Cricket

Keshav Maharaj, the South African left-arm spinner, has credited Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal for providing valuable advice that has helped him excel in the ongoing Test match in Dhaka. Maharaj has taken six wickets so far, bowling with precision and exploiting the conditions that have favored both seamers and spinners.Maharaj reached out to Tamim, his former teammate at Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), for insights into the Dhaka pitch. Tamim's guidance proved accurate, as Maharaj noted, "He read the wicket to the tee."Maharaj's performance on the third day was particularly impressive, as he bowled 37 overs and took three wickets for 105 runs. He played a crucial role in keeping the pressure on Bangladesh's batters, both in tandem with Kagiso Rabada and as the primary threat later in the innings.Maharaj's versatility allows him to adapt to different match situations. He can both create opportunities and hold up an end, as he did when Rabada was bowling aggressively. When the ball started to spin, Maharaj posed a greater threat, breaking a crucial partnership and dismissing Jaker Ali.Maharaj praised the resilience of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali, who put up a strong rearguard action for Bangladesh. He acknowledged that South Africa struggled to break the partnership for an extended period."We threw everything at them, and I don't think it was a case of us taking our foot off the gas. I think they played really well, and you must give credit towards the batters in that situation," Maharaj said.Maharaj's performance has been a key factor in South Africa's strong position in the match. They need just three more wickets to bowl out Bangladesh in their second innings and secure a victory.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has expressed his cautious optimism regarding Gautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team. Gambhir, who took over the reins from Rahul Dravid in July, has overseen India's emphatic 280-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Test in Chennai. However, Tamim believes it is premature to fully assess Gambhir's impact."When you're winning, you don't know the real character of the man," Tamim said. "It's only when you lose a series, then you lose another, that the real character comes out."Tamim acknowledged Gambhir's capabilities but emphasized the need for time to evaluate his performance. "No doubt, he is a capable man, but it's too early," he said. "Let India have a bad game, then we will see what comes out."Meanwhile, India captain Rohit Sharma opted to bowl first in the second Test in Kanpur. India, who lead the two-match series 1-0, have fielded an unchanged side. Bangladesh, on the other hand, have made two changes, with Khaled Ahmed and Taijul Islam replacing Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana.The start of the match was delayed due to a wet outfield. India had won the opening Test by a commanding margin of 280 runs.

Bangladesh's star cricketer Tamim Iqbal has ventured into the world of commentary during the ongoing India-Bangladesh Test series. On Day 3 of the first Test, Tamim engaged in a lighthearted banter with renowned Indian commentator Ravi Shastri.The conversation centered around the importance of power in hitting sixes. Tamim emphasized the role of physical strength, while Shastri highlighted the significance of technique. Shastri playfully pointed out that Tamim, despite his lean physique, has hit the most sixes for Bangladesh in both Tests and ODIs."Why are you complaining? You are not Arnold Schwarzenegger, and you hit the most sixes for Bangladesh! 41 sixes," Shastri quipped.Tamim's record speaks for itself. He has smashed 41 sixes in Test cricket, five more than his compatriot Mushfiqur Rahim. In ODIs, he has hit 103 maximums, three more than Rahim.Meanwhile, on the field, India's Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant slammed four sixes each as they notched up impressive centuries in the first innings. Their six-hitting prowess prompted the discussion between Tamim and Shastri.Bangladesh ended Day 3 on 158/4, still trailing India's massive target of 515 by 357 runs. Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed before the end of play.Earlier, Gill and Pant's centuries helped India declare at 287/4 in their second innings. Bangladesh's poor first innings performance left them with a daunting task to chase down.Bangladesh's openers, Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam, provided a solid start with a 50-run partnership, but both fell shortly after. R Ashwin was the pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming three wickets, including those of Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim.Bangladesh enter this series on the back of a historic 2-0 away series win over Pakistan. India, on the other hand, are playing their first red-ball match since their 4-1 victory over England in March.

Virat Kohli's return to Test cricket after a brief hiatus was cut short on Day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. The star batter, who walked into the Chepauk amid thunderous applause, lasted only six deliveries before succumbing to a familiar failing.Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud, who had already dismissed Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, delivered a short-of-length ball outside off stump. Kohli, eager to get his innings going, attempted an expansive drive but only managed to edge the ball to wicketkeeper Litton Das.This dismissal marked yet another instance of Kohli falling prey to a drive outside off stump. Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, who was on commentary duty, remarked that the dismissal made the analyst look like a magician."Virat's coming back to Test cricket after a while, so he wants to build back by feeling the ball. It happens to everyone. We have all played the game. We understand that, at times, you want to feel the ball. And I think that particular area where he got out, he has been dismissed a lot of times. This was a dismissal that makes the analyst look like a magician. It was definitely a very well-planned delivery, and Virat fell for it," Tamim said during the lunch break.Kohli's dismissal left India reeling at 3/3. However, Mayank Agarwal (42) and Hanuma Vihari (30) steadied the innings with a 60-run partnership. Agarwal was eventually dismissed by Mahmud, while Vihari fell to Taijul Islam.Ravindra Jadeja (7) and Ravichandran Ashwin (21) were at the crease at tea, with India reaching 176/6. Despite the early setbacks, India's batting effort was perplexing, as neither the pitch nor the bowlers posed any significant challenges.The home side batters simply failed to capitalize on the opportunities presented to them, with their dismissals appearing more the result of lapses in concentration. The departures of Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant (39), who added 62 runs for the fourth wicket, highlighted this issue.

