Sunday, October 12, 2025

Tigers eye clean sweep

Micromax ODI CUP-Bangladesh vs New Zealand
Tigers eye clean sweep
Bangladesh today have the golden opportunity to complete the annihilation of New Zealand as they look forward to a 4-0 whitewash in the one-day series.
It would be another feather in the already rich cap of the Tigers in this series, as the scoreline would only be the first time they have done so in a home series against a top-flight international team. The Tigers have so far completed clean sweeps on six occasions, beating Kenya twice (4-0, 3-0), crushing Zimbabwe 5-0 in 2006 and West Indies 3-0 last year.
A victory will also enable Bangladesh to go at par with the West Indies on 67 points in the ICC rankings. Bangladesh presently ranked ninth with 64 points.
Head coach Jamie Siddons certainly thinks the whitewash is possible, pointing out that the opposition may be caught on the hop again.
“We have the momentum. They are a little bit flat, waiting for the plane to go home. If we can put our foot down, we can definitely win the game. Then the whitewash is possible,” said a buoyant Siddons while talking to the reporters ahead of yesterday’s practice at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
“We have to fix our mistakes from the first game and put New Zealand under pressure and try and win the game,” he added.
The feeling was evident as the Tigers looked relaxed after training was over but during the three-hour workout, there was an air of intent. None of them looked like slacking off, something that could have easily happened with the satisfaction of winning the series.
Paceman Shafiul Islam, not much of a talker in front of the camera, said at least twice that the team is capable of pulling off a 4-0 win. “We will play for a win and I think this is our big chance. We have the self-belief and I’m sure we will hold on it tomorrow [Sunday],” he said.
“We are confident because we are doing well in all departments of the game,” added Shafiul, who has taken 27 ODI wickets this year.
The Bogra lad said he knows how to finish off Brendon McCullum, the swashbuckling opener. “It is important to stop runs with him. Then he plays wild shots and we can get him out,” he said.
But Siddons wants Shafiul and his pace-bowling partner Rubel Hossain to improve bowling in the Powerplay but what really concerns the coach is the team’s batting during that field-restriction period later in the match. ” We always want to take it when we are batting well but inevitably when we take it, we lose wickets. So that is one area we can improve in the next game,” he said.
” We can take it but the players need to make sure they use it,” added Siddons.
The 46-year-old said he was waiting for the Tigers to play the perfect game to finish the job well.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the first three games. I want them to rectify and play a lot better.
“We should have made 270, we should have played a lot better in the final Powerplay and we should have bowled a lot better in the last 10 overs.
“Rokibul [Hasan] needs to improve and [Zunaed Siddiqui] Imrose hasn’t performed yet. But he made a 100 and a ninety in the last 6-7 games. No need to panic or point fingers. The team didn’t manage 270, not just one individual,” said Siddons, who also told his charges not to “go flat” at any time of the match.
The coach also confirmed there won’t be any change in the team, owing to continue the combination with the World Cup and even Zimbabwe one-dayers in mind.
“But most of all we want to win 4-0. We didn’t play well last game, we got very lucky to get over the line,” warned Siddons.

 

Courtesy of The Daily Star

Related News

BCB board shake-up: Rubaba Dowla takes a seat

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Corporate leader and sports organizer Rubaba Dowla has officially joined the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), stepping in for Isfak Ahsan, whose nomination was quietly pulled just hours after yesterday’s board election. The NSC has pulled back his nomination due to claims about his connections with the ousted Awami League government. As ... Read more

BCB elects Aminul as president, Faruque and Shakhawat vice-presidents

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Aminul Islam has been re-elected as the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board following the board of directors’ elections that took place at a city hotel in Dhaka on Monday. Faruque Ahmed, a former board president himself, along with Shakhawat Hossain, has been chosen as the new vice-presidents. Aminul, Faruque, and ... Read more

Bangladesh dominates Afghanistan with strong victory in final T20I

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh wrapped up a clean sweep against Afghanistan with an impressive six-wicket victory in the third and final T20 International at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday, clinching the series 3–0 in style. Chasing a target of 144, Bangladesh made it look easy, finishing the game with two overs to spare. Saif ... Read more

Bangladesh secures T20I series victory against Afghanistan

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh has taken a strong 2-0 lead in the three-match series after pulling off an exciting two-wicket win against Afghanistan in the second T20I at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. Afghanistan set a target of 147 runs, losing 5 wickets in their 20 overs. Nasum Ahmed (2-25) and Rishad Hossain (2-45) ... Read more

ICC Women’s World Cup: Tigresses starts strong

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh began their ICC Women’s World Cup in style with a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday. Opting to bat first, Pakistan were bowled out for 129 in 38.3 overs. Bangladesh then reached 131-3 in 31.1 overs, thanks to an unbeaten knock of ... Read more

