Bangladesh Conquers Delhi!



Apon Tariq, Special Correspondent, Barta24.Com, From New Delhi (India)
Mushfiqur Rahim, Photo: Collected

Mushfiqur Rahim, Photo: Collected

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Mushfiqur Rahim's perfectly paced, unbeaten 60 off 43 balls took Bangladesh to a seven-wicket win over India, their first against these opponents in nine attempts. Mushfiqur's late charge against Khaleel Ahmed completely changed the game in Delhi, so much so that in the end, the result was almost a formality. The 1-0 lead in the three-match series will also be a massive boost to a team that has been reeling after Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the ICC last week for failing to report bookie approaches, not to mention the rift created by the players' strike against the BCB.

Mushfiqur employed the pull shot, a scoop and two scythes through point to reduce Bangladesh's chase from 20 off ten balls to a mere four runs in the last over. Khaleel was the bowler bearing the brunt of Mushfiqur's calculated hits, which came quite late despite him being well set up until that point. But in the end, it was a masterstroke to hold back his shots as Bangladesh savoured their big moment.

The debutant Shivam Dube was handed the ball in the last over, his medium pace an interesting choice given the history between these two sides and last-over finishes. Dube was ineffective as Mahmudullah ran hard to complete two runs off the second ball before getting a wide and then hammering one over wide long-on for six. India could have done better to avoid the defeat, notably when Mushfiqur slog-swept a ball in the 18th over to deep midwicket and Krunal Pandya not only dropped the catch but let it go for four too

When India batted first, Rohit Sharma was trapped lbw by a Shafiul Islam delivery that moved back in slightly in the first over. The home side's rhythm was further dented when KL Rahul bunted legspinner Aminul Islam's half-tracker to Mahmudullah at short cover.

Shreyas Iyer pushed the run rate but he too fell to Aminul, mistiming a lofted drive, having struck a four and two sixes in his 13-ball 22. At the other end, Shikhar Dhawan struggled to score quickly before Rishabh Pant's poor call for a second run cost him his wicket. Dhawan top-scored with 41, but it came off 42 balls.

Afif Hossain then leapt high to complete a fine return catch to dismiss Dube before Pant fell trying to clear long-on, having made 27 off 26 balls.

At 120 for 6 with ten balls left in the innings, India got the perfect boost as Krunal and Washington Sundar cobbled together 28 runs. Sundar struck two sixes while Pandya struck a four and a six off the last ball of the innings.

Mahmudullah's choice to give Shafiul and Al-Amin Hossain those crucial overs ahead of Mustafizur Rahman may well be questioned, but perhaps he was wary of the number of left-handers in India's line-up. Without a left-arm spinner in a T20I line-up for the first time, Mahmudullah used leg spinner Aminul and off spinner Afif intelligently, the two youngsters combining to produce figures of 3 for 33 in six overs.

With Liton Das falling in the first over of the chase, the pressure was on Mohammad Naim, the debutant left-hand opener. He took a bit of time before flicking Deepak Chahar for a six over deep midwicket in the fifth over before driving him through covers for four in the same over.

Soumya Sarkar then took on Washington with a reverse slog for six before smashing Khaleel for a four through the covers in the seventh over. Naim fell in the eighth over when Yuzvendra Chahal had him caught at long-on, having made 26 off 28 balls.

With Naim's wicket, Chahal hit his stride in his next over and had Mushfiqur in a tangle. After a perfect legbreak, Chahal rushed one on to the batsman's pads before nearly having him out lbw. Mushfiqur managed to take a single but Soumya too had a tough time getting Chahal away. The over ended with just one run conceded as India began to look dominant.

From this point and until the start of the penultimate over, it looked like Mushfiqur had messed up his calculations trying to maneuver India's bowling on a slow, turning pitch. But he trusted his plans and as a result, Bangladesh walked away happily from the Kotla with a win under their belt. Mushfiqur was adjudged man of the match. He dedicated Both his 50 and Win to his son.

Brief Result: Bangladesh 154for 3 (Mushfiqur 60*) beat India 148 for 6 (Dhawan 41, Aminul 2-22) by seven wickets.

