Cricket

Bangladesh's historic Test series sweep over Pakistan has been celebrated with a heartwarming gesture by skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto. Following in the footsteps of Indian captain Rohit Sharma, Shanto shared a photo on social media of himself asleep beside the series trophy, accompanied by the caption "Good morning."This light-hearted moment has drawn comparisons to Rohit Sharma's iconic post after India's T20 World Cup 2024 victory, where he was seen sleeping next to the trophy in a hotel room in Barbados. Both posts symbolize the immense joy and relief after hard-fought victories.Bangladesh's 2-0 triumph over Pakistan marks their first-ever Test series win against their South Asian rivals. It also ends a 12-match winless streak against Pakistan and is only their fourth-ever series whitewash in Test history. More significantly, it is their first against a top-tier cricketing nation like Pakistan, making them only the second team after England to achieve a clean sweep in a Test series in Pakistan.The Bangladesh team's victory was hard-earned, especially after being reduced to 26/6 in the second Test. However, led by centurion Litton Das and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was instrumental with both bat and ball, Bangladesh staged an incredible comeback. Miraz's five-wicket haul in the second Test was pivotal in dismantling Pakistan's batting lineup, paving the way for this momentous win.Bangladesh's success is a testament to their growing strength in Test cricket. They have now won four of their last six Test series, including victories over New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. This series sweep over Pakistan is a major milestone for Bangladesh cricket and will undoubtedly boost their confidence going forward.

India's Test cricketers will commence their preparations for the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on September 12. The Bangladesh team is scheduled to arrive on September 15 for their own training session.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the Indian squad for the series, which is expected to be named after the first round of the Duleep Trophy, scheduled from September 5 to 8. The Duleep Trophy will feature several Test hopefuls, including Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer.India's Test season, part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, will begin with the Bangladesh series, followed by three Tests against New Zealand at home. The team will then embark on a tour of South Africa for five white-ball matches and later travel to Australia for five Tests.India's last Test assignment was a 4-1 home series victory over England in February-March. Since then, the team has participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the T20 World Cup, and white-ball series in Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.Bangladesh, on the other hand, is riding high on confidence after their historic 2-0 Test series sweep against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. The victory has propelled them to fourth place in the WTC standings with 45.83 percentage points. India, currently leading the table with 68.52 percentage points, will aim to consolidate their position in the upcoming series.

Pakistan's cricket team has plummeted to its lowest ranking in over half a century, falling to eighth place in the ICC Test rankings after a humiliating series loss to Bangladesh. This marks the first time Pakistan has ever lost a Test series to Bangladesh.The two-match series, held in Rawalpindi, saw Pakistan suffer a crushing 10-wicket defeat in the first Test and a 6-wicket loss in the second. The defeats have resulted in Pakistan dropping two places in the rankings, below West Indies, and accumulating a mere 76 rating points.This is the lowest rating Pakistan has held since 1965, excluding a brief period when they were not ranked due to an insufficient number of matches. Bangladesh's successful chase of 185 in the second Test was the third-highest by any visiting team in Pakistan.Despite their impressive performance, Bangladesh did not receive a significant boost in the rankings, remaining in ninth place. However, the series victory has solidified their position in the World Test Championship cycle 2023-25, where they now rank fourth behind India, Australia, and New Zealand.Bangladesh's success in the series has earned them 13 rating points, bringing their total to 33. They will now shift their focus to a two-Test series against India, commencing on September 19 in Chennai.In the World Test Championship, teams are ranked based on the percentage of points they win. A victory earns 12 points, a draw earns 4 points, and a tie earns 6 points.

