Cricket

Bangladesh's Historic Triumph: Stunning India in the 2015 ODI SeriesIn 2015, Bangladesh made history by defeating India in a three-match ODI series, marking a significant milestone in their cricketing journey. The series, held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, witnessed the emergence of a young pace sensation, Mustafizur Rahman, who played a pivotal role in Bangladesh's triumph.The first ODI on June 18 proved to be a nightmare for India. Mustafizur Rahman, making his international debut, wreaked havoc on the Indian batting lineup, claiming an impressive five-wicket haul. India was restricted to a mere 228 runs, which Bangladesh comfortably chased down, winning by a convincing 79 runs.Despite the setback, India remained hopeful of a comeback in the remaining two ODIs. However, Bangladesh had other plans. In the second ODI, Mustafizur once again proved his mettle, taking six wickets for just 43 runs. India, batting first, could only manage 200 runs, which Bangladesh chased with ease, winning by six wickets and sealing the series with one match to spare.This victory was a historic moment for Bangladesh, as it marked their first-ever ODI series win against India. It was a testament to the team's growing strength and determination. The series also secured Bangladesh's qualification for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, adding to the significance of their triumph.Although India managed to salvage some pride with a consolation win in the third ODI, the series will always be remembered for Bangladesh's dominance and Mustafizur Rahman's breakthrough performances. The young pacer's exceptional skills and ability to swing the ball both ways made him an instant sensation, and his performances in the series played a crucial role in Bangladesh's historic victory.

Bangladesh's Tanzim Hasan Sakib emerged as the hero with a remarkable four-wicket haul, guiding his team to a crucial 21-run victory over Nepal in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. This triumph secured Bangladesh's place in the Super 8s, while eliminating the Netherlands from the tournament.Nepal's pursuit of 107 runs proved challenging, as they lost four wickets within the Powerplay, including the key dismissal of Sundeep Jora. Despite a valiant partnership between Kushal Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee, Nepal's hopes were dashed by Mustafizur Rahman's exceptional bowling in the 17th and 19th overs. Shakib Al Hasan's two wickets in two balls in the final overs sealed the victory for Bangladesh.Earlier, Nepal's bowlers, led by Sompal Kami and Rohit Paudel, exploited the favorable conditions to restrict Bangladesh to a modest 106. Kami's early dismissal of Tanzid Hasan set the tone for Bangladesh's batting struggles. Dipendra Singh and other bowlers continued to chip away at the wickets, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 31/4 after the Powerplay.Despite Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah's efforts to stabilize the innings, a misunderstanding led to Mahmudullah's runout. Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's last hope, fell to Paudel after scoring 17 runs. Sandeep Lamichhane claimed his 99th T20I wicket by dismissing Tanzim Hasan Sakib for 3. Bangladesh managed to reach 106 thanks to an 18-run last-wicket partnership between Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.

Bangladesh's head coach, Chandika Hathurusinghe, expressed his delight with the bowling unit's performance in their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Sri Lanka. Despite Sri Lanka's strong start, the Bangladesh bowlers rallied to restrict them to a modest 124 for 9.Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain were the standout performers, claiming three wickets each, while Taskin Ahmed chipped in with two. Hathurusinghe praised Mustafizur's confidence and the bowling unit's collective ownership of their plans."The way the bowling unit has taken ownership of the situation and plans, it was very impressive," Hathurusinghe said. "My coaching staff is doing a good job by giving them a lot of information, but they are the ones making all the decisions in the middle."Hathurusinghe singled out legspinner Rishad's performance as the "most pleasing thing" from Bangladesh's victory. Rishad's three wickets in two overs triggered Sri Lanka's collapse."We backed him [Rishad] for a year. We knew that he is going to win games for us," Hathurusinghe said. "Winning that game was important. It was very satisfying. You know how challenging it is for us to get a legspinner into the team."However, Hathurusinghe acknowledged that the batters who are struggling with form need to regain their confidence. Soumya Sarkar, captain Shanto, and Tanzid Hasan were dismissed cheaply against Sri Lanka."We talk about their game, their strength, and their opposition. But once they [the batters] get into the middle, they are on their own. They need to understand their game and how they feel," Hathurusinghe said. "It is not technical. If you look at the dismissals, they are not getting out in a certain way.""I think they need to calm down and think about their strength. When you are confident, you play to your strength. That's the message for any batter: remember your actions when you are doing well."In the chase, Bangladesh lost three wickets in the powerplay before Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah steadied the innings. Mahmudullah's unbeaten 16 guided Bangladesh to victory."I was always impressed with his [Mahmudullah's] ability to finish games, that's why he is batting where he is batting," Hathurusinghe said. "He has a lot of experience. He is one of the calmest guys in the middle under pressure in our team. He knows his role."Hathurusinghe also praised Litton Das for his 36-run knock, but emphasized that the other batters need to step up."Lately, we have been inconsistent. It is a difficult format to take time to get in form. You have to get going from the start. Confidence plays a big part in T20 cricket," he said. "Some of the batters are short of runs. They train well, but it is the lack of confidence due to lack of runs."

