Cricket

India vs Bangladesh: Toss Bangladesh Chose to Bowl vs IndiaIn the fourth T20I match between India and Bangladesh, Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana won the toss and elected to bowl first on a cloudy day in Sylhet. India had already secured the five-match series 3-0.Both teams made debuts in this match. Bangladesh introduced 14-year-old medium pacer Habiba Islam, left-hand batter Rubya Haider, and legspinner Shorna Akter. India, on the other hand, handed a debut to 33-year-old legspinner S Asha and rested offspinner Shreyanka Patil. Seamer Titas Sadhu also made her first appearance in the series, replacing Renuka Singh.Asha, who became the first Indian to claim a five-wicket haul in the Women's Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore, is now the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition with 12 scalps. This match also marked Harmanpreet Kaur's 300th international appearance.Bangladesh Playing XI:1. Dilara Akter2. Murshida Khatun3. Rubya Haider4. Nigar Sultana (capt & wk)5. Ritu Moni6. Habiba Islam7. Rabeya Khan8. Nahida Akter9. Shorifa Khatun10. Marufa Akter11. Shorna AkterIndia Playing XI:1. Shafali Verma2. Smriti Mandhana3. D Hemalatha4. Harmanpreet Kaur (capt)5. Richa Ghosh (wk)6. Deepti Sharma7. S Sajana8. Pooja Vastrakar9. Titas Sadhu10. S Asha11. Radha Yadav

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, opted to field first after winning the toss in the second T20I against Zimbabwe in Chattogram. The hosts fielded an unchanged XI from their eight-wicket victory in the series opener.Zimbabwe, on the other hand, made two alterations to their lineup. Johnathan Campbell, the son of former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell, made his T20I debut, while Ainsley Ndlovu replaced Sean Williams. Wellington Masakadza was ruled out due to concussion symptoms sustained in the first match.The third T20I will be played in Chattogram on May 7, followed by the final two matches in Dhaka on May 10 and 12.Bangladesh XI:1. Tanzid Hasan2. Litton Das3. Najmul Hossain Shanto (c)4. Towhid Hridoy5. Mahmudullah6. Jaker Ali (wk)7. Mahedi Hasan8. Rishad Hossain9. Mohammad Saifuddin10. Taskin Ahmed11. Shoriful IslamZimbabwe XI:1. Joylord Gumbie (wk)2. Craig Ervine3. Brian Bennett4. Sikandar Raza (c)5. Clive Madande6. Johnathan Campbell7. Ryan Burl8. Luke Jongwe9. Ainsley Ndlovu10. Richard Ngarava11. Blessing Muzarabani

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bowl first in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, on the other hand, expressed his team's willingness to bat.Zimbabwe made two changes to their lineup, with Joylord Gumbie making his T20I debut. Tony Munyonga and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, who featured in Zimbabwe's previous T20I against Sri Lanka, were replaced by Gumbie and Ryan Burl.Bangladesh also handed a T20I debut to Tanzid Hasan, filling the void left by the injured Soumya Sarkar. Mustafizur Rahman was absent from the squad as he continues to rest after his stint with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. Mohammad Saifuddin returned to the international fold for the first time since October 2022, having recovered from a back injury.Bangladesh Playing XI:1. Litton Das (wk)2. Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt)3. Tanzid Hasan4. Towhid Hridoy5. Mahmudullah6. Mahedi Hasan7. Jaker Ali8. Mohammad Saifuddin9. Rishad Hossain10. Taskin Ahmed11. Shoriful IslamZimbabwe Playing XI:1. Joylord Gumbie2. Craig Ervine3. Brian Bennet4. Sean Williams5. Sikandar Raza (capt)6. Ryan Burl7. Clive Madande (wk)8. Luke Jongwe9. Wellington Masakadza10. Richard Ngarava11. Blessing Muzarabani

