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BPL 2024 David Miller ready to make his mark with Barishal
South African star batter David Miller has joined the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and is set to play for Fortune Barishal in the remaining part of the event.
This marks his second stint in the BPL, previously having played three matches for the Chittagong Kings in 2013.
BPL a ‘circus’, says Bangladesh’s Head Coach Hathurusingha
Miller, who will be tying the knot soon, emphasizes the importance of a clear mind for success. His inclusion will undoubtedly boost the confidence of Barishal, who have emerged as strong contenders in the playoffs.
“I have been playing for 16 years. I know my game pretty well. It is just about making sure my mind is in a good space,“ he said.
Blow to Comilla Victorians as Mustafizur ruled out of BPL Qualifier
Despite his upcoming wedding preparations, Miller has been following the BPL closely and has a good understanding of Barishal's current standing. He hints at a straightforward approach to his game, focusing on adapting his plan according to the match situation.
“You find yourself in a lot of different situations in a T20,” he said. “I stick to what works for me. I assess the conditions and the required run-rate, making sure I am comfortable before I get going. Sometimes, I come to bat with only three overs left, so I have to go straightaway.”
BPL 2024: Sylhet Strikers bow out despite 6-wicket win against Khulna Tigers
Barishal finished the league phase of the BPL in third place in the points table, securing a playoff spot with seven wins out of twelve matches. They will face the Chattogram Challengers in the Eliminator on Monday.
Bangladesh’s Head Coach Hathurusingha expresses disappointed with BPL
The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has received its fair share of criticism over the years, but the head coach of the Bangladesh national team has gone further, saying he turns off TV when he sees BPL.
In a recent interview with ESPNCricinfo, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed his disappointment with the culture T20 events. “There has to be some regulation,” he said. “A player is playing one tournament and then playing another tournament. It's like a circus.”
Hathurusingha clearly outlined his frustration with Bangladesh “not having a proper T20 tournament.” He goes so far as to say, “This sounds very odd, but when I'm watching the BPL, I sometimes turn off the TV. Some players are not even of the class. I have a big issue with the current system.”
The coach emphasized the need for a T20 event where Bangladeshi bowlers can practice bowling in the death overs, and where Bangladeshi batters can gain experience batting at the top of the order.
Read more: BPL Spectacle: What Makes Tawhid Shine with a Century?
“A franchise does what it wants,” Hathurusingha added. “Some of my best players are not playing (the BPL). So then how do you expect the Bangladesh team to be up with the other teams? I am fighting a steep battle.”
The BPL 2024 has entered the playoffs, with the eliminator and the first qualifier taking place in Dhaka on February 27. Right after BPL, Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in a full series — three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests.
Hathurusingha believes the series against Sri Lanka will see the real rivalry in the field, but he also mentioned that Bangladesh will be underdog against Sri Lanka in T20Is.
“We are developing as a T20 team. We are underdogs, to be honest. It is a good challenge for us. I am still confident we will give them a good fight. We will understand where we are at, ahead of the World Cup, after this series,” Hathurusingha added in the interview.
Read more: BPL Mid-Season Standout Stars: Naim, Shoriful Lead as Tournament Shifts to Chattogram
Blow to Comilla Victorians as Mustafizur ruled out of BPL Qualifier
The Comilla Victorians have suffered a major setback ahead of their crucial Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) qualifier match, as star fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has been ruled out due to a head injury.
The chief physician of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Debashish Chowdhury, confirmed the news.
The pacer was hit by a ball during a practice session in Chattogram last week. He got a blow on his head that required five stitches. However, he did not suffer any internal bleeding.
Mustafizur was immediately rushed to Imperial Hospital in Chittagong in critical condition.
Debashish said the stitches have not been removed yet, and the medical team plans to delay the removal for at least a day or two days to avoid any complications.
The Comilla Victorians will face the Rangpur Riders in the first qualifier, and Mustafizur's absence will undoubtedly be a significant blow for the team.
BPL 2024: Sylhet Strikers bow out despite 6-wicket win against Khulna Tigers
Concluding their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024 campaign, Sylhet Strikers secured a commanding 6-wicket victory over the Khulna Tigers on Friday at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
This marks Sylhet’s fifth win in the ongoing BPL season, which is also marking the conclusion of the league phase.
Despite finishing on a high note, Sylhet's overall performance in the tournament was lackluster. With five wins under their belt, they fell short of qualifying for the playoffs, a fate shared by Khulna, who also managed five victories out of 12 matches.
BPL 2024: Tamim's guides Barishal to playoff spot
Batting first, Khulna posted a modest total of 128/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Afif Hossain showcased resilience with a notable 52 off 35 balls, anchoring the Tigers' innings.
Benny Howell emerged as the standout bowler for the Strikers, claiming 3/15.
In response, the Strikers stumbled early, losing two wickets, but a pivotal 70-run partnership between Najmul Hossain Shanto (39) and Yasir Ali (46) steadied their chase. Building on this foundation, the Strikers comfortably reached their target with 12 balls to spare.
