Social media lauds Tamim heroic

Thanks to a brilliant bowling display and an explosive knock from Towhid Hridoy, Bangladesh got off to a winning start in the ongoing T20 World Cup as the Tigers beat Sri Lanka by two wickets in their Group D encounter at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas today.

After Rishad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman claimed three wickets each to restrict Sri Lanka to 124 for nine, Hridoy smashed a 20-ball 40 and Liton Das played a sensible 38-ball 36-run knock to see Bangladesh over the line in 19 overs. 

However, things got a bit nervy at the end as Bangladesh lost four wickets for just 14 runs, slumping from 99 for four to 113 for eight in 17.4 overs. Pacer Matheesha Pathirana had Shakib Al Hasan caught at third man before Nuwan Thushara got rid of Rishad Hossain and Taskin Ahmed in successive deliveries in the 18th over. 

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ICC T20 World Cup 2024: All Bangladesh fixtures

Bangladesh did manage to survive and got within just five runs of the target when Mahmudullah Riyad smashed Dasun Shanaka for a maximum in the first ball of the penultimate over. The Tigers got over the line when Mahmudullah ran hard for a double in the final delivery of the 19th over as Bangladesh beat a Test-playing nation for the first time since their six-wicket win over the West Indies in their first-ever T20 World Cup game in 2007. 

Bangladesh also stuttered at the beginning of the chase today, losing both the openers -- Soumya Sarkar (0 off 2) and Tanzid Tamim (3 off 6) -- in the first two overs. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto also extended his lean patch as he could only manage seven off 13 deliveries before being dismissed off a Nuwan Thushara delivery to see Bangladesh in a spot of bother at three for 28 after 5.2 overs.   

It was Hridoy and Liton who helped Bangladesh recover from the early slump, stitching together a quickfire 63-run fourth-wicket stand. Hridoy was looking unstoppable, with the right-hander smoking Sri Lanka skipper Wanindu Hasaranga for three successive sixes -- two in the midwicket region and one over cover -- in the 12th over. However, Hridoy was trapped in front in the very next delivery as he failed in his attempt to sweep Hasaranga. 

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers did a magnificent job to restrict Sri Lanka to a modest total following their flying start which saw them score 53 for the loss of two wickets in the Powerplay. Pacers Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur, and young leggie Rishad got wickets at crucial junctures as Sri Lanka could only score 24 runs in the final six overs. 

Rishad returned figures of three for 22 and Taskin ended with two for 25 in his four overs. Mustafizur was the most economical of all, giving away just 17 in his four overs.

Hridoy departs after smashing 40 off 20

Towhid Hridoy's explosive innings of 40 off just 20 deliveries helped Bangladesh recover from a slump and get them closer to victory in their T20 World Cup game at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas today.

Hridoy was looking unstoppable, with the right-hander smoking Sri Lanka skipper Wanindu Hasaranga for three successive sixes -- two in the midwicket region and one over cover -- in the 12th over. However, Hridoy was trapped in front in the very next delivery as he failed in his attempt to sweep Hasaranga. 

Bangladesh were reduced to three for 28 after 5.2 overs, but it was Hridoy and Liton Das who stitched a quickfire 63-run fourth-wicket stand to help Bangladesh get back into the game in stunning fashion.   

Tigers lose openers, skipper early

Bangladesh's top-order struggles continued as the Tigers lost both the openers and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto inside the Powerplay of their T20 World Cup game against Sri Lanka at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas today. 

Dhananjaya de Silva removed Soumya Sarkar for a two-ball duck in just the third ball of the innings before Nuwan Thushara rattled the stumps of Tanzid Tamim in the next over to leave Bangladesh in a spot of bother at two for six after 1.4 overs.  

Bangladesh skipper Shanto failed to snap out of his recent poor run of form as he was the next to fall when he drove a Thushara delivery straight into the hands of Charith Asalanka, who did a good job holding onto the low catch. Shanto departed after a 13-ball 7, leaving Bangladesh desperately in need of a partnership in their chase of a mediocre 125-run target.

Rishad, Fizz star as Tigers bounce back to restrict Sri Lanka to 124

Young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain and ace left-arm paceman Mustafizur Rahman shone with the ball in hand as Bangladesh bowlers did a tremendous job to restrict Sri Lanka to a modest total of 124 for nine following their flying start in a T20 World Cup game at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas today. 

Rishad removed Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga in successive deliveries in the 15th over, helping the Tigers assume control of the innings. Rishad got another big fish in Dhananjaya de Silva in the very first ball of his next over as he drew the right-handed batter forward to have him stumped.    

