Abdullah Al Mehdi

A rivalry is many things but, most crucially, from a sporting sense, it sets off the sparks that gets the attention, pulls in the crowds and becomes a topic of discourse.

Loneliness during bad patches in top-level cricket often does not come into the spotlight. It is an issue Virat Kohli had spoken about recently.

Bangla Tigers is like an incubator for hatching not just cricketers who have surpassed the High Performance level, but also for those struggling for form or requiring preparation for an upcoming series.

Is this really a new Bangladesh?

Firsts are always special. Most bowlers come on to the international stage having already bagged five wickets in a domestic game, but that was not the case for Hasan Mahmud. The 23-year-old bagged his first fifer, not just on the international stage, but overall, in the third ODI against Ireland.

Rain was in the offing at Sylhet and it rendered any outfield activities impossible yesterday for the Tigers who perhaps thankfully took the opportunity to take in the relaxing day from the team hotel.

Towhid Hridoy was shaped by unfortunate long before his first international appearance for Bangladesh national team. In 2013, a ‘fake’ cricket academy in Banasree embezzled money from him deceitfully. His family suffered as they had to mortgage land for a young Hridoy to join that academy but his career faced early setback. Batting with the likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim yesterday, Towhid showcased his own talent. He talked to The Daily Star’s Abdullah Al Mehdi on facing deceit when pursuing cricket, and support of his family through difficult times. He also talked about batting with Mushfiqur Rahim yesterday and gave his opinion on Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s comment during the BPL regarding his national team call up.

In overcast conditions mimicking the ‘English weather’, the Tigers went about their practice session at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium yesterday with individuals looking to build on the confidence from the England series as they geared up for the ODI series against Ireland, slated to begin today.

Bangladesh put in a massive effort with the ball to come back into the game after being put under the cosh before batters showed an approach that signaled the coming of a new Bangladesh in the T20I format,

The way Bangladesh’s bowlers thwarted England from getting a big score was commendable, but how did the Tigers’ chase go? It was a complete chase, done with a coolness that displayed the exuberance of youth, with left-handed Najmul Hossain Shanto leading from the front.

England were looking forward to a challenge but for newly-arrived Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, it will be the first step on a journey to the 2024 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.

“Shakib! Shakib,” Tamim Iqbal called out. “Who? Me?” Shakib Al Hasan gestured after someone brought it to his attention. Soon the ace all-rounder converged on the centre wickets to speak to Tamim and coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

Things happened as if in a frenzy yesterday evening

It was a picture of a happy dressing room, Bangladesh players taking pride in their new-found strength from the depths of defeat after all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz’s heroics, with only Mustafizur Rahman for company, helped clinch the first ODI against India in Mirpur. Shakib Al Hasan himself was one of those lending a shoulder on the occasion as Miraz was hoisted in the air.

Ryan Burl has come leaps and bounds since his early days, with his rise perfectly coinciding with the new-found ambition coming through in Zimbabwe cricket. The 28-year-old spoke about growing up with cricket and other sports and his view on the current generation of Zimbabwe players during an interview with The Daily Star’s Abdullah Al Mehdi. The excerpts are below:

Julian Wood is known as somewhat of a pioneer in coaching T20 power-hitting. This time, he is enjoying a stint with Chattogram Challengers as head coach.

Before the Bangladesh Premier League’s ninth edition had rolled on to the field, Bangladesh Test and T20I skipper Shakib Al Hasan was scathing in his criticism of the tournament’s organisation. As the tournament has begun, Shakib’s attitude towards it has only caused further uproar about its standards.

Sylhet Strikers and Towhid Hridoy are seemingly turning a page. The batting order has stability with Najmul Hossain Shanto and Hridoy at the top along with the power of Zakir Hasan in the middle while Thisara Perera can still punch a hole at the death with the bat.

Ace all-rounder and Fortune Barishal skipper Shakib Al Hasan may have taken centre-stage ahead of the start of the tournament with his scathing criticism of the BPL organisers on Wednesday, but by the time the tournament began yesterday, he was fully immersed in cricketing rituals.

How should one remember December 18? It may as well be known as the GOAT day. The coronation of the King, who completed football. The story, with a fairytale ending for one of the greatest to play the game and what had come to pass before and the joy thereafter, makes it one of sport’s greatest. For France, it was 120 minutes in the Lionel Messi territory and some more. For Argentina, they had to do it under the spirited gaze of Kylian Mbappe, always on the hunt. That only made Messi’s coronation that much sweeter in the end.