The BPL now enters the playoff stage, commencing on Feb. 26th with a clash between the Chattogram Challengers and Fortune Barishal, who ended up being third and fourth in the points table. The winner of this match will progress to the second qualifier, while the loser will exit the tournament.
Australia beat New Zealand by 72 runs in 2nd T20 to win series
On the same day, Rangpur Riders will face off against Comilla Victorians in the first qualifier. The victor of this encounter will advance to the final, while the defeated team will compete against the winner of the eliminator in the second qualifier, determining the second finalist set to compete on March 1.
BPL 2024: Tamim guides Barishal to playoff spot
Fortune Barishal secured their place as the fourth team in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) playoffs on Friday with a convincing victory over Comilla Victorians, who had already confirmed their playoff berth.
Before Barishal and Comilla, Rangpur Riders and Chattogram Challengers also entered the playoff.
Captain Tamim Iqbal led the chase with a solid 66 off 48 balls, propelling Barishal to a comfortable six-wicket win over a moderate total of 140.
It was Tamim’s second fifty in this season's BPL. And with the latest fifty, Tamim became the most-run getter in this BPL, with 392. He surpassed Towhid Hridoy’s 383.
Read: Australia beat New Zealand by 72 runs in 2nd T20 to win series
Barishal's seventh win in the BPL league stage brings their total points to 14. This victory eliminates Khulna Tigers, whose slim hopes of a top-four finish were dashed by Barishal's success.
Comilla, batting first, posted a score of 140 thanks to Jaker Ali's quickfire 38 off just 16 balls. Taijul Islam was the standout bowler for Barishal, taking three wickets.
In reply, Tamim anchored Barishal's innings. After his dismissal in the 18th over, Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah Riyad finished the chase with ease, securing Barishal's six-wicket victory.
Read more: BPL 2024: Afghanistan star joins Cumilla Victorians
Australia beat New Zealand by 72 runs in 2nd T20 to win series
Adam Zampa took 4-34 as Australia rolled New Zealand for 102 in 17 overs to win the second Twenty20 international by 72 runs Friday and take an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The Australians will head towards the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States in June with more confidence after a comprehensive series win over New Zealand which is the world’s second-ranked team.
Australia won the first match by six wickets with a four off the last ball and the third match between the teams is at Eden Park on Sunday.
“It was a great win for Australia,” captain Mitch Marsh said. “Our backs were against the wall and we thought we were probably 50 runs short.
BPL 2024: Afghanistan star joins Cumilla Victorians
“But the way our bowlers came out and performed was outstanding. All of our teams over the last 12 months have been backed into a lot of corners and we’ve managed to find a way to get out of them. Tonight was another example of that.”
Australia looked to have fallen short of a competitive total when it was bowled out for 174 in 19.5 overs after being 72-1 at the end of the six-over power play.
Opener Travis Head blasted 45 from 22 balls including five sixes to give Australia a fast start as it batted after losing the toss. But Lockie Ferguson took 4-12 and Ben Sears 2-29 as the New Zealand seamers turned things around and provoked a sustained collapse of the Australian innings.
Australia lost six wickets for 59 runs in the last 9.5 overs.
New Zealand’s batting was depleted by the loss of Rachin Ravindra just before the start of play with a slight knee injury and Devon Conway suffered a thumb injury keeping wicket and was taken to hospital for X-rays. He returned to the ground when it was found there was no fracture.
Conway still was unable to bat and his opening partner Finn Allen had to take the gloves for the first time in his international career.
Regardless of injuries, New Zealand collapsed in the face of outstanding Australian fast bowling on a fast and bouncy wicket.
BPL 2024: Final phase begins Friday in Dhaka
Allen hit a six from the third ball of the first over and was out to the last ball, walking down to a good length ball from Josh Hazlewood which he edged onto his stumps.
Will Young (5) was promoted to open and was out to a brilliant catch by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Young top-edged a ball from Pat Cummins which he had attempted to pull and Wade took a catch on the edge of the circle running back toward fine leg.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner promoted himself from his regular place at No. 7 to No. 3 in the order and was 7 when he chopped a short ball from Nathan Ellis onto his stumps.
Mark Chapman also fell to a short ball, slashing at a ball from Marsh which was caught by Tim David at mid-on. New Zealand was 29-4 and its hopes of saving the series looked over.
Glenn Phillips and Josh Clarkson put on 45 for the fifth wicket in a brief display of defiance. But Clakson was bowled by Adam Zampa when he was 10 and Adam Milne fell in the same fashion to the next ball. New Zealand was 74-6.
Head was impressive at the top of the Australian order, blasting 20 runs including two sixes from the first over of the match bowled by Trent Boult.
Boult was recalled to the New Zealand team for his first T20 international since November 2022 and hoped to win a place in the Black Caps squad for the World Cup. But his four overs cost 49 runs and his selection chances have dimmed. Boult is no longer a New Zealand contracted player but plays in T20 leagues around the world.
