Tag: Bangladesh

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to announce the national squad for the Bangladesh T20Is this week, with no significant changes expected, apart from a surprise inclusion.

According to the reports, ace batter Babar Azam and ODI skipper Mohammad Rizwan and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, who last played for Pakistan during the New Zealand tour, are not under consideration.

However, left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem could be added as a surprise pick for the Bangladesh series. The 25-year-old featured in the five-match away series against the Black Caps.

Despite returning with the figures of 6-2 in two overs, Sufiyan Muqeem was left out of the T20I series against Bangladesh at home.

Pakistan will arrive in Dhaka on 16 July before taking on the Bangladesh cricket team in the first T20I on Sunday, 20 July.

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The second T20I will take place on Tuesday, 22 July, with the third and final match of the series scheduled for Thursday, 24 July.

Notably, all three T20Is will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, with the first ball of each match scheduled to be bowled at 6:00 PM local time.

The two teams recently faced each other in a three-match T20I series at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Pakistan achieved a clean sweep against Bangladesh.

Pakistan won the opening match by 37 runs, thanks to Shadab Khan’s outstanding all-round performance. He scored a rapid 48 runs off 25 balls and took two crucial wickets.

In the second T20I, Sahibzada Farhan and Hasan Nawaz both made significant contributions with quick half-centuries, leading Pakistan to victory.

Meanwhile, the star of the third match was Mohammad Haris, who scored a blazing unbeaten century.

Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I Series Schedule 

20 July – First T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)

22 July – Second T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)

24 July – Third T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)

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Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has stepped down from his position following the team’s crushing defeat by an innings and 78 runs in the second Test against Sri Lanka, bringing an end to his tenure less than a year after taking charge.

As reported by Bangladeshi media, the 26-year-old informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of his decision shortly after the loss, signalling that he is no longer interested in continuing in the leadership role, particularly after being relieved of ODI captaincy duties earlier this year.

Shanto had taken over the red-ball reins ahead of the home Test series against New Zealand in November 2023 and led Bangladesh in 14 matches.

His record as captain includes four wins, notably back-to-back victories over Pakistan in August 2024, alongside nine defeats and one draw, which came in the opening Test of the recently concluded Sri Lanka series.

Despite the mixed results, Najmul Hossain Shanto gave decent performances with the bat during his captaincy.

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He averaged 36.24 as skipper, in contrast to his 29.83 average as a non-captain. In the four wins under his leadership, he maintained a healthy average of 37.16.

The decision to resign follows a forgettable performance by Bangladesh in the second Test in Colombo.

After managing 247 in the first innings, they were outplayed in all departments. Sri Lanka piled up a massive 458 in response, before skittling Bangladesh out for just 133 in their second innings.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya was the chief destroyer, picking up a five-wicket haul, while Dhananjaya de Silva and Tharindu Ratnayake chipped in with two wickets apiece.

Pathum Nissanka, who impressed throughout the series, walked away with both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards for his consistent run-scoring.

The two sides will now shift focus to the white-ball leg of the tour. The three-match ODI series begins on July 2 in Colombo, with the second game scheduled for July 5 at the same venue. The series will conclude in Pallekele on July 8.

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COLOMBO: Sri Lanka completed a thumping innings and 78-run victory over Bangladesh before lunch on day four of the second Test on Saturday, wrapping up the two-match series 1-0.

Resuming the day on a precarious 115-6, the visitors still trailed by 97 runs and needed a minor miracle to avoid an innings defeat. Any hopes of a rearguard were dashed almost immediately.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, under the pump after a wicketless outing in the first innings, struck gold with the fifth ball of the morning as Litton Das edged behind to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis for 14.

With that scalp, the last recognised batter was back in the hut and Bangladesh’s house of cards came tumbling down soon after, all out for 133.

It was a clinical all-round performance by hosts Sri Lanka, who walked away with crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points.

None of the visiting batters managed to cross fifty in the match –- a far cry from the first Test in Galle, which ended in a draw when captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hit twin centuries.

Bangladesh had won the toss on a docile Colombo pitch but squandered the advantage, bundled out for 247.

Sri Lanka replied in commanding fashion, piling on 458 to take a hefty 211-run lead.

The foundation was laid by a masterclass from opener Pathum Nissanka, who crafted a fluent 158 –- his second successive century in the series — while Dinesh Chandimal chipped in with a polished 93.

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The pair added 194 runs for the second wicket, putting the game firmly in Sri Lanka’s control.

