Cricket

Bangladesh cricket legend Shakib Al Hasan has issued an unconditional apology for his silence during the recent civil unrest against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This move is seen as a potential step towards clearing the way for a farewell Test match at home against South Africa.Shakib, who has been accused in a murder case in Bangladesh, expressed his regret for not speaking out during the protests. He acknowledged the sacrifices made by students and apologized to those who were hurt by his silence.The 37-year-old all-rounder, who has played 71 Tests for Bangladesh, has expressed his desire to play his final five-day game at home. He had previously announced his retirement from T20Is after the World Cup in June.Shakib's request for a farewell Test had initially been dismissed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which stated that it was not responsible for providing security. However, sports advisor to the government Asif Mahmud indicated that security could be provided if Shakib clarified his political stance.In his apology, Shakib emphasized that his political involvement was solely driven by his desire to contribute to the development of his hometown, Magura. He stated that his primary identity remains as a cricketer for Bangladesh.Shakib's public apology is likely to pave the way for a farewell Test in Bangladesh Whites at his favorite 'Sher-e-Bangla' Stadium in Mirpur. He expressed his desire to bid farewell to his fans and acknowledge their support throughout his career.

Bangladesh's recent T20I defeats against India have sparked a debate within the team and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) about the need for better pitches at home. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and pacer Taskin Ahmed have both emphasized the importance of playing on high-quality surfaces to improve their batting and overall performance in the shortest format.After the 86-run loss in Delhi, Taskin stressed that Bangladesh's players need to get used to posting high totals on better pitches. He admitted that the team has "a lot of room for improvement" and that they rely heavily on a few key players to contribute to the total."We have informed the board, so I am sure they are thinking about [better pitches]," Taskin said. "They gave us hope that they will make things better. It is up to them how they will improve conditions back home."Taskin also pointed out the contrast between Bangladesh's batting performance and India's, who despite losing early wickets, managed to score 222 runs. He attributed this to India's experience playing on good batting pitches in the Indian Premier League (IPL)."Most matches in IPL are high-scoring. They know how to chase big targets, and build high scores," Taskin said. "What [scores like] 130-150 is for us, is 180-200 for them. We need to grow this habit [of scoring big], but I hope we have better home conditions so that we develop the ability to score and chase big targets."The lack of quality pitches in Bangladesh has also affected the team's bowling, particularly the spinners. Taskin expressed concern that the spinners had a bad day in Delhi, which cost Bangladesh the game. He also acknowledged that the team is not adapting quickly enough to better batting conditions."We haven't improved in T20s. It is our failure," he said. "Regardless of wickets back home, we are not doing well in better conditions. We are trying hard to improve, and we are hoping we can improve. That's all we can do."The BCB has taken note of the players' concerns and is considering the future of the Shere Bangla National Stadium's curator. The board is also exploring ways to improve the quality of pitches at home to help the team develop the skills necessary to compete against top teams like India.

India Set to Face Bangladesh in Second T20I, Aiming to Seal Series VictoryNew Delhi, India - The Indian cricket team, brimming with youthful energy, will take on Bangladesh in the second T20I of the three-match series on Wednesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The hosts are brimming with confidence after their commanding seven-wicket victory in the opening match in Gwalior, where they bowled out Bangladesh for a paltry 127 before chasing down the target comfortably within 12 overs.Given the all-round success of the squad, India is unlikely to tinker with their winning combination. The team, boasting several versatile players capable of contributing with both bat and ball, may stick to the same playing XI. This means that players like Harshit Rana, Jitesh Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Ravi Bishnoi may have to wait a little longer for their opportunity.The team conducted an optional practice session one day ahead of the match, with key players such as Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Mayank Yadav taking the day off. This indicates the confidence in their current form and fitness. Captain Suryakumar Yadav led the practice session on Tuesday, indulging in intense batting in the nets.Team India will aim to seal the series with another victory. With momentum on their side, India will look to put up another strong performance to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.Probable India Playing XI:* Abhishek Sharma* Sanju Samson (w)* Suryakumar Yadav (c)* Nitish Reddy* Hardik Pandya* Riyan Parag* Rinku Singh* Washington Sundar* Varun Chakravarthy* Arshdeep Singh* Mayank Yadav

