Shakib started training with Pakistan team
There are fears about Shakib Al Hasan's return to the country in the current political situation, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the Pakistan series squad with him. This country's best cricketer joined the team in Pakistan directly from the United States without returning to the government. He has also started practicing.
BCB released pictures of cricketers practicing at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan on Wednesday (August 14).
In a picture released by BCB, Shakib is seen talking to coach Hathurusingha. Another picture shows the all-rounder taking batting practice under assistant coach Nick Pothas. Apart from this, he also ran with Liton-Taskin.
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Bangladesh HP beat Perth to confirm semifinal
Bangladesh High Performance (HP) team confirmed the Top End T20 series semifinal after edging Perth Scorchers by three wickets in a thrilling contest at Darwin today.
The victory helped HP move to the third spot in the points table with six points from six matches.
In their crucial match, HP bowlers put up a superb performance to help the side bolster its position. After winning the toss, the HP sent Perth in to bat first and restricted them to paltry 129-5.
Perth, nevertheless, denied HP making it a cake-walk as they fought neck-to-neck before the Bangladeshi side overhauled the target with 130-7 in 19.3 overs.
No. 8 batter Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby played a vital role in the thrilling victory, hitting 13 ball-32 not out. His knock included two fours and as many sixes sailed the side home when Bangladesh looked to taste a defeat by being reduced to 89-6 in 16.1 overs.
Skipper Akbar Ali made a team-best 35 off 33 with one four and three sixes while opener Jishan Alam scored a run-a-ball-26.
For Perth, opener Teague Wyllie made a team-highest 56, and Baxter Holt added 34.
Ripon Mondol and Rakibul Hasan took two wickets apiece for Bangladesh HP.
Source: BSS
Eve footballers demand resignation of Salahuddin-Kiron
The protest continued against Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin and BFF women’s wing chairperson Mahfuza Akter Kiron as the present and former eve footballers today (Saturday) also demanded the resignation of Salahuddin-Kiron.
A group of 20-25 woman footballers, led by national sports awardee and organizer Kamrun Nahar Dana, gathered at BFF house at Arambagh chanting slogan and a single-point demand for the resignation of Salahuddin-Kiron.
The former footballers and organizers have been demanding the resignation of Salahuddin for a long time. Their demand became stronger soon after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in the face of vigorous protests from the students-people on August 5.
The Football Supporters Association wants the resignation of BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, its senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy, and member Mahfuza Akhtar Kiron.
Among these three BFF officials, only Salam Murshedy has resigned from his post of BFF.
Salahuddin has already made it clear that he will not resign from his post and will be the candidate in the next BFF election. It’s easy to imagine that Salahuddin's loyalist Kiron will also follow Salahuddin’s footprint.
In such a situation, the women footballers gathered at BFF's house to know their demands.
About the reasons for Kiron's resignation, prominent woman sportsperson and organizer Dana said: “The federation is run at the order of Salahuddin and Kiran while the opinions of other people have been overlooked.
They are the possessors of all power.”
Former women’s footballer Dalia Akter, criticizing Kiron, complained that players were dropped from the team only if they protested and criticized anything.
She also raised questions about the rise of Kiron by saying that people's lifestyles can change with time, but as much as she had developed, what has happened to the country’s football and footballers.”
She also protested the inclusion of male managers in the women’s football team which tours abroad to participate in the international tournament.
Dalia, also the icon of women’s handball, said it’s desirable to have a female manager with a female team, but the inclusion of a male manager there is unacceptable.
Rohit Sharma's tactical genius involving Jasprit Bumrah in T20 World Cup final questioned
On June 29, 2024, Rohit Sharma did something captains before him struggled to for the last 13 years – win a World Cup. Rohit, one of the most deserving candidates to end India's agonisingly long wait, made a billions dream come true when India beat South Africa by 7 runs to lift the T20 World Cup, ending years of misery and heartbreaks. Having come so close to winning the ODI World Cup at home last November, India needed this to wipe the pain of November 19, 2023. As the entire Indian team fell onto the ground after Hardik Pandya successfully defended 16 off the last over, it capped off the perfect end to Rohit and Virat Kohli's T20I careers and marked a fitting end to Rahul Dravid's tenure as India head coach.
