New Zealand get security clearance for white-ball tour of Pakistan

SL vs SA | Avishka Fernando hits third ODI ton, propels Sri Lanka to big total

Sri Lanka’s opening batter Avishka Fernando brought up his third ODI century as he scored a classic 118 off 115 balls against South Africa in the first of the three ODIs at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Courtesy to his hundred, Sri Lanka were cruising to great first innings total having made 234 in the 43rd over. However, the batter was dismissed trying to further increase the tempo of the innings off the bowling of Tabraiz Shamsi, getting caught by Andile Phehlukwayo. This is Avishka’s first ton in 2021 having got two fifties against India earlier this year. His previous two centuries came in 2019 and 2020 against West Indies during the World Cup at Chester-Lee-Street, Riverside and at home in Hambantota respectively. In this innings of his, the 23-year-old hit 10 fours and two sixes and looked hugely impressive with his running between the wickets as well. Tom Moody, Sri Lanka’s Director of Cricket was mighty impressed by the batter’s efforts to this time convert the start that he got into a hundred. The Australian tweeted in favour of the man born in a coastal town named Wadduwa. Fernando remained an anchor throughout the innings adding 57 for the first wicket with Minod Bhanuka, 79 for the third wicket with Dhananjaya de Silva and 97 for the fourth wicket with Charith Asalanka with the last partnership coming in just 71 balls. Overall, Avishka has now accumulated 946 runs in 24 innings with an average of 39.14 and at a strike rate of more than 90. Sri Lankan went on to score 300-9 in 50 overs as Asalanka scored a brilliant 72 off 62 balls as the team scored 90 runs in the last 10 overs.

2nd T20I Preview: Bangladesh look to stretch lead, New Zealand eye revival

New Zealand’s new recruit Rachin Ravindra had said that keeping the scoring rate to six an over against a spinner can be treated as a good result in Bangladesh ahead of the first T20I of the five-match series between the two teams. “Maybe getting six runs per over is a good result here whereas in New Zealand facing a spinner if you are taking 8-10 runs then that is a good result,'' Ravindra had said. The left-handed cricketer who made his debut for New Zealand in the first clash against Bangladesh was on spot with his observation but the visitors certainly missed the trick that the youngster had pointed out and recorded their lowest total in T20Is after getting bundled out for 60 in the 17th over. This was the second time that the Blackcaps had been dismissed for 60 as it had happened earlier against Sri Lanka in Chattogram back in 2014. Well, it wasn’t just about the forgettable records but the dismal show with the bat by the Kiwis in the first game. The majority of the batsmen failed to negotiate the spinners. While the New Zealand team didn’t really look comfortable against the spin bowlers and the slowish nature of the pitch, the hosts were also in a spot of bother in the beginning of the chase. It was the experienced duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim that helped them come out of tricky situations. The visitors have a lot of work to do before they come out in the middle in the second T20I while Bangladesh too need to make some tweaks as they didn’t get a stable start in the first encounter. Match Details Match:BAN vs NZ, 2nd T20I, New Zealand tour of Bangladesh, 2021 Date: Friday, September 03, 2021 Time: 3:30 PM Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka Pitch Report The pitch in Dhaka helped the spinners in the first match between the two sides. The batsmen had a tough time negotiating the spin and the runs never looked easy to come. So, if you win the toss, elect to field and try to restrict the opposition for a lesser total. Team News Bangladesh: The Bangladesh bowling line up looked pretty solid as they produced a brilliant show in the first match. Apart from this, Mushfiqur Rahim who returned back in the squad for this series showed his class and stitched a responsible and important partnership with Shakib to help the side in a critical time. The hosts are unlikely to make any changes in the XI. New Zealand: Despite suffering a thumping defeat in the first match, New Zealand received some good news on Thursday. Finn Allen, who had tested positive for Covid-19 upon his arrival in Dhaka has returned with two negative tests and will now join back the team bubble, New Zealand Cricket said on Thursday. Though, Allen’s availability for the selection is still not confirmed. Apart from him, Matt Henry who was called in as a replacement for Allen is in the final day of his three-day hotel isolation. He too will be joining the team on Friday pending a negative test for Covid-19. Bangladesh’s key players Shakib and Rahim showed their class with the bat as the two were not just among runs but they chipped in with some responsible runs. Other than the batsmen, Mustafizur Rahman’s usage of slower deliveries has been doing wonders for him since the IPL. The left-arm pacer has deceived the batsmen quite efficiently and has been picking up wickets consistently. New Zealand bank on youngsters Rachin Ravindra might have failed with the bat but he has the ability to get back on track quickly. In the last innings too, the left-hander was dismissed not because of an ambitious stroke but was deceived by Mahedi Hasan after he closed the face of the bat early while trying to work a length delivery towards the on side. He just needs to stay at the crease and rotate the strike as much as he can which would help in keeping the scoreboard moving. Ajaz Patel-The trump Card Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel can be the player for New Zealand who can fetch wickets for them in the early stage of the innings. The spinner would have help on offer from the track while the kind of flight he generates can help him get that extra turn on these kinds of wickets. Probable XI Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (c), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (w), Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell, Will Young, Colin de Grandhomme, Tom Latham (w/c), Henry Nicholls, Cole McConchie, Doug Bracewell, Ajaz Patel, Blair Tickner, Jacob Duffy Fantasy XI Mushfiqur Rahim, Tom Latham, Mohammad Naim Sheikh, Mahmudullah, Henry Nicholls, Mahedi Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Cole McConchie, Mustafizur Rahman (VC), Ajaz Patel, Blair Tickner

