Cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the schedule for the warm-up matches ahead of the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA. India, the inaugural champions of the tournament in 2007, will face Bangladesh in a warm-up match on June 1 at a venue yet to be determined in the USA.The warm-up fixtures will be held across various venues in the USA and Trinidad and Tobago from May 27 to June 1. A total of 17 teams, including South Africa, who will play an intra-squad match on June 29 in Florida, will participate in the warm-up games. These matches will not carry international T20 status, allowing teams to utilize their entire 15-player squad.In a departure from previous cycles, teams now have the option to play up to two warm-up matches, depending on their arrival time for the main event. Notably, the warm-up match between the West Indies and Australia at Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago on May 30, will be open to fans.Tickets for the matches can be purchased from the official ticketing website or at designated box offices starting from May 16. The 2024 Men's T20 World Cup will kick off on June 1 with a match between co-hosts USA and neighboring Canada.The tournament will feature matches at iconic cricket venues like Kensington Oval in Barbados and Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad. This marks the first time the USA will host an ICC tournament.The tournament will begin with the 20 teams divided into four groups of five each for the initial round. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eight stage, where they will be divided into two groups of four each. Teams maintaining their seeding from the first round will compete in the Super Eight, provided they qualify.The top two sides from each group in the Super Eight will advance to the semifinals, scheduled to be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27, respectively. The final showdown is set to take place in Barbados on June 29.

India's women's cricket team has made significant strides in the latest ICC Women's T20I rankings, reflecting their impressive performance in the recently concluded series against Bangladesh. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has climbed three places to 13th in the batters' list, while Richa Ghosh has moved up two spots to 23rd.Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav has also made a notable jump, rising seven places to 23rd in the bowlers' rankings. Titas Sadhu has also improved her position, moving up 18 spots to 60th. These rankings come just months before the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, where India will be hoping to make a strong impact.England's players have also made progress in the rankings. Heather Knight has risen four places to 18th in the batters' list, while Amy Jones has moved up three places to 26th. All-rounder Sarah Glenn has climbed two spots to fourth in the bowlers' rankings, behind teammate Sophie Ecclestone.Sri Lanka's players have also been rewarded for their success in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier event. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu, who was the leading run-scorer at the tournament, has risen two places to equal seventh on the batters' list. She has also moved up one place to fifth in the all-rounders' rankings.Inoshi Fernando and Udeshika Prabodhani have also made gains in the bowlers' rankings, moving up five spots each to 19th and 30th respectively. These rankings reflect the growing strength of women's cricket around the world, with players from various nations making their mark on the international stage.

Taskin Ahmed, despite his recent injury, has been named vice-captain and included in Bangladesh's 15-member squad for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. The all-rounder suffered a side strain during the series against Zimbabwe but is expected to recover in time for the tournament.Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the team, which also features veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has participated in every T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007. Litton Das, despite his recent struggles in white-ball cricket, has also been included in the squad.Taskin's injury occurred before the fifth T20I against Zimbabwe on May 12, forcing him to miss the match. However, he was named Player of the Series for his impressive performance in the previous four games, claiming eight wickets.Bangladesh will kick off their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 8 in Dallas. The squad includes a mix of experienced players and rising stars, with the likes of Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, and Mahmudullah providing support to the core group.The team will also have the services of Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Tanzim Hasan. Hasan Mahmud and Afif Hossain have been named as traveling reserves.Bangladesh will be hoping to make a strong impact at the World Cup, having reached the semi-finals in 2016. With a talented squad and a determined mindset, they will be aiming to challenge the top teams and make a deep run in the tournament.

Zimbabwe's captain, Sikandar Raza, opted to field first against Bangladesh in the fifth and final T20I match in Dhaka. The visitors made one change to their lineup, bringing in Sean Williams for Richard Ngarava.Bangladesh, who have already secured the series 4-0, made three changes to their team. Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, and Mohammad Saifuddin replaced Taskin Ahmed, Tanvir Islam, and Tanzim Hasan.Bangladesh XI:1. Tanzid Hasan2. Soumya Sarkar3. Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt)4. Towhid Hridoy5. Shakib Al Hasan6. Mahmudullah7. Jaker Ali (wk)8. Mahedi Hasan9. Rishad Hossain10. Mohammad Saifuddin11. Mustafizur RahmanZimbabwe XI:1. Brian Bennett2. Tadiawanashe Marumani3. Sikandar Raza (capt)4. Sean Williams5. Clive Madande (wk)6. Ryan Burl7. Johnathan Campbell8. Luke Jongwe9. Wellington Masakadza10. Faraz Akram11. Blessing MuzarabaniThe match marks the end of a successful tour for Bangladesh, who have dominated Zimbabwe throughout the series. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, will be looking to salvage some pride and end the tour on a positive note.

