Cricket

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed Najmul Hossain Shanto as the captain for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sharjah. The decision was made after a meeting between Shanto and BCB president Faruque Ahmed on Thursday evening, where Shanto expressed his desire to step down as Bangladesh's all-format captain.The BCB has not yet announced the squads for the subsequent tour of the West Indies, where Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is. However, Faruque has indicated that Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed are the frontrunners for the captaincy role.The ODI squad for the Afghanistan series includes all three potential captains. Nahid Rana, a 22-year-old fast bowler, is the only uncapped player in the side. Rana has impressed with his pace and bounce in five Tests, taking 26 wickets at an average of 16.46 in ten List-A matches.The selectors have also recalled opener Zakir Hasan and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed. Zakir has played only one ODI and 12 Tests, while Nasum has featured in 15 ODIs, including the 2023 World Cup in India.Anamul Haque, Taijul Islam, and Hasan Mahmud have been omitted from the squad. Mahmud is out due to a shoulder injury, while Shakib Al Hasan has voluntarily withdrawn from the series. Litton Das is also unavailable due to fever.The Bangladesh team will depart for Dubai in two groups on Saturday and Sunday. The three ODIs will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on November 6, 9, and 11.

Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick has defended his young ODI squad after their crushing eight-wicket defeat to the West Indies, emphasizing that the result does not accurately reflect the state of English white-ball cricket.England's loss to the West Indies marked their twelfth ODI defeat in 18 matches since the start of the 2023 World Cup. The match featured a new-look eleven with four debutants, highlighting the team's ongoing transition.On a challenging surface, England was bowled out for 209. Despite a promising display with the ball, Windies opener Evin Lewis's explosive 94 off 69 balls ultimately sealed the victory for the home team.Trescothick acknowledged the challenges faced by the young squad, stating, "I think it's certainly not where England cricket is at. Because for a long period of time now, you've not had our main team in white-ball games. You don't really know where white-ball cricket is."He emphasized the need to invest in the next generation of players, despite the recent setbacks. "I think with the system that we've had and the volume of cricket that we've been trying to play and still look after the players, I think you could put a team together tomorrow for a World Cup, and it would probably look different to what you had this series and some of the series that we played against Australia."The current series lacks several key players due to England's Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. However, Trescothick believes that the team's focus on youth development is crucial. "It's probably a better question for the selectors more than anything else. It's not my decision who comes in," he said. "But I think you can see from the plan of the England team in the last year, probably, and maybe a little bit further back, how much we want to invest in the next generation."England's innings saw five of the top six batsmen caught in the 30-yard circle, highlighting their struggles to balance defense and attack. "We've got to try and bat 50 overs first and foremost," said Trescothick. "The real skill in white-ball cricket in particular is the tempo and the balance between aggression and batting for long periods of time."Trescothick's tenure as white-ball coach will end in January when Brendon McCullum takes over. He has faced the challenge of balancing the need to emphasize opportunity for young players with the desire to win. "I am trying to get the priority right at the moment. I want to win every game and we dictate that in the dressing room. But we also want to see a few players in the environment before the structure changes and Brendon takes over. So, why not give them the opportunity to thrive in this environment?"Trescothick's future role in the white-ball setup remains uncertain. "I don't know just yet," he said. "We've got a bit of a plan behind the scenes, but nothing has been confirmed as such."

Evin Lewis's scintillating 94-run knock propelled West Indies to a resounding eight-wicket victory over England in the rain-affected opening ODI of the three-match series in Antigua.Chasing a revised target of 157 from 35 overs, Lewis unleashed a barrage of boundaries, smashing five fours and eight towering sixes in his 69-ball innings. He forged a crucial 118-run partnership with Brandon King (30) to lay the foundation for the West Indies' triumph.Lewis's pursuit of his sixth ODI century was halted by Jacob Bethell, who caught him off Adil Rashid's bowling with just 13 runs needed for victory. However, Keacy Carty (19) and captain Shai Hope (6) guided the West Indies home with 55 balls to spare.England, fielding four ODI debutants, were dismissed for 209 runs in 49.4 overs. Stand-in captain Liam Livingstone top-scored with 48, while Sam Curran contributed 37.Gudakesh Motie was the star of the West Indies bowling attack, claiming 4 for 41, while Jayden Seales took 2 for 22.The victory gives West Indies a 1-0 lead in the series, with the second match scheduled for Saturday at the same venue.

West Indies captain Shai Hope elected to bowl first after winning the toss in the opening ODI against England in Antigua. The match marked the international debuts of John Turner and Dan Mousley for England, along with 50-over debuts for Jamie Overton and Jordan Cox.Liam Livingstone, standing in for the injured Jos Buttler, made his captaincy debut for England. Despite missing key players like Harry Brook due to upcoming Test tours, Livingstone expressed excitement for the young team's opportunities.Turner's selection came after impressing in the 2023 Men's Hundred, while Mousley's inclusion provided England with four allrounder spin options alongside Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, and Livingstone. Cox was slated to bat at No. 3, while Overton would be available to bowl after playing as a batter in his T20I debut against Australia.West Indies, returning from their Sri Lanka tour, made one change to their lineup, with Shimron Hetmyer replacing Jewel Andrew in the middle order.

