Jishan ton ignites NCL T20 opening round

Dhaka, 11 Dec - Youngster Jishan Alam kick-started NCL T20, the only T20 tournament for the local players, in grand fashion by hitting a scintillating century. 

Even though his century couldn’t win the match for Sylhet, the desire of the local players to showcase their talent in a T20 tournament for them only was evident in the opening round.

Almost all of the matches saw a run-galore as local players gave a hint that a proper platform would help them decode the T20 cricket, a format in which Bangladesh remained vulnerable traditionally. 

However, in the opening round of the tournament, Dhaka, Dhaka Metro, Rangpur and Khulna won their respective matches. 

 Sylhet vs Dhaka 

Jishan Alam’s valiant century was not enough to resist his side Sylhet from a six-wicket defeat to Dhaka Division at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Jishan struck 100 off just 52 balls with four fours and 10 sixes, the second highest sixes for a Bangladesh player in recognized T20 cricket after Tamim Iqbal and Najmul Hossain Shanto who both hit 11 sixes in a century plus innings as Sylhet racked up 205-4.

He was dismissed in the immediate next delivery just after reaching his century. The highlight of his century was seven sixes in eight balls, including five straight sixes in an over off Arafat Sunny Junior. 

But Ariful Islam trumped his century with 94 off 46, an innings laced with six fours and eight sixes as Dhaka reached the victory target (207-4) in the last ball of the innings.

While Ariful missed the century, he set a well platform for the side. Using that platform, Mahidul Islam Ankan and Shuvagata Hom shared an unbeaten 63 runs off just 37 balls to help the ease past the target.

Shuvagata was not out on 31 from 18 balls while Ankan played 23 balls for his unbeaten 30.

Dhaka Metro vs Barishal 

Captain Naim Sheikh led from the front as Dhaka Metro got off to a winning start to the NCL T20 with a 31-run victory over Barishal Sylhet Academy Cricket Ground.

Naim Sheikh lifted Metro to 192-4, hitting 65 off 35 with five fours and four sixes. He and his opening partner Imranuzzman set the platform upfront with 119 runs in just 11 overs. 
Imran hammered 33 ball-53 with two fours and four sixes. However, both Naim and Imran were dismissed in the space of two balls and the next batters couldn’t hit big to take the score past 200.

But that mattered little as Metro held back Barishal to 161-8 despite Fazle Rabbi’s 52 ball-77. Left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan snapped 3-26 to play a vital role in defending the total. Apart from Fazle Rabbi, only Sohag Gazi made had some contribution, scoring 32 ball-40 not out.

Rangpur vs Chattogram 

Fast bowler Mukidul Islam Mugdho claimed 3-17 as Rangpur Division secured a five-wicket win over Chattogram at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Earlier the first match of the venue saw a run-galore with Sylhet and Dhaka putting up 412 runs in combined. However, the pitch looked little slow during the second game and  Mugdho utilized it to good effect to restrict Chattogram to 132-9. The highest 27 runs came from the willow of Mominul Haque who hit two fours and one six in 21 balls.

Rangpur was also in discomfort state while chasing the target. Thanks to Tanbir Hyders’ 37 ball-41, they finally cantered to the victory with 134-5 in 16.5 overs. 
Khulna vs Rajshahi 

Despite a blitzkrieg knock from opener Habibur Rahman Sohan, Rajshahi suffered an 11-run defeat to Khulna Division on DLS method at Sylhet Academy ground.

Khulna put on 172-7 after being sent to bat first with Under-19 captain Azizul Hakim Tamim carrying his Asia Cup form to the NCL by blasting 31 ball-53 with three fours and four sixes.
Mrittunjoy Chowdhury made 35 not out while captain Nurul Hasan Sohan scored 37. Farhad Reza took 3-18 for Rajshahi. 

Rajshahi’s target was set 165 in 17.2 overs but they were able to put up 153-3 despite Habibur’s 38 ball-66 which studded with eight fours and four sixes. 

BSS/SMP/TAN/2020Hrs 
 
Bangladesh face off Windies in 3rd ODI to avoid series sweep
DHAKA, Dec 11, 2024 (BSS)—In a bid to avoid an ignominious whitewash in an ODI format, which is touted as their strongest zone, Bangladesh will take on West Indies in the third and final game tomorrow (Thursday) at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts. The match starts at 7.30 PM (Bangladesh Time).

Bangladesh lost the first match by five wickets before suffering a seven-wicket defeat in the second game to taste their first ever ODI series defeat to West Indies since 2014.

After registering their first Test victory on Caribbean Island for the first time since 2009, Bangladesh were looking for the fifth straight ODI series victory against West Indies, considering their strength and experience in this format.

Bangladesh in fact came to the series with the back of 11 straight ODI wins against West Indies. But the things didn’t pan out as they expected.

The West Indies, a team full of power hitters, found their form at right time on a batting favourable pitch to tear apart Bangladesh bowlers in an emphatic fashion which was beyond the imagination.
They firstly snapped the 11-match losing streak by winning first game and then made it two in two with even easier victory in the second game.

Bangladesh were all out for 227 in the second game and things could have become worst had Mahmudullah Riyad and Tanzim Hasan Sakib not lifted them with record 92-run partnership after they were reduced to 115-7. West Indies gunned down the total with 79 balls to spare.

“If we hadn't lost those wickets consecutively and if the batters had shown a bit more commitment, we could have achieved a better score," said Tanzim after the match. "Their bowlers, of course, bowled well. They got good swing and carry from the wicket. Perhaps we could have batted with a bit more commitment and focus. This was actually a very good batting wicket. I think if we had taken a bit more time initially, we could have recovered later."

However he believes that Bangladesh will be able to avoid a whitewash. Last time when West Indies won an ODI series against Bangladesh in 2014, they swept the three-match series.

Bangladesh are likely to make some changes to the squad while West Indies could stay unchanged.

The two sides met 46 times in this format with West Indies leading the contest with 23 win. Bangladesh won 21 matches while the rest of the two matches ended in a tie.

Squad

Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Captain), Liton Das (WK), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana

West Indies squad: Shai Hope (c), Brandon King (vc), Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Shimron Hetmyer, Amir Jangoo (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd