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“We may be young in terms of age but being senior or junior shouldn’t be an excuse”

Mohammad Isam27-Feb-2022One of the biggest takeaways for Bangladesh in their ODI series win over Afghanistan has been the contributions from multiple players, not just the seniors. Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das and Taskin Ahmed all put in decisive match-winning performances in the first two matches, helping Bangladesh take an unassailable 2-0 lead with a game to go.Miraz said that given the opportunity, the younger players now know what they have to do to become matchwinners for Bangladesh. He said that their contributions will only boost the team, particularly when playing alongside a group of seniors who have been quite consistent in the last ten years.Related

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“The seniors always want the juniors to perform well, which will help the team,” Miraz said. “They always back us up, talk to us. Litton, Mustafiz [Mustafizur Rahman] and I have been around for the last five-six years. So we have a bit of experience. We want to use it to play good cricket. When we had the opportunity, we tried to put together a partnership by playing normally. When it became a big partnership, we started to think about winning the game. Grabbing this opportunity is going to help us in the future.”We learned from the seniors who have brought big achievements to the country. They have helped Bangladesh take the next step. They have won Bangladesh many matches. When they were doing it, we [the junior members] would think that whenever we get the opportunity we will get the team to that stage too. We had that confidence when we were out there. When we reached our half-centuries, we told each other that if we can’t win the game this fifty would have no value. If we can win the game, it will be an achievement.”Afif and Miraz put together a grand 174-run stand in the first ODI, helping Bangladesh turn around their fortunes after slipping to 45 for 6 chasing 216. In the second game, Litton struck his fifth ODI hundred, while Taskin bowled superbly in the middle overs. While all four have done well for Bangladesh in the past, too – Litton, Miraz and Taskin were part of their historic Test win against New Zealand last month – they have come under scrutiny for not being consistent enough.Bangladesh have waited for a long time for the next crop of cricketers to become consistent performers at the highest level. Sporadic performances, like Miraz’s big haul of wickets in his maiden Test series against England in 2016, have given them the opportunity to gain attention. But only consistency can bring them greater success.”You get to play for the national team on the back of performance,” Miraz said. “We may be young in terms of age but being senior or junior shouldn’t be an excuse. Someone else will take my place if I am not performing. Sooner I can settle myself in international cricket, I can have a long career at this level.”Miraz said that playing on good pitches, like the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium over the last week, will also be helpful for Bangladesh going into major events in the next couple of years.”We have some big events coming up like the Asia Cup and the World Cups, so we have to adopt playing on good wickets. In India, we can expect 300-plus runs in every game, whether batting first or chasing. It was the same case in the 2019 World Cup. There are good wickets in these big events so it is better to have such wickets in our home conditions too. Runs will give confidence to the batters.”

Bangladesh coach, however, feels criticism of batsmen not scoring enough runs in the tournament is “unfair”

Mohammad Isam22-Oct-2020Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo has said he is impressed by the performances of the fast bowlers in the BCB President’s Cup, a tournament which he has classified as just a part of players’ easing into competitive cricket, and not something from which big assumptions can be drawn.”I am very excited about what I have seen [in the fast bowlers],” Domingo said in a press conference on Thursday. “You look at the way Taskin [Ahmed] bowls. Every international team in white-ball cricket has a fast bowler that they call on, when they need a wicket. England calls Jofra Archer, South Africa calls [Kagiso] Rabada, Australia calls Mitchell Starc and India calls [Jasprit] Bumrah. It is great to see that we have some options now that when the game is tight we can call on someone to bowl quickly. Someone like Taskin Ahmed and Khaled [Ahmed] to bounce one or two guys out.”It is very pleasing for me. If we take one thing out of this one-day tournament, [it] is the performance of the fast bowlers. The media and public should be excited by that as we don’t want to be a one-dimensional side, especially when we go away from home. If they are making the life of the batsmen hard, I am excited. That’s okay. To win games, you have to take 10 or 20 wickets.”Domingo said quicks like Taskin, Rubel Hossain and Khaled have made most of the pandemic-induced break to work on themselves.”I can’t compliment the players enough for the work they have done in the last six or seven weeks. Look at the shape of Taskin and how Rubel is going, and Khaled who came back from a big injury; the guys have really worked hard on their fitness levels. We are trying to improve their skills and make sure that they can perform at international level.”The biggest thing Taskin has done is change his work ethic. He is working so much harder. He is in a very good physical condition. He can bowl more than one or two spells. His comeback spells are also quick, so that’s very pleasing for us. We are pushing hard to make sure guys are bowling at good pace at 5pm and at 10am,” he said.Domingo was also full of praise for Shoriful Islam, the young left-arm quick who starred in Bangladesh’s Under-19 World Cup campaign earlier this year.”He has got some work to do and has to be taught to get the ball to swing back into the left-hander. He has some good pace and bounce and a good attitude. He is impressive. He is always smiling and wanting to learn, which are good attributes for a young fast bowler. He took a great catch yesterday [against Najmul XI in the BCB President’s Cup]. He is a confident young man, and it is always good to have left-arm seamers available.”However, Domingo said that criticism of batsmen not scoring enough runs in the tournament was not fair, calling the expectations “unrealistic” and adding that the performances in the tournament aren’t that important.”You have to remember that the guys haven’t played cricket for seven months, which is a long time without competitive cricket,” Domingo said. “There’s no doubt that the guys will get better. They will play together as a unit.”I think it is a bit unfair to say they are consistently failing. It was just six or seven months ago that we scored 320-plus against Zimbabwe in [all three games in] the one-day series. Liton got 180 [176, in the third ODI], Tamim got two hundreds, so I think it is a bit unfair. Most important thing is the guys are getting some game time.”The performances [in the BCB President’s Cup] are not important, as far as I am concerned. I think the obsession with trying to win this tournament and media wanting guys to win and perform all the time, is unrealistic considering the guys haven’t played for six or seven months,” he said.The BCB President’s Cup final, to be played between Mahmudullah XI and Najmul Hossain XI, which was due to be played on October 23, is shifted to October 25 due to inclement weather in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh team management awaits a scan report which will tell them the extent of Mahmudullah’s calf injury

