India level series through a convincing win at Rajkot



Apon Tariq, Special Correspondent, Barta24.com, Rajkot(India)
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A 43-ball 85 from Rohit Sharma, in his 100th T20I, helped India chase down 154 with 26 balls to spare and draw level in the T20I series against Bangladesh. It was Rohit's third –quickest innings of 50 or more in T20Is, and it made a below-par Bangladesh total - at the presentation, their captain Mahmudullah reckoned they finished 25-30 runs short of par - look utterly inadequate in flat batting conditions in Rajkot here on Thursday evening(Nov.7)

Rohit came into this series having just scored three hundreds, including a double, in three Tests against South Africa, and all that form was on display today on a Rajkot pitch brimming with runs. Every shot he played along the ground seemed to find a gap, whether he was pulling or driving or cutting or even occasionally when he was simply defending with a slightly open face - one such shot, off Al-Amin Hossain in the fifth over of India's innings, raced away unstoppably between backward point and short third man,

The results were even more spectacular when he went aerial. There were six sixes in his innings - everyone else, on both sides, only managed two between them - including three in a row off Mosaddek Hossain's offspin in the tenth over. The second of them, which brought up the century opening stand with Shikhar Dhawan, took Rohit to 70.

Dhawan, at that point, was batting on 28 off 24 balls. Bangladesh managed to keep one opener quiet by denying him width, but none of their plans had any impact on the other.

Sent in to bat, Bangladesh enjoyed a productive powerplay, getting to 54 for 0 courtesy a mixture of urgency from their openers and some erratic bowling and fielding from India.

Khaleel Ahmed, the left-arm quick, had been hit for four successive fours off his last four balls in Delhi. He followed that up by conceding three successive fours off his first three balls here, making it seven in all. Khaleel was guilty of bowling a touch too short on a pitch where the ball sat up nicely, and Mohammad Naim put him away whenever there was a chance to play the pull or the straight-bat jab through midwicket.

At the other end, Liton Das enjoyed a massive stroke of luck when he was stranded yards down the pitch by a Yuzvendra Chahal legbreak in the sixth over. Rishabh Pant gathered the ball without trouble and stumped him, but third umpire Anil Chaudhary ruled that he had collected the ball marginally in front of the stumps. Liton hit the next two balls - the first of them a free-hit - for fours, to add insult to injury.

There would be a near-repeat in the 13th over when Chahal beat the advancing Soumya Sarkar with a wrong'un, but on that occasion Chaudhary ruled that Pant had gathered the ball behind the stumps - replays suggested it was another marginal decision.

At that point, Bangladesh was 103 for 4. Their last seven overs had only brought them 49 runs for the cost of four wickets. India's two main spinners, Chahal and Washington Sundar, were chiefly responsible for keeping them quiet. Chahal, getting the ball to grip, used his variations well, and picked up two wickets. He could have had a third if he had had an lbw appeal against Liton upheld in the eighth over after beating him with his googly, but Liton, unaware of where the ball ended up after hitting his pad, hared out of his crease and ran himself out anyway.

Washington, varying his pace intelligently and bowling an irritating length - he later said he looks to get the ball to bounce up to hip height when it reaches the batsman - proved difficult to go after, and Bangladesh only managed 25 off his four overs.

Bangladesh never really regained the lost momentum. There were a pair of bright knocks from Sarkar (30 off 20) and Mahmudullah (30 off 21), but the rest of the Bangladesh batsmen didn't really get going. Khaleel continued to go for runs, conceding 22 off his two overs at the death, but the rest of the bowlers didn't give the batsmen the pace or the lengths to work with. Chahal, dangling the ball wide of off stump and denying the right-hand batsmen easy access to the leg side, and Deepak Chahar, using the slower bouncer adroitly, gave away only eight runs between them in the 18th and 19th overs.

   

"That" Mohsin Sheikh was appointed for full term



Sports Desk, Barta24.com
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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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