Sports
Bangladesh’s stunning fightback results in thrilling tie
Fargana Hoque became the first Bangladeshi woman to score an ODI hundred as the hosts tied the third match and, with that, the series 1-1, on Saturday (July 22) in Dhaka. The Bangladesh veteran’s well-paced 107 led the team to 225/4 from their allotted 50 overs, and even though India seemed well in control at one point to complete a come-from-behind series win, the home team staged a brilliant comeback through late strikes to tie the final-over thriller. With the game’s stipulated time over, no Super Over was possible as per the ICC Women’s ODI Championship 2022-25 playing conditions.
Having won the ODI series opener, Bangladesh were determined to turn it into their maiden series win against India and of the IWC. To that end, the hosts opted to bat and their new opening pair of Fargana and Shamima Sultana vindicated the decision by putting on a 93-run stand where the centurion played a second fiddle. Sneh Rana got India the much-needed breakthrough in the 27th over when she sent back Shamima soon after her fifty, but Fargana carried on and put on 71 runs for the second-wicekt partnership with her captain Niga Sultana, picking up the pace.
Fargana completed her half-century in 97 balls as a result of overthrows, and then converted it into a 156-ball century just after Bangladesh went past the 200-run mark in the 47th over. She was run out final ball of the innings, but helped Bangladesh to their highest ever ODI total against India in their limited 50-overs rivalry. With the pitch offering turn, India’s chase suffered a couple of early blows as Shafali Verma, playing her first ODI of the tour, and Yastika Bhatia went for single digits. However, Smriti Mandhana (59) and Harleen Deol (77) combined for a 107-run partnership to pull them out of trouble. It’s through this partnership that India gained the lead on Bangladesh. They were well ahead of the home team’s scoring pace, but Fahima Khatun put an end to the threatening stand when she had the Indian vice-captain caught at point two balls after being dropped earlier in the same over.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s stay in the middle was cut short by a shoddy LBW call, and she made no efforts to conceal her disappointment when she struck the stumps with her bat in frustration. Shortly afterwards, play was briefly interrupted by rain when India needed 53 more off the final 12 overs, with six wickets in hand. At the time, India were ahead on DLS calculations but play resumed under lights soon after with no reduction in overs.
As India inched closer to the target, Harleen was run out on 77 in the 42nd over but the visitors still seemed in control. Jemimah Rodrigues, however, had to see a wicket procession at the other end as she continued to fight. India lost three wickets in the space of five balls to slip to 217/9 by the close of the 48th over. A timely boundary from Meghna Singh relieved the pressure off India, who now needed just three off the last over. Marufa Akter, however, had the India no. 11 caught behind with the scores levelled to fittingly end the series with a 1-1 scoreline.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 225/4 in 50 overs (Fargana Hoque 107, Shamima Sultana 52; Sneh Rana 2-45) tied with India 225 all out in 49.3 overs (Harleen Deol 77, Smriti Mandhana 59; Nahida Akter 3-37, Marufa Akter 2-55)
Salman Ali Agha said that he would have done things ‘differently”, after Mehidy Hasan Miraz ran him out in controversial circumstances in the second ODI in Dhaka.
Agha, who made 64 from 62 balls, had been backing up at the non-striker’s end when Mohammad Rizwan drove the ball back towards him. He was still out of his ground as Mehidy swooped round behind him in an attempt to gather, and Agha had appeared ready to pass the ball back to the bowler before Mehidy reached down to grab it first and throw down the stumps.
Agha reacted furiously to the dismissal, throwing his gloves and helmet down in disgust at the decision. However, he later came to the post-match press conference, ahead of captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and player of the match Maaz Sadaqat, to clear the air.
“I think sportsman spirit has to be there,” Agha said. “What he [Mehidy] has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it’s right, it’s right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently. I would have gone for sportsman spirit. We haven’t done this [type of thing] previously, we would never do that in the future as well.”