Young Shoriful Islam rewarded, named among five players offered all-format contracts by BCB

Left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam was rewarded for his consistency in all formats this season for the national team Bangladesh as he was anded an all-format contract by the Bangladesh Cricket Board for the 2021-22 season. This is the first time ever that Shoriful has been named in the retainer’s list and it couldn’t have been any better getting to the top of the tree straightway. A total of a 24-members have been centrally contracted by the BCB this time around with only five of them getting an all formats contract. The other four in the list include Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin Ahmed and Liton Das. Only 20 years old, Shoriful has played just a solitary Test, four ODIs and 10 T20Is having made his international debut in a T20I against New Zealand in March this year. The BCB introduced a format-wise contract system this year replacing its red and white ball contract system which was in place in 2019 and 2020. While Mohammad Mithun, Nayeem Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Rubel Hossain and Aminul Islam failed to retain their contracts, all-rounder Mahedi Hasan, wicket-keeper batter Nurul Hasan Sohan, spinner Nasum Ahmed and lower-order hitter and part-time spinner Shamim Hossain were named in the central contracts list for the first time. All of them were named in the only T20 lists. Total contracted players: 24 All format players (five): Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam Tests and ODIs (three): Tamim Iqbal, Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam ODIs and T20Is (four): Mahmudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin and Afif Hossain Only Tests (six):Mominul Haque, Abu Jayed, Najmul Hossain, Shadman Islam, Saif Hassan and Ebadot Hossain Only T20Is (six): Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Nasum Ahmed and Shamim Hossain

It's a personal loss for me: Proteas skipper on assistant coach Enoch Nkwe’s resignation

When South Africa’s assistant coach Enoch Nkwe decide to tender his resignation citing that his ideas were not being accepted and he felt out of place in the team meetings, one always thought what would the team’s limited-overs skipper Temba Bavuma had to say, not only because they are both Black Africans, but more because the latter played under the former’s coaching at the domestic level with Lions as well. Breaking his silence over the matter, Bavuma said that he would definitely like to have chat with Knwe once he returns back and he did feel different about the assistant coach’s resignation. "It does make me feel some type of way. I haven't had an opportunity to have a formal discussion with Enoch but probably when I get back to South Africa, I'd like to sit down with him and maybe unpack it a bit,” said the 31-year-old who is currently leading his side in Sri Lanka. A Lions and Gauteng player himself, Bavuma said that if Nkwe’s arguments have merit in them, the team would discuss it. "I'd like to hear it from him. He is the subject here, at the end of the day. If there is merit (to Nkwe's assertions), as a member of the team, it's something I will take on board and have a discussion amongst the team,” said the skipper. "In terms of understanding it a bit more, from Enoch's point of view, probably when I get back to South Africa and when things are toned down a bit with the schedule, I will have a conversation with him and see what comes of it,” he further added. Nkwe, who was appointed head coach of the team after the 2019 World Cup, was relegated to the position of an assistant coach once Mark Boucher was appointed head coach by Graeme Smith. Bavuma said that it was a personal loss for him that someone like Nkwe had to leave. "For me, personally, he was a good sounding board, and a person who I used to test my ideas against," Bavuma said. Nkwe had quit his role just ahead of the team’s departure for the Sri Lanka tour.