In the final, Rohit took a gamble. With Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller going berserk, getting the equation down to 30 needed off 30 balls – regulation stuff given how T20s work, Rohit decided to bring on Jasprit Bumrah to finish his four overs. This meant that India wouldn't have him in the last two overs, but Rohit was aware that it was now or never. The skipper went with his gut instincts and what a masterstroke it turned out to be. Bumrah gave away just four wickets in the 16th over and just two more in the 17th, along with the wicket of Marco Jansen to put South Africa under pressure. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik then provided the finishing touches, but had it not been for those two overs of brilliance from Bumrah, India could have added 2024 as another example of what could have been.
That is Rohit for you. A dangerous batter but an even more instinctive captain. It was one of those calls that could have gone either way, but Rohit knew what Bumrah was capable of. In fact, Vikram Rathour, the former India batting coach, highlighted Rohit's tactical decisions as moments of brilliance, though he acknowledged that these moves often teeter on the edge of genius and sometimes drawing criticism.
"He is tactically very good as a captain. In the T20 World Cup final, he finished Bumrah's over early. A lot of people must have questioned that decision, but that decision put us in the situation, where 16 was needed in the last over. His tactical decisions on the field are spot on. Sitting outside It surprises you as a coach as well. We from outside sometimes think what he is doing but then you realise what he has done after a while," Rathour said on the podcast 'Find a way with Taruwar Kohli'.
'Never seen a captain who is as invested as Rohit'
Almost every youngster who has played under Rohit has nothing but positives to shower on the Indian captain. In the Test series against England, as many as five players made their debuts, and everyone – Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep and Devdutt Padikkal already have their favourite Rohit Sharma story to narrate. As for the coaching staff, Rathour admits he is yet to come across a captain what is as involved as Rohit.
"His first quality is that as a batsman, he is a phenomenal player. I think he is someone who understands his game really well. He always has a clear game plan. Even as a leader, you will have to lead from the front. You have to perform to set the example. And since he has become the captain, he has always led by example," added Rathour.
"He is a player's captain. He is invested with the players heavily. I have never seen a captain, who is so invested in team meetings and strategies. He spends a lot of time on the team's strategy. He is part of the bowlers' meeting, batters meeting. He wants to sit with the bowlers and batters to try and understand what they are thinking. He invests a lot of time with the players."
Source: HT
Bangladesh face Sri Lanka tomorrow
Motivated Bangladesh U-20 national football team will start their SAFF U-20 Championship campaign when they face Sri Lanka in their opening group A match scheduled to be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at ANFA Complex in Nepal.
The match kicks off at 3.15 pm (BST).
Prior to the first match, the Bangladesh team found very much confident and the boys in red and green wants to start the tournament with win against Sri Lanka, who earlier lost their group opening match against host Nepal.
Ahead of the first match, Bangladesh head coach AKM Maruful Haque said: "Before arriving in Nepal we said we want to become champions in this tournament .... our team played final in the last tournament .... I have noticed the sacrifice hard work and dedication among the boys and I think we are still in the right track ... the boys already worked on weak and strong points of Sri Lanka and I shared our game plan and strategy with them. As the first match is always important, so I hope we'll able to make a winning start in the championship."
Bangladesh team captain Mehedi Hasan Srabon said the first match is always important and everybody expect to start the tournament with win.
Srabon said Sri Lanka is a good team and they are not taking their rival lightly. The Bangladesh skipper thinks that winning the first match take the team more close to the final.
He also hopeful to snatch a good result for the country and able to show maximum effort in the ground.
Bangladesh, the three times runners-up in 2017, 2019 and 2022 edition of the championship, will meet host Nepal in their ultimate group match on August 22.
Bangladesh U-20 team - Mehedi Hasan Srabon, Asif, Ismail Hossain Mahin, Imran Khan, Mohammad Azizul Hoque, Ananto, Shakil Ahad Topu, Rajib Hossain, Rostom Islam Dukhu Mia, Parvej Ahmed, Kamacai Marma Aky, Asadul Islam Sakib, Chandon
Roy, Ashraful Haque Asif, Mohsin Ahmed, Iftiar Hossain, Rabby Hossen Rahul, Razu Ahmed Zisan, Hossain Mohammad Arian, Asadul Molla, Iftasam Rahman Jidan, Mirajul Islam, Piash Ahmmed Nova and Moinul Islam Moin.