Mohammad Isam in Southampton24-Jun-2019Soon after leading his team to victory against Afghanistan with an all-round performance, Shakib Al Hasan said that Bangladesh will give their “best shot” against India, their next opponents, despite facing a stiff equation to qualify for the semi-finals. He said that beating India would be a tough proposition, but one that the side is looking forward to given their run in the tournament so far.Bangladesh are currently in fifth place after their 62-run win against Afghanistan in Southampton, while India, who still have two matches before their Bangladesh clash on July 2, are placed third with nine points from five games.”We have a very important match coming up against India who are a top side,” Shakib said. “They are looking at the title. It won’t be easy but we will give our best shot. Experience will help, but it is not the end of the world. We have to play our best cricket to be able to beat India. They have world-class players who can win matches on their own. We have to be at our best, and I think we are a capable [enough team].”WATCH on Hotstar – Shakib’s five-wicket haul (India only)Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach, and former India bowler, Sunil Joshi, said that since he had seen the Indian team “very closely”, he knew “where to bowl to them”.”We have quality spinners, the same as India,” Joshi said. “How do you deal with them? Facing them and bowling to them it is the same. You think of it one ball at a time.”Every team has their strengths and weaknesses. I have seen India very closely when we have played them. We know where to bowl to them.”We have shown in the white ball formats here and before this how we are a good side. We won in Ireland, we have beaten West Indies home and away and come close to beating India three times in the past three years.”Shakib also said that it is also not realistic to think England, who are currently on fourth place, just above Bangladesh, will slip up in a big way.”England need to win one out of three, we have to win two out of our two remaining matches,” Shakib said. “It is difficult, mathematically, but anything can happen in cricket. We have to look at the other results as well, but we have to play two important matches, and get results. It is all we can do.”Shakib, who became the first player to score more than 400 runs and take ten wickets in a World Cup campaign, said that the rest of the team is also contributing although he has carved a different level for himself.”Mushfiq [Rahim] , [Mahmudullah] Riyad and Tamim [Iqbal] have made important contributions, especially playing on this wicket. [Mohammad] Saifuddin and Mustafizur [Rahman] have already taken nine or ten wickets each in this tournament but within their limitations, they have done plenty. Matches are won with these contributions, [no matter] how small those are,” he said.Meanwhile, the Bangladesh team management awaits a scan report which will tell them the extent of Mahmudullah’s calf injury. The 33-year old allrounder couldn’t take the field in the second innings of the match, although he scored 27 and batted through a crucial 56-run fifth-wicket stand with Mushfiqur.But Mahmudullah was clearly struggling from the sixth ball onwards he faced, needing the physio’s attention after pulling up while taking a single in the 34th over. He limped for the rest of the innings, but it looked like he was risking further injury to his calf. He is already unable to bowl after suffering a shoulder injury in New Zealand in February.

Australia’s home international schedule for 2018-19 includes maiden Tests at the Perth Stadium and Canberra’s Manuka Oval, and an international debut for Gold Coast