Bangladesh's disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight game against India has drawn criticism from two of the team's most prominent players, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. Shakib expressed frustration over the team's lack of intent and fighting spirit, while Tamim questioned some of the tactical decisions made by the management.Shakib, who scored only 11 runs off seven balls, lamented the team's inability to chase down India's total of 196. He pointed out that Bangladesh's top order has consistently underperformed throughout the tournament, failing to capitalize on the favorable batting conditions in Antigua."We couldn't even show our intent of wanting to chase India's runs," Shakib said. "We are short of runs as a batting unit. We made 140 in the last game, 146 today. We should have done better today since we had a target in front of us."Tamim, who was commentating on the match for ESPNcricinfo, echoed Shakib's concerns. He expressed surprise at Bangladesh's lack of intent with the bat and questioned the decision to leave out Taskin Ahmed in favor of an extra batter."Bangladesh's batting has disappointed in this whole tournament," Tamim said. "The think-tank really needs to think about how they will go from here on."Tamim also criticized the decision to not give the new ball to Mustafizur Rahman, who has a reputation for troubling Rohit Sharma with his left-arm pace. He suggested that Bangladesh missed an opportunity to exploit Sharma's weakness.Shakib and Tamim both acknowledged that Bangladesh's batting struggles are not new. They pointed out that the team tends to perform better on tricky wickets than on good batting surfaces."We don't really do well when we play on flat wickets that produce 180-200 runs," Shakib said. "We play better on wickets that produce 130-150 runs."Tamim added that Bangladesh's batters are not accustomed to playing on good batting wickets, which has hindered their development. He suggested that the team needs to prioritize playing on better surfaces to improve their batting skills."Bangladesh [usually] play in difficult wicket for batters," Tamim said. "They also can't start scoring runs freely when you put them in a very good wicket."

Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has revealed that Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan's comments ignited the rift between himself and Tamim Iqbal. The revelation came in a documentary aired by Bongo, a leading OTT platform in Bangladesh.Shakib stated that Hasan's remarks created a lot of problems in their relationship and made it a focal point of discussion rather than the cricketing side. He emphasized that the rift was not as severe as portrayed and that their professional relationship remained intact."We were not talking a lot, but it's not right that we were not on talking terms," Shakib said. "We used to be together all the time, but that relationship was not there for quite some time."Shakib attributed the distance to their marriages and separate living arrangements. However, he stressed that they spoke whenever necessary on the field and that their interactions were sufficient for their roles in the team."There is nothing like making it good or bad," Shakib asserted. "We tried to contribute whether we were talking or not; there was no kind of problem inside the field or in the dressing room."Regarding a controversial interview ahead of last year's World Cup, where he accused Tamim of being irresponsible, Shakib clarified that he intended to clear the air before the tournament."I felt that before going to the World Cup, I should clear everything so that people know what actually happened and why this kind of situation is created," he said.Shakib's revelation sheds light on the dynamics between the two senior players and highlights the impact of external factors on team relationships.

The Dhaka Premier League (DPL) is witnessing a thrilling season as Abahani Limited continues its winning streak, while other teams vie for supremacy.Abahani has emerged as the frontrunner, securing six consecutive victories. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Legends of Rupganj, and Mohammedan Sporting Club trail closely with 10 points each, separated only by net run rate.Veteran players have stepped up their game, with Shakib Al Hasan contributing a fifty and three wickets for Sheikh Jamal. Tamim Iqbal has impressed with three consecutive fifties for Prime Bank Cricket Club. Mashrafe Mortaza surprised with a five-wicket haul in List-A cricket, his eighth such feat.Parvez Hossain Emon leads the batting charts with three centuries, followed by Mohammedan's Mahidul Islam Ankon. Ankon has also scored three fifties, while Tamim and Emon have each added a century to their tally. Towhid Hridoy's unbeaten 125 for Abahani against Rupganj Tigers was a standout performance.Maruf Mridha, a young left-arm quick, has emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps. Mashrafe's five-wicket haul and Tanvir Islam's six-wicket haul for Abahani against Brothers Union are other notable bowling performances.Mohammedan's one-wicket victory over Prime Bank could prove crucial in the title race. Prime Bank's openers Emon and Tamim, along with Sabbir Rahman, set a strong foundation with a 218-run partnership. However, Mohammedan's Abu Hider guided his team to victory with a 36-ball 54.Abahani remains the dominant force, but Mohammedan and Sheikh Jamal pose significant challenges. Rupganj Tigers and City Club remain winless, while Partex Sporting Club, Gazi Tyres, and Brothers Union have secured their first victories.Players to watch include allrounder Ariful Islam, left-arm spinner Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, and Maruf Mridha. Emon's consistency and Ankon's steady rise are also noteworthy.

Fortune Barishal emerged victorious in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023, claiming their maiden title with a resounding six-wicket triumph over Comilla Victorians. The match, played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, witnessed a dominant performance from Barishal's bowlers and a clinical chase led by captain Tamim Iqbal and Kyle Mayers.Comilla, the four-time BPL champions, were restricted to a modest 154 for 6 after winning the toss and electing to bat. James Fuller played a pivotal role with the ball, claiming two crucial wickets in the powerplay. Taijul Islam and Obed McCoy also impressed with their economical spells, keeping the Comilla batters in check.In reply, Barishal's openers, Tamim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, provided a solid foundation with a 76-run partnership. Tamim, in particular, entertained the crowd with his aggressive strokeplay, becoming the tournament's highest scorer in the process.Kyle Mayers took over the mantle after Tamim's departure, striking five fours and two sixes to guide Barishal closer to victory. Andre Russell's late cameo of 27 runs off 14 balls proved futile as Barishal reached their target with ease in the 19th over.Comilla's fielding errors in the latter stages of the chase proved costly, allowing Barishal to capitalize on their opportunities. Mahmudullah and David Miller sealed the victory for Barishal, ensuring their first-ever BPL title.