The 21-year-old Rishad, playing his first-ever World Cup game, ended with impressive figures of three for 22 in four overs. 

Taskin, who was also impressive with the ball, made Dasun Shanaka his second victim of the day when he had the batter edge one back to the keeper in the final delivery of the 18th over. Taskin also claimed the wicket of Kusal Mendis earlier and finished with figures of two for 25 in four overs. 

Mustafizur Rahman finished things off nicely, giving just three and also taking the wicket of Maheesh Theekshana in the penultimate over. He was also the most economical, giving away just 17 in his four overs while claiming a total of three wickets as Sri Lanka managed to score just 24 runs in the last six overs.   

However, things were very different in the beginning, with Sri Lanka making 53 for the loss of two wickets in the Powerplay. Nissanka looked the most dangerous, smashing seven fours and a six during his 28-ball 47 which is also the team-high for the Lankans in this game. 

Rishad gets two in two as Tigers bounce back

Bangladesh bowlers managed to take quick wickets and stem the flow of runs following a blistering start by Sri Lanka in their T20 World Cup game at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas today. 

Sri Lanka scored 109 for five after 16 overs.

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain removed Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga in successive deliveries in the 15th over as the Tigers made amends for giving plenty in boundaries in the first 10 overs. While Asalanka was caught at backward square leg as he tried to slog sweep, Sri Lanka skipper Hasaranga was outdone by a brilliant delivery from Rishad, who induced an edge of the batter's willow to have him caught at slip.  

Before that, Mustafizur Rahman removed a dangerous-looking Pathum Nissanka in the ninth over -- caught at cover after the batter mistimed and skied a slower -- and since then the Lankans struggled to score as rapidly as they had done in the beginning.  

Sri Lanka off to flying start despite losing two wickets in Powerplay

Sri Lanka lost two wickets but managed to rack up the runs in the Powerplay as they raced to 53 after six overs in their T20 World Cup game against Bangladesh at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas today.

Mustafizur Rahman had Kamindu Mendis chip one straight to Tanzim Hasan Sakib at mid-off in the very first ball of the final over of the Powerplay while pacer Taskin Ahmed had given the Tigers their first breakthrough with the wicket of Kusal Mendis in the third over. 

However, the wickets did very little to stem the flow of runs, with Sri Lankan batters already hitting a total of nine fours and one maximum. Pathum Nissanka, in particular, has been in exquisite touch, smoking Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for four boundaries in the fifth over. Nissanka remains unbeaten on 34 off 18 deliveries. 

Taskin removes Mendis to give Tigers early breakthrough

Pacer Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough in their opening T20 World Cup game against Sri Lanka at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas today. 

Having been struck for boundaries in his first two deliveries, Taskin had Sri Lanka opener Kusal Mendis chop one onto his stumps in the very next ball of the third over. Taskin, however, remained expensive as he was hit for another boundary, giving away 12 in his first over. 

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, raced to 25 runs in three overs, with the Lankans' top-order batters not sparing any loose deliveries on top of playing some exquisite shots. 

Photo: X

Bangladesh opt to bowl against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bowl as the Tigers open their T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Dallas today.

"We would like to bowl first as we expect some seam and swing early on," Shanto said following the toss. 

Bangladesh are going with three seamers -- Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib -- with leg-spinner Rishad Hossain and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan the two frontline spinners for the game. Despite being off-colour in white-ball formats for a while, Liton Das gets a nod as he forms the top-order also featuring openers Tanzid Tamim and Soumya Sarkar. 

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka made one change from their opening game, with Dhananjaya de Silva coming in for Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Having featured in all the editions of the T20 World Cup, Bangladesh will be hoping to re-write their records in the ninth edition of the mega event this time around as the Tigers have never progressed beyond the group stage of the tournament. 

The omens, however, have not been inspiring for Bangladesh in their build-up to the tournament. They won a series against Zimbabwe at home but played very poor cricket in that 4-1 victory. Then they suffered a humiliating 2-1 series defeat against associates and co-hosts USA just before the World Cup. 

With a misfiring top order and an overall inconsistent batting line-up, Bangladesh will have their work cut out against the Lankans. This game, however, remains a crucial one for the Tigers as a victory today would go a long way in helping them progress from a group that also includes South Africa, Nepal, and the Netherlands. 

Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 77 and suffered a six-wicket defeat in their first group game against South Africa in New York. The Lankans will be desperate to bounce back to winning ways and better their current net run rate of -1.048.

Playing XIs:

Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga(c), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana
 

After an agonising defeat in the final of the Asia Cup against India in UAE on Friday night, the Bangladesh cricket team returned home last night with heads held high.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and his troops fought till the last ball of the match defending a small total of 222, but ended up as runners-up once again.

