Tigers
Tigers beat Lions despite Hasaranga scare
Bangladesh won the first match of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka by 33 runs, defying a strong resistance from Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The Tigers won the toss and posted 257 runs for six after choosing to bat first. In reply, Sri Lanka started well as Danushka Gunathilaka and captain Kusal Perera added 30 runs in the first wicket stand. Just when they started building a solid foundation, Mehidy Hasan Miraz struck.
Mehidy, the number five bowler in the ICC ODI ranking, took four wickets conceding 30 runs in 10 overs.
Sri Lanka showed some resistance in the sixth and seventh-wicket stands, posting 47 and 62 runs.
However, Hasaranga posed the strongest challenge to the Tigers, scoring 74 off 60 balls with six sixes and three fours. The right-handed batsman was guiding the Lankans to a victory which seemed unlikely before he took the field.
Hasaranga finally fell prey to Mohammad Saifuddin when Sri Lanka needed 47 runs to win in six overs. The Lankans eventually managed to score 224 for 10 in 48.1 overs.
Saifuddin took two wickets while Shakib Al Hasan bagged one and it was his 1000th wicket in the recognised cricket.
Earlier, despite losing four wickets for 99 runs, Bangladesh posted 257 runs for six wickets in 50 overs in the first innings after choosing to bat first.
Mushfiqur Rahim was the highest run-getter in this game who scored 84 off 87 balls with four fours and one six. Tamim Iqbal hit 52 while Mahmudullah Riyad posted 54 to help the Tigers post a challenging total.
In the fifth wicket stand, Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah added 109 runs off 122 balls – the highest partnership in Bangladesh's innings.
After 40 overs, Bangladesh were batting at 193 for four. They needed to come up with some big shots in the last 10 overs, but the dismissals of Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah made it difficult for the hosts.
In the sixth and seventh-wicket stands, Bangladesh added 22 and 27. In the end, Afif Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin remained unbeaten for 27 and 13 off 22 and 9 balls. Both Liton Das and Mohammad Mithun got dismissed for a duck in this game.
For Sri Lanka, Dhananjaya de Silva was outstanding with the ball. He bagged three wickets with two-in-two conceding 47 runs. Dushmantha Chameera, Danushka Gunathilaka and Lakshan Sandakan took a wicket each.
This series is a part of the World Cup Super League. Bangladesh have already played six matches of this event and won three. The top seven teams of this event will directly qualify for the World Cup 2023.
Sri Lanka played three matches of the World Cup Super League and lost all.
The remaining matches of the series will take place on May 25 and 28 at the same venue.
Tigers to take on Sri Lanka with an eye on WC 2023
The Tigers would play the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka – set to begin Sunday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium – with an eye on the World Cup 2023, Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo said Saturday.
Bangladesh have played six matches of the World Cup Super League and won three. They will have to end this event as one of the best seven teams to be directly qualified for the World Cup in India.
"Winning right now is always important but you have also got to have one eye on the future. Sometimes you need to be a little bit aware of that, and not always focus on the immediate future or past," Domingo said at a virtual press conference.
"This is an important series and points are up for grabs. However, the development of the team going forward is equally important. Who knows, in two years, you might not have Shakib, Tamim, Riyad or Mushfiqur available. And you have got to make sure that you develop some other players who can step into those roles," the South African coach said.
Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ODI series: Tigers to play intrasquad game Thursday
Bangladesh national cricket team will play an intrasquad game Friday in Savar's BKSP – the only practice game to be played by the hosts ahead of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka which starts on May 23 in Dhaka.
The visitors will also play a practice game at the same venue on Friday.
Bangladesh started preparing for this series on May 18. However, most parts of the first-day practice session got interrupted by the rain. However, the Tigers had a full-day practice Wednesday at the outdoor and indoor of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
In the intra-squad match, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal will lead the BCB Red against T20 captain Mahmududllah Riayd's BCB Green. The match will start at 9:45am Thursday.
Tamim's team includes Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman. Mahmudullah's team contains the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Taskin Ahmed.
Shakib and Mustafizur are set to return to the national side with the three-match ODI series. They last played for the Tigers in New Zealand earlier this year. After that, the players missed out on the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka as they took part in the Indian Premier League.
