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Mominul Haque Concedes Bangladesh Got Away With Extended Batting Line Up In Harare

Mominul Haque concedes Bangladesh got away with extended batting line-up in Harare

Bangladesh found themselves wanting initially in the only Test against Zimbabwe but a valuable partnership between Liton Das and Mahmudullah turned the tide in their favour.

Discussing his decision to bat first, he pointed out that the presence of spinners in the playing XI made his decision-making process easier as the surface promised to assist spinners on the final two days of the Test.

"After looking at the pitch, I expected it to turn on the fourth or fifth day, which is why I decided to bat first. We had belief that our spinners could take advantage of those conditions. It would have been difficult to make a combination in these conditions without Shakib bhai. Looking at the wicket, I thought that some of us might struggle but with a long batting line-up, we could get away from it,” Mominul Haque said in the post-match press conference.

He conceded that the conditions could have been far trickier than they would have liked but the move of playing extra batsman worked perfectly for his side. He commended both Mahmudullah and Liton Das along with Taskin Ahmed to keep the side ahead in the first innings and the top order batsmen for cashing in on advantage in the second innings.

"Riyad bhai's partnership with Liton was critical as we were 132-6 at that stage. Riyad played an outstanding innings. Taskin's 75 was also important to win this Test match. Staying ahead in the first innings keeps you in the game for long. Shanto and Shadman played well in the second innings without pressure, which is how it should be. I think they utilised the situation very well by batting normally," he said.

Calling the win against Zimbabwe a big moment, Haque said that the win will help boost the morale of the side in the World Test Championship. He said that a clinical win will enable players to understand their roles better however he underlined the team is focusing on improving their ‘small processes.’

"This Test win will build confidence in everyone ahead of the World Test Championship. They would know their role better. We are trying to improve small processes, rather than plan big,” Haque added.

The win over Zimbabwe would come as a sense of relief for Mominul Haque personally after digesting a humiliating defeat at the hands of West Indies at home earlier this year.

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Phil Salt outlines his role of providing 'flier' start to England batting

England’s new recruit Phil Salt stamped authority at the highest level in only his second ODI after he struck 60 against Pakistan in the second ODI of the three-match series at Lord’s. The batsman who was born in the Welsh town had moved to Caribbean islands with family when he was 10. “I was born in North Wales but my dad got a job out there and we all moved over when I was about 10. He was a property developer on the west coast,” he said. Salt further added that he had featured for Barbados U15 and was eligible for the U19 side but wasn’t selected. “I think I was eligible through citizenship. I spent six years there and then came back to the UK to go to boarding school. I played Barbados Under-15s but never any further. I was available for selection for the under-19 team but I didn’t get selected,” he added. Seven members from the England camp that was slated to play Pakistan in the bilateral tie had earlier tested positive for Covid-19 while the others were isolated considering they were in the close proximity which forced the England selectors to announce a new squad. Salt, who made a cut into the national side for the series, talked about his role and said that he is responsible for providing the side with a quick start. “Coming in it is pretty simple, I’ve got to get the boys off to a flier. That doesn’t mean it’s all big shots all over the place, a good ball is still a good ball and you have to play it with respect. But if you get any width or any length I am definitely looking to jump all over that,” he said.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar backs youngsters to use IPL experience in international cricket

India vice-captain for the tour of Sri Lanka Bhuvneshwar Kumar has hoped that young players will take their experiences of playing the shortest format of the game in the Indian Premier League to the international stage in the upcoming series against the island nation. He said that the squad for the series has a perfect mix of young and experienced players and if the young players would be able to make use of their confidence, they would help India and themselves a great deal. “We have good players and they have experience of IPL, they are young but they have experience of IPL, playing T20 for so many years and they have done well for their teams. So, it will be beneficial for the team that they will carry the confidence of IPL and they are young and talented, there is a good mix with the experienced players and this will be a good tour,” Bhuvneshwar said on the Star Sport show ‘Follow the Blues.’ “Young players who have come for their first tour and came after doing well in IPL so if they do well here then it will be great for their confidence,” he added. Discussing his long layoff due to injury, Bhuvneshwar said that domestic cricket worked well for him after recovery and come back to the Indian side for the series against England. “When I was almost recovered, domestic cricket was going on as well. So my focus was to get fit and make a comeback and then I started the preparation for the match,” he said. “Before the England series, I played domestic cricket, so that it helps me get the required match practice. One shouldn’t take things lightly, while playing domestic cricket and that kept me motivated to play for India and to stay fit,” he added. The series between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to begin on July 18 in Colombo while the T20 series will commence on July 25.