Bangladesh has achieved a historic 2-0 Test series whitewash over Pakistan on Pakistani soil, marking a significant milestone in their cricketing history. Despite Pakistan's 12-0 record over Bangladesh in Test cricket and Bangladesh's 0-20 record in Pakistan, the Tigers have emerged victorious.The series victory is Bangladesh's second-ever Test series win on away soil. Pakistan's dismal performance has drawn criticism from experts, with Indian cricket journalist Harsha Bhogle calling it "embarrassing."After a rain-affected first day, Pakistan was bowled out for 274 on Day 2. Bangladesh, however, found themselves in trouble at 26/6 in their first innings. A resilient comeback led by Litton Das' 138 off 228 balls brought Bangladesh within 12 runs of Pakistan's total.Bangladesh then bowled out Pakistan for 172 in the second innings, with Hasan Mahmud taking a five-wicket haul. Chasing the target, every Bangladesh batter contributed with a 20-plus score, guiding the team to a historic series win.Earlier, Bangladesh had won the first Test by 10 wickets after a Pakistan second innings collapse. The series victory has propelled Bangladesh to an unprecedented fourth spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle standings, while Pakistan's chances of reaching the final are almost certainly over.

Pakistan's humiliating defeat to Bangladesh in the second Test in Rawalpindi has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. The loss, Pakistan's first against Bangladesh in Test cricket, has sparked a firestorm of criticism and raised serious questions about the team's captaincy, selection, and future prospects.The match witnessed a dramatic turnaround after Bangladesh, reeling at 26/6 in their first innings, staged a remarkable recovery. Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz emerged as the architects of Bangladesh's victory, stitching together a match-defining 165-run partnership.Former cricketer Basit Ali has attributed the loss directly to captain Shan Masood's tactical decisions, arguing that they allowed Litton and Mehidy to flourish. Ali has described the team's performance as "third-class" and urged Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to address the team's shortcomings."It was a third-class performance. Pakistan lost the Test match due to captaincy. Captaincy played a key role in the way Litton Das and Mehidy performed after 26/6. There is no need for surgery. The Pakistan team has done surgery on themselves. Mohsin Naqvi should think about this. In the past six months, Pakistan has lost two big events," Ali said on his YouTube channel.Former opener Ahmed Shehzad has also questioned Masood's place in the team, suggesting that his captaincy was the sole reason for his inclusion.The loss to Bangladesh serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Pakistan's Test team. With a crucial series against England scheduled for October, the team management faces the daunting task of addressing the identified weaknesses, reassessing team composition, and devising a winning strategy to regain lost ground.The debate surrounding the captaincy, team selection, and the team's overall performance is likely to intensify in the coming weeks. How the PCB and the team management respond to this defeat will be crucial in shaping the future of Pakistan's Test cricket.

Pakistan's Test woes continued as Bangladesh completed a historic clean sweep in their two-match series, leaving captain Shan Masood deeply disappointed.Bangladesh chased down a target of 143 with ease on the final day, losing just four wickets. The victory marked their second bilateral series win of two or more Tests away from home, the first since 2009 against the West Indies.Masood expressed frustration over his team's recurring failures, particularly their inability to capitalize on dominant positions. He highlighted the need for improved fitness and preparation, especially in the bowling department."We have not learnt our lessons," Masood said. "We thought we were playing good cricket in Australia but not doing the job. We need to work on that."Masood acknowledged missed opportunities in the first innings, where Pakistan failed to capitalize on a strong start. He also emphasized the importance of getting Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah back in the fold, but stressed the need for better fitness and preparation.The defeat extended Pakistan's miserable home record in Tests to 10 matches without a win. Masood has now endured two consecutive clean sweeps as Test captain, having lost 3-0 to Australia previously.Bangladesh's victory is a testament to their growing strength in Test cricket. They have now won four of their last five Tests, including a historic series win in New Zealand.