Pakistan's T20I squad for the upcoming series against Ireland and England has undergone significant changes, with the return of experienced players and the omission of some key figures.Usama Mir and Zaman Khan have been dropped from the squad, while Hasan Ali, who last played a T20I in 2022, has been recalled. Haris Rauf, who was injured during the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has also been included, along with Agha Salman.The squad announcement, made by three members of the selection panel, also sees the return of Mohammad Rizwan, Azam Khan, and Irfan Khan, who were ruled out of last month's series against New Zealand due to injuries. However, their fitness remains a concern, with selector Wahab Riaz expressing cautious optimism."Rizwan, Haris, Irfan, and Azam are being assessed," Riaz said. "There is a significant improvement in their fitness. They're part of the squad because we hope they will be fit for the Ireland series."Pakistan's squad largely resembles the one that played against New Zealand, with Usman Khan, Mohammad Amir, and Imad Wasim retaining their places. Despite speculation about the potential return of Aamer Jamal, the all-rounder was not selected, while Mohammad Haris continues to be overlooked.Hasan Ali's selection has been attributed to his experience and ICC tournament pedigree, rather than his current form. He had a stellar PSL season with Karachi Kings, taking 14 wickets at an economy of 8.26, but was not selected for the New Zealand series.His inclusion appears to be based on the belief in his ability beyond just hard numbers, and an opportunity to assess him in Ireland and England before the squad is whittled down to 15 for the T20 World Cup.Pakistan will play three T20Is against Ireland starting May 10, followed by four games against England. The deadline to announce the squad for the T20 World Cup (May 24) is after they play the first T20I against England (May 22).

India, buoyed by their dominant performances in the first two matches, will aim to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series against Bangladesh when they face off in the third encounter on Thursday.The Indian team has been firing on all cylinders, with their bowling unit restricting Bangladesh to modest totals. Spinners Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, and Shreyanka Patil have been economical, while pacer Renuka Singh Thakur has starred with the ball in the opener. Pooja Vastrakar has also been a handy contributor.In the batting department, Dayalan Hemalatha has impressed with her explosive batting during the powerplay, crafting an unbeaten 24-ball 41 in the last game. Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Richa Ghosh have also contributed runs. However, star opener Smriti Mandhana will be eager to find form.India's collective team effort has been a key factor in their success so far, and they will be looking for more of the same in the remaining games. The series holds added significance as the T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh later this year.Bangladesh, on the other hand, will be desperate to improve their performance in all three departments. Their batters have struggled to post big totals, while the bowlers have been unable to contain the Indian batters. The fielding has also been found wanting.

Pakistan's women's cricket team has announced a 17-member squad for their upcoming tour of England, which will feature three T20Is and as many ODIs. The squad is led by experienced all-rounder Nida Dar and includes several key players from the ongoing white-ball series against West Indies.The only notable omissions from the squad are Bismah Maroof, who recently retired from international cricket, and Sidra Nawaz, who was part of the ODI squad but did not play a game. The official squad announcement does not distinguish between players selected for the T20I and ODI legs of the series, suggesting that all 17 players will be available for both formats.Pakistan's tour of England comes after a disappointing home series against West Indies, where they narrowly missed out on victories in several matches. West Indies, led by the impressive Hayley Matthews, won the ODI series 3-0 and have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.Pakistan will be hoping to turn their fortunes around in England, where they will face a tough challenge against one of the world's top teams. The T20I matches will be played on May 11, 17, and 19, while the ODIs will follow on May 23, 26, and 29. Pakistan will also play a warm-up T20 on May 9 and a one-day game on May 21 against an ECB Development XI side.The ODIs are part of the ICC Women's Championship 2022-25, with this being Pakistan's eighth and final series in the current cycle. Pakistan are currently fifth with 16 points on the ten-team table, with the top five qualifying for the 2025 ODI World Cup directly.

