Tigers
Pumped-up Tigers aim for monumental series win against Blackcaps
With the job half done, Bangladesh are all set to take on New Zealand from Sunday in the second Test of the series aiming to finish the job — to win their first-ever Test series against the Blackcaps.
The Tigers, who had no win in New Zealand despite playing a total of 32 matches across all the formats, won the first Test of the series in Tauranga by eight wickets.
Along with becoming their first-ever win in New Zealand, this win ended the drought of Bangladesh of not winning a Test against any of the top-five Test teams away from home.
Experts said it was one of the best things that Bangladesh have done in their cricketing history, though Masrhafe Bin Mortaza, the former captain of the Tigers is not a big fan of this idea. He rather said ‘not one of the best’, it actually is ‘the best-ever win’ of Bangladesh in cricket regardless of the formats.
Read: Bangladesh National Men's Cricket Team Schedules for 2022
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan echoed Mashrafe. To him, this win proved those who used to think that Bangladesh is unable to do big things sans the service of the big players wrong. Shakib pointed to the absence of himself and Tamim Iqbal in this series. While Tamim was left out due to an injury, Shakib skipped it citing family reasons.
“Bangladesh’s media fraternity used to say that the Bangladesh team is all about some four-five players, but it is proved wrong now. The young players are also capable of doing big things if they are given adequate chances,” Shakib said recently during a media interaction in Dhaka.
Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo believes the Tigers are pumped-up thanks to the win in the first match, and they are eager to create a new chapter of their history winning the second Test in a tougher condition in Christchurch which will surely offer a wicket with grass on it.
Given the current stats of Bangladesh in the longer format of the sport, one might say it’s a daydream of the Tigers to aim for a series win against New Zealand— the current champions of the ICC World Test Championship. But a win with the contribution from most players of the XI changed the atmosphere of the Bangladesh team.
Series win against New Zealand to inspire future Tigers: Domingo
Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo said a series win against New Zealand will inspire the future generation of Bangladesh cricketers to do well in alien conditions.
He said the win in the first Test was the result of the hard work of the players over the last few months during their tough time.
Bangladesh are all set to take on New Zealand in the second Test on January 9 in Christchurch. The weather in Christchurch is cold and the wicket is also faster than the Tigers had one in Tauranga. So the second Test will be a tough one for the Tigers, believes Doming.
“They now want to do something that no other Bangladesh side has done before and that is to win a series in New Zealand. They are trying to do something very special that can inspire another generation of Bangladeshi cricketers,” Domingo said on Saturday ahead of the second Test.
Also read: Bangladesh Eye Historic Test Series Win in New Zealand
Right-arm fast bowler Ebadot Hossain was the main architect of Bangladesh’s maiden win against New Zealand at their home.
Bangladesh never won an international fixture in New Zealand despite playing 32 matches across formats before the first Test of the ongoing series.
“It’s been a very cool couple of days for the boys. The guys really enjoyed it because they know they had a hard time before in New Zealand. And New Zealand are one of the best sides in the world. You have to play really good cricket to compete with them and beat them. We had a tough few months in all formats,” Domingo added.
Ebadot averaged more than 80 before the first Test in Tauranga. Given his performance in Tests, he was the worst pacer in Bangladesh’s armory. But now, he has become the fast-bowling sensation in Bangladesh, and probably, in the other parts of the cricketing world as well.
Domingo said it was a reward for Ebadot and for the hard work he has done over the last few years.
Also read: Five Defining Moments of Bangladesh’s Historic Test Victory Over New Zealand
Bangladesh are expecting a tougher challenge in Christchurch where they have to negotiate with a faster wicket and challenging condition. But Domingo believes the boys are pumped up to the challenge.
“It’s not often when Bangladeshi pacers can hope for the wicket with some grass on it,” he said. “We have also got some quality bowlers in the squad. We have three high-quality bowlers and they are pretty confident. If we do get early wickets hopefully we can do some damage.”
Along with Ebadot, Taskin Ahmed and Shorfiul Islam have also put their best foot forward in the first match taking three wickets each. Domingo said if they can come up together it will be tough for the hosts to earn an easy win against the confident Tigers.
This series is a part of the ongoing World Test Championship. In the previous cycle of this event, Bangladesh failed to win any match while they also had a bad start to the new cycle when they lost to Pakistan at home. But they bounced back strongly in New Zealand, and for the first time, they are hoping to win a series against the Blackcaps in New Zealand— a rare fate for any Asian team.
Tigers script history by registering first Test win against Kiwis in NZ
When Mushfiqur Rahim cracked Kyle Jamieson a cut to the off-side for a boundary in Mount Maunganui, most Bangladeshis were fast asleep.
Only two runs were needed to upset World Test Champions New Zealand in their home turf, and Mushfiqur ran into roaring, fisting bumps and hugging non-striker Momiminul Haque as he hit the winning four.
