1st ODI: Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal's tons guide Bangladesh to rare win over Pakistan

April 18, 2015

Dhaka, Apr 18: Bangladesh outplayed Pakistan by 79 runs in the first one-day international in Dhaka on Friday, in only their second win over their rivals in 48 games across all three formats.

BangladeshTamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim set up the rare win with impressive centuries as the hosts piled up 329 for six after electing to take first strike at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed and spinner Arafat Sunny claimed three wickets each as Pakistan were shot out for 250 runs in 45.2 overs to give Bangladesh the lead in the three-match series.

The only other time Bangladesh have beaten Pakistan was during a group match in the 1999 World Cup in England, but the fired-up Tigers dominated Sunday`s day-night game from start to finish.

Left-handed opener Tamim hit 132 off 135 balls and Rahim smashed a 77-ball 106 to steer Bangladesh past their previous best total of 326 for three against the same rivals in 2014.

The pair added 178 runs for the third wicket -- their country`s highest partnership for any wicket -- improving upon the 175 by Habibul Bashar and Rajin Saleh against Kenya in 2006.

"It was a real professional performance by the team," said Shakib Al Hasan, who led Bangladesh in the absence of Mashrafe Mortaza, who served a one-match ban for slow over-rates during the World Cup.

"It was a good pitch to bat on and Tamim and Mushfiq batted really well. After that we just wanted to contain their batsmen and I think our bowling unit rose to the occasion."

Tamim and Rahim ruined off-spinner Saeed Ajmal`s comeback to international cricket after an absence of eight months due to an illegal bowling action.

Ajmal conceded 74 runs in 10 wicketless overs with his remodelled action to finish with his worst one-day bowling figures.

Bangladesh scored only seven runs in Ajmal`s first four overs, before Tamim and Rahim lashed out at the spin spearhead.

Tamim hit 15 boundaries and three sixes in his fifth one-day century and Rahim smashed 13 fours and two sixes after being dropped by Junaid Khan when he was on 35.The match marked the start of a new era for Pakistan cricket following the one-day retirement of skipper Misbah-ul Haq and senior all-rounder Shahid Afridi after the World Cup.

The current team comprised just four players who took part in the World Cup, giving new ODI captain Azhar Ali a relatively inexperienced bunch of tourists.

Azhar led Pakistan`s batting charge with 72 off 73 runs after first two wickets had fallen for 59 runs.

Azhar shared a third-wicket stand of 89 runs with Haris Sohail to give Pakistan a glimmer of hope, before Taskin removed both batsmen.

Haris hit 51 off 64 balls, but after his departure only debutant Mohammad Rizwan defied the Bangladesh bowlers with a fluent 67.

The match swung decisively Bangladesh`s way when Sunny dismissed Fawad Alam (14) and debutant Saad Nasim in the 40th over.

Taskin finished with three for 42 and left-arm spinner Sunny took three for 47 runs.

Azhar promised a better outing in the next match.

"We made some mistakes in the field and dropped catches at the wrong time, but the credit goes to the Bangladesh batsmen," he said. "I think we conceded 30 to 40 runs more than we should have.

"But there were some positives for us too. I thought Rizwan batted soundly in his first match. We will rectify our mistakes and come back strongly in the next game."

The second and third one-dayers will also be held at the same venue on April 17 and 22.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 5,2020

Mar 5: India reached a maiden women's Twenty20 World Cup final Thursday after their last four clash against England was washed out, sparking calls for the International Cricket Council to include reserve days in future events.

Harmanpreet Kaur's unbeaten side were due to face the 2009 champions at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but the rain began pouring early in the day with barely any let-up.

With a minimum 10 overs per side needed for a result and no break in the weather, the umpires called it off without a ball being bowled.

Normally, five overs per side are needed to constitute a Twenty20 match, but the rules are different for ICC tournaments.

Four-time champions Australia are scheduled to take on South Africa later in the second semi-final, with that match also under threat.

With no reserve day, the highest-ranked teams from the two groups move into the final if play is not possible

That would pit India against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, where organisers are hoping to attract 90,000 plus fans, denying Australia a chance to defend their crown.

A reserve day is allowed for the final and the lack of one for the semis has been criticised by some players, with England captain Heather Knight among those calling for change.

"If both semi-finals are lost it would be a sad time for the tournament," she told reporters ahead of the match. "It's obviously going to be a shame if it does happen and I'm sure there will be a lot of pressure on the ICC to change that."

Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts said he sought clarification from the ICC about adding a reserve day with the Sydney weather looking ominous, but the request was denied.

"We've asked the question and it's not part of the playing conditions and we respect that," he told Melbourne's SEN radio.

"It gives you cause to reflect and think about how you might improve things in the future, but going into a tournament with a given set of playing conditions and rules, I don't think it's time to tinker with the rules."

It is not the way India would have wanted to make the final, but they are deserving of being there having gone through the group phase as the only unbeaten team.

After opening their campaign by upsetting Australia, they beat Bangladesh, New Zealand and then Sri Lanka.

While the entire team played well, teenage batting prodigy Shafali Verma excelled, which saw her elevated to the top of the ICC T20 batting rankings this week aged just 16.

She is only the second Indian after Mithali Raj to reach number one, pushing New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates down to second.

Ranked four in the world, India had made three semi-finals before this year and lost every time, including against England at the last World Cup.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
April 12,2020

London, Apr 12: Former Formula 1 legendary driver Stirling Moss died at the age of 90 on Sunday.

"All at F1 send our heartfelt condolences to Lady Susie and Sir Stirling's family and friends," Formula 1 said in a statement.

Often referred to as the greatest driver never to win the world championship, Moss contested 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961, driving for the likes of Vanwall, Maserati and Mercedes, where he famously formed a contented and ruthlessly effective partnership with lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

In his 10-year-long stint at the tracks, Moss took 16 wins, some of which rank among the truly iconic drives in the sport's history - his 1961 victories in Monaco and Germany in particular often held up as all-time classics.

Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia on public roads for Mercedes at an average speed of close to 100mph, while he also competed in rallies and land-speed attempts.

Following an enforced retirement from racing (barring a brief comeback in saloon cars in the 1980s) after a major crash at Goodwood in 1962, Moss maintained a presence in Formula 1 as both a sports correspondent and an interested observer, before retiring from public life in January of 2018.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
March 14,2020

Sydney, Mar 14: New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson has been placed under 24-hour isolation amid the fears of coronavirus after he reported a sore throat following the first ODI of the ongoing three-match series against Australia in Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) which the hosts won by 71 runs.

"In accordance with recommended health protocols, Lockie Ferguson has been placed in isolation at the team hotel for the next 24 hours after reporting a sore throat at the end of the first ODI," said New Zealand Cricket in a statement.

"Once the test results are received and diagnosed, his return to the team can be determined," it added.

The first ODI of the Chappell-Hadlee series was played in front of empty stands as the spectators were not allowed to be at SCG as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, Australian fast bowler, Kane Richardson was also tested for the coronavirus, after suffering from a sore throat on Thursday. That saw him left out of the squad for Friday's game but the test was negative.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.