Agha explained that he had been trying to pick up the ball to give to Miraz, thinking it was likely to have been called dead. “Actually, the ball hit on my pad and then my bat,” he said. “So I thought he can’t get me run-out now, because the ball already hit on my pad and my bat.
“I was just trying to give him the ball back. I was not looking for the run or anything like that, but he already decided [to make the run-out].”
Agha however regretted his angry reaction. “It was just heat-of-the-moment kind of stuff,” he said. “If you ask me what would I have done, I would have done things differently. But it was everything, whatever happened after that, it was in the moment.”
He was also involved in a robust exchange with Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das, though he didn’t divulge many of the details.
“I can’t remember what I was saying and I can’t remember what he was saying,” he said. “I’m sure I wasn’t saying nice things, and I’m sure he wasn’t saying nice stuff as well. But it was just heat of the moment, so we are fine.
Asked if he had patched things up with Mehidy, Agha said: “I haven’t yet, but don’t worry, I’ll find him.”
Pakistan won the match by 128 runs via the DLS method.
[Cricinfo]
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix that were scheduled for next month are set to be cancelled as a result of the war in the Middle East.
A formal decision to call off the races has not yet been made but is expected before the end of the weekend.
Freight would need to start being shipped to the Middle East in the coming days. With no sign of the conflict between the US/Israel and Iran coming to a conclusion, holding the races would put personnel at too great a risk.
Neither event will be replaced, with the season being cut to 22 grands prix and F1 taking a commercial hit of more than £100m, given Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pay two of the highest hosting fees.
The race in Bahrain was scheduled to be on 12 April with Jeddah the following weekend.
Consideration was given to holding events at Portimao in Portugal, Imola in Italy or Istanbul Park in Turkey.
But it was accepted that the time to organise a race at any of those locations was too short, and there was little chance of securing a hosting fee.
The decision will mean there is a five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March and Miami on 3 May.
(BBC)
Royal College made steady progress in reply to their arch rivals’ first innings total as skipper Rehan Peiris and Ramiru Perera guided them to 175 for four wickets at stumps on day two of the 147th Battle of the Blues at the SSC ground on Friday.
Royal needed only 51 overs to reach their end-of-day total after S. Thomas’ College had earlier adopted a cautious approach before being bowled out for 302 runs.
Royal suffered an early setback when open batsman Hirun Liyanarachchi was dismissed for naught in the very first over, caught behind by Aaron Kodituwakku off the bowling of Gimhan Mendis.
Skipper Rehan Peiris then steadied the innings, repairing the early damage with two useful partnerships. He first added 41 runs for the second wicket with Udantha Gangewatta and followed it up with a 34-run stand for the third wicket alongside Sri Lanka Under-19 skipper Vimath Dinsara.
Dinsara struggled to find fluency during his stay at the crease, managing 11 runs off 30 balls before being trapped leg-before by Gimhan Mendis, who finished the day with two wickets.
Rehan continued to anchor the innings and produced the most productive stand of the Royal innings when he combined with Ramiru Perera for a vital 78-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The Royal skipper’s determined knock finally ended on 63 when he was dismissed by Ludeesha Matarage.
From there, Ramiru Perera and Yasindu Dissanayake ensured there were no further setbacks, batting cautiously until bad light forced the umpires to call off play.
Perera remained unbeaten on 70, an attractive innings that included ten boundaries, while Dissanayake provided solid support at the other end as Royal closed the day strongly.
Earlier in the day, resuming from their overnight score, the Thomians continued with their ultra-cautious approach, scoring at just over two runs per over. Reshon Solomon top-scored with 66 runs, while Ludeesha Matarage and Raphael Hettige chipped in with useful contributions in the twenties.
S. Thomas’ were eventually bowled out for 302 just before the lunch interval on the second day, having consumed 124 overs during their four-session first innings.
Gagan Gamage was the pick of the Royal bowlers with impressive figures of four wickets for 49 runs. He received good support from Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi, who claimed three wickets for 64 runs, while Himaru Deshan picked up two wickets for 43. Ramiru Perera also chipped in with a wicket to complete the Thomian innings.
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