Bangladesh Women clinched their first T20 World Cup victory in over a decade, starting the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign on a high note by defeating Scotland Women by 16 runs.

Electing to bat first, Bangladesh Women opened with positive intent. Shathi Rani set the tone early, hitting a boundary in each of the first two overs. Although Murshida Khatun fell to Kathryn Bryce while trying to play a lofted shot, Rani found a reliable partner in Sobhana Mostary. The pair built a steady run-a-ball partnership worth 42 runs, keeping the scoreboard ticking with quick singles and occasional boundaries. Despite several aggressive attempts, boundaries were hard to come by against Scotland’s slower bowlers.

The partnership was broken when Rani miscued a big hit to midwicket for 29. Mostary soon followed, stumped for 32, sandwiching a duck dismissal for Taj Nehar. Bangladesh’s middle-order, particularly left-arm spinner Saskia Horley who took 3 wickets, struggled to accelerate, but Fahima Khatun’s timely boundaries pushed the total to a defendable 119/7.

Scotland’s chase struggled to find momentum, losing Saskia Horley in the third over to spin. The critical blow came when captain Kathryn Bryce, who showed promise with two early boundaries, was bowled by a delivery that kept low. The dismissal of Bryce severely impacted Scotland’s chase.

Despite Sarah Bryce’s resilient innings of 49*, wickets fell regularly at the other end. Ritu Moni’s double strike and Priyanaz Chatterji’s run-out due to miscommunication further derailed Scotland’s pursuit. Unable to keep up with the required run rate, Scotland finished their innings at 103/7, falling 16 runs short of the target.

Key Performances

• Bangladesh Women: Shathi Rani (29), Sobhana Mostary (36), Fahima Khatun (late boundaries), and Ritu Moni (2/15) contributed to setting and defending a competitive total.
• Scotland Women: Sarah Bryce stood out with an unbeaten 49, while Saskia Horley impressed with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 13 runs.

Result

Bangladesh Women won by 16 runs to mark a memorable start to their T20 World Cup campaign.

Brief Scores:
Bangladesh Women 119/7 (Sobhana Mostary 36; Saskia Horley 3-13)
Scotland Women 103/7 (Sarah Bryce 49*; Ritu Moni 2-15)

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has revealed its 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, starting on October 6 in Gwalior. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz makes his return to the T20I format, having already made a name in Tests and ODIs. Mehidy last played a T20I for Bangladesh in July 2023 and is expected to bring stability to the team in the absence of the legendary Shakib Al Hasan.

Shakib Al Hasan’s Retirement and Tribute
Shakib Al Hasan’s retirement from T20Is marks a significant transition for Bangladesh cricket. BCB Chief Selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain paid tribute to Shakib’s immense contribution and expressed confidence in Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s ability to fill the void. Hossain emphasized that while Shakib’s experience is irreplaceable, Mehidy’s role in the middle order, especially as a batter, could be pivotal.

New Faces in the Squad
The squad includes some interesting changes, with opener Parvez Hossain Emon and left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan making their way back. However, Soumya Sarkar, who was part of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup squad earlier in the year, has been omitted. While Emon and Rakibul have only played 3 T20Is for Bangladesh, they may find it challenging to break into a first XI that already features established players like Mahmudullah, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Bangladesh T20I Squad for Series Against India

• Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt)
• Tanzid Hasan
• Parvez Hossain Emon
• Tawhid Hridoy
• Mahmudullah
• Litton Das
• Jaker Ali
• Mehidy Hasan Miraz
• Mahedi Hasan
• Rishad Hossain
• Mustafizur Rahman
• Taskin Ahmed
• Shoriful Islam
• Tanzim Hasan Sakib
• Rakibul Hasan

India T20I Squad for Series Against Bangladesh

• Suryakumar Yadav (c)
• Abhishek Sharma
• Sanju Samson (wk)
• Rinku Singh
• Hardik Pandya
• Riyan Parag
• Nitish Kumar Reddy
• Shivam Dube
• Washington Sundar
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Varun Chakaravarthy
• Jitesh Sharma (wk)
• Arshdeep Singh
• Harshit Rana
• Mayank Yadav

The upcoming series will mark the first for Bangladesh without Shakib Al Hasan in the T20I format, and all eyes will be on how the new squad performs against a young Indian side led by Suryakumar Yadav.