Bangladesh threatened briefly when the second new ball brought them three quick wickets, but Kusal steadied the ship with a counterattacking 84, ensuring Sri Lanka didn’t let the momentum slip.

Nissanka, who was declared man of the match, said he was “very pleased with the effort”.

“It feels good to contribute. I am now the senior opener with Dimuth Karunaratne retired and I try to do my best for the team,” he said.

Bangladesh captain Shanto called it a “very disappointing game”.

“We played really well in Galle but we were not up to the mark here,” he said.

“The way we batted in the first innings is when things went wrong for us. A total of 247 was not good on this pitch.

“No harm with the decision to bat first. But the way we got out was very disappointing. One good thing was the way our bowlers kept fighting.”

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Spinners Dhananjaya de Silva and Prabath Jayasurya rounded off another dominant day for Sri Lanka on Friday, taking two wickets each to leave Bangladesh on the brink of a crushing innings defeat in the second Test.

By close of play on the third day at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, Bangladesh had slumped to 115-6 in their second innings, still 96 runs away from making Sri Lanka bat again.

Bangladesh started their second innings with a daunting deficit of 211 after Kusal Mendis’s forthright 84 had taken the Sri Lanka first innings to 458 all out earlier in the day.

All seven batters so far in the Bangladesh second innings made it into double figures but only Mushfiqur Rahim made it beyond 20, making 26 before being beaten all ends up by Jayasuriya.

With only four wickets in hand, it will be a tough ask of the Bangladesh lower order to see off the Sri Lanka spinners, who have been gaining plenty of turn, from wrapping up the Test and the two-match series. The first Test ended in a draw.

Sri Lanka batter Kamindu Mendis said that the “wicket is spinning now from both ends and its not easy for the batters”.

“We will look to wrap this up quickly,” he said after the day’s play.

Earlier, leading from the front, skipper De Silva dealt twin blows with his off-spin in the evening session on Friday.

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He had Mominul Haque (15) caught at first slip before trapping his opposite number Najmul Hossain Shanto (19) leg before.

Left-arm spinner Jayasuriya, under pressure to keep his spot after a lean patch, also responded in style with a probing spell.

He struck with the new ball, removing Shadman Islam (12) caught behind, and then bowled Mushfiqur.

The early part of the day belonged to Kusal Mendis who hammered a rapid 84 off 87 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, when it looked as though the Sri Lanka first innings was faltering.

Replying to Bangladesh’s first innings of 247, Sri Lanka resumed on a strong overnight platform of 290-2 but lost four wickets in the morning session, three of them to the second new ball.

First to go was overnight century-maker Pathum Nissanka who added 12 before chipping left-arm spinner Taijul Islam to short cover. It was a soft end for the in-form opener whose 158 came after career-best 187 in the first Test in Galle.

But Kusal Mendis dug in his heels steering Sri Lanka past the 450-run mark before running himself out, ninth wicket down, going for an unlikely second run.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam wrapped up the innings four balls later to finish with 5-131, his 17th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

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In-form opener Pathum Nissanka scored an unbeaten 146 as Sri Lanka tightened their grip on the second Test against Bangladesh on day two in Colombo on Thursday.

The hosts were 290-2 at stumps, a lead of 43 on the back of Nissanka’s sparkling innings off 238 balls.

It follows his career-best score of 187 in the first Test in Galle, which ended in a draw.

Nissanka found an able partner in former skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who scored a fluent 93 before a lapse in judgement saw him lose his wicket minutes before stumps. The two put on 194 runs together.

“We are in a very good position, tomorrow we have to bat the whole day. We will try to get a lead of 150 to 200,” said wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.

“Shame he missed out on a double hundred in Galle. I hope he does it here,” he said of Pathum Nissanka.

Frustrated by their inability to break through, Bangladesh resorted to negative lines and spread fields but Chandimal and Nissanka answered with a flurry of reverse sweeps.

Nissanka’s opening partner Lahiru Udara was undone for 40 by a Taijul Islam delivery that held its line.

Originally given not out, the decision was overturned after a review.

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Earlier, debutant Sonal Dinusha took 3-22 as Sri Lanka bowled out the visitors for 247.

Bangladesh resumed the day on 220-8 and lasted 8.3 overs with overnight batter Taijul the last man out for 33, caught off Dinusha’s left-arm spin.

All-rounder Dinusha, who came in for the retired Angelo Mathews, had made an instant impact by dismissing Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das on the opening day.