It was a mixed bag for the Tigers in terms of performance and there were a lot of incidents on and off the field, making the competition a memorable one.

It started with Tamim Iqbal's return to bat with a finger injury and defending a Suranga Lakmal delivery against Sri Lanka in the opening game where the left-hander left the field early after suffering a blow to his left hand knuckle against the same bowler. Tamim's bravery was praised worldwide.

Mushfiqur Rahim smashed a magnificent hundred with a fractured rib in the same game before scoring 99 against Pakistan while Shakib Al Hasan's departure from the tournament following a finger injury ahead of the Pakistan game made matters more desperate for the Tigers.

Tigers' next assignment will be the upcoming home series against Zimbabwe later this month featuring three ODIs and two Test matches.

The Zimbabwe series will be followed by another home series against West Indies in November where they will play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.

"We have two home series and the New Zealand tour. We have a lot of work to do in the next two series, where we will have to play well," Mashrafe told reporters after the defeat in the final on Friday.

The team management will also have to deal with the injury concerns of the senior members of the side ahead of the home series.

In Bangladesh, cricket is not just a sport, but rather a spirit. It is something that connects every household, every community, and is a language every Bangladeshi knows how to speak. It is one thing that has the power to keep millions of viewers glued to their screens and feel the surge of adrenaline rush at the same time.

And with Bangladesh making waves in cricket and creating moments that will forever be etched in our hearts and memoires, here are the top five most memorable moments of Bangladesh cricket.

Qualifying for the 1999 World Cup and winning ICC Trophy 1997

Albeit having played their first international game in the 1980s, Bangladesh had to wait for their World Cup qualification for over a decade. After making it to the final of the ICC Trophy 1997, Bangladesh secured a spot in the 1999 World Cup. The semi-final against the Netherlands where Akram Khan's heroic performance left the entire nation in joyful tears.

It was a difficult match to watch as Bangladesh initially lost four wickets with only 14 runs, adding to this was a very unfavourable rainy weather. However, the situation took an impressive turn when, towards the final over, the target was achieved and Bangladesh won the match, qualifying themselves for the 1999 World Cup.

Beating Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup

Another momentous glory was when Bangladesh beat Pakistan during the 1999 World Cup. That year, the Tigers were led by the legendary Akram Khan, where the team ended up beating Pakistan by 62 runs, vastly owing to the team effort by Shahriar Hossain and captain Akram Khan, eventually having the Pakistan Team all out by 161 runs.

It was an unbelievable sight to witness, when even before recapping the last wicket and making the final verdict, the crowd was on the ground cheering for Bangladesh! This victory felt like winning beyond cricket and gave Bangladeshis all over the country the true taste of joy. 

The Banglawash

Who does not remember the unforgettable Banglawash in 2010? This series between Bangladesh and New Zealand will always be known and remembered among the Bangladesh cricket fraternity as "Banglawash" as it was a series where Bangladesh clean swept the opponent, winning all matches.

After winning the One Day International series, Bangladesh continued to win the rest of the matches, and this victory remains as one of the greatest achievements for Bangladesh cricket to this day. It was also the series where Rubel Hossain made a mark in the international scene and Bangladesh discovered a gem of a bowler.

Photo: ACC

Bangladesh women cricket win Asia Cup

Bangladesh cricket truly is an example of how cricket brings a nation together, undivided by gender. During the Asia Cup 2018, Bangladesh Women's Cricket Team celebrated massive victory as they defeated India in the final, enabling Bangladesh to achieve its maiden trophy in a multi-team tournament.

The match neared an intense end in the last over where nine runs were required, with Rumana Ahmed and Sanjida Islam batting. In an unprecedented turn of events, with fours and a wicket, the match ended with Jahanara Alam securing the final run. This was a massive and memorable win for the Bangladesh Women's Cricket Team.

Bangladesh losing to Pakistan in Asia Cup 2012    

Not all memorable moments of cricket are associated with winning a match — sometimes the memory of a loss in the field, especially in our own land stays reserved within our hearts for years. Such was the case in Asia Cup 2012, when Bangladesh needed only 9 runs in the last over to win against Pakistan in the final round.

The match took an intense nail-biting finish by the time of the final delivery when Bangladesh was short of four runs. Being so close to claiming the cup and what seemed like an inevitable victory for Bangladesh throughout their batsmanship quickly turned into defeat as Pakistan ended up winning by two runs. Although Bangladesh did not win the match that time, the Tigers won the hearts of the nation.