West Indies have recalled Shimron Hetmyer to their ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against England, starting in Antigua on Thursday. Hetmyer replaces Alick Athanaze in the squad, marking the only change from the group that recently toured Sri Lanka.Hetmyer's return to the ODI setup comes after a brief absence. He last featured in the format in December 2023, playing a key role in West Indies' 2-1 series victory over England. However, he missed the Sri Lanka tour due to personal reasons.Despite his absence, Hetmyer has maintained his form in domestic cricket. He recently finished fifth on the run-scorers' list at the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). His inclusion in the squad is expected to bolster West Indies' batting lineup.Alick Athanaze, who had been one of the incumbent openers, has lost his spot to Evin Lewis. Lewis, making his first ODI appearance in over three years, impressed with an unbeaten 102 from 61 balls in the third ODI against Sri Lanka.Shai Hope will continue to lead the West Indies team, which also includes 17-year-old batting prodigy Jewel Andrew. Andrew made his ODI debut at the end of the Sri Lanka series and will be looking to make an impact against England.England, led by Liam Livingstone, have already arrived in the Caribbean for their third limited-overs tour since 2022. Jos Buttler, who has been out with a calf injury since July, is still recovering and will not be available for the ODI series."Playing against England always provides a new challenge and reignites a rivalry that the players and the people of the Caribbean are eager for," said Daren Sammy, West Indies head coach. "We West Indies always find a way to raise our game when we face England."The first two ODIs will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, followed by the third ODI in Barbados. The series will then be followed by five T20Is, played at the Kensington Oval and the Daren Sammy National Stadium in St Lucia.

In the second ODI between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine elected to bat first. The visitors made two changes to their lineup, with left-arm spinner Fran Jonas replacing Amelia Kerr and right-arm pacer Lea Tahuhu replacing Molly Penfold.India welcomed back regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who replaced D Hemalatha. They also handed a debut to legspinner Priya Mishra, who took the place of Renuka Singh Thakur. Mishra has impressed in recent domestic tournaments and was part of the India A tour of Australia.India currently leads the three-match series 1-0 after a 59-run victory in the first ODI. New Zealand needs to win the second game to keep the series alive and earn crucial points in the Women's Championship. Only the top five teams and host India will qualify directly for next year's World Cup.

India Eyes Series Win in Second ODI Against New ZealandIndia will be aiming to seal the three-match ODI series against New Zealand when the two teams clash in the second match at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, October 27, 2024. The hosts will be buoyed by their comprehensive victory in the first ODI, where they dominated the visitors in all departments.New Zealand, who were riding high after their maiden T20 World Cup triumph, were brought down to earth with a thud in the series opener. India's debutants, Tejal Hasabnis and Saima Thakor, played starring roles in the win, with Hasabnis scoring a half-century and Thakor taking three wickets.India will be hoping to maintain their momentum in the second ODI. Skipper Smriti Mandhana will be keen to continue her good form, while the management will be monitoring the fitness of regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who missed the previous match due to an unspecified niggle.New Zealand, on the other hand, will be desperate to bounce back and level the series. They will need their senior players, such as Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr, to step up and lead the charge.The match is expected to be a close contest, with both teams evenly matched on paper. India will have the home advantage, but New Zealand will be determined to prove that their World Cup victory was no fluke.

In the third and final ODI of the series in Pallekele, West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran elected to field first after winning the toss. Sri Lanka, who hold an unassailable 2-0 lead, will bat first for the first time on a surface expected to favor spin.Sri Lanka has made two changes to their lineup, bringing back opener Pathum Nissanka and seamer Dilshan Madushanka. Nishan Madushka and Dunith Wellalage have been omitted, resulting in Sri Lanka fielding two frontline seamers for the first time in the series."He impressed me a lot," said Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka of Madushka. "He didn't play as a debutant, he played as a mature player. I think he'll do a lot of things for the country."West Indies, on the other hand, has made three changes, with batters Evin Lewis and Jewel Andrew, and fast-bowler Matthew Forde joining the team. Seventeen-year-old Andrew will make his international debut, while Lewis returns to ODI cricket for the first time since July 2021. Alick Athanaze, Romario Shepherd, and Hayden Walsh have been dropped.The match will be played on a fresh pitch with relatively even square boundaries. Spin will be a factor, but it is expected to be slower, with the ball potentially sliding onto the bat as the evening progresses. There is a possibility of rain during the game.

Sri Lanka Opt to Bowl First in Rain-Shortened Second ODI Against West IndiesIn a rain-affected second ODI, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bowl first against West Indies. The toss was delayed by over two hours due to drizzle, and the match was reduced to a 44-overs-a-side affair.Asalanka explained that his decision was based on his team's preference to chase, especially in a match where Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculations could come into play. West Indies captain Shai Hope also indicated that he would have chosen to bowl first.West Indies, trailing 1-0 in the series, fielded an unchanged lineup from their previous loss. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, replaced legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay with mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana.Sri Lanka Team:* Nishan Madushka* Avishka Fernando* Kusal Mendis (wk)* Sadeera Samarawickrama* Charith Asalanka (capt)* Janith Liyanage* Kamindu Mendis* Wanindu Hasranga* Dunith Wellalage* Asitha Fernando* Maheesh TheekshanaWest Indies Team:* Alick Athanaze* Brandon King* Keacy Carty* Shai Hope (capt, wk)* Sherfane Rutherford* Roston Chase* Romario Shepherd* Hayden Walsh* Gudakesh Motie* Jayden Seales* Alzarri JosephThe match commenced with West Indies batting first, aiming to level the series. Sri Lanka's bowlers will be tasked with containing the West Indian batters and building on their advantage in the series.