The sun had not risen then in Bangladesh, but few did wake up across the country to witness the famous Test win of Bangladesh on TV or mobile screen— undoubtedly the best Test result of Bangladesh so far in 22 years.
“It was teamwork. Everyone was keen to win the match and they put their hand up in all three departments,” the Bangladesh Test captain said. “We won because of the bowlers. They were outstanding in both the first and second innings. They did all the hard work and bowled in the right areas. Ebadot was unbelievable to us.”
After Ebadot Hossain’s history-making six-wicket haul for 46, it was only a matter of time for Bangladesh to score 40 runs in the fourth innings of the match with a lot of overs were remaining. Despite losing Shadman Islam early, Bangladesh’s win was a cakewalk, and eventually, it came and ended a 32-match drought in New Zealand with eight wickets in hand.
The platform was set by Ebadot in the third session of the fourth day when he ran a riot taking three wickets of New Zealand in quick succession after a boring stand by Will Young and Ross Taylor.
After Ebadot removed Young with a wonderful delivery that the latter seemed to not have expected, the floodgate was open and two more wickets came in two successive overs of Ebadot.
Also read: Unfazed by names, I played deliveries, Mahmudul says after his maiden fifty vs NZ
It’s tough to play all formats together: Shakib
Bangladesh star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan said that it’s tough for him to continue playing all three formats of the game due to the pandemic-forced situation.
The allrounder recently skipped the tour of New Zealand for a two-match Test series.
It was not the first time when Shakib skipped a series due to his personal reasons. In recent interviews, Shakib said it’s getting tough for him to spend quality time with his young family due to his business in cricket.
Also read: Ajaz disappointed being overlooked in Tests vs Bangladesh
While talking to a private TV channel, Shakib said he knows what is the most important format for him to take part in.
“I know what the format should get my preference,” he said. “I think the time has come for me to think about how I play Test.” Shakib clearly indicated that he is not interested to play every Test match Bangladesh play.
Bangladesh’s neighbouring Test-playing nation India is looking to introduce a good rotation policy to manage the workload of the players. But Bangladesh is yet to make such a move.
“I’m not saying that I’m retiring from Tests,” Shakib added. “But I can refrain from playing T20s after playing the 2022 World Cup. I might play Tests and ODIs then. But it’s not possible to play all three formats together.”
Also read: Shakib Al Hasan's next stop: Bank director
The 34-year-old allrounder also said the pandemic-forced quarantine is also taking a toll on him. He said that staying in quarantine feels like ‘staying in jail”.
Shakib has a tendency to live in the USA with his wife and young children. He is currently in the USA and will be there until the next season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) takes place.
According to the latest development, the new season of BPL will begin on January 21, and Shakib is expected to play for the team based in Barishal. However, it’s not official yet.
All Bangladeshi players test negative for Covid-19 in New Zealand
All the members of the Bangladesh national team have tested negative for Covid-19 in New Zealand, said Khaled Mahmud, the team director touring with the Bangladesh team.
As all the players are now free from the virus they will be allowed to join practice sessions outside from Tuesday.
“We will start practice sessions from Tuesday at the Lincoln University Ground,” Mahmud said. “We will also get the gym facilities there. And we are now allowed to move to the team hotel and do all normal activities.”
With the negative results of all the players, the doubts over this series have been wiped away. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) earlier said if any player tests positive and Cricket New Zealand extends the period of quarantine, the series might need to be rescheduled at a later date.
Also read: Tigers hope for negative Covid-19 results to take to field
All the Bangladesh players have been going through tight quarantine measures since the home series against Australia and New Zealand ahead of the T20 World Cup— where they also had to stay in a tight bio-bubble. After the World Cup, Bangladesh also maintained a bio-bubble against Pakistan at home.
It was the third Covid-19 for the Tigers in New Zealand. All the players returned negative in the previous two tests as well. However, the spin-bowling coach Rangana Herath tested positive in the second test. He is yet to test negative and get the clearance from the New Zealand health department to join the team.
Bangladesh team was supposed to maintain a three-day quarantine before benign allowed to train outside. But after Rangana tested positive, the quarantine period was extended.
The first Test of the series will begin on January 1 while the second and final Test of the series will commence on January 9.
This is the second series for Bangladesh in the ongoing second cycle of the World Test Championship. The Tigers has started the new cycle of the event with the two-match series against Pakistan at home that they lost 2-0.
Also read: Strict quarantine puts Bangladesh’s New Zealand tour in jeopardy
Bangladesh will miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan in this series along with Tamim Iqbal. While Shakib is on leave due to family reasons, Tamim is yet to be fit to play international cricket. He has been suffering from several injuries.
Before this series, Bangladesh took on New Zealand in 15 Tests and lost 12 of them with the other three ending up in draws.