Cricket, a game of intense competition and skill, often provides moments of hilarity and amusement. During the fourth T20I between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in Dhaka, an incident occurred that left both players and commentators in disbelief.In the final over of Bangladesh's innings, Blessing Muzarabani bowled a slower ball to Tanvir Islam. Islam defended the ball to Muzarabani's right, who missed an opportunity to run out Mustafizur Rahman. The ball reached third man, and the batters attempted a second run. However, Mustafizur had run a considerable distance, making it an easy run-out at the bowler's end.As the throw came from third man to the non-striker's end, Jonathan Campbell fumbled but still had ample time to run out Mustafizur. However, in a comical turn of events, Campbell under-armed the ball from a few meters away and missed the stumps. The Zimbabwean players and commentators were left in disbelief at the missed opportunity.Campbell could have easily dived and removed the stumps, but his close-range miss provided a moment of laughter and amusement. Bangladesh went on to win the match by five runs, securing the series victory after winning the first three matches. Zimbabwe will wrap up their tour with the fifth and final match of the series in Dhaka on Sunday.

West Indies Cricket Board (CWI) has announced an exciting schedule of home tours for 2024, featuring visits from South Africa, England, and Bangladesh. The tours will provide ample opportunities for the West Indies team to prepare for the T20 World Cup and showcase their skills against some of the top cricketing nations.The home season kicks off with a three-match T20I series against South Africa in May, followed by a two-Test series in August. The Proteas will also play a four-day warm-up game in Tarouba before the Test matches.After a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in October, West Indies will host England for a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series. The matches will be played across Antigua, Barbados, and St Lucia.Bangladesh will then visit the Caribbean for an all-format tour from November to December. The tour will include two Test matches, three ODIs, and three T20Is. West Indies will return to the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent for the first time since 2014 for the T20I series. Bangladesh will also play a warm-up game before the Tests in Antigua.CWI CEO Johnny Grave expressed his excitement about the upcoming tours, stating that they will provide valuable experience for the West Indies team. He also noted that Grenada and Dominica missed out on hosting games this year due to stadium improvements but will be included in the schedule for 2025.

Zimbabwe's captain, Sikandar Raza, opted to field first in the fourth T20I against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The visitors made two changes to their lineup, bringing in left-arm quick Richard Ngarava and batter Ryan Burl in place of wicketkeeper Joylord Gumbie and middle-order batter Craig Ervine.Bangladesh's captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, also expressed his preference for bowling first. The hosts welcomed back Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, and Mustafizur Rahman to their squad, replacing Mahmudullah, Litton Das, and Mohammad Saifuddin.Shakib's return marked his first T20I appearance since July 2023, having been sidelined by an eye condition and a finger injury. Mustafizur, on the other hand, rejoined the team after a brief rest following his stint with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.This match marked the first T20I to be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium since March 2023. Bangladesh had played their previous 11 T20Is in Sylhet or Chattogram.Bangladesh currently holds a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match series, having won the first three matches by eight wickets, six wickets, and nine runs, respectively.

India's women's cricket team completed a comprehensive 5-0 series sweep against Bangladesh with a 21-run victory in the fifth and final T20I in Sylhet on Thursday.After posting a competitive 156 for five, India's bowlers, led by Radha Yadav's three-wicket haul, restricted Bangladesh to 136 for six.Richa Ghosh's quickfire unbeaten 28 off 17 balls provided the impetus for India's total. The wicketkeeper-batter struck three fours and a six to help India recover from a mid-innings wobble.Smriti Mandhana (33) and Dayalan Hemalatha (37) had earlier laid the foundation with a 60-run partnership for the third wicket.Bangladesh's chase began promisingly, with Sobhana Mostary hitting three fours in the first over. However, Yadav's athletic catch to dismiss Mostary set the tone for India's bowling performance.Yadav then removed Dilara Akter, Nigar Sultana, and Rubya Haider in quick succession to leave Bangladesh reeling at 52 for five.Ritu Moni (37) and Shorifa Khatun (28 not out) staged a brief fightback with a 57-run stand for the sixth wicket. However, Asha Sobhana broke the partnership by dismissing Moni in the 17th over.Despite the rearguard action, Bangladesh fell short of the target, handing India a comfortable victory.Yadav finished as the series' leading wicket-taker with 10 dismissals, while Mandhana was the leading run-scorer with 116 runs.

Zimbabwe's captain, Sikandar Raza, opted to field first in the third T20I against Bangladesh in Chattogram. This decision mirrored that of his Bangladeshi counterpart, Najmul Hossain Shanto, in the previous two matches.Zimbabwe made two changes to their lineup. Richard Ngarava was ruled out due to injury, with Faraz Akram taking his place. Wellington Masakadza returned from concussion concerns, replacing Ainsley Ndlovu.Bangladesh also made alterations, resting Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan. Tanzim Hasan and Tanvir Islam were brought in as replacements. These changes resulted in a shorter batting lineup for Bangladesh, with Rishad Hossain likely to bat at number seven.Zimbabwe, on the other hand, boasts a strong batting order with seven batters before their all-rounders.