DT
Sport 25
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2015
INSIDE
BPL 2015 enters business end The Bangladesh Premier League 2015 enters the business end as 10 days from now the third edition will get its winner. All teams are back in the capital after playing the mid-phase of the tournament in Chittagong. The competition is also expected to increase with all teams getting hold of their key foreign players. PAGE 26
Sangakkara showers praise on Mustafiz n Minhaz Uddin Khan Former Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who retired after the World Cup in March, is surprised to see himself in the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2015. However, it is needless to say that it was his record of four back-to-back centuries in the World Cup that put the classy batsman in the list. The Dhaka Dynamites skipper is delighted to have his BPL teammate Mustafizur Rahman in the same team. Sangakkara spoke to the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. Below are the excerpts.
Ireland beat Bangladesh in last-ball thriller There was high drama in the final of the ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier 2015 yesterday when Ireland defeated Bangladesh by two wickets to clinch victory off the last ball. The two sides went into final having previously booked the last two coveted places in next year’s ICC Women’s World T20 India 2016. PAGE 27
Your say on the ICC ODI Team of 2015?
Chris gayle bats at the nets during Barisal Bulls prcatice at SBNS yesterday. The West Indian is eager to get back on the field against Sylhet Super Stars in the BPL 2015 today MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK
‘Its good to be back’ n Minhaz Uddin Khan
Real thrown out of Cup over ineligible player Real Madrid’s woes deepened on Friday when the Spanish football federation (RFEF) expelled them from the King’s Cup for using an ineligible player in Wednesday’s last 32, first leg match at third-tier Cadiz. Real included Denis Cheryshev in their starting lineup. PAGE 28
India in command after Kohli leads by example Virat Kohli struck a fluent unbeaten 83 to help India overcome a top order collapse and virtually bat South Africa out of the contest on day three of the fourth and final Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium yesterday. Playing his first match as Test captain at his home ground, Kohli partnered Ajinkya Rahane. PAGE 29
The Bangladesh Premier League couldn’t have resumed in a better fashion as Chris Gayle returns, albeit different owner, to Barisal Bulls against Sylhet Super Stars, who has Shahid Afridi. The West Indian arrived in Dhaka on Friday and had a successful practice session with his franchise yesterday. The training at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium was his first since recovering from a back injury that pushed him away from the field in July this year. Gayle’s excitement reflected on his Twitter page from time to time. One of his tweet was the picture of the new humongous looking bats he will use in the BPL, while everyone is looking for another Gayle-storm today, the Caribbean said, “The photo had no message and given I have done so much of damage already in the world cricket, I don’t know what to expect.” Bangladesh’s home of cricket, SBNS, has been a happy hunting ground for the destructive southpaw and he is delighted to be back here which will also mark his comeback to competitive cricket after four months. Barisal are already doing excellent in the tournament and that also takes a lot of pressure off from Gayle. With four games remaining in the league stage, even joint-leaders Barisal will want Gayle, who has three BPL hundreds, to warm-up for the
knockout stage. “It is good to be back. Good to be back (in Bangladesh), as you mentioned. I always do well when I play here and the team (Barisal Bulls) is also doing well. So it’s a bit pressure off from me. The game will be my first since I returned from the injury so I am looking forward to the game,” said Gayle. “I will try and gain some momentum from my personal point of view and at the same time, the team is second place so that’s more important. We need to make give our self a chance to reach the final. I have practiced with the team after such a long time, the preparation went well (yesterday) and now looking forward to the game (today),” he added. After playing for Barisal initially, Gayle featured alongside Afridi for the two-time winners Dhaka Gladiators in the last edition. He played only one game, the semi-final against Sylhet Royals, and scored a blistering 114, but did not stay back, despite requests from team owners, for the final game due to back strain. When quarried if he thinks he will be able to deliver the goods given he has just returned, Gayle said, “I wont put so much strain on the body. But if the situation require that I need to bowl an over or two then fine. But you don’t want to overwork you body. You want to come back a bit stronger and build the momentum in the body and get the feel of what you are doing.” l
It is a privilege to be named in the ICC team. I think Mustafiz was fantastic to be named there. Me, of course you know I already finished my career. So, I am surprised to make the list, probably because I played last year. A lot of great players are there and I am very happy.
Your thoughts on Mustafiz?
Mustafiz I think is a very very good bowler and he is only better because he is young. He is keen to learn. So he offers and his demand in Bangladesh has moved forward.
Dhaka not clicking as a team, where is it going wrong?
Yeah a couple of game we had problem, like against Comilla Victorians and Barisal Bulls. But a magnificent innings from Evin Lewis took the game away from us. A few mistakes from us in the chase against Comilla crossed the game. But it’s Twenty20 game. We just need to get back as the host. To make sure we practice well. We go out in the middle. We have plans to play positive cricket. We had got that feeling. And that will be good for us.
Are the batsmen doing their job?
I think we have got enough very good batsmen in the side. We just need to some local boys to fire, they will. I have all the confidence in my local players, which I think is the best in Bangladesh. So, I give them some opportunity and see them have a go.
How would you rate Nasir Hossain’s performance given he is an Icon player??
Yeah, I think Nasir is very good for us both in bat and bowl. I’m sure he likes to run more and finish the games. He gets that. He is a very very good player and as an icon player I know he takes a lot of pride in how he trains and how he goes with his performance in the match. He is one of the best players in Bangladesh and I’m very happy to have him in the team. l