   

"That" Mohsin Sheikh was appointed for full term



Sports Desk, Barta24.com
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Picture: Collected

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Mohsin Sheikh has been appointed as the Performance Analyst of Bangladesh National Cricket Team. This is not the first time the Pakistani-born Australian has worked with Shanto-Litton in the New Zealand series last year.

But that was a part-time job. BCB has appointed him as a performance analyst on a full-time basis. Mohsin was appointed to this post on contract till May 2026.

It is known that Mohsin will join the team soon. Bangladesh's five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe will begin on May 3. He will join the Bangladesh team in the field of that series.

Mohsin Shaikh's experience as a performance analyst is not less. He also spent time with the Afghanistan, Pakistan and Australia cricket boards before working with Bangladesh on the tour of New Zealand last December.

Apart from this, Mohsin has also competed in various T20 leagues around the world. He has vast experience of working as a performance analyst in top leagues like Bangladesh Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Indian Premier League and Australian Big Bash.



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Naogaon’s Dolly joined ICC umpiring



District Correspondent, Barta24.com, Noagaon
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Dolly Rani Sarkar, a girl from Naogaon, has been included as the first female umpire of Bangladesh in the World Cricket Controlling Organization (ICC) ICC umpiring.

Behind reaching this stage of success is an unknown story of a struggling life. Dolly Rani was born in a poor family in Barendra Bhoomi town of Naogaon. She used to play neighborhood cricket with boys since childhood. That's where she started playing cricket. After that she got admission in BKSP. She also got a call to the national team's 20-man camp, but had to stop there and got a job in BKSP, so her cricket career did not progress further. That Dolly Rani Sarkar is now holding the umpiring helm and showing Bangladesh a dream.

Dolly Rani told Barta24.com at Naogaon Stadium, I used to play sports since childhood. I used to play handball, volleyball and athletics in all the sports events in the school and I used to play with all the older brothers of the neighborhood. The beginning is by the hands of the older brothers of my neighborhood. The beginning was very difficult for me unless the Naogaon District Sports Association and the neighborhood elder brothers, younger brothers and neighboring uncles took me to play in the cricket tournaments held in the neighborhood and from there I developed. If they didn't help, I wouldn't have come this far. I also got a call to the national team's 20-man camp, but had to stop there. Later, the job was done in BKSP, the cricket career did not progress further.

She also said, "I am so happy to join the ICC umpiring as the first woman umpire of Bangladesh that I don't know the language to express." I am very happy and glad because it was not expected that I will join ICC umpiring so soon. The cricket board has been working with us for two years. In the last two years, the cricket board has tried to make us suitable by giving matches at different places. We did that. I have been included in ICC umpiring today.

Dolly Rani said, I was a student of BKSP. I have been in umpiring practice since 2009. We started the journey with the girls' first division cricket tournament. Besides, I was the umpire for the boys' matches in BKSP, especially when Soumya, Vijaya were there. Besides, many teams from outside the country used to come to play in BKSP like I used to umpire Sri Lanka - Pakistan matches.

She also said, I was born in Naogaon, grew up in Naogaon, and started playing in Naogaon. Everything is Naogaon-centric. My primary school life was Chak Enayet Govt Primary School, Secondary Naogaon Pyarimohan (PM) Girls High School and for sports I passed SSC from Naogaon Govt Girls High School, HSC from Naogaon Govt College, Completed Graduation from BKSP, Completed Masters from Devendra College,  Manikganj, completed Bped from National University and completed Mp ED from Uttara University. 

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Dhananjaya-Mendis hit century, target of Bangladesh is 511



Sports Desk, Barta24.com
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Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis have become a nightmare for Bangladesh in the ongoing Test series. After a pair of 202 runs in the first innings, a pair of 173 runs in the second innings. Two batsmen scored centuries in both innings. The second innings of the Lankans stopped at 418 runs. And in front of Bangladesh, the target is 511 runs in the Sylhet Test.