Bangladesh's historic Test victory over Pakistan in Karachi was orchestrated by their young pace duo, Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana. The 24-year-old Mahmud and 21-year-old Rana combined for nine wickets in the second innings, setting up the 185-run chase.Mahmud and Rana's performance was particularly impressive given the challenging conditions. "As fast bowlers, you have to take advantage [of conditions] and keep working hard together," said Mahmud. "It's important to get the benefit from your fast bowlers as well as spinners."While Mahmud and Rana stole the spotlight, the match and series awards went to more experienced players. Litton Das, who scored 138 in the first innings, received the match award. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who tallied 155 runs and ten wickets, earned the series award.Litton and Mehidy's partnership in the first innings, when Bangladesh were struggling at 26 for 6, proved crucial. Litton's 138 from No. 7 and Mehidy's 78 from No. 8 kept Bangladesh in the game."The way me and Miraz [were] batting, the credit actually goes to Miraz," said Litton. "He faced 20 balls and killed their momentum."After that stand, Litton formed another partnership with Mahmud, contributing 69 runs. "When Hasan came, I didn't have any scoring opportunities," said Litton. "So I took my time and thought I had to play the over, not the ramp or anything."Bangladesh's bowling coach, Andre Adams, praised the young fast-bowling duo. "Very proud. Very young group," said Adams. "They showed some good control second innings particularly."Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto credited the team's success to their work ethic. "They wanted to win. That was very important for our team," said Shanto. "The way Shadman batted, the 93 innings, and this innings, the way Zakir approached the innings, the momentum came to us."Mehidy Hasan Miraz dedicated his Player-of-the-Series award to the student protestors who were martyred in Bangladesh. "I want to gift this award to his family," said Mehidy.

Pakistan cricket has reached its lowest point in recent history, suffering a humiliating six-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in the second Test in Rawalpindi. This marks the first time Bangladesh has defeated Pakistan in a Test match and series.The defeat has sent shockwaves through the Pakistani cricket community, with former stalwarts expressing their dismay and concern. Javed Miandad, a former Test captain, lamented the state of Pakistani cricket, stating that it was "hurting" to witness the team's decline.The second Test saw Bangladesh's batters dominate the second innings after Pakistan dropped pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and rested Naseem Shah. Pakistan had initially put Bangladesh on the back foot, reducing them to 26 for 6 in their first innings. However, a spectacular partnership between centurion Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz rescued the visitors.Miandad believes that the players have lost confidence due to the turmoil within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He pointed to the frequent captaincy and management changes as factors that have destabilized the team.Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq echoed Miandad's concerns, highlighting Pakistan's poor home record in recent years. He emphasized the importance of batsmen scoring runs, especially in home conditions.Record-breaking batsman Younis Khan attributed Pakistan's struggles to a lack of mental strength. He believes that the team needs to overcome its current crisis by developing a clear mindset.Former Test batter Ahmed Shezad criticized the batsmen for their inability to handle pace and movement, suggesting that the future of Pakistani cricket is bleak if they cannot improve in this area.Former Test spinner Iqbal Qasim urged the team management to groom existing and upcoming spinners, as Pakistan's best chance of success at home lies in utilizing spin-friendly pitches.With this latest setback, Pakistan's hopes of reaching the final of the World Test Championship appear to have evaporated. Captain Shan Masood's lack of runs has added to his woes, while senior batter Babar Azam has also struggled to make an impact.Despite the team's poor performance, red-ball coach Jason Gillispie and his white-ball counterpart Gary Kirsten have advised the PCB and selectors not to panic, as it could further dent the players' confidence. Gillispie and high-performance coach Tim Nielsen will return to Australia for a short break.

Bangladesh has made history by securing a remarkable Test series victory against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. This triumph marks Bangladesh's first-ever Test series win over Pakistan, a testament to their growing prowess in the international cricket arena.The two-match series was a thrilling affair, with Bangladesh emerging victorious in both Tests. In the first Test, Bangladesh stunned Pakistan by 10 wickets, claiming their first Test win in 14 years. The second Test proved to be even more dominant for Bangladesh, as they thrashed Pakistan by six wickets to clinch the series.Bangladesh's success was built on a combination of solid batting, disciplined bowling, and astute captaincy. In the first Test, Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz played pivotal roles with brilliant centuries, while Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana led the bowling attack with impressive performances.In the second Test, Bangladesh's bowlers once again shone, dismissing Pakistan for just 172 runs in the second innings. Zakir Hasan and captain Shanto provided a solid foundation for the chase, while Mushfiqur Rahim and Sakib Al Hasan guided Bangladesh home to a historic victory.This series win is a significant milestone for Bangladesh cricket. It not only marks their first Test series triumph against Pakistan but also boosts their confidence ahead of the upcoming ICC Test Championship. Bangladesh's performance has demonstrated their ability to compete with the top teams in the world and has raised expectations for their future endeavors.