While the first match of the ODI series will take place on May 23, the remaining matches will be played on May 25 and 28. All the matches will be hosted at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
BCB trying to relax quarantine rules for Shakib, Mustafiz
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is trying to convince the government to relax the quarantine rules for Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, the board's CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said Saturday.
Shakib and Mustafiz returned home from India on Thursday, and are under a 14-day institutional quarantine in Dhaka.
Both players were playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was suspended as some cricketers had tested positive for Covid-19.
Although the government's Covid protocol requires all the inbound passengers to go through a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, the general protocol is not supposed to apply to athletes, Nizamuddin said.
Also read: Shakib, Mustafizur return to Dhaka
"We are not expecting any special arrangement or privilege for Shakib and Mustafiz. The Covid protocol followed by our country is for general people. But it is different for the international players.
"The general protocol is for people who come to the country by passenger flight after receiving a Covid negative certificate, but Shakib and Mustafiz returned home in a chartered flight and maintained a tight protocol," the BCB CEO added.
He also said the board was working closely with the health authority to minimise the quarantine period of these two cricketers.
The BCB earlier urged the health authority to reduce the period of quarantine for them, but the Directorate General of Health Services declined the request.
Also read: 14-day quarantine must for Shakib, Mustafizur
The Tigers are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting May 23.
If the authority stays firm to not reduce the quarantine period of Shakib and Mustafiz, the players will have to stay in institutional quarantine till May 19. This means they will get only four days to practice ahead of the series.
The Tigers recently played a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka and lost it 1-0.
Bangladesh's last ODI series was in New Zealand where they lost the series 3-0 to the hosts.
We should play spin better: Najmul Hossain
In the ongoing Kandy Test against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh have lost 15 wickets so far, and of them, 13 went to the Lankan spinners. The Lankan spinners put Bangladesh on the backfoot.
Bangladesh batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto said they should play spin better if they really want to shine in Tests. In both innings of the Kandy Test, Shanto fell prey to the spinners. In the first innings, he was haunted by Ramesh Mendis, and in the second, he got dismissed by Praveen Jayawickrama.
“It was tough to play against spin in this sort of tracks,” Shanto said in a virtual press conference after the day’s play. “There was much more spin than usual, but if we want to play Tests, we should play spin better.”
Also read: Tigers have mountain to climb to save Kandy Test
The first Test of the series ended in a draw when the bowlers got nothing from the wicket. A total of 17 wickets fell in the first game at the same venue. So it was expected that the hosts will provide a better wicket in the second match.
“It’s normal that the bowlers will get substantial help from the wicket on the fourth day of a Test match. Most of us have had a good start to their innings but we failed to carry on. Had we lost three wickets, we would have a good chance in this game,” Shanto added.
At the end of day four, Bangladesh need to score 260 in 98 overs to win this game or bat the entire day to save it with only five wickets in hand. Shanto believes that if Bangladesh can bat for two sessions without losing a wicket, they have something to get from this Test.
Also read: Sri Lanka set 437 for Bangladesh to win in Kandy
“We still have two batsmen in the wicket. If we can bat well in the first two sessions, we have something to think about this game,” he further added.
In the first innings of the first Test, Shanto hit his maiden ton Test. But in the next two innings, he suffered a duck each before coming up with 26 in the third. His inconsistency cost Bangladesh a lot.
“The important thing for me is not to be too happy because of success or not to be too broken because of failure. I have done badly in the last two innings after a good one. I failed to play a longer innings despite having a good start today (Sunday). I am not worried about these things much. I rather am looking forward to doing well when I get the next chance,” Shanto added.
Tigers have mountain to climb to save Kandy Test
Bangladesh lost five wickets for 177 runs at the end of the fourth day in Kandy Sunday while chasing 437 runs in the second Test against Sri Lanka.
Ramesh Mendis and 22-year-old Praveen Jayawickrama, bagged three and two wickets to keep Bangladesh at bay. The Tigers will have to score 260 runs on the fifth day of the match to win the game or bat for the entire day to save it at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
All the Bangladeshi batters, who have already been dismissed, made a good start to their innings but failed to carry on against the quality spin of the hosts.
Sri Lanka declared their second innings on 194 for nine securing a lead of 436 runs. Dimuth Karunarate scored 66 for the hosts as Taijul Islam took five wickets for the Tigers.
