence was high after winning two consecutive series against Australia and New Zealand. But we could perform accordingly. We have a good chance to do well in the next World Cup,” Mahmudullah added.
Bangladesh’s aimless year in cricket
Dhaka, Dec 29 (UNB) — The year started on a hopeful note for Bangladesh as Shakib Al Hasan had returned to international cricket early this year after serving a ban imposed by the ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches by a known bookie. But by the time it ended, supporters of the Tigers were hoping they could forget 2021 as soon as possible.
Shakib was the most valuable player immediately upon his return, in the ODI series against the West Indies early this year. It was not the right indicator of what was in store for the remainder of the year. The downhill slide began in the Test series that followed the ODIs against the men from the Caribbean, who were severely depleted yet totally outplayed Bangladesh in both matches on the way to winning 2-0.
Bangladesh won 20 international matches across all three formats this year, out of 46 played. Although that makes it their second-best year in terms of matches won, this does not reflect the suffering that Bangladesh went through playing at home or abroad in 2021, and across all three formats really.
The poor show in Tests continued all through the year. At the end of the year, the Mominul Haque-led team suffered another 2-0 series defeat at home, this time against Pakistan.
'Heartbreaking': Mahmudullah on Tigers' T20I blowout v Pakistan
Despite coming close, or so they thought, to beating Pakistan in the last of the three-T20I series, Bangladesh failed to make it on Monday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad said it was somewhat heartbreaking for the team who wanted to win at least one match so badly so that the confidence of the team was boosted. “We were so close but we, unfortunately, couldn’t make it. So it was somewhat heartbreaking,” Mahumudullah said after the match, which was Bangladesh's eighth T20I defeat in a row.
Mahmudullah bowled Mohammad Nawaz in the ball which was supposed to be the last ball of the match and when Pakistan needed two runs. But at the last moment, Nawaz moved away, and the umpire called it a dead ball.
READ: Mahmudullah has few answers as Tigers’ rut continues
“He moved away at the last moment, so I asked the umpire if the ball was legal. The umpire's call was final and we respect it,” Mahmudullah added on the incident. “It would have been better if we could win one or two matches. Wins help to boost the confidence of the team. The dressing room environment was so great during the Australia and New Zealand series ahead of the World Cup. The boys put their best foot forward, but unfortunately, we have failed,” Mahmudullah also said.
READ: Mahmudullah blames top-order batting after defeat to Pakistan
Both teams will now head to the Port City of Chattogram to play the first match of the two-Test series from November 26. After that, both teams will return to Dhaka to play the second Test from December 4.
Mahmudullah has few answers as Tigers’ rut continues
Bangladesh T20I captain Mahmudullah Riyad was left singing the same old tune of a top order batting failure, a running feature of the seemingly endless run of disappointing results that the team is on, after their second defeat in two days against Pakistan in Mirpur, handing the 3-match series to the tourists.
On Saturday, Bangladesh endured defeat by eight wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. And after the match, Mahmudullah said it was their batting that failed them once again. It was Bangladesh’s seventh consecutive T20I defeat, going back to the start of the Super-12s phase in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
In these seven matches, Bangladesh with the bat managed totals of: 171/4, 124/9, 139/5, 84, 73, 127/7 and 108/7.
Read: Pakistan wrap up series beating Bangladesh by eight wickets
“I think we started off quite well today. Afif (Hossain) and (Najmul Hossain) Shanto batted really well in the middle. I and Shanto were trying to get a partnership but we couldn't capitalise on the end overs,” Mahmudullah said after the match.
“For a team like us, we need a set batter to be there at the end, but it didn't happen today.”
Like most days, these days, he could have said. With the 84 against South Africa in the World Cup, Bangladesh became the first ICC full-member side to be bowled out for under 100 thrice in a calendar year. In the next game against Australia, they extended this dubious record with a fourth sub-100 total in 2021.
Read: Independence Cup football likely to begin Nov 27
Riyad was left flummoxed by a question regarding the team’s catching ability, after the team dropped two more easy catches today, continuing another trend from the World Cup of missing regulation catches.
“Boys are putting a lot of effort into the catching during practice but unfortunately, we're missing out on chances (during the game),” he said, very keen to put across that the team is catching everything in practice sessions, without all the pressure of an international fixture.
In the end, clutching at straws for positives, the hapless skipper was left only with a defensive bowling performance on the day that supposedly prevented Pakistan from blowing their small target away. But truth be told, they never needed to.
“The bowling unit has been outstanding over the last six months, whether it is the pace or spin. It's the batting unit that has to come up with the goods,” he added.
‘Outstanding’ might be stretching it a bit. But if it can shame his batsmen into getting some runs on the board that bowlers can play with, its use may just be pardoned.
The third and final T20I of the series will take place on November 22 at the same venue. After the T20I series, the teams will compete in a two-match Test series.
Mahmudullah out of Bangladesh’s first warm-up match
Mahmudullah Riyad is not playing the first warm-up match of the Bangladesh national team ahead of the T20 World Cup which is set to begin on October 17 in Oman.
Bangladesh is set to take on Sri Lanka on Tuesday night, at Bangladesh time 8pm at Abu Dhabi.