Tigers hope for negative Covid-19 results to take to field
The members of the Bangladesh cricket team who are travelling to New Zealand for a two-match Test series have given their samples on Sunday for a Covid-19 test.
A negative result of this test will allow them to start practising in the outdoor field— the opportunity they are yet to get in New Zealand on this tour.
After arriving in New Zealand early this month, the Tigers underwent two Covid-19 tests, and all the players had returned negative.
Bangladesh team left home on December 9 for New Zealand, and they were supposed to maintain a three-day in-room quarantine in a hotel, and start practising outdoor after that. But the period has been extended twice after Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach Rangana Herath tested positive for Covid-19.
Also read: Strict quarantine puts Bangladesh’s New Zealand tour in jeopardy
“We have given our specimen today, and we hope that we all will return negative and start practising together at the field,” Shoriful Islam, the left-arm seamer of the Bangladesh team, told in a video message from New Zealand.
“We are excited to start practising outside the hotel. It’s been tough for us to stay at the hotel for days. We only get a few minutes to go out of the room and talk to each other maintaining social distance,” Shorifjul, who is touring New Zealand to play Tests for the first time in his career, added.
Most of the players of the Bangladesh test team are going through the tough quarantine for weeks.
Many of them asked the board to skip the New Zealand series and return home due to bubble fatigue. But the board did not allow them as the New Zealand series is part of the World Test Championship.
“Many of the players wanted to return home skipping the tour,” Nazmul Hasan, the BCB president recently told the media.
“But the New Zealand series is very important for us. We have to continue it unless the quarantine period is extended further. Let’s wait for the result of the next Covid-19 test.”
Before the New Zealand series, Bangladesh took on Pakistan in a two-match Test series at home which was Bangladesh’s maiden series in the new cycle of the World Test Championship. The players had to maintain a strict quarantine during that series as well, and before that, the players were in the bio-bubble of the T20 World Cup after maintaining the same against Australia and New Zealand at home.
After the New Zealand series, the players of Bangladesh will have to participate in this year’s Bangladesh Premier League which will also require maintaining a bio-secure bubble— a tough journey for the cricketers during the pandemic.
Also read: Bangladesh spin-bowling coach tests positive for COVID in New Zealand
The first Test of the New Zealand series is scheduled to take place on January 1 while the second Test will be played from January 9.
Bangladesh failed to win any Test in the last cycle of the World Test Championship. They are eager to make a change in the new cycle of the event, though they failed to register a good start against Pakistan.
The Tigers will miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal on this tour. While Shakib was granted leave by the BCB after he asked for the same due to family reasons, Tamim has been suffering from injuries for a while.
Clueless about Bangladesh’s batting collapse: Khaled Mahmud
Former Bangladesh captain and the current team director of the national team, Khaled Mahmud, said he is clueless about the batting collapse of the Tigers against Pakistan.
More than two days of the ongoing Test were washed away due to rain. Despite that, the Tigers look so fragile— as if they are unable to save the match even from this stage.
Read:Dhaka Test: Bangladesh down to 76/7 as Sajid bags six
In reply to Pakistan’s first innings total of 300, Bangladesh lost seven wickets for 76 in 26 overs at the end of day four. They still need to score 25 runs to avoid a follow on in the Dhaka Test.
“I’m not sure why they batted like this,” Mahmud told during an interaction with reporters on Tuesday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. “We did not see the batting that is ideal in Test cricket. It’s a matter of concern for us.”
Pakistan spinner Sajid Khan bagged six out of the seven wickets that Bangladesh lost on day four. It was the first five-wicket haul for Sajid in Test cricket.
“There was help for the spinners in the wicket, and their spinners were doing well too. But we have the ability to play against quality spinners. I’m not sure why we failed to play him, or why we were in a rush. We should have learned from Azhar Ali who batted really well,” Mahmud added.
On the fifth day, Bangladesh need to score 25 runs first to avoid the follow on, and then they have to look forward to saving the Test. In the first Test of the series in Chattoagrm, Bangladesh lost by eight wickets despite the maiden Test ton by Liton Das and a seven-wicket haul by Taijul Islam.
Read:Dhaka Test: Pakistan declare first innings at 300/4
After this series, the Tigers will fly to New Zealand to play a two-match Test series against the hosts starting from January 1. The second Test of the series will take place from January 9.
When the Tigers are unable to pose any challenge for the tourists and the home, they will now have to face New Zealand— the champions of the last World Test Championship.
“I don’t want to say anything negative,” Mahmud said. “If we look back to the history, we were unable to do well in New Zealand. Not just us, but also the other Asian teams failed in New Zealand to do well. But it should not be an excuse. We should do well in New Zealand, and play our best cricket.”
