Ireland announce squad for USA, West Indies tours

We have to back each other: Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque on overcoming recent bad patch

Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque believes that his team would give a stern competition to Pakistan in the upcoming two-match Test series which also charts the inauguration of their World Test Championship 2021-23. Acknowledging the fact that they are facing a tough challenge, especially given the form that the team is carrying with the drubbing in the World Cup and then by Pakistan at home in the T20I series, Mominul said that only players have to overcome that and they have done it in the past as well. "This is not the first time Bangladesh has gone through such a phase. We have overcome such situations before too,” said the 30-year-old. People become mentally weak because they take outside talk seriously. My job is to bring back focus from thinking about what everyone is saying, and focusing on our job. We have to back each other. You cannot shut anyone's mouth but I think you can shut off your own ears,” Mominul added further. The left-handed batter who has one of the best averages in Test cricket for a Bangladesh batter with more than 3000 runs, said that there is no doubt that big players are missing from the series. But according to him, it also gives young players an opportunity to showcase their talent. “Tamim bhai gives us good starts that we have often capitalised on. Shakib is two players in one. Taskin has been bowling well recently. We are effectively missing four players. It makes my captaincy a bit more challenging but Mushfiq Bhai and I have to take on the added responsibility,” he said. Mominul also backed Liton Das and other players who could have a great impact in this game. "(Abu Jayed) Rahi has been our leading wicket-taker in the WTC. We also have (Mehidy Hasan) Miraz and Taijul (Islam). I have confidence in my bowlers. I think if we bowl well, we can take 20 wickets in this game. I think Liton has overcome that (failure in T20 World Cup). He has averaged 45-50 in Tests in the last 12 months. I think he can handle it well. He had a mental break. Everyone is supporting him,’ said the captain. The first Test will begin at 10:00 am Local time at the Zahur Ahmed Chaudhary Stadium in Chattogram on November 26.

Facing Ashwin, Jadeja in nets has helped me negotiate spin well: Shubman Gill

India batter Shubman Gill had a decent outing on the first day of the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur on Thursday after he notched up a fifty during the course. While Gill struck a half-century, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped a three-wicket haul. Hailing Jamieson’s bowling, Gill admitted that the fast bowler bowled in good areas especially in the first spell. "I think he (Jamieson) bowled pretty well today especially in the first spell, he bowled pretty good areas to me and after lunch, the whole spell that he bowled was top notch," Gill said after the end of day's play. Talking about negotiating the spin, the right-handed batsman said that facing R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the nets has helped in doing the same. "If you are already playing two of the best spinners in nets, especially in India, it does help, because if you try to negotiate them, you have a much better chance of going in the middle of the match and trying to handle those crucial periods of time." India ended the day’s proceedings at 258/4 with Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja unbeaten at the crease. Iyer who is making his Test debut in this game was not out for 75 at the end of the play while Jadeja was batting at 50 when the stumps were called on.

BAN vs PAK | 1st Test: Depleted Bangladesh face formidable Pakistan

Pakistan and Bangladesh will be up against each other in Chattogram in the first Test of the two-Test series. The two sides faced each other in the three-match T20I series where Pakistan clinched a 3-0 whitewash win. The Babar Azam-led side has been in some brilliant touch in the shorter format of the game. Earlier, they won five matches in the T20 World Cup before losing the semi-final and would now look to unleash similar dominance. The visitors have already announced the 12-man squad for the first match. While Babar would lead the team, the unit would have experienced lads such as Mohammad Rizwan, Fawad Alam and Azhar Ali. Match Details Match: BAN vs PAK, 1st Test, Pakistan tour of Bangladesh, 2021 Date: Friday, November 26, 2021 - Tuesday, November 30, 2021 Time: 9:30 AM Venue: Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram Umpires: Michael Gough, Sharfuddoula Pitch Report The track in Chattogram is expected to provide some assistance to the batsmen. So, if you win the toss, elect to bat first. Team News Bangladesh: Bangladesh are without the services of Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan owing to injuries. The home side is expected to hand a debut cap to a couple of players