Bangladesh's cricket icon Shakib Al Hasan's desire to bid farewell to Test cricket on home soil may become a reality, as top officials express support for his request. Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has personally conveyed his wish for Shakib to conclude his Test career in Bangladesh."He has contributed immensely to the country. Since he wants to play his final Test match in Bangladesh, I personally hope he gets that opportunity," Bhuyain stated during the Women's T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh and Scotland.Bhuyain assured that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would provide Shakib with the highest level of security. However, he clarified that any allegations against the all-rounder would be handled by the Ministry of Law."We will absolutely provide the highest level of security for our players...we have already committed to ensuring Shakib Al Hasan's security, and we will honor that commitment," he added.Previously, Bhuyain had insisted that Shakib clarify his political stance before receiving security. The shift in Bhuyain's stance has raised optimism that Shakib may play his final Test at Mirpur, despite challenges stemming from his brief political involvement.Shakib, a former lawmaker, faced allegations related to a murder case last month. He expressed concerns about his safety during a press conference in Kanpur while playing in the second Test against India.A senior BCB official revealed that they are working to bring Shakib back for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. The official hinted that Shakib's brief political career might work in his favor."You cannot point fingers at Shakib as a politician since he won the election, but it didn't last long—less than six months—so, how could he be punished for corruption? It's true that he is facing challenges due to his association with a certain political party, but at the same time, he didn't have much involvement as a politician," the BCB official said.Shakib is expected to inform the BCB soon about his availability for the South Africa series, bringing him closer to a possible farewell Test in front of his home crowd.

Bangladesh's batting woes continue to haunt them as they struggle to consistently post competitive totals in T20 cricket. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has acknowledged the team's shortcomings, admitting that they lack the skills and mentality to score 180-plus runs on a regular basis.Shanto believes that the lack of high-scoring wickets in Bangladesh has contributed to their batting struggles. "We play on 140-150 wickets at home. Our batters don't know how to score 180 runs," he said. "I won't blame just the wickets, but we have to consider skills and mentality."The team's powerplay approach has also come under scrutiny, with the opening stands contributing only 69 runs in the last eight innings. Shanto emphasized the importance of a strong start, saying, "Powerplay is definitely a worry. The approach we talked about (before the game), it will be successful if we make a good start with the bat."Shanto defended his team's performance against India, saying, "We are a better team than this. We haven't done well in this format for a long time, but I don't believe we are such a bad team." However, he acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly in shot selection.The captain also praised Indian pacer Mayank Yadav, who made an impressive debut on Sunday. "He is a good bowler," Shanto said. "But we have some similar fast bowlers in the nets. I don't think we were too worried about (Mayank Yadav)."Bangladesh will need to address their batting issues if they want to compete with the top teams in T20 cricket. Shanto and his team have a lot of work to do, but they remain confident that they can turn things around.

Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali expressed astonishment at the contrasting performances of the Bangladesh cricket team, which recently suffered a humiliating 2-0 Test series defeat against India after registering a historic Test series win in Pakistan.Ali questioned the Bangladesh team's lackluster display in the Test series against India, saying, "Is this the same Bangladesh team that whitewashed Pakistan (2-0)? You saw in the Test matches (against India). They lost the first one and then were defeated in virtually two days, even the rain could not save them."Ali attributed India's dominance to their exceptional depth, highlighting the performance of the young Indian Premier League (IPL) stars led by Suryakumar Yadav. "India have changed cricket (with their dominance). Bangladesh is just an appetizer (for them)," he said.The T20I retirement of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja has created opportunities for new players in the Indian team. Ali noted the absence of several key players from the playing XI in the match at Gwalior, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Axar Patel, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Ravi Bishnoi."Yeh IPL eleven hai, India ki team nahi hai," said Ali, emphasizing the strength of the Indian team's bench. "And still they hammered them in just 11-something overs, finishing with a six from (Hardik) Pandya."Ali praised the performances of debutants Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made their first international appearances in the match. He particularly lauded Yadav's impressive pace, saying, "There were two debuts, but it was a dream debut for Mayank Yadav. The first over was a maiden, including a 149.8 kmph delivery."Ali expressed hope that Yadav remains fit for India's upcoming tour of Australia, saying, "I pray that this kid remains fit and goes on the Australia tour."After the T20I series against Bangladesh, India will face New Zealand in a three-Test series before traveling to Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, which will be contested over five Test matches.

