Friday, March 29, 2024

Mirpur awaits a final thriller

Before the second Test in Dhaka, Mushfiqur Rahim and Misbah-ul Haq agreed on at least two points in their pre-match briefing at Mirpur on Tuesday. Firstly, the wicket at the Sher-e-Bangla has something for the bowlers unlike the first Test in Khulna, which had yielded 1515 runs in five days. So, a result in favour of either team is the most likely prospect in this Test.Secondly, there will be no clear favourites in this match, especially after the manner in which Bangladesh denied Pakistan in Khulna with a stunning comeback in the second innings.
For a team like Bangladesh, ranked far away from top teams at ninth in Test, and up against a side who has still a good credential in longer version, these things should always be considered as complement.
Bangladesh are now getting these complements not only from Pakistan, but from all over the world where cricket has some kind of followers.
When they thrashed Pakistan in the three-match one-day international series and followed that with their maiden Twenty20 international win against the opponents, the cricketing world has taken a note but it did not make at least anyone surprised.
They have done so in the past against New Zealand and after a boisterous show in the World Cup it was not completely unexpected against a new team that has just entered a transitional phase.
However, after a similarly dominating performance in Test, inarguably the toughest of three formats, and that against a full-strength Pakistan, respect is the only word reserved for them.
It has made them a genuine contender for the Test series, something they never won against a quality side despite they are now almost 15 years in the business.
When Pakistan have just a double century from Mohammad Hafeez to cheer for in Khulna, Bangladesh’s achievement are countless starting from Mominul Haque’s 80 that took his average next to Don Bradman, Taijul Islam’s 6-163, Tamim Iqbal’s maiden double century, Imrul Kayes’ career best 150 and 555-6 as a team in the second innings which all had culminated in a fascinating, come-from-behind draw.
‘Of course we have some achievements,’ Mushfiq said in his press conference. ‘I just hope to begin this Test confidently with all those positives,’ added the skipper with a great conviction.
Mushfiq is now left with no choice but to target a win, which will be fitting end of their series, already regarded as the best ever irrespective of the outcome of the second Test.
‘There is certainly just one goal,’ said the wicketkeeper-batsman. ‘This is the final Test of the series and we will do whatever we need to do to win the match. And everyone is working hard for it.
One just cannot rule out his words as rhetoric, especially when momentum is with them after all that happened in Khulna.
Pakistan must be haunted by their poor memories of one-dayers and Twenty20 when they will walk into the ground for the Test match despite it being a different format and they are appearing as different outfit.
Bangladesh are also a far different side than the ones took field in the limited over versions. But the core players in the side remained the same and some of them are in the form of their life, which will give them an edge.
Mushfiq is certain like many others in the world that a Bangladesh win in the Test cannot be now described as an upset considering their performance over the past six months when they remained unbeaten in 13 matches at home.
‘I don’t think it will be an upset,’ Mushfiq said, replying to the question of a Pakistani reporter. ‘There are lots of talking that we have been playing well only in ODIs, not in the Test, but we have shown that we are capable to do well in the Test too…I think boys are ready to fight for five days and after that hopefully we will grab a win and win the series.’

-With New Age input

Related News

ICC bans Nasir for two years

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh all-rounder Nasir Hossain has been for two years by the International Cricket Council after he accepted three charges of breaching the Emirates Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Code. The charges against Nasir were in relation to the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 League. Six months of his two-year ban is suspended, meaning the ... Read more

New Zealand win 3rd T20I to level series 1-1 with Bangladesh

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 17 runs (DLS method) in the third and final T20I of the three-match series against Bangladesh at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday. The win made sure the hosts level the series 1-1 after losing the first match, and the second contest being called ... Read more

New Zealand-Bangladesh second T20I called off due to persistent rain

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com The second T20I between New Zealand and Bangladesh of the three-match series at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui has been called off due to persistent rain. New Zealand were 72-2 after 11 overs when the umpires decided the rain was too heavy to continue the proceedings. Shoriful Islam was impressive ... Read more

Shorna seals Tigresses’ historic first-ever T20I win against South Africa

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com All-rounder Shorna Akter stole the show in Benoni as she picked up five wickets to hand Bangladesh women’s national team their first-ever win on South African soil as they beat the Proteas by 13 runs in the first Twenty20 International of the three-match series on Sunday. This is Bangladesh’s first win ... Read more

Bangladesh’s Marufa and Rabeya included in women IPL auction list

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com The second edition of the Indian women’s franchise-based Women’s Premier League will take place next year. The auction for the tournament will be held on 9 December this year. Bangladesh cricketers Rabeya Khatun and Marufa Akter are placed in the draft of that auction. The base price of both of them ... Read more