Bangladesh salvaged some pride by defeating the United States by 10 wickets in the final match of their three-game T20I series in Houston on Saturday. The victory came after the Americans had surprised their higher-ranked opponents by winning the first two games.Mustafizur Rahman was the star for Bangladesh, taking a career-best 6-10 as the USA were restricted to a mere 104-9 in their 20 overs. The visitors then chased down the target in just 11.4 overs without losing a wicket.The American innings started well with Shayan Jahangir and Andries Gous putting on 46 runs before Gous was caught by Soumya Sarkar off Shakib Al Hasan's bowling. Jahingir followed soon after, caught by Tanzim Hasan Sakib while attempting to pull a delivery from Mustafizur.The hosts struggled to maintain their momentum, scoring only 14 runs while losing three more wickets. Mustafizur, bowling his second spell at the death, finished with his career-best T20I figures of 6-10.Bangladesh's chase was comfortable, with Tanzid Hasan scoring 58 off 42 balls and Soumya contributing 43 off 28 deliveries. The American bowlers failed to exert any significant pressure on the Bangladeshi batsmen.Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed satisfaction with his team's response to the two previous losses. "I think the boys showed a lot of character today. I think the plan we made before this match, everyone executed," he said.He acknowledged the disappointment of losing the series but emphasized the importance of finishing on a positive note and gaining valuable experience ahead of the World Cup.USA vice-captain Aaron Jones attributed the loss to poor shot selection by the American batsmen. The USA will play two warm-up games against Bangladesh and Nepal in Grand Prairie, Dallas, before facing Canada in the opening game of the T20 World Cup on Saturday. Jones stressed the significance of these matches in finalizing the team's combination for the tournament.

Shakib Al Hasan, the talismanic all-rounder, makes a much-anticipated return to Bangladesh's T20I squad after an absence of nearly a year. The 36-year-old has been named in the team for the final two matches of the series against Zimbabwe in Dhaka, scheduled for May 11 and 12.Shakib's inclusion is a major boost for Bangladesh, who have taken a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The veteran all-rounder, who last played a T20I in July 2023, will provide much-needed experience and leadership to the side.Also returning to the squad are Soumya Sarkar and Mustafizur Rahman. Sarkar, a hard-hitting opener, has been out with a knee injury since March, while Rahman, a pace bowler, has been rested after a busy IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings.The trio of Shakib, Sarkar, and Rahman replace Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain, and Shoriful Islam. Emon and Afif missed all three games of the series, while Shoriful played the first two matches.Shakib's return is particularly significant as he was Bangladesh's captain when he last played T20Is. He was instrumental in building the team towards this year's T20 World Cup, but injuries hampered his progress. Najmul Hossain Shanto has since taken over the captaincy in all formats.Mustafizur's return will also bolster Bangladesh's bowling attack. The left-arm pacer has been in impressive form in the IPL, taking 10 wickets in 11 matches.Soumya's inclusion adds depth to the batting lineup. The left-handed opener is known for his aggressive style of play and will be looking to make a strong impact on his return from injury.The final two T20Is against Zimbabwe will provide Bangladesh with an opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the T20 World Cup. The squad for the tournament is expected to be announced on May 13, the day after the last T20I in Dhaka.