Bangladesh's T20I series opener against India on Sunday exposed their batting deficiencies, as they failed to provide their bowlers with a competitive total to defend. The visitors' struggles with the bat were evident from the outset, as they managed a meager 39/2 after the powerplay.Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto acknowledged the team's shortcomings, particularly in the powerplay. "We didn't start well. In T20, the first six overs are important, but we didn't do well," he said. "The plan was to play positive cricket, but we had to manage some overs and how we wanted to approach it. Looks like we didn't have much plan."Bangladesh's tepid batting performance was compounded by India's aggressive approach with the ball. Arshdeep Singh's early strikes put the visitors on the back foot, and the Indian bowlers maintained the pressure throughout the innings.Mehidy Hasan Miraz's late cameo of 35* runs provided some respite for Bangladesh, but it was not enough to propel them to a competitive total. India's openers, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, made light work of the chase, reaching the target with more than eight overs to spare.Shanto emphasized the need for a more proactive approach in the second T20I. "We need to focus on rotating the strike. T20 is not only about hitting. If we keep wickets in hand, we can get a good score," he said. "We didn't score many runs. Rishad bowled well, and Fizz was also good, but we didn't have enough runs."Bangladesh's batting woes have been a recurring theme in recent times, and they will need to find a solution quickly if they want to compete against India in the remaining matches of the series.

India's newly appointed bowling coach, Morne Morkel, has been actively involved in guiding the team's bowlers ahead of the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. During a recent nets session, Morkel was observed closely monitoring the bowling technique of all-rounder Hardik Pandya.Morkel reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with Pandya's approach, particularly his tendency to bowl too close to the stumps. The two engaged in a lengthy discussion, with Morkel providing detailed instructions on the necessary corrections. Morkel's focus extended beyond Pandya, as he also worked on the run-up and release point of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and rookies Harshit Rana and Mayank Yadav.The T20I series against Bangladesh marks the beginning of a new era for India's bowling unit under Morkel's guidance. The team will be eager to implement the lessons learned during the nets session and translate them into success on the field.India's T20 squad for the series includes a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team, while Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma will provide wicketkeeping options. Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and Ravi Bishnoi bring experience and versatility to the bowling attack.Youngsters like Harshit Rana and Mayank Yadav will be keen to make their mark after impressive performances in the Indian Premier League. Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, and Nitish Kumar Reddy will also look to seize the opportunity to showcase their skills.The series against Bangladesh will also provide a second chance for mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who has been absent from India's T20I setup for an extended period.

Bangladesh's historic victory in the Women's T20 World Cup opener against Scotland has ignited a surge of emotions and optimism within the team and the nation. Captain Nigar Sultana Joty expressed her elation, stating that the win after a decade-long drought was "very emotional."Joty, who played her 100th T20I in the match, emphasized the significance of the victory for the development of women's cricket in Bangladesh. "We have been waiting for this victory for a long time," she said. "It means a lot for women's cricket. We have always said that we have to create momentum, and now it seems like we are going to dream of doing something bigger."Despite the disappointment of not hosting the tournament as planned due to political unrest, Joty expressed gratitude for the support they received in the United Arab Emirates. "It was heartbreaking initially, but the people who came here today were brilliant," she said. "We are fortunate to be able to play here and represent our country."Scotland's Saskia Horley, who took three wickets in the match, acknowledged the disappointment of losing but expressed pride in competing at the World Cup. "Our captain said we're going to be history makers here," she said. "Anything above that is a bonus."Bangladesh's victory has created a wave of excitement back home. "They were very happy," Joty said of her family and fans. "They're in a very good mood right now."The team's next challenge will be against England on Saturday, while Scotland will face the West Indies on Sunday. The momentum gained from this historic win will undoubtedly fuel Bangladesh's aspirations for further success in the tournament.