Source: BSS
Argentina announces World Cup selection team without Messi
Argentina will take on Chile in Buenos Aires on September 5 in the World Cup qualifiers. Four days later, the reigning world champions will play against the hosts in Colombia. However, Argentina will have to play these two matches without captain Lionel Messi.
Messi is still recovering from a right ankle injury.
The 36-year-old Angel Di Maria, who retired from the national team after winning the recent Copa America, is not on the list either.
Scaloni announced a 28-man preliminary squad for the two World Cup qualifiers. However, the regular captain of Argentina was not kept in that team. This decision by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) is still pending since Messi has not yet recovered from the injury sustained in the Copa America final.
Besides, goalkeeper Franco Armani and winger Di Maria are not in the team as they bid farewell to international football after the Copa America. In addition, Exequiel Palacios is not on the team. Defenders Marcos Acuna and Lucas Martinez Cuarta did not get a chance. Despite rumors, Paulo Dybala did not have a place in the team.
Lionel Scaloni announced two new faces in the 28-man squad – Valentin Castellanos and Matias Soule. Valentin Castellanos, a 25-year-old forward, plays for SS Lazio. Forward Soule, who has just joined another Italian club Roma, is 21.
Argentina's 28-member squad:
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven), Geronimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille), Juan Musso (Atalanta), Emiliano Martnez (Aston Villa).
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Germn Pezzella, Leonardo Balerdi), Nicols Otamendi, Lisandro Martnez, Nicols Tagliafico, Valentn Barco.
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez, Alexis McAllister, Enzo Fernandez, Giovanni Lo Celso, Ezequiel Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul.
Forwards: Nicolas Gonzalez, Alejandro Garnacho, Matias Sole, Giuliano Simeone, Valentin Carboni, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez and Valentin Castellanos.
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodrguez, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernndez, Giovani Lo Celso, Ezequiel Fernndez, Rodrigo de Paul, Nico Gonzlez.
Forwards: Alejandro Garnacho, Matas Soul, Giuliano Simeone, Julin lvarez, Valentn Carboni, Lautaro Martnez, and Valentn Castellanos.
Pakistan announced a strong XI against Bangladesh
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced their playing eleven for their first Test match against Bangladesh Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday. The two-match Test series will kick off on August 21 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The two Tests against Bangladesh will mark the first assignment of Jason Gillespie as Pakistan's Test coach. The second Test of the two-match series is set to be played from August 30 to September 3 in Karachi.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali are the top four pacers for Pakistan who will play against Bangladesh in the first Test match. Meanwhile, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha will be the hosts' spin bowlers.
Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub will open for Pakistan, while captain Shan Masood and Babar Azam will be in action in the middle order.
Fast bowler Aamir Jamal has been released from the squad due to ongoing fitness issues which impacted Pakistan's lineup against Bangladesh.
Jamal, who suffered a back injury while playing County cricket in England earlier this year, was initially included in Pakistan's squad for the ICC World Test Championship series, pending a fitness clearance. However, the 28-year-old has not fully recovered from his back problem and has been sent to the National Cricket Academy in Lahore for rehabilitation.
Pakistan's playing XI for the 1st Test against Bangladesh: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali.
Farooq Ahmed assigned as new BCB President
Farooq Ahmed has become the new president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
He was assigned to the BCB President post on Wednesday (August 21).
Former national cricket team captain Farooq Ahmed served as chief selector in BCB for two terms earlier.
Rumors in the sports arena for the last few days that Nazmul Hassan Papon is stepping down from the post of BCB president. And former Tiger captain Farooq Ahmed is going to replace him. That rumor came true on Wednesday with Papon's official resignation.
It should be noted that Farooq Ahmed served as the chief selector of BCB for two terms. He served in the first term from 2003 to 2007 and in the second term from 2013 to 2016. In the second term, he resigned due to a dispute with the board over the election process.