Also read: Sri Lanka set 437 for Bangladesh to win in Kandy
Bangladesh needed to make a good start to their second innings. But Tamim Iqbal managed to post 24 runs only. Saif Hassan, who has failed to shine in this series so far, scored 34.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim also made a good start, scoring 26, 32, and 40 each, but none of them could fight back the Lankan spinners.
At the end of the day, Bangladesh were batting at 177 for five with Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz unbeaten on 14 and 4.
Earlier, Sri Lanka posted a mammoth total of 493 runs for seven in their first innings, riding on Dimuth Karunarate (118), Lahiru Thirimanne (140), and Oshada Fernando (81). Niroshan Dickwella, the wicketkeeper-batsman, remained not-out for 77.
Read Also: Sri Lanka stretch lead over 400 as Bangladesh in more trouble
Taskin Ahmed was the best bowler for Bangladesh taking four wickets for 127 runs, his best bowling figure in Tests.
In reply to Sri Lanka's first innings, Bangladesh were bundled out for only 251 runs despite a 90 from Tamim Iqbal. Most of the batters had a good start but they failed to come up with the big innings.
Mominul Haque perished on 49 and Mushfiqur Rahim scored 40, although the onus was on them to propel the Tigers to a safe position in this game.
Praveen, who got the chance to play this game due to injuries or off-form other spinners, bagged six wickets conceding 92 runs, the best bowling figure for a Sri Lankan debutant in Tests.
Lankan Lions take charge as Tigers crumble in Kandy
Sri Lanka are leading by 259 runs against Bangladesh with eight wickets in hand at the end of day three of the second Test in Kandy.
Bangladesh were bundled out for 251 runs in their first innings, replying to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 493/7 declared.
With the lead of 242 runs, Sri Lanka chose to not impose the follow-on. They instead, took the field to bat and at the end of the day's play were 17/2 in seven overs with Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking one wicket each.
Also read: Bangladesh staring at defeat as Jayawickrama takes six to trigger Tigers' collapse
Earlier, Praveen Jayawickrama bagged six wickets to wrap up Bangladesh for 251 in their first innings. His six wickets for 92 is now the best bowling figures for a debutant Sri Lankan bowler.
Bangladesh lost the last six wickets for just 37 runs, with most of the batsmen falling prey to Praveen's left-arm spin.
The 22-year-old spinner completed his five-wicket haul scalping the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz during the 76th over. The right-handed batsman, who had recorded his maiden Test ton in the last series against West Indies at home, tried to clear the ball through the midwicket region but failed to execute it well and the ball hit his pad.
Also read: Sri Lankan debutant has Tigers staring down the barrel
Earlier, Tamim Iqbal and Saif Hassan made a good start of 98 runs for Bangladesh at the first wicket stand.
Tamim was the highest run-getter with 92 while Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim ended up on 49 and 40.
Along with Jayawickrama, Suranga Lakmal and Ramesh Mendis also did well, taking two wickets each.
Also read: Kandy Test: Bangladesh lose two quick wickets at lunch, Tamim hits 3rd fifty
Earlier, Sri Lankan openers – Dimuth Karunarate and Lahiru Thirimanne – hit a century each in the first innings of the match. Oshada Fernando and Niroshan Dickwella also did well with the bat, scoring unbeaten 81 and 77.
For Bangladesh, Taskin bagged four wickets for 127 runs, the best bowling figure for the right-arm pacer, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam and Taiju Islam took one wicket each.
Bangladesh staring at defeat as Jayawickrama takes six to trigger Tigers' collapse
Bangladesh tumbled for 251 in their first innings of the second Test, conceding a huge lead after Sri Lanka declared their first innings on 493/7. With the lead of 242 runs, Sri Lanka opted to not impose a follow-on in Kandy.
Praveen Jayawickrama bagged six wickets, which is the best bowling record for any Sri Lankan on debut and only the fourth time when a Sri Lankan took a five-for on debut.
Bangladesh lost their last six wickets for just 37 runs, with most of the batsmen falling prey to Jayawickrama’s left-arm spin.
