Latest News
Mustafizur’s six-wicket haul scripts big win for Bangladesh
Mustafizur Rahman’s career-best 6 for 10 backed up by an unbeaten century-stand between Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar helped Bangladesh claim a resounding ten-wicket win over USA in the third and final T20I in Dallas. It brought down the series margin to 2-1 for USA who would nonetheless celebrate a milestone performance.
Mustafizur’s six-for – the first time a Bangladesh bowler claimed a six-wicket haul in T20Is – restricted USA to 104 for 9. In reply, Tanzid and Sarkar added 108 runs in just 11.5 overs to take Bangladesh home. This was Mustafizur’s second six-for in white-ball cricket after his 6 for 43 against India in an ODI in 2015.
Apart from Mustafizur, wristspinner Rishad Hossain also bowled brilliantly conceding just seven runs in his four overs and picking a wicket. This was Bangladesh’s most economical T20I spell (minimum four overs). Before both of these milestones though, Shakib Al Hassan reached a unique feat, too.
Having secured the series, USA rested four first-choice players in Monank Patel, Steven Taylor, Harmeet Singh and Ali Khan. They got off to a blazing start after being sent in, with Shavan Jahangir creaming Hasan Mahmud for two fours in the second over before Andries Gous launched Shakib for a huge six over midwicket. Gous then took a liking to Tanzim Hasan Sakib, hitting him twice through point and cover, in between a beautiful flick shot.
Gous finished the fourth over with another four through fine leg. After Jahangir lofted Shakib for his first six next over, Najmul Hossain Shanto dropped Gous on 23. He smacked the next ball for four, but Shakib finally removed Gous in the same over. He made 27 off 15 balls, becoming Shakib’s 700th international wicket. Shakib became the 17th cricketer to reach the milestone but the first to get to the mark with 14000-plus runs under his belt.
Jahangir was dismissed in the last over of the powerplay caught at deep square leg off Mustafizur. Nitish Kumar and Milind Kumar could only add ten runs in 3.5 overs before Mustafizur broke this stand in the 10th over when Nitish was caught behind for 3.
Rishad meanwhile kept things tight at the other end. Milind was his only wicket, getting caught in the deep leg-side boundary after a painstaking 7 off 20 balls. Before Milind’s wicket, Tanzim had removed Aaron Jones in the 12th over, when the USA captain for the day half-heartedly struck a pull shot down Rishad’s throat at the deep square-leg boundary.
When Shadley van Schalkwyk struck Mahmudullah for a four through long-on, it was USA’s first boundary in 10.5 overs. Corey Anderson then hit Tanzim for a four and six in the next over and it looked like the home side were warming up for a fast finish.
Mustafizur put paid to those thoughts removing both van Schalkwyk and Anderson in the 18th over. Bowling from the around-the-wicket angle to both left-handers, he first got one to slide away from van Schalkwyk to hit the top of his off stump while Anderson chopped one onto his stumps for 18. Mustafizur then pinned a yorker through Jasdeep Singh’s legs in the last over, before getting Nisarg Patel to hole out at point for his sixth wicket.
Bangladesh motored along through the powerplay as USA struggled without their three first-choice bowlers. Tanzid slapped two Saurabh Netravalkar half-volleys for fours through the covers. Soumya survived two mistimed shots in between a four and a six in van Schalkwyk’s first over before Tanzid went after Jasdeep and Milind in the next two overs. The pair struck one four each in Nitish’s over, and then one six each off Netravalkar
Tanzid reached his third T20I fifty in the 11th over before his second six got the partnership to three figures. Soumya played the perfect foil with his unbeaten 43 off 28 balls with two sixes. The pair put on their second century stand in 15 days.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh108 for 0 in 11.4 overs (Tanzid Hasan 58*, Soumya Sarkar 43*) beat USA 104 for 9 in 20 overs (Andries Gous 27, Shayan Jahangir 18, Corey Anderson 18; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 1-32, Shakib Al Hassan 1-23, Mustafizur Rahman 6-10, Rishad Hossain 1-07) by ten wickets
(Cricinfo)
Half-centuries from Gull Feroza and Sidra Amin helped Pakistan start their tour of Sri Lanka on a winning note. After restricting Sri Lanka to 210 for 9, thanks to Nashra Sandhu’s 3 for 42, Pakistan got home with five wickets and seven overs to spare in the first woman’s ODI in Hambantota.
Vishmi Gunaratne, reunited with captain chamari Athapaththu at the top of the order, helped Sri Lanka lay a solid foundation after they opted to bat. The hosts raced to 31 without loss in the first five overs. Gunaratne and Athapaththu soon brought up their fifth fifty-run partnership in ODIs, the most by an opening pair for Sri Lanka.
Once spin came on, the scoring slowed down. Gunaratne was the first to depart when she became Sandhu’s first victim. Athapaththu and Hasini Perera then added 53 for the second wicket before the Sri Lanka captain was bowled by Sandhu. Pakistan applied the squeeze when Sri Lanka were 109 for 2 in the 24th over. The only notable stand for Sri Lanka thereon was between Nilakshika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari, who added 42 for the fifth wicket. But Sri Lanka’s final surge never came and they lost 5 for 32 in the last seven overs to be restricted to a below-par total.
Pakistan hardly broke a sweat in their chase. Feroza struck her fourth successive ODI half-century. She was rapid in the first powerplay, and was the aggressor in the 58-run opening partnership with Sadar Shamas. Feroza then added 90 for the second wicket with Amin, who batted steadily. Feroza eventually fell for a breezy 77-ball 78 while Amin scored 57 off 94 before being dismissed, with victory in sight.
The win was Pakistan’s fifth consecutive ODI win, which put them second on the ICC Women’s Championship points table.
Scores:
Pakistan Women 211 for 5 in 43 overs (Gull Feroza 78, Sidra Amin 57; Kavisha Dilhari 2-37) beat Sri Lanka Women 210 for 9 in 50 overs (Nilakshika Silva 46, Chamari Athapaththu 46; Nashra Sandhu 3-42, Tasmia Rubab 2-34) by five wickets
(CRICINFO)
[Cricbuzzz]
Showers expected in the Western and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts
Child abuse crisis: 108,000 complaints reported in 10 years
CA dismisses writ petition seeking postponement of A/L exam
Bimal’s remarks on MP’s conduct spark heated exchange in Parliament
SC rules fundamental rights of Aragalaya activist were violated
TRINEX-26 naval exercise begins off Trincomalee coast
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Features5 days agoTwo memorable excerpts from a former SLAF commander’s memoir
-
Business5 days ago‘Giving up was never an option’: The fisherman who fought back after losing millions in SL
-
Latest News6 days agoDavis cup Asia/Oceania Group IV 2026 to be held in Colombo from 20th to 25th July
-
Features5 days agoErdoğan’s New Republic
-
Life style5 days agoTaste of the Swiss Alps comes to Colombo
-
Midweek Review2 days agoThree high-profile alleged suicides shaping key investigations
-
News6 days agoEvidence recorded in money laundering case against Yoshitha Rajapaksa
-
News6 days agoDengue outbreak gallops ahead: Infections surpasses 73,455, leaving 50 dead