Habibul Bashar, the selector of Bangladesh, said the T20 captain has been suffering from slight back pain for a couple of days. So as a precautionary step, he is not playing the first warm-up match.
“He won’t get enough time to rest during the tournament when we have match after match. So we are not taking any risk now. He will not play the warm-up match. We will give him a bit of time,” Bashar told the media.
Read: BAN vs. NZ Series 2021: Mahmudullah Becomes Bangladesh’s Most Successful T20I Captain
Mahmudullah, however, might take part in the second warm-up match against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.
While Mahmudulla is not playing the first warm-up match, Mustafizur Rahman might take part in it. The left-handed pacer joined the team after completing this IPL stint for Rajasthan Royals.
The Bangladesh team will return to Oman on October 15 before their first World Cup against Scotland. They will then face the hosts, Oman, and Papua New Guinea.
It is expected that the Tigers would end up as the champions of Group B. If they can successfully play in Round 1, they will meet India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Afghanistan in Group 2 at the Super 12s round along with the runners up of Group A of Round 1.
Read: Mahmudullah's Best Test Innings For Bangladesh
BCB had announced the squad for the World Cup early last month. They had included Rubel Hossain and Aminul Islam as the standby players. But in a recent move, the team management excluded Aminul from the touring party but kept Rubel with the team.
Bangladesh also included six players in the squad who has no experience of playing in a World Cup, including U-19 World Cup-winning stars— Shoriful Islam and Shamim Hossain.
Bangladesh require 129 to wrap up series vs New Zealand
Bangladesh need to score 129 to wrap up the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with two matches to play. In the third match on Sunday, New Zealand batted first and posted 128 for 5 in 20 overs.
Henry Nicholls scored 36— the highest by any New Zealand batsman, while Tom Blundell scored 30. Both of them were unbeaten adding 66 runs in the sixth wicket stand.
Read:New Zealand opt to bat first against Bangladesh in 3rd T20I
New Zealand failed to secure a good opening stand once again as they posted 16 on the first wicket. Mustafizur Rahman, made the first breakthrough for the Tigers removing Finn Allen for 15.
Allen was playing his first match in this series. He was tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the series. He has recently returned negative in two Covid-19 tests and joined the New Zealand team.
For Bangladesh, Mohammad Saifuddin bagged two wickets conceding 28 runs in four overs while Mahedi Hasan, Mustafiz, and Mahmudullah Riyad took one wicket each.
It was the 100th T20I for Mahmudullah. He became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to have played 100 T20Is.
The hosts fielded an unchanged playing XI, while the visitors made three changes.
They overlooked Hamish Bennett, Ben Sears and Doug Bracewell to pave the way for Finn Allen, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jacob Duffy.
Read:Tigers eye to seal series against Kiwis on Sunday
Bangladesh XI: Liton Das, Mohammad Naim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah Riayad, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Tom Latham(w/c), Colin de Grandhomme, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell, Cole McConchie, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ajaz Patel, Jacob Duffy
Is Mahmudullah retiring from Test?
Speculation is rife that Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad may soon bring curtains down on his illustrious Test career.
No wonder the 35-year-old is at the wrong side of his age, but he still appears fit, given the fact that he smashed an unbeaten 150 -- his fifth Test ton and highest in this format of the game -- in the ongoing Harare match.
However, both Mahmudllah and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are tight-lipped on the T20 skipper's retirement plan.
Read Mahmudullah says “dramatic” goodbye to Test cricket, given guard of honour
Mahmudullah was out of the Test setup for more than 17 months after last seen in the Rawalpindi Test in 2020. It was his second omission from the Test side in the past four years. He was also out of Bangladesh’s 100th Test in Sri Lanka.
The speculation seemed to have erupted from the T20 skipper's emotional outburst following his superb performance in the Harare Test.
Sources close to the all-rounder told UNB that he's determined not to prolong his Test career and might announce his retirement at the end of the Harare match.
READ: Five-for in overseas Test will boost my confidence: Mehidy
The digital news outlet has learnt that Mahmudullah had announced his decision to the teammates before the game on Day 3 of the Test in Harare. But surprisingly, he kept mum in the post-day video message sent to the media by the Board.
Mahmudullah added to Test squad for Zimbabwe tour
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made a change into the Test squad which will tour Zimbabwe later this month by including allrounder Mahmudullah Riyad to the squad.
BCB has previously announced a 17-member squad, and now it increased to 18- member.
READ: From U-19 star to national team prospect: The incredible journey of Shamim
Mahmudullah played his last Test during Bangladesh’s Pakistan tour last year. He was later omitted from the longer format of the game.
The right-handed allrounder played a total of 49 Tests to date and amassed 2764 runs with four centuries and 16 half-centuries. He also scalped 43 wickets with one five-wicket haul.
The Zimbabwe series will kick off with the one-off Test on July 7 while three ODIs will take place on July 16, 18 and 20 while the T20Is will be played on July 23, 25 and 27 respectively.
Test and ODIs will be started at 1:30 pm (Bangladesh time) while T20Is will be commenced at 4:30 pm (Bangladesh time).
READ: T20 WC shifted to UAE from India
All the matches of this series will be hosted at the Harare Sports Club.