Cricket

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) draft for the 2024-25 season witnessed a flurry of activity as teams eagerly snapped up top-tier talent. Taskin Ahmed, the seasoned fast bowler, emerged as the first overall pick, joining the newly formed Durbar Rajshahi franchise. Defending champions Fortune Barishal opted for Mahmudullah, the recently retired T20I star, with the seventh pick.Other notable first-round selections included fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud (Khulna Tigers) and Nahid Rana (Rangpur Riders), as well as established batters Litton Das (Dhaka Capitals), Shamim Hossain (Chittagong Kings), and Rony Talukdar (Sylhet Strikers).Despite their Category A status, legspinner Rishad Hossain and T20I captain Najmul Hossain Shanto went unpicked in the first round. However, Barishal later acquired both players with the 15th and 43rd overall picks, respectively. Shanto's recent form has been underwhelming, while Rishad's availability remains uncertain due to his BBL contract with the Hobart Hurricanes.Sylhet Strikers, who retained several key players from last season, added veteran all-rounder Mashrafe Mortaza to their ranks. They also secured the services of overseas stars Reece Topley, Rahkeem Cornwall, and Samiullah Shenwari.Barishal, the defending champions, retained Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim while directly signing a host of international players, including Dawid Malan, Kyle Mayers, Mohammad Nabi, and Faheem Ashraf. They also picked up Sri Lankan batter Pathum Nissanka, who will be available for a limited period during the BPL.Pakistani cricketers Saim Ayub, Akif Javed, and Mohammad Hasnain were among the first overseas players selected, followed by James Fuller (Barishal) and Graham Clark (Chittagong).Uncapped Bangladeshi players also made their mark in the draft, with Nahid Rana, Habibur Rahman Sohan, and Jishan Alam being early picks.The BPL teams have until the tournament's scheduled start date of December 27 to continue signing players directly. The new season will feature a mix of established franchises (Barishal, Khulna, Sylhet, and Rangpur) and new entrants (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Rajshahi).

Bangladesh's Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Pakistan has been announced, with the return of experienced batter Mushfiqur Rahim and fast bowler Taskin Ahmed. The series, scheduled to begin later this month, will see Bangladesh face a formidable challenge against the hosts.Mushfiqur, who missed the recent Test series against Sri Lanka due to a thumb injury, is a crucial addition to the batting lineup. His experience and ability to anchor the innings will be invaluable against Pakistan's potent bowling attack. Taskin, on the other hand, has been rested from red-ball cricket to manage his shoulder injury. He will only be available for the second Test in Karachi, but will play the second four-day game for Bangladesh A on August 20 to regain match fitness.The squad also includes senior allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has made himself available for selection after stepping down as a member of parliament. Shakib's experience and all-round abilities will be crucial for Bangladesh's chances of success.Six players from the Test squad, including Mushfiqur and captain Mominul Haque, have already arrived in Pakistan as part of the Bangladesh A side. They will play the first four-day game in Islamabad from August 13.Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain emphasized the importance of selecting the best players for this series. "This is a well-balanced squad," he said. "The likes of Mushfiqur, Mominul, and Shakib have played over 216 matches combined, and there is no substitute for that kind of experience."Bangladesh's pace attack will be led by Taskin, who last played a Test in January against New Zealand. The squad also includes four other pacers: Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Nayeem Hasan."We have selected five pacers mindful of the fact that Taskin Ahmed will only play the second Test," Ashraf said. "We have decided to include him in the A Team for the second four-dayer against Pakistan A to get him into the rhythm for longer version matches."Bangladesh will have additional time to prepare in Pakistan, with the first Test scheduled to begin on August 21 in Rawalpindi. The squad will train at the Gaddafi Stadium from August 14 to 16 before traveling to Islamabad on August 17.