Aminul, Fahim set to be elected unopposed

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com It looks like Aminul Islam Bulbul, the current president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and vice-president Nazmul Abedeen Fahim are on track to be elected without any opposition in the upcoming board of directors’ election. This comes after the Election Commission rejected three nomination papers on Monday. On Monday, the Election ... Read more

BCB Polls: Razzak set for uncontested win

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Abdur Razzak, the former national team off-spinner and selector, is poised to be elected as a BCB director without any opposition in the upcoming elections, as reported by the Election Commission on Sunday. On Sunday, a total of 51 nomination papers were submitted, from the 60 that had been collected the ... Read more

Liton’s injury sidelines him from Afghan T20I series

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Cricket Board announced on Sunday the national team for the upcoming three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, set to take place in Sharjah, UAE on October 2, 3, and 5. Jaker Ali Anik will continue to captain the team in the absence of regular skipper Liton Das, who is ... Read more

Razzak steps down as selector, joins BCB election run

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Former Bangladesh left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak has stepped down from his role on the national selection panel after more than four years of dedicated service. He aims to contribute to the country’s cricket in a more impactful way. Razzak, who joined the selection panel in January 2021, confirmed his decision yesterday ... Read more

Batting failures keep Bangladesh out of Asia Cup final

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh’s hopes of making it to the Asia Cup final were dashed by a poor batting display, as they lost to Pakistan by 11 runs in their final Super Four match at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday. In this virtual semi-final, Bangladesh needed to chase down a target of 136 ... Read more

Umpiring legend Dickie Bird dies aged 92

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com The cricket world is mourning the news that one of the most popular and famous figures in the sport, Harold “Dickie” Bird, has passed away in his home, aged 92. Former first-class English cricketer Bird officiated his first test match in 1973, and went on to umpire 66 tests and 76 ... Read more

Bangladesh fixtures for ICC Women’s World Cup 2025

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh women’s cricket team will embark on their second-ever ICC Women’s World Cup journey as they depart for Colombo on Tuesday. After making their debut in 2022 in New Zealand, where they recorded a historic maiden victory against Pakistan, the Tigresses will be eager to build on that experience. The 2025 ... Read more

Bangladesh triumphs over Sri Lanka in Asia Cup Super Four Clash

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh opened their Super Four campaign in the Asia Cup with a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Chasing 169, Bangladesh reached the target with one ball remaining, thanks to strong batting performances from Saif Hassan and Tawhid Hridoy. Sri Lanka, asked to bat ... Read more

Hasibul and Salma join BCB selection panel

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Saturday appointed former national team pacer Hasibul Hossain Shanto as a men’s team selector and former women’s team captain Salma Khatun as a women’s selector. With the appointment, Salma became the first woman cricketer of the country to take such a role, which was remarked as ... Read more

BCB’s move to appoint first ever female selector for national women’s team

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Cricket Board is set to appoint a woman selector for the national women’s team, stated board president Aminul Islam Bulbul on Friday. Currently the national selection panel for the men’s team comprises former captain Gazi Ashraf Hossain as the chairman and Abdur Razzak as the member. Hannan Sarkar stepped ... Read more

Bulbul acknowledges Tigresses’ World Cup readiness not ideal

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam believes that the preparation of the Bangladesh national women’s cricket team for the forthcoming ICC Women’s World Cup was not up to the mark. The Nigar Sultana Joty-led team is currently in a camp at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur before going to the ... Read more

Mushfiq on the verge of reaching 100 Test appearances

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s talented wicketkeeper-batter, is on the verge of making history as the first Bangladeshi cricketer to reach 100 Test appearances. This milestone is within reach following Cricket Ireland’s decision to take part in a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on November 10. Ireland will tour Bangladesh between November ... Read more

Tigers leave for Dubai

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh cricket team left for Dubai in the early hours of Friday for the Champions Trophy, which begins in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19. Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Bangladesh team will play a warm-up match against the Mohammad Haris-led Pakistan Shaheens at the ICC Cricket Academy ground in Dubai on ... Read more

Simmons discusses Champions Trophy preparation Issues

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons acknowledged that the team’s preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy has not been ideal, but he remains hopeful that his players will quickly regain their ODI form before the tournament starts. “I agree that it is not the best preparation. However, they have been playing white-ball ... Read more

Toffee brings free live streaming of ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Cricket enthusiasts across Bangladesh can now catch every thrilling moment of the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup live, as Toffee, the nation’s leading digital entertainment platform, streams the tournament for free. The World Cup, hosted in Malaysia, kicks off today, 18 January 2025, and runs until 2 February. Fans can ... Read more