Abdullah Al Mehdi

Unlike the preceding election during Aminul Islam Bulbul’s tenure, there was no strict requirement this time to nominate councillors from ad hoc committees.

Pace is power in Test cricket, and Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto is beginning to reap its rewards. With Bangladesh’s 104-run win over Pakistan in the first Test in Mirpur, Shanto equalled Mushfiqur Rahim as the captain with the most Test wins for the Tigers, with seven victories.

Rana getting the old ball to talk had even surprised his captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das.

Aggression is one thing, but controlled aggression is a different kind of menace. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto’s century against Pakistan on Friday in Mirpur on Day 1 of the first of two Tests, part of the World Test Championship, was a perfect example of the latter.

Ball by ball, step by step, Rana was pure bliss to watch at the Mirpur practice nets on Tuesday.

The fuller delivery, like the short ones, created surprise, with some deliveries striking the bat rather than the bat meeting it.

Shanto spoke about navigating that lean phase, whether stepping away from captaincy influenced his batting and more, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star’s Abdullah Al Mehdi.

Will Young was among the more experienced players in an otherwise inexperienced New Zealand ODI squad that suffered a 2-1 defeat in the recently concluded three-match series against hosts Bangladesh. Arriving in Bangladesh after a successful tour of India, Young and his side encountered tougher batting conditions and a hostile pace attack. The New Zealand number three spoke about the conditions, Bangladesh’s bowling threats, and more in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star’s Abdullah Al Mehdi. The excerpts are as follows: