Sakib back to boost Tigers

Sakib al Hasan returned to cricket after a long injury lay-off to inspire the Bangladesh cricket team to a 49-run victory over the Bangladesh A team in the third warm-up match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.
Sakib took the ball after the Tigers had suffered two embarrassing defeats to their second fiddles in first two warm-up matches. Bangladesh A team won the first match by six runs before trouncing by six wickets in the second in two days.
The Tigers were restricted to 133 for nine in the second game on Wednesday before rain prevented the A team from chasing the total. The match resumed on Thursday from where it had ended and the A team reached their target with four balls and six wickets to spare despite Syed Rasel rattled them early in the innings.
Rasel claimed two wickets in his first over and added another one in the fifth over to leave the A team struggling at 25 for three, but Mehrab Hossain Jr and Sharifullah repaired the damage with a 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Mehrab was run out for 48 facing 45 balls and whacking four boundaries, but Sharifullah finished the game with his unbeaten 37. Nazmul Hossain was not out for 23 runs at the other end.
The Tigers bounced back in the third game with Sakib, who has been out of competition cricket since early April after picking up a pelvic injury, back in the side. He, however, did not bat and instead chose to bowl only.
In his absence, the batting of the Tigers remained the same as they could accumulate only 140 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Mohammad Mithun, who batted at number eight position, was the top-scorer with 25. Roqibul Hassan and Naeem Islam contributed 20 runs each.
Rasel again caused the early damage to A team taking two quick wickets, but until Sakib took up the ball, the Tigers were not certain about their victory. Thanks to his 3-34, the Tigers bundled the A team out for 91 runs and tasted a victory finally.
‘It feels really great to return to cricket. I felt some stiffness after completing my spell, but that is not a problem. Hopefully I will resume batting very soon,’ Sakib told reporters after the match.

Courtesy of NewAgebd