The record of winning matches at the top of the target is not far from Bangladesh. West Indies won the highest target of 418 runs in the long history of Test cricket. That victory against Australia in the Antigua Test in 2003 is the record for the highest run chase to date.

Earlier, however, Sri Lanka, who got a lead of 92 runs in the first innings, signaled a quick stop in the second innings. They finished the second day with five wickets for 119 runs. So it was assumed that if the Lankans were crushed on the third day, Bangladesh would be able to keep the target within reach. At the beginning of the third day, that impression was also similar.

But after that everything seems to be random. Mendis came down to accompany Dhananjaya. Then these two took the lead. They reminded me of the first innings. They repeated their first innings once more. The match somehow went wrong from the hands of Bangladesh. After that the situation became such that Bangladesh can at least breathe a sigh of relief if this pair is broken.

Finally the pair broke on 173 runs. Mehedi Miraj sent Dhananjaya back for 108 runs. However, after that, Mendis formed a pair again with Prabath Jayasuriya. They accumulated another 67 runs. It was thought that the Lankans might declare an innings if this pair breaks. However, in another round, Mendis formed a pair with the last batsman of Lankans, Kasun Rajitha. Another 52 runs came from the last wicket pair. At one time it seemed that Mendis could not be stopped until the end. However Srilankans innings ended at 418 runs in the second knock. So Bangladesh will have to score a mammoth 511 in two remaining days. 

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Bangladesh won series comfortably against Sri Lanka



Sports Desk, Barta24.com
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Rishad Hossain, the name must be remembered. He had a storm with the bat in the last match of the T20 series as well, but the result did not go in his favor. In the last match of the ODI series, Rishad appeared with the bat again after getting a chance in the team. Bangladesh won the series by 2-1 by losing 4 wickets of the Lankans in the last ODI of the series with his bat.

In the series deciding match at the Zahoor Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, Sri Lanka had a toss of luck. The Lankans, who won the toss and batted first, were uncomfortable from the start. Within 15 runs, Taskin Ahmed guided both the visitors' openers to the sack.

Charit Asalanka and Kushal Mendis tried to handle the initial shock. However, Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain ended their innings before it became scary. Asalanka with 37 runs and Mendis with catches behind the wicket for 29 runs increased the danger of the team.

Zenith Lienage tried to pull the Lankans out of that danger. He also played an unbeaten innings of 101 runs in 102 balls. However, despite the subsequent batsmen failing to give him minimal support, Lienage played a role in bringing the team to his maiden century of ODI career.

Taskin took the maximum 3 wickets for Bangladesh. Two wickets each went to Mustafiz and Mehdi Hasan Miraj.

Bangladesh lost Soumya Sarkar due to injury while fielding. Tanjid Hasan Tamim played a great innings as his concussion replacement. However, Lahiru Kumara swept over the other batters around him. Opener Enamul Haque Vijay, captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hriday and Mahmudullah became the victims of this Lankan pacer.

Mahmudullah scored 0 and 1 respectively in the next two matches despite playing an effective match-turning innings of 37 runs in the first ODI.

Tanjid picked up a 51-ball fifty on a day of failure by experienced batsmen. He was stopped by Wanindu Hasaranga after playing an innings of 84 runs with 9 fours and four massive sixes. Asalanka was caught on the boundary while trying to hit a big shot and burned in the regret of missing the century. Losing him, the danger of the team has increased!

However, in the sixth wicket, two experienced batsmen Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehdi Hasan Miraj scored 48 runs for Bangladesh to dream of winning again. 25 runs came off Hasaranga's bat before he was caught on the boundary.

Rishad Hossain came to the scene after the return of Miraj. Cricket fans saw his rampage with the bat in the T20 series against Sri Lanka. Today, after getting the opportunity, his bat was on fire again. He won the match and series by playing an unbeaten innings of 48 runs from 18 balls.

After pushing back the nightmare of defeat in two consecutive ODI series at home, Bangladesh has won the ODI series again. The pain of the T20 series loss will also be mitigated to some extent by this win. After two series of white ball, now two teams will fight in white clothes. The first Test of the two-match series will begin in Sylhet on March 22.

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