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Litton 126 saves Bangladesh’s blushes on opening day
When it finally settled, a day that ebbed and flowed belonged to Litton Das. A majestic hundred from Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper-batter lifted his side from the oblivion of 116 for 6 to 278. Khurram Shahzad and Mohamed Abbas had torn through Bangladesh’s top and middle order, but as it happens so frequently, Pakistan failed to deliver the knockout blow, allowing Bangladesh to wriggle out of trouble once more. By the end of the day, the visitors will have been relieved to see off six overs in the evening without damage after the final session handed Bangladesh momentum that was all Pakistan’s in the first two.
Litton was a man on an ambitious mission from the moment he walked out, and saw two more team-mates fall inside ten runs to leave him batting alongside the tail. He immediately began turning down singles, aware he would have to do much of the work himself. He knew what it would take, having previously wrested control of a game after six early wickets in Rawalpindi, where his hundred set up a Bangladesh win.
After gritting his way alongside Taijul, he slowly began to loosen Pakistan’s control over the innings. He began to trust his partners more as the sting went out of the bowling attack, and then, crucially, the intensity and concentration. A bouncer from Shahzad kissed his glove on the way to Mohammad Rizwan, and though there were muffled appeals from the Pakistanis, no one felt confident enough to review after Pakistan burned two. He was on 52 then and went on to add another 74.
And those runs at the backend came quickly. With Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed and particularly Shoriful Islam, with whom he put on 64 for the ninth wicket, offering solidity at the other end, Litton freed his arms and began to show his dazzling strokely. A jabbed six in front of midwicket was the shot of the day, and as Pakistan’s accuracy dipped, runs flowed easily. A creamy drive through the covers brought up his third hundred against Pakistan, and as the day drew to a close, the visitors looked out of ideas beyond awaiting the new ball.
Litton finally holed out off a short delivery on 126, which left Pakistan with a tricky half hour to survive. It was Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal, each one Test old, who were given that responsibility, one they carried out with impressive composure.
It had all begun so differently for Pakistan, who got off to a dream start after they won the toss and Shan Masood put Bangladesh in again. Off just the second delivery, Abbas drew an edge from Mahmudul Hasan Joy that Salman Agha clung on to sharply in the slips. But debutant Tanzid Hasan and Mominul Haque responded sharply with a positive second-wicket stand that inched its way towards 50 inside the first ten overs. Tanzid, in particular, looked promising, especially driving through the off side, where all three of his boundaries came.
But Abbas found a way to remove him when, in a curious moment of misjudgement, he tried to jab the bowler through the on side, only to find a top edge that the bowler got underneath. Before long, Pakistan were rampant as Shahzad, in for Shaheen Shah Afridi, found a touch of movement to spell the end of Mominul with Bangladesh in trouble at 63 for 3.
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim dug Bangladesh out of that hole, but Pakistan were irresistible in the hour after lunch thanks to their bowlers’ unerring discipline and relentless accuracy. The first seven overs produced only four runs as Abbas and Sajid Khan kept Shanto and Mushfiqur on a leash, and then all of a sudden, the dam burst. Abbas drew Shanto into a prod, with the ball shaping away as it took Shanto’s edge, with Mohammad Rizwan completing a splendid diving catch to his left.
When Abbas was given a break, Shahzad picked up the baton seamlessly. The fourth ball of his spell wobbled and held its line to beat Mushfiqur’s bat on the inside before pinging him on the pads in front of the stumps. Shahzad surprised Mehidy Hasan Miraz with a bouncer the following over, an unconvincing hook finding Hasan Ali at fine leg, who completed a sharp catch to leave the hosts reeling at 116 for 6.
At that point, Pakistan may have fancied taking near-unassailable control of this Test. However, time and again, Pakistan’s Test side has shown it is rarely ever as straightforward for them, and time and again, Bangladesh, and Litton Das, have found ways to exploit that.
Brief scores: [Day one stumps]
Pakistan 21 for 0 in 6 overs (Azan Awais 13*, Abdullah Fazal 8*) trail Bangladesh 278 in 77 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 29, Litton Das 126, Tanzid Hassan 26; Kurram Shahzad 4-81, Mohammed Abbas 3-45, Hassan Ali 2-45) by 257 runs
[Cricinfo]
We are more than a week into this tour, and it feels like it’s barely begun. The first ODI went off without too much of a hitch, but the next two were washed out without a ball bowled, Kingston rains crashing the party. Unfortunately, the threat of rain hangs over this opening T20I too – with thunderstorms threatening on Thursday afternoon, which could affect the viability of the Sabina Park outfield later in the day (8.30pm local time is the start).