Fast bowler Asitha Fernando also finished with three wickets after he struck the first blow on Thursday.

Taijul offered some resistance and survived a reprieve on 20 when Kamindu Mendis shelled a tough chance at wide mid-off, denying Fernando his fourth wicket.

The left-hander frustrated the hosts with a gutsy knock during which he copped a few blows to the helmet. Bangladesh eked out 33 runs for the last two wickets.

Play began 15 minutes early to compensate for overs lost to rain on day one when only 71 of the scheduled 90 overs were possible. T

The winner at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club ground will clinch the series after last week’s draw.

“Sri Lanka are ahead in the game at the moment, but we know the new ball is due,” said Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons.

“We will try to make an impact with the new ball. We know things can happen quickly if we are able to get a couple of wickets with the new ball.”

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Sri Lanka bowlers reduced Bangladesh to 220 for eight at stumps on a rain-hit day one of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.

On a track that offered little for the bowlers, it was Sri Lanka debutant Sonal Dinusha who troubled Bangladesh batters.

The 24-year-old left-arm spinner, thrust into the big league following Angelo Mathews’ retirement, returned figures of two for 22 in an impressive debut.

Dinush’s first scalp was Litton Das, ending a flourishing fifth-wicket partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim.

He then accounted for the prized wicket of Mushfiqur, who had scored a century in the first Test.

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Pacer Vishwa Fernando provided useful support to Dinush. The left-arm seamer, back in Sri Lanka after a successful County stint with Warwickshire, removed Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had scored two hundreds in the first Test.

Vishwa Fernando returned later in the innings to dismiss Mehidy Hasan Miraz with a sharp delivery that found the edge.

Bangladesh’s decision to bat first backfired as their batters struggled. Apart from Shadman Islam’s patient 46, the top order failed to deliver.

“It’s a slow kind of surface,” Islam said. “It wasn’t easy to play shots.”

Sri Lanka’s fielding was patchy in places, but their bowlers more than made up for it, ensuring the visitors never ran away with the game.

Asitha Fernando, drafted in after Milan Rathnayake’s injury, ably supported Dinusha and Vishwa.

Sri Lanka batting coach Thilina Kandamby praised the team’s performance.

“Very good effort by the quicks,” he said. “They bowled to good plans and created opportunities.”

Bangladesh rang in two changes to their side: Mehidy Hasan returned after recovering from fever, replacing Jaker Ali, while Ebadot Hossain came in for the injured Hasan Mahmud.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the schedule for the national team’s tour to Bangladesh next month for a three-match bilateral T20I series.

Pakistan will arrive in Dhaka on 16 July before taking on the Bangladesh cricket team in the first T20I on Sunday, 20 July.

The second T20I will take place on Tuesday, 22 July, with the third and final match of the series scheduled for Thursday, 24 July.

Notably, all three T20Is will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, with the first ball of each match scheduled to be bowled at 6:00 PM local time.

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The two teams recently faced each other in a three-match T20I series at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Pakistan achieved a clean sweep against Bangladesh.

Pakistan won the opening match by 37 runs, thanks to Shadab Khan’s outstanding all-round performance. He scored a rapid 48 runs off 25 balls and took two crucial wickets.

In the second T20I, Sahibzada Farhan and Hasan Nawaz both made significant contributions with quick half-centuries, leading Pakistan to victory.

Meanwhile, the star of the third match was Mohammad Haris, who scored a blazing unbeaten century.

Pakistan-Bangladesh series schedule

20 July – First T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)

22 July – Second T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)

24 July – Third T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)

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Bangladesh are boosted by the return of star all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the second Test against Sri Lanka, but it also provides a selection dilemma for the team management.

The 26-year-old, who missed the first Test due to illness, is ranked number two among Test all-rounders.

Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who replaced him in the first Test in Galle that ended in a draw on Saturday, finished with a six-wicket match haul, including a five-for in the first innings.

Head coach Phil Simmons admitted the team now faces a “good headache” in balancing the playing 11.

“Mehidy Hasan Miraz is world-class, no doubt he strengthens us in both departments,” Simmons told reporters on the eve of the game in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo.

“Nayeem was outstanding in Galle. It’s tough to leave someone out after a performance like that. But everyone understands the team requirements. We’ll take a final call after training today.”

One possible workaround being floated is sacrificing a specialist batter — potentially Jaker Ali — to accommodate both spinners.

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But Simmons was tight-lipped, saying the final squad would only be confirmed on match day.