Dhoni's Heartwarming Gesture: Jersey Presentation to CSK and MustafizurIn a touching display of camaraderie, legendary cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni presented his signed jersey to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and pacer Mustafizur Rahman. The gesture was met with immense gratitude from Mustafizur, who shared the special moment on social media."Thanks for everything Mahi bhai. It was a special feeling to share the same dressing room with a legend like you. Thanks for keeping faith in me everytime. Appreciating your valuable tips, I will remember those things," Mustafizur wrote on Twitter.The left-arm pacer expressed his eagerness to reunite with Dhoni in the future, saying, "Looking forward to meeting and playing with you again soon."Mustafizur's departure from the CSK camp for international duty has left a void in the team. CSK currently sits in fifth place on the points tally, with five wins and five losses in 10 matches.CSK head coach Stephen Fleming expressed disappointment over Mustafizur's absence, stating, "Losing Fizz (Mustafizur Rahman) is disappointing."Despite the setback, Fleming praised the performance of English pacer Richard Gleeson, who filled in for Mustafizur. "Richard Gleeson was good, and it was a positive," Fleming said.Fleming acknowledged the challenges faced by the team due to injuries and roster changes. "We've had to make a few changes, which is unusual. Again, that's part of it, and we have got the resources," he said."Just they haven't had the game time to be really comfortable with their roles and us to be comfortable with a game plan, which we're struggling a little."

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has defended its decision to recall Mustafizur Rahman for the upcoming Zimbabwe T20I series, despite the fast bowler's impressive performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.BCB's cricket operations chairman, Jalal Yunus, stated that Mustafizur has nothing more to gain from playing in the IPL. "Mustafizur's learning process is over. Rather, there are many players in IPL who can learn from him. Bangladesh will not benefit from this," Yunus said.Yunus emphasized that the BCB's primary concern is Mustafizur's fitness. "They [CSK] don't have a headache about his fitness, but we do. The reason we are bringing back Mustafizur is not just to play in the Zimbabwe series, but if he is brought here, we will plan him with the workload. But that plan won't happen if he's in IPL," he added.Mustafizur has been a key player for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2024, taking 10 wickets in the first five matches. However, Yunus believes that Mustafizur's experience in the IPL is not necessary for his development."We are letting Mustafizur play till May 1. He's coming back on May 2 and will be available from the following day," Yunus said.Mustafizur is expected to play a crucial role in Bangladesh's T20I series against Zimbabwe, which will be followed by a series against the United States of America.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has extended Mustafizur Rahman's No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by one day, allowing him to participate in the team's match against Punjab Kings on May 1.Mustafizur's extended NOC means he will be available for CSK's back-to-back matches against Lucknow Super Giants on April 19 and 23, Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 28, and Punjab Kings on May 1. After these matches, he will return to Bangladesh for the home T20I series against Zimbabwe from May 3 to 12, followed by the T20I series against USA in Texas from May 21."We had given Mustafizur a leave to play in the IPL till April 30, but since Chennai has a match on May 1, we have extended his leave by a day upon receiving a request from Chennai and the BCCI," said Shahriar Nafees, BCB's deputy manager of cricket operations.Mustafizur has been in impressive form for CSK, taking ten wickets at an average of 18.30 in five matches, including his maiden four-wicket haul in the competition. This is his best performance in the IPL since the 2021 season when he played for the Rajasthan Royals.The wickets have come at a crucial time for the left-arm quick, who had lost his place in the Bangladesh ODI side after taking just two wickets in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. However, Mustafizur remains Bangladesh's most successful bowler in T20Is and has a confirmed place in the T20 World Cup squad.

Mustafizur Rahman's stellar performance propelled Chennai Super Kings to a six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday. Despite being stretchered off the field in Chittagong last week, the Bangladeshi pacer returned with a vengeance, decimating RCB's top order with four crucial wickets in just 10 deliveries.Rahman's variations in pace and precise execution proved too much for RCB's batsmen. His leg-cutters and flexible wrist action accounted for the wickets of Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green, while a slower ball sent Virat Kohli packing. Rajat Patidar was deceived by a wobbly seam delivery.Dinesh Karthik, who remained unbeaten to guide RCB to a decent total, praised Rahman's ability to modify his pace, making him a formidable opponent for batters. "He can bowl at 138-139 kmph and then has a slow one, which is very deceptive," Karthik explained. "He bowls at 120-125 kmph, which makes it really hard to line him up."Rahman's inclusion in the CSK playing XI was due to the absence of designated death bowler Matheesha Pathirana. The 28-year-old, acquired by CSK for his base price of Rs 2 crore last year, seized the opportunity and made a significant impact.CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons commended Rahman for executing the plan seamlessly. "We felt that he (Fizz) does suit the conditions, but again, it's the simplicity of the plan that we put into place, and he executed beautifully today," Simons said.Rahman's performance highlights his versatility and ability to adapt to different conditions. His variations in pace and precise execution make him a valuable asset to any team, and his impact on CSK's victory is a testament to his skill and determination.