Unlike with ODIs, this is a format in which one of these teams is the favourite. West Indies were one victory away from knocking India out of their own home World Cup, while Sri Lanka spent much of the Super Eight in the recent global tournament fighting merely to prove they belonged. In India, West Indies showed their six-hitting strategy could still make waves. On top of which they have a much more successful franchise T20 product in the CPL than Sri Lanka has had with the LPL. Over many seasons, these sorts of advantages add up.
While West Indies clearly have the batting pedigree heading into this series, Sri Lanka will hope that their bowlers can make the contest more even. Wanidu Hasaranga has wreaked T20 havoc before in the Caribbean. In Dushmantha Chameera, they have a bowler who has shown he is in good rhythm on tour.
West Indies have excellent T20 bowlers too, Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein especially. But the kind of firepower they possess in the batting order Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder and the like – Sri Lanka have rarely ever had, even at their T20 pinnacle.
Shimron Hetmyer had a pretty abysmal IPL with Rajasthan Royals, hitting only 78 for them from his seven innings. This is strange, because in the T20 World Cup preceding the IPL, he had crashed 248 runs at a strike rate of 186, and was legitimately the batting star in the West Indies line-up as they threatened to make a deep run in the tournament. He had not been selected in the only ODI West Indies played against Sri Lanka, but coach Darren Sammy and Co. would be hoping he rediscovers some of his World Cup form in this series.
Wanindu Hasaranga remains one of Sri Lanka’s most prized white ball assets. But over the years, as the franchise contracts have piled up, so have the kilograms, and as a consequence, the injuries. He’s one of the few top spinners in the world, for example, who has recurring hamstring complaints. His bowling record in the West Indies is genuinely spectacular, though, but perhaps it’s getting to the stage of his career when he is required to produce the kinds of performances that remind fans – and selectors – what makes him a special white ball cricketer.
West Indies may revert to their preferred World Cup XI to get some momentum into this tour.
West Indies (possible): Shai Hope (capt, wk), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein Shamar Joseph
Sri Lanka may continue to trial Kamindu Mendis at the top of the order. Fast bowler Eshan Malinga is likely to get into the XI after a good IPL. Dasun Shanaka will probably reclaim a spot in the lower-middle order as well. The state of the surface may also determine whether they play a spin-bowling allrounder (likely Dunith Wellalage) or a seam-bowling allrounder (Milan Rathnayake).
Sri Lanka (possible): Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage/Milan Rathnayake, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Nuwan Thushara
Hosts England will take on Sri Lanka at Edgbaston. The match is set to begin at 6.30pm local time (5.30pm GMT).
England hold an advantage in this contest, having won 10 out of the 12 T20Is between the sides. Sri Lanka though will draw confidence from recent history, having won the last two T20Is against England in 2023. This will be just the fourth time these two sides meet in the T20 World Cup.
England arrive at the tournament having won four out of the six matches since the start of the year, while Sri Lanka come in with momentum on their side, riding on five consecutive T20I wins that include series wins against West Indies and Bangladesh.
England (probable): Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Alice Capsey, Heather Knight, Freya Kemp, Dani Gibson, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
Sri Lanka (probable): Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hansima Karunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika de Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), Malki Madara, Sugandika Kumari, Kawya Kavindi/Chetana Vimukthi
Lauren Bell has been in spectacular form all year, starting with the WPL where she finished with 12 wickets in nine games and was often a handful with the new ball. After picking three wickets in two games against New Zealand, she bagged seven wickets in three matches in the T20I series win against India. She’s bowled at an economy of 7.4 this year, and the home conditions are likely to suit her perfectly.
All eyes will once again be on Chamari Athapaththu for Sri Lanka. In what will be her 10th T20 World Cup the 36-year old will be expected to do the heavy lifting for her side. She heads into the tournament in excellent touch, highlighted by a blistering 94 off 58 balls in the warm up against Pakistan. Her contributions with the ball could prove just as important – she picked up four wickets in three matches in the series against Bangladesh in May.
Weather and conditions
The forecast points to clear skies in Birmingham on Friday evening. There was however some rain in the area on the eve of the match.
[Cricinfo]
President Donald Trump says that the US will strike Iran “very hard tonight” in a new post on Truth Social.
Here’s what the president says:
“The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT
“At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela, which is working out brilliantly for both Venezuela and the United States of America.”
Since the beginning of the conflict, Trump has repeatedly threatened to seize Kharg Island, a small island off the coast of Iran that is home to a major oil terminal.
[BBC]
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