West Indies' women's cricket team clinched an unassailable 3-0 series lead over Pakistan in the T20I series after a thrilling two-run victory in the third match. The match witnessed a stunning collapse from Pakistan in the death overs, triggered by the brilliance of Hayley Matthews.Matthews, who has been in exceptional form throughout the series, once again led the charge for West Indies with a commanding 68 off 49 balls. Her innings guided the visitors to a competitive total of 132 for 5. Pakistan, in response, looked poised for victory at 115 for 2, with Sidra Ameen anchoring the chase with a well-crafted 63 off 58 balls.However, the match took a dramatic turn in the final overs. Matthews, who had already taken two wickets in the match, struck twice in as many deliveries to spark a stunning collapse. Pakistan lost six wickets for just 10 runs in 20 deliveries, handing West Indies an improbable victory.The hosts' implosion began when Matthews dismissed Ameen with a pinpoint yorker. The next ball, she trapped Fatima Sana in front of the stumps. The pressure mounted on Pakistan as Aaliyah Alleyne removed Nida Dar in the following over.With the momentum firmly in West Indies' favor, the hosts' nerves began to fray. A needless run-out and a rash shot from Sana further compounded their misery. Pakistan's hopes of a series win evaporated as they fell short by a mere two runs.The victory was a testament to the resilience and determination of the West Indies team. Matthews, in particular, was a standout performer, showcasing her all-round abilities with both bat and ball. Pakistan, despite their valiant efforts, were unable to overcome the psychological scars of their previous narrow defeats in the series.

West Indies' Hayley Matthews continued her impressive all-round form to lead her team to a dominant seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second T20I in Karachi. Matthews' 3 for 26 restricted Pakistan to a below-par 121 for 7, while her unbeaten 58 off 43 balls guided West Indies to a comfortable chase.Pakistan opted to bat first but struggled to gain momentum, with Gull Feroza's laborious 14 off 29 balls setting the tone for a slow start. Muneeba Ali's 55 off 47 balls provided some respite, but Pakistan's innings lacked impetus, reaching only 33 runs in the powerplay.Matthews' bowling proved decisive, as she dismissed Sidra Ameen early and then returned to claim two wickets in the final over, including the crucial scalp of Nida Dar. Pakistan's total of 121 looked inadequate on a pitch that appeared to offer more assistance to the batters.West Indies began their chase aggressively, with Matthews striking five boundaries in the first five overs. However, Pakistan's spin trio of Nashra Sandhu, Tuba Hassan, and Nida Dar slowed the scoring rate, restricting West Indies to six runs per over for the next six overs.Despite the slowdown, West Indies never lost control of the chase. Matthews' dismissal brought Shemaine Campbelle to the crease, but her dismissal by Tuba Hassan gave Pakistan a glimmer of hope. However, Chedean Nation's boundary sealed the victory, completing a clinical performance by West Indies.The third T20I of the five-match series will be played on 30 April in Karachi, with West Indies on the verge of securing a series victory.

India's women's cricket team showcased a dominant performance in the opening T20I against Bangladesh, securing a convincing 44-run victory. Opting to bat first, India posted a competitive total of 145 for seven, thanks to solid contributions from Harmanpreet Kaur and Yastika Bhatia.However, it was India's bowling attack that stole the show, led by the impressive duo of Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar. Singh claimed three wickets, while Vastrakar picked up two, as Bangladesh struggled to chase down the target.Bangladesh's skipper, Nigar Sultana, fought valiantly with a half-century, but lacked support from her teammates. India's bowlers maintained a tight grip on the match, restricting Bangladesh to 101 for eight.Earlier, India's innings got off to a shaky start with the dismissal of Smriti Mandhana for just nine runs. However, Shafali Verma provided a spark with a quickfire 31 off 22 balls. Bhatia and Kaur then steadied the ship with a 45-run partnership, but India failed to capitalize on their strong start and missed out on a late flourish.Bangladesh's leg-spinner, Rabeya Khan, emerged as the most successful bowler for the hosts, claiming three wickets. Despite Mandhana's early departure, India's batters showed resilience on a slow wicket, with Bhatia and Kaur leading the charge.The five-match T20I series serves as a crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the upcoming T20I World Cup in Bangladesh later this year. India's clinical bowling display and solid batting performance provide a promising start to their campaign.