Services Wrestling: Bangladesh Ansar clinch both men's and women's titles
Australia also made lineup changes, naming Steve Smith to open with Head in place of David Warner who played in the first match at Wellington. Wade came in for Matt Short and Ellis for Mitchell Starc.
Smith was out in the third over for 11 but Head kept up a savage attack which carried Australia to 50 from 24 balls.
Head finally was out in the seventh over when the total was 85-2. From then on the Australian batting effort waned and Ferguson was the main cause, producing some extraordinary fast bowling.
He was backed up by Sears and by Adam Milne, who took 2-40. Those players have solidified their places in New Zealand’s World Cup squad.
Marsh made 26 from 21 balls before falling to Santner who took 2-35 and Cummins made a valuable 28 from 22 balls before being caught by Ferguson off Milne’s bowling.
BPL 2024: Afghanistan star joins Cumilla Victorians
Defending Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) champions Cumilla Victorians have strengthened their squad with the addition of Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad for the remainder of the BPL 2024 season.
The team management confirmed Noor's inclusion on Thursday.
BPL 2024: Final phase begins Friday in Dhaka
Throughout the tournament, Comilla has relied on a strong contingent of foreign players.
However, several members of the team have recently shortened their BPL commitments due to other obligations.
With their playoff spot already secured, Comilla seeks to bolster their roster, leading them to sign Noor. The Afghanistan spinner brings significant experience to the team, having played 83 T20 matches and taken 88 wickets, including one four-wicket haul and one five-wicket haul.
Habibul Bashar takes new role as head of BCB women's wing
The BPL returns to Dhaka on Friday after the Chattogram phase. Cumilla, Rangpur Riders, and Chattogram Challengers have all confirmed their playoff berths.
BPL 2024: Final phase begins Friday in Dhaka
The final phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will begin on Friday in Dhaka with a match between Cumilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal.
After a thrilling Chattogram phase where three of the four playoff teams have been confirmed: Rangpur Riders, Chattogram Challengers, and Cumilla Victorians. Fortune Barishal holds a comfortable position to secure the final playoff spot.
Habibul Bashar takes new role as head of BCB women's wing
Rangpur Riders have the most wins in this BPL season so far, with nine victories in 12 matches. Cumilla follows closely behind with eight wins in 11 matches.
Tanzid Hasan of Chattogram leads the list of top batters with 382 runs, followed by Towhid Hridoy with 358 runs.
BPL 2024: Litton's 85 in vain as Comilla suffer defeat to Sylhet
Despite their elimination with a record 11 defeats-- most defeats in a single BPL edition, Durdanto Dhaka's Shoriful Islam tops the bowlers' chart with 22 wickets.
The BPL's final phase promises outstanding cricket as the top four teams go head-to-head for the championship title.
Habibul Bashar takes new role as head of BCB women's wing
Habibul Bashar, a former captain of the Bangladesh Cricket Team and previously a member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) selection panel, has been appointed as the head of the BCB's women's wing.
This new role follows Bashar's recent departure from the selection panel. When announcing the change, the BCB president stated that Bashar would be appointed to a new position.
Big change at BCB: Former captain Lipu replaces Nannu as chief selector
Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, BCB Director and Chairman of the Women's Wing Committee, along with Bangladesh Women's Captain Nigar Sultana Joty, welcomed Bashar to his new role on Tuesday.
Along with Bashar's release from the selection panel, Minhajul Abedin Nannu was replaced as chief selector of the BCB by Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu.
Shanto named Bangladesh captain in all formats
Hannan Sarkar, also a former Bangladesh batter, joins Gazi as a new member of the selection panel.
BAN vs NZ ODI Series: Shanto sees a challenging role for Soumya in Shakib’s absence
BPL 2024: Tanzid's century powers Chattogram's playoff charge
An electric century from left-handed opener Tanzid Hasan has sealed a playoff berth for the Chattogram Challengers in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Tanzid's maiden T20 ton propelled his team to an unassailable 14 points – securing their place in the tournament's next stage.
With this dominant win over the Khulna Tigers by 65 runs, Chattogram joins the Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians in the playoff fight. Fortune Barishal and Khulna Tigers now battle it out for the final spot.
Barishal sits on 12 points with one match remaining. The Tigers have 10, needing a win and hoping for Barishal's stumble. While Khulna faces this uphill climb, a more favorable net run rate could see Barishal through even if they lose their final fixture.
Chattogram batted first on Tuesday’s match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Led by Tanzid's masterful 116 off 65 balls, including eight fours and eight emphatic sixes, they amassed a daunting 192 for four. He was the second Bangladeshi after Tawhid Hridoy to score a century in this BPL season.
Khulna's chase faltered in the face of Chattogram's disciplined bowling attack. Shuvagata Hom returned with three wickets, while Bilal Khan picked up two. Regular dismissals ensured that the Tigers never mounted a true challenge.