Bangladesh's disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign can be attributed primarily to poor batting form, according to vice-captain Taskin Ahmed. Despite a 47-day tour of the Americas, the batting unit failed to deliver, resulting in the lowest collective average among the Super Eight teams.Bangladesh's top three batters struggled to provide a solid start, with Litton Das being the only one to score a fifty. Towhid Hridoy emerged as the team's best performer with 153 runs, but Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad failed to provide adequate support.Taskin acknowledged the impact of the senior players' poor form, but emphasized that it did not affect team unity. "They are great team men," he said. "We stayed as a team for 47 days. Everything was fine off the field."The batters found better pitches in the West Indies, but Taskin admitted that he had never witnessed such a prolonged batting slump in his international career. "I haven't seen such a long bad patch for the batters in my ten years playing for Bangladesh," he said.Despite the batting struggles, Bangladesh's bowling unit performed well. Taskin, Tanzim Hasan, and Rishad Hossain led the bowling charts, proving that talented cricketers are emerging from the country.Taskin expressed disappointment with the team's performance in the final match against Afghanistan, where they failed to chase down the target in 12.1 overs to reach the semi-finals. "We could have done a lot better," he said. "We were all quite disappointed with the last match."Despite the negatives, Taskin highlighted some positives from the campaign, including qualifying for the Super Eight, winning three matches in the T20 World Cup for the first time, and the emergence of promising bowlers. "We are disappointed like the rest of you," he said. "We didn't play up to expectations."

Taskin Ahmed, despite his recent injury, has been named vice-captain and included in Bangladesh's 15-member squad for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. The all-rounder suffered a side strain during the series against Zimbabwe but is expected to recover in time for the tournament.Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the team, which also features veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has participated in every T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007. Litton Das, despite his recent struggles in white-ball cricket, has also been included in the squad.Taskin's injury occurred before the fifth T20I against Zimbabwe on May 12, forcing him to miss the match. However, he was named Player of the Series for his impressive performance in the previous four games, claiming eight wickets.Bangladesh will kick off their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 8 in Dallas. The squad includes a mix of experienced players and rising stars, with the likes of Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, and Mahmudullah providing support to the core group.The team will also have the services of Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Tanzim Hasan. Hasan Mahmud and Afif Hossain have been named as traveling reserves.Bangladesh will be hoping to make a strong impact at the World Cup, having reached the semi-finals in 2016. With a talented squad and a determined mindset, they will be aiming to challenge the top teams and make a deep run in the tournament.

Bangladesh's 3-0 lead in the T20I series against Zimbabwe has been met with mixed reactions. While some fans celebrate the victories, others dismiss them due to Zimbabwe's lower ranking. However, Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed emphasizes that the team remains focused on improving ahead of the T20 World Cup."Our goals are World Cup-oriented," Taskin said. "We have to give our best in all conditions. If we can get into the World Cup with five or ten percent improvement, we can start well in that tournament."Taskin has been a standout performer for Bangladesh, taking six wickets in three games. He attributes his success to improved rhythm and hard work."I struggled with my rhythm in the BPL and Sri Lanka series, but it's improving now," he said. "I'm working hard, and the team expects me to bowl at high pace."Despite the low-scoring nature of the series, Taskin believes Bangladesh is giving its all."Conditions are different here than in the IPL," he said. "We're giving our 100 percent, even against Zimbabwe."Bangladesh's top-order batters have struggled, but Taskin remains optimistic."We're working on it," he said. "I hope we can do better in these two matches."Taskin is also encouraged by the emergence of young fast bowlers in domestic cricket."It's a great sign that more fast bowlers are coming into the scene," he said. "It's an additional motivation for us in the national team."

India's Suryakumar Yadav maintains his dominance as the world's top-ranked T20I batter, while Bangladesh's Taskin Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan have made significant gains in the latest ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings.Yadav, known for his explosive batting, leads the rankings with 861 points, a significant margin ahead of England's Phil Salt, who sits in second place with 802 points. Bangladesh's experienced batter Mahmudullah has also climbed two spots to equal 81st on the list.Taskin Ahmed, who impressed with six wickets in three matches against Zimbabwe, has jumped six places to 26th on the T20I bowler rankings, achieving a new career-high rating. Mahedi Hasan has also made a six-spot rise, moving up to equal 22nd place after claiming three wickets in two matches against Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani has also made a notable improvement, jumping five places to 69th on the T20I bowler rankings thanks to his four wickets against Bangladesh.In the T20I batting rankings, Bangladesh's Towhid Hridoy has made a significant leap, moving from outside the top 100 to equal 90th place. The 23-year-old right-hander has scored 127 runs in the first three matches of the series against Zimbabwe, including two unbeaten knocks.Despite the gains made by other players, Suryakumar Yadav remains the undisputed leader in the T20I batter rankings, showcasing his consistent brilliance in the shortest format of the game.