Bangladesh will aim for a rare slice of history when they take on Sri Lanka in the second and final Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo today, hoping to seal their first-ever Test series victory over the hosts.
Former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar has voiced support for under-fire opener Anamul Haque Bijoy, suggesting that the team management should give the struggling batter "one more chance" despite a poor showing in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Come June 26, Bangladesh will be completing its 25 years in Test cricket.
Sri Lankan great Angelo Mathews received a warm reception from the Bangladesh team during his farewell Test in Galle, which ended in a draw yesterday. The visitors gave him a guard of honour during his first-innings walk to the crease and later greeted him warmly after the match.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto defended his decision to declare late on the fifth day of the first Test in Galle, citing rain as a key factor that disrupted their plans for an earlier declaration.
Yet, despite the individual brilliance, murmurs of doubt persisted over Bangladesh’s approach, particularly their intent, or the lack thereof, in pursuing a win.
“As a leader, he’s shown great character, which will benefit the rest of the team.”
Unbeaten centuries from Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim on the opening day of the Galle Test yesterday brought welcome relief to Bangladesh cricket, who have been under scrutiny in recent months for both on- and off-field issues.
Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim has backed skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto to go on and convert his century into a double, after both reached three figures on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Tuesday.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is set to miss the series-deciding third ODI against Afghanistan today and also the forthcoming two-Test series against the West Indies owing to a groin strain, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) informed through a media release today.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto will not take part in the third and final ODI against Afghanistan today in Sharjah owing to a groin injury, confirmed a Bangladesh Cricket Board official.
"To be very honest I'm not happy. Probably I have to bat a bit longer because the wicket was difficult against spin," Shanto, who scored a 119-ball 76, said at the post-match presentation
The ongoing three-match series between Bangladesh and Afghanistan has so far felt like looking inside a time capsule and finding a 50-over series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium from the 90s in all its glory.
Bangladesh kept on breaking Afghanistan’s momentum in phases to eventually come out on top and level the three-match ODI series with a 68-run win in the second ODI at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Bangladesh all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz claimed that the pitch used for the first ODI of the three-match against Afghanistan on Wednesday changed abruptly to cause a thumping collapse in the Tigers’ batting effort, leading to a 92-run loss at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Bangladesh batters have an abundance of tricks in their basket to surprise the audience.
Once Shanto departed for 47 off 68, Bangladesh’s last seven wickets fell for just 11 runs.
The opening match of the three-match series, scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM (Bangladesh time), will be broadcast live on T Sports and GTV.
If you are a left-handed top-order Bangladesh batter, you would not like the sight of Afghanistan’s left-handed pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi steaming in at you with the new ball.