Bangladesh wins historic Test match against New Zealand

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Taijul Islam picked up his second 10-wicket haul in Tests to take Bangladesh to a historic 150-run win over New Zealand on the final day of their first Test in Sylhet on Saturday. This is Bangladesh’s second-ever win over New Zealand and the first at home against them. This is also ... Read more

England brings down the Tigers

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh failed to maintain the momentum gained by beating Afghanistan in the opening match as they suffered a massive 137-run defeat against defending champions England in the second match of the ICC World Cup in Dharamsala on Tuesday. After being put into bat first by Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan, England ... Read more

Emirates shares excitement with cricket lovers

The airline brand named ICC’s Cricket World Cup airline partner Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Emirates has announced it is the official airline partner of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Kicking off the 13th edition of the tournament, the airline brand shares its excitement for the game with a video featuring Indian batsman, Dinesh ... Read more

South Africa crush Sri Lanka by 102 runs in World Cup opener

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com South Africa came with a dominating performance as they defeat Sri Lanka by a big margin of of 102 runs in the fourth game of the World Cup on Saturday. The Proteas bowled the Lankan batters out for 326 runs in 44.5 overs while defending the mammoth total of 428 runs ... Read more

Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets in opener

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com A stunning all-round display from Mehidy Hasan Mirza, who notched up a half-century and claimed three wickets, powered Bangladesh to a comprehensive six-wicket win over Afghanistan in their first match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in Dharamsala on Saturday. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Bangladesh captain ... Read more

Nagad to gift BMW to Bangladesh cricketers if they win World Cup

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com If Bangladesh wins the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023, mobile banking service provider Nagad will gift BMW-branded cars to every cricketer in the team. This was announced by Tanvir A Mishuk, founder and managing director of Nagad, expressing his belief that winning the World Cup would be a significant ... Read more

Pakistan see off Netherlands and starts the World Cup successfully

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Pakistan opened their World Cup 2023 campaign with a comfortable 81-run win against the Netherlands on Friday at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. , quickly chipping away all the wickets despite a steady start by them. The Netherlands could not hold on to the momentum and kept on losing wickets at ... Read more

New Zealand thrashes England in Cricket World Cup opener

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com England’s World Cup defense began with a punishing nine-wicket defeat in Ahmedabad as New Zealand grabbed a measure of revenge after four years of preparation. Organizers were planning a repeat of the 2019 final to kick off this year’s tournament, but rather than a nail-biter as the excitement of the Lords ... Read more

England’s Stokes in doubt to start World Cup due to hip injury

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com There are doubts about injury risk for Ben Stokes in England’s opening World Cup match against New Zealand on Thursday (October 5) after a hip injury kept the all-rounder out of the teams’ pre-tournament warm-up matches. Stokes reversed his year-long retirement from one-day international cricket in order to help defend the ... Read more

Tigers ready for effective representations

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan said on Wednesday that he believed that the team was ready for a good display in this edition of the ICC World Cup as they have prepared well for the tournament despite a below-par performance in the recent past. The Tigers are coming into the tournament ... Read more

Tigers find fresh air with warm-up win sans Shakib

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com After all the controversy that had been going on in the cricketing fraternity since the squad announcement for the World Cup 2023, Bangladesh finally found a fresh breath of air on Friday as they beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in their first warm-up game for the upcoming event. The biggest ... Read more

Shakib blames then-captain Tamim for Afghanistan series loss

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan blamed former captain Tamim Iqbal for the home ODI series loss to Afghanistan earlier this year. The all-rounder said in the second part of his interview with T Sports that for the first time in his life he had seen a captain announce his retirement after ... Read more

Tamim childish and not a team man, says Shakib

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said that Tamim Iqbal, who was left out of Bangladesh’s 15-man squad for the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup, was not a team man because he was unwilling to obey the order. Tamim, after being left out, posted a video on his Facebook page on Wednesday, ... Read more

Tigers set off for World Cup mission

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh national cricket team left Dhaka for India on Wednesday to take part in the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, scheduled to take place from October 5 to November 19. Bangladesh will begin their campaign for the tournament against Afghanistan on October 7 in Dharamshala. Before leaving the country, ... Read more

New Zealand crush Tigers to win first bilateral series in Bangladesh since 2008

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com New Zealand geared up for the World Cup as they whitewash Bangladesh in the three-match series 2-0, with a seven wickets win in the final one-day international in Dhaka on Tuesday. This is New Zealand’s first bilateral series victory over the Tigers in Bangladesh since 2008. Playing to avoid a series ... Read more