Hosts Sri Lanka are grappling with a selection choice of their own, following the retirement of stalwart Angelo Mathews, who called time on his Test career after the Galle game.

Three uncapped players, Pavan Rathnayake, Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sonal Dinusha, have been added to the squad. Selectors are likely to hand Dinusha his maiden cap.

“Sonal’s a promising left-hander who also offers us left-arm spin. Given the conditions, he fits the bill,” said skipper Dhananjaya de Silva.

Sri Lanka will also be forced to make at least one more change with seam-bowling all-rounder Milan Rathnayake out due to a side strain.

The toss-up is between an extra pacer, most likely Kasun Rajitha, back from a stint of County Cricket with Essex, or a second frontline spinner in Akila Dananjaya, who last played a Test almost six years ago.

The Singhalese Sports Club in Colombo is usually a seamer-friendly venue, but the pitch this time is expected to assist spinners as the game wears on.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mahidul Islam, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Murad, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana and Khaled Ahmed.

Sri Lanka squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Rathnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Isitha Wijesundara

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COLOMBO: Sri Lanka all-rounder Milan Rathnayake has been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh due to a side strain sustained in the opening match.

The 28-year-old Milan briefly exited the field earlier on day two in Galle; however, he returned later in the innings, claiming three wickets.

Milan Rathnayake, who had played a Test so far, was pivotal in forging a crucial 84-run stand on the seventh wicket with Kamindu Mendis. He scored 39 off 83 deliveries in reply to Bangladesh’s mammoth first innings score.

In addition to this, the retirement of stalwart Angelo Mathews has left a vacuum, and young all-rounder Dunith Wellalage is set to replace him in the second Test.

It is noteworthy to mention that following the second Test match against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka will have to wait for a year to play their next game in the longest form of cricket.

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The two-match series opening Test ended up in a draw as Bangladesh piled on runs in the first innings, followed by steady batting in the second innings, thanks to back-to-back hundreds from skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Bangladesh scored 495 in their first innings, while Sri Lanka in reply put on an impressive show with the bat, posting 485, courtesy of Pathum Nissanka’s career best 187.

In the second innings, the Tigers went on to score 285-6 before declaring. The match ended in a draw on a rain-shortened day, with Sri Lanka scoring 72-4. Sri Lanka’s mainstay in the Test lineup for more than a decade, Angelo Mathews, battled out with eight of 45 deliveries in his final innings.

Sri Lanka squad for second Test:

Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Dunith Wellalage Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Rathnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Isitha Wijesundara

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Bangladesh edged ahead of Sri Lanka on day four of the first Test in Galle on Friday, extending their lead to 187 runs with seven wickets in hand.

The visitors finished at 177-3 after a strong partnership of 68 between opener Shadman Islam and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Sri Lanka All-rounder Milan Rathnayake dismissed Shadman for 76, but Bangladesh veteran campaigner Mushfiqur Rahim, fresh off a first-innings century, joined his captain to steady the innings.

The duo built an unbroken 49-run partnership for the fourth wicket to put their side in the driver’s seat heading into the final day.

Bangladesh off-spinner Nayeem Hasan earlier took five wickets to halt Sri Lanka’s first-innings charge, with the visitors dismissed for 485 after lunch to trail by 10 runs.

Nayeem was well supported by Hasan Mahmud, who finished with 3-74.

Sri Lanka looked set for a useful lead after the first session, reaching 465-6 with Kamindu Mendis and Rathnayake stitching together a gritty 84-run stand for the seventh wicket.

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However, Sri Lanka then surrendered the momentum with a lower-order collapse, losing their last four wickets for 15 runs.

Rathnayake had shown commendable defiance for his 39 but was undone by an inside edge onto the stumps off Mahmud.

Kamindu followed in the next over with Sri Lanka’s score unchanged, falling to Nayeem’s off-spin as the ball kicked off the surface and caught the left-hander by surprise.

His composed 87 included eight fours and a six but he fell with a third hundred against Bangladesh within sight.

Nayeem said he “really enjoyed” Kamindu’s wicket.

“Very happy with that ball that got him,” he said.

Nayeem also removed debutant Tharindu Rathnayake for a duck with another sharp off-break that went through the gate as Sri Lanka lost three wickets for just one run in 10 deliveries.

He then bowled Asitha Fernando (4) to close out Sri Lanka’s innings.

The last Test draw at the Galle cricket ground was between the same two sides, Srilanka and Bangladesh, in 2013.

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