Also read: Sri Lankan debutant has Tigers staring down the barrel
Jayawickrama completed his five-wicket haul scalping the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz during the 76th over. The right-handed batsman, who had recorded his maiden Test ton in the last series against West Indies at home, tried to clear the ball through the midwicket region but failed to execute it well and the ball hit his pad to prompt the umpire to signal him out.
Tamim Iqbal and Saif Hassan made a good start of 98 runs at the first wicket stand. They also had two fifty-plus partnerships at the third and fourth wicket stand.
Tamim was the highest run-getter with 92 while Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim ended up on 49 and 40 respectively.
Also read: Kandy Test: Bangladesh lose two quick wickets at lunch, Tamim hits 3rd fifty
Along with Jayawickrama, Suranga Lakmal and Ramesh Mendis also did well taking two wickets each.
Earlier, Sri Lankan openers— Dimuth Karunarate and Lahiru Thirimanne— hit a century each in the first innings of the match after choosing to bat first winning the toss. Oshada Fernando and Niroshan Dickwella also did well with the bat. They scored 81 and 77 not-out respectively.
For Bangladesh, Taskin bagged four wickets conceding 127 runs, which is now the best bowling figures for the right-arm pacer while Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam and Taiju Islam took one wicket each.
Sri Lankan debutant has Tigers staring down the barrel
Bangladesh are struggling to avoid the follow on in Kandy, as Sri Lanka's debutant left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, who earlier claimed Saif Hassan and Tamim Iqbal's wickets, removed Mushfiqur Rahim for 40 before the tea break of day three of the second Test.
Praveen has kept Bangladesh on the back foot as the visitors still need 79 runs to avoid a follow-on with six wickets in hand.
At Tea on day three, Bangladesh were batting at 214 for four in 61.4 overs with captain Mominul Haque unbeaten on 47.
Also read: Kandy Test: Bangladesh lose two quick wickets at lunch, Tamim hits 3rd fifty
Tamim and Saif made a decent start adding 98 runs in the first wicket stand after Sri Lanka declared on 493/7. But right before the lunch break, Saif fell prey to Praveen, scoring 25.
In the last over before lunch, offspinner Ramesh Mendis removed Najmul Hossain Shanto.
Tamim, however, was enjoying himself in the middle. He hit his third consecutive fifty in the series off 57 balls and was approaching his first hundred in this series but fell short by eight runs.
Also read: Sri Lanka steady after Taskin's triple-strike
Earlier, Sri Lankan openers – Dimuth Karunarate and Lahiru Thirimanne – hit a century each in the first innings of the match. Oshada Fernando and Niroshan Dickwella also did well with the bat, scoring unbeaten 81 and 77.
For Bangladesh, Taskin bagged 4/127 - his best bowling figures in Test cricket, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam and Taiju Islam took one wicket each.
Taskin, Taijul keep Bangladesh fighting
After a bat-dominated first day, Bangladesh Friday staged a comeback in the competition, with bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Taijul Islam picking up three wickets in the first session of the second day of the final Test in Kandy.
While right-arm pacer Taskin struck twice to remove Lahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews, Taijul bagged the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva.
On Thursday, Bangladesh gave away 291 runs for just one wicket after losing the toss and sent to bowl first at Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium.
Also read: Kandy Test Day 1: Karunaratne, Thirimanne's centuries propel Sri Lanka to 291/1
Bangladesh were wicketless in the first hour of day two. But it was a short delivery from Taskin which worked well for him. Thirimanne was uncomfortable and the ball touched his gloves before reaching the keeper safely.
Thirimanne partnered with Dimuth Karunarate in the opening stand to put up 209 runs.
Two balls after scalping Thirimanne, Taskin could have sent Angelo Mathews back to the dressing room if he heard the sound of a clear neck. Wicketkeeper Liton Das also failed to hear the sound and thus they didn’t go for a review. But the TV replays showed a clear neck. Taskin eventually removed Mathews as Liton took an easy catch.
Bangladesh grabbed the third wicket of the session when Taijul removed Dhananjaya for two. Najmul Hossain Shanto took the catch in second chance after the Liton fumble. Before the wicket-taking delivery, Taijul showed some glimpses of turn and bounce on the wicket.
At the lunch break of day two, Sri Lanka were batting at 334 for four. In the first session of day two, the hosts added only 43 runs in 26 overs to their overnight total. Bangladesh conceded less than two runs per over in this session.