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Apr-2018India will most likely not play a day-night Test during their 2018-19 tour of Australia. Cricket Australia still hopes the first Test in Adelaide, which is scheduled to start on December 6, will be a pink-ball, day-night game, but ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI is not in favour of the idea and has made its position clear to the Australian board.CA announced the schedule of Australia’s home summer on Monday without confirming a start time for the Adelaide Test. Since November 2015, Adelaide has hosted one day-night Test every year.”It is our preference that we play India in a day-night Test match in Adelaide, but we are still working through this detail and hope to have an answer on this in the coming weeks,” chief executive James Sutherland said.Women’s international cricket will bookend the summer, with Australia playing three T20Is against New Zealand in September-October – which leads into the women’s World T20 in the West Indies in November – and then a three-match ODI series against the same opponents in February-March. In between, the Australia men’s team will host a South African limited-overs tour in October-November, and full international tours by India and Sri Lanka that stretch from mid-November to early February.Australian Cricketers’ Association CEO Alistair Nicholson welcomed the increased scheduling of women’s cricket.”On the back of last years’ ground-breaking gender equitable MOU which the players fought for, it is right that our female team continues to get the exposure they deserve,” he said.”We have some of the best players in the world and I think the fans will appreciate the opportunity to see them on one of the biggest TV days of the year being AFL Grand Final night. Going forward the players are interested in exploring more long-form cricket opportunities, particularly after such a successful Ashes Test last year.”South Africa will play three ODIs from November 4 to 11, and a one-off T20 on November 17, which is the first ever international game at the Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast.India will begin their Australia tour with a three-match T20 series from November 21 to 25, and then play four Tests in Adelaide (December 6-10), Perth (December 14-18), Melbourne (December 26-30) and Sydney (January 3-7). The newly built Perth Stadium will make its debut as a Test venue when it hosts the second Test.The Tests against India will be followed by three ODIs from January 12 to 18.Brisbane will host first Test against Sri Lanka, a confirmed day-night game, from January 24 to 28, and the Manuka Oval in Canberra – also a first-time Test venue – the second Test from February 1 to 5.CA has yet to confirm the dates of the domestic season, but it is likely to include an expanded Big Bash League season of 43 games. The 16-day gap between the fourth Test against India and the first Test against Sri Lanka – filled by only three ODIs – could give Australia’s international players a window to take part in as many BBL games as possible, while the tournament’s closing stages could be held after the end of the Test season.

Hales, who missed out on selection for the original squad after sustaining a broken bone in his right hand during the ODI series in India, is due to have a scan on the hand on February 27

George Dobell in Basseterre23-Feb-2017Alex Hales is set to join England’s ODI tour of the Caribbean.Hales, who missed out on selection for the original squad after sustaining a broken bone in his right hand during the ODI series in India, is due to have a scan on the hand on February 27. If that scan shows nothing untoward – as is expected – he will fly out to join the squad in Antigua next week.Even if the scan suggests he is not quite ready for a return to action, it is likely that Hales will continue his rehab with the squad in Antigua and Barbados.Hales scored three ODI centuries in 2016, including an England-record 171 against Pakistan at his home ground of Trent Bridge.His place in India was taken by Sam Billings, who is also expected to open in the tour’s two warm-up matches in St Kitts. That could leave the tour management with a tricky decision over whether to recall Hales, who will not have played since January 19, for the ODIs or allow Billings the opportunity to stake his claim on the position. The first ODI takes place on March 3.The management are certainly keen to find a way into the side for Billings. But with Hales having formed a strong opening partnership with Jason Roy, it may well be that Billings requires an especially persuasive performance in the warm-ups to win a longer stay in the side.They have a similarly tough decision to make about Jonny Bairstow. He was called into the side in place of the rested Joe Root for the final ODI in India and responded with a half-century. But, with Root back and England’s middle-order of Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes looking relatively settled (though each of them will float up and down the order as the situation demands), Bairstow finds himself battling for selection once more.He has, at least, excellent memories of the St Kitts ground where England begin this tour. It was here, almost two years ago, that he unveiled his new stance and back-lift for the first time. Drafted into a weak-looking St Kitts Invitational XI to provide tougher opposition for England, he responded with 98 against an attack that included James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes. He has subsequently averaged 63.36 in first-class cricket with 25 scores of 50 or more in 55 completed innings.”Yes, it all started here,” Bairstow said as he looked out across the ground on Thursday. “Well, here and in the indoor nets at Headingley.”But match-wise this was the first place I took the leap and tried something different and I’ve stuck with it. It was the first time with my new technique and I scored 95 [actually 98]. I ended up playing against the lads and things kicked on from there. So I’ve good memories of coming back here.”Such competition for places bodes well for an England team with realistic hopes of winning their first global ODI title when the Champions Trophy takes place later this year.”We know if we put the performances together like we’ve been doing 80-90 percent of the time, there’s no reason why we can’t go and win the Champions Trophy and a World Cup,” Bairstow said. “I firmly believe we’re a special squad.”I don’t know how I nail a place in the team. I’ve said as long as I can get into that XI, I don’t care where I bat. I’d like to think the form I’ve been in over the last 18 months is strong enough to push my case.”Meanwhile, Paul Collingwood is with the squad in the role of fielding coach. The Durham captain, still playing at 40 years of age, was captain of the only England men’s team to have so far won a global limited-overs tournament (the World T20 in 2010), and joins up with Graham Thorpe (batting coach) and Paul Farbrace, who assumes the role of head coach from the rested Trevor Bayliss.Jonny Bairstow was speaking on behalf of Waitrose, official team sponsor of the England cricket teams.George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo. He will be covering England’s tour of the Caribbean in association with Smile Group Travel