Ishan Kishan’s wait to rejoin the Indian cricket team continues as Jitesh Sharma has been chosen over him for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. Despite being one of the top wicketkeeper-batters in IPL 2024, where he scored 320 runs at a strike rate of 148.83, Kishan was not included in the squad. Reports suggested that he might have been brought in as a backup wicketkeeper since Rishabh Pant is resting. However, the selectors chose to go with Jitesh Sharma instead.

Kishan, who has been out of the national team for 10 months, has been working hard to make a comeback. Though he initially refused to play domestic cricket earlier this year, he has since participated in the Buchi Babu Tournament and Duleep Trophy. He is also set to represent the Rest of India in the Irani Cup 2024 against Mumbai.

Jitesh Sharma, on the other hand, had a lackluster IPL 2024 season, scoring just 218 runs at an average of 16.76 and a strike rate of 132.92. However, his ability to bat lower down the order made him a preferred choice. With an opening-heavy Indian lineup, having Jitesh in the squad could provide the team with more balance.

Kishan’s road to redemption seems tied to his performance in domestic cricket, while Jitesh’s selection marks his return after a brief stint with the national team last year when Pant was recovering from an accident.

A Bangladeshi cricket fan named Robi was at the center of an alleged altercation at Kanpur’s Green Park during the opening day of the India vs Bangladesh Test match. Initially, Robi claimed he had been assaulted by other fans but later retracted his statement, attributing his discomfort to dehydration in the Kanpur heat.

Incident at the Stadium

The incident occurred during the lunch break when Robi, with tiger stripes painted on his face, appeared to stumble out of a gate near the media area. Security officials and members of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) quickly provided him with a chair, water, and arranged an ambulance to take him to a hospital. Videos showed Robi struggling to breathe and claiming he was punched in the back and elbowed in the ribs. Earlier, he was seen waving the Bangladeshi flag in a restricted section of Stand C at Green Park, which was deemed unfit for spectators.

Eyewitnesses reported that Robi had a heated argument with Indian fans, leading to pushing and shoving, and his flag being snatched and thrown away. UPCA did not respond to questions about how Robi was able to access the barred area.

Conflicting Accounts

While in the hospital, Robi told media personnel, “I was feeling unwell. The police brought me to the hospital, and I am feeling better after being treated.” The Assistant Police Commissioner of Kalyanpur, Abhishek Pandey, clarified that Robi’s health “deteriorated suddenly” and denied any reports of an altercation. He said, “He hurt himself when he fell,” adding that Robi was found to be fit after undergoing medical tests and scans. At the time of the report, Robi remained in the hospital.

Protests Amidst the Match

The incident occurred against the backdrop of protests near the stadium. Activists associated with right-wing political parties protested Bangladesh’s participation in the Kanpur Test, citing recent attacks on the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh. The protests have been ongoing since student-led demonstrations in Bangladesh led to the end of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in July.

Interestingly, this is not the first instance of a Bangladeshi fan facing trouble at an India match. Last year, celebrated Bangladesh supporter Shoaib Ali Bukhari was allegedly manhandled during an ODI World Cup match against India in Pune.

Bangladesh is set to face India in a two-match Test series, starting soon, and despite not having won any of their 13 previous Test encounters against India, the Tigers are hopeful. Fresh off a historic Test series win against Pakistan, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes his team has what it takes to put up a strong fight.

Speaking before departing for India, Shanto expressed confidence, stating, “This will be a challenging series, but after a good series against Pakistan, we have extra confidence. We are going to play to win both matches.”

Ranked 9th in the ICC Test rankings, Bangladesh knows facing India in their own backyard will be tough. However, Shanto believes that competitive cricket can lead to positive results, especially if they execute their plans well over the five-day format.

While acknowledging that India’s experience, especially with players like Bumrah and Siraj, puts them ahead, Shanto emphasized that his team is ready to give their best. “Our pacers may be less experienced, but our spinners can perform in any condition,” he added. The captain concluded by stating that teamwork will be crucial if they are to make a difference in this series.