Dhaka Test: Tigers take two wickets as match resumes on Day 4
In the first session of Day 4 of the Dhaka Test, Bangladesh bagged two wickets as Khaled Ahmed registered his maiden Test wicket and Ebadot Hossain scalped his first in this match on Tuesday.
Ebadot removed Azhar Ali for 56, while Khaled bagged the wicket of Babar Azam for 76.
At lunch, Pakistan were batting at 242 for four, with Fawad Alam and Mohammad Rizwan remaining unbeaten for 19 and 26, respectively.
Also read: Dhaka Test set to resume on Day 4
There was no rain on Tuesday morning, and the match resumed at 10.50am after a washout on Day 3. Relentless rain cost an entire day of action on Monday.
When the match was stopped on Day 2, on Sunday, Pakistan were batting at 188 for two in 63.2 overs, with both Azhar Ali and Babar Azam hitting a fifty each.
Also read: Dhaka Test: Persistent rain forces cricketless day 3
There were only 6.2 overs of cricket left on Day two, and Day one was also hit by bad weather when the match referee called an early end of the day due to bad light.
Weather officials have attributed the rainfall to Cyclone Jawad. As per the latest weather forecast, there will be no showers on Wednesday, which is the last day of this Test.
Dhaka Test: Tigers set to take on Pakistan Saturday, hope to draw the series
Buoyed by the return of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan Bangladesh are set to take on Pakistan in the second Test of the two-match series on Saturday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The hosts lost by eight wickets the first Test of the series, which was also the first Test of Bangladesh in the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship, in Chattogram.
Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim and Taijul Islam have done well, but their efforts were not enough to avoid a big defeat.
Read: Yasir determined to prove his mettle
But the Tigers are eager to compose a turnaround in Dhaka when they are going secure the service of Shakib, who missed the first game due to a leg injury.
“It’s great that we are going to get back Shakib,” Mominul Haque, the Test captain of Bangladesh told the media on Friday in the pre-match press conference. “He is the number one all-rounder, and with him in the team, we can play an extra bowler and an extra batter.”
Along with Shakib, Bangladesh also called back Taskin Ahmed to the 20-member squad which has decreased to 19-member after Saif Hassan was diagnosed with typhoid fever.
Taskin was in the T20I series, but he hurt his hand right before the Test series and missed the first match. However, it’s not clear if he is fully fit to take part in Dhaka Test.
“We have to wait until tomorrow morning to make a decision about his participation in the Dhaka Test,” the Bangladesh captain added. “But, I think he will have no problem travelling to New Zealand.”
In a surprise move Bangladesh also called Mohammad Naim for the Dhaka Test though his record in last few years had not been impressive.
“We needed a backup opener, and we thought Naim is the best option as he was playing international cricket for a while now. If we called someone else from the domestic circuit and fielded him in the Test, (it would have been a bad move),” Mominul said.
Read: Dhaka Test: Bangladesh, Pakistan teams return from Chattogram
With Naim, Bangladesh has four uncapped players-- Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shohidul Islam, Rejaur Rahman Raja. Mominul said he is confident enough about the young guns who can deliver well if they get a chance.
In the first Test, Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali registered a five-for each to trouble the Tigers. In contrast, Bangladesh pacers— Abu Jayed Rahi and Ebadot Hossain-- were mostly stagnant. They only bagged two wickets in the match.
Bangladesh captain believes the Dhaka wicket will be better than Chattogram and will help all to do well.
Tigers gear up in Chattogram for Pakistan Tests
Ahead of the first Test of the two-match series against Pakistan, Bangladesh took to practice in Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Wednesday.
On the same day morning, Pakistan also started their preparation for the first match in the Test series after sweeping the three-match T20I series that took place in Dhaka.
Bangladesh are all set to start the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship with this series.
In the previous Test Championship, Bangladesh played seven matches and lost six of them with only one draw.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan have already announced their respective Test squad for the current series.
Bangladesh have included two new faces for this series— batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy and the right-arm pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja.
Both have played wonderful cricket to deserve a place on the national side.
Read: 'Heartbreaking': Mahmudullah on Tigers' T20I blowout v Pakistan
The Tigers are looking forward to doing well in the Tests as the veteran batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das have returned to the national team after missing out on the T20Is.
But Bangladesh are going to miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan in the first Test as the all-rounder is suffering from a hamstring injury. He might take part in the second Test in Dhaka scheduled to start on December 4.
But star batter Tamim Iqbal will miss the series entirely as he needs more time to recover from injury and be fit to play in international match.
The injured opener was expected to take part in the Test series.
Right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed can’t also play as he injured his bowling arm just before naming the squad for the Test.
Bangladesh squad for first Test against Pakistan:
Mominul Haque (Captain), Shadman Islam, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Abu Jayed Rahi, Yasir Ali, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Rejaur Rahman Raja.