ENG vs PAK | 3rd ODI Preview: Hosts look to test bench strength; visitors eye consolation

England might have suffered a huge blow after their key players were ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Pakistan following a Covid-19 outbreak within the side. While seven members were tested positive, others were considered to be in close proximity and as a result the whole team was isolated which forced the selectors to name a new squad for the bilateral tie against Pakistan. But necessity is the mother of invention. England’s new 18-man squad led by all-rounder Ben Stokes showed the mettle and thumped Pakistan in the first two ODIs of the series to take an unassailable lead. The bowlers especially Saqib Mahmood, Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton have thoroughly dominated the Pakistan batting line up in both the games. The visitors were bundled out for 141 in the first match to lose the match by 9 wickets while were bowled out for 195 in the second to suffer a 52-run lead in a match that was reduced to 47 overs per side due to rain. The only issue that hosts have faced is getting a steady start. The Ben Stokes-led side has early wickets on both the occasions and is probably the thing for now that the team management needs to work on. On the other side, Pakistan have been in a spot of bother especially because of the way their two of the most important batsmen, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have fared. Both the players haven’t been able to leave a mark in the series and are struggling to be among the runs. Moreover, Babar Azam’s struggle to score runs while chasing is persistent in the series. In the last match where the visiting team was handed a target of 248 runs, Babar could only manage to score 19 off 15 before getting trapped in front of the stumps by Mahmood. Another cause of concern for Pakistan is the form of opener Imam ul Haq. The left-handed batsman has only scored 1 run and faced a total of three balls in the series so far. Imam’s disappointing patch with the bat has prevented Pakistan from getting a steady start in both the matches. But there are positives for them as well. Fast bowler Hasan Ali scalped a fifer in the second encounter and later chipped in with 31 off 17 that included three maximums. But overall, the Pakistan side has a lot of concerns to negotiate before they take the field in Birmingham. Match Details England vs Pakistan, 3rd ODI Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham Date & Time: July 13th, at 5:30 PM IST and 1:00 PM Local Time Live Streaming: Sony Sports Network Pitch and Weather Report There is a chance of some rainfall in the afternoon in Birmingham. The overcast conditions in the initial phase of the game might help the quick bowlers. There is a chance of swing and seam movement in the early part of the match but as the match progresses, the track might have something on offer to the batsmen. So, if you win the toss bowl first. Team News England The home side is looking in some fine form at the moment. The only cause of concern is the fall of early wickets that needs to be taken care of by the team management. Nevertheless, the new recruits have done incredible work to help the side take an advantageous 2-0 lead in the series. England might make few changes in this last encounter to test the bench strength. Pakistan Pakistan, at the moment, is probably struggling in every department. Fakhar Zaman has scored some runs while Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali have picked few wickets for the team but the two players haven’t got any support. Moreover, the failure of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan with the bat has proven to be a curse for the team in this series. Pakistan now have nothing to lose in this match and would probably look to make few changes in the playing XI for this game. Probable Playing XI England Philip Salt, Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley, James Vince, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Duckett, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, David Payne, Saqib Mahmood, Danny Briggs Pakistan Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Sohaib Maqsood, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf Fantasy XI Philip Salt, Babar Azam, Sohaib Maqsood, Dawid Malan (c), Fakhar Zaman, Ben Stokes, Lewis Gregory (vc), Shadab Khan, Craig Overton, Saqib Mahmood, Hasan Ali

Derbyshire's county fixture against Essex called off after player tests positive

Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc in England cricket as a fresh case in the Derbyshire camp led to the abandonment of their home fixture against Essex. The name of the player has not been made public yet but he has been isolated and considering the constraint in the Derbyshire camp, umpires decided to call off the game. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said that both teams will get the points and the announcement will be made soon. "The ECB has worked closely with Public Health England and both Derbyshire and Essex County Cricket Clubs with the health and safety of players, staff and officials the first priority. Confirmation on the awarding of points from the match will be announced in due course,” the ECB said in a statement. Earlier, Kent county side had to field a completely new side from their preferred XI after a player tested positive for Covid-19. Covid-19 has started to hurt England cricket as the ECB is willing to walk away from the biosecure bubbles they have had to employ since the outbreak of the pandemic. The senior Men side had to field a new side against Pakistan after seven members of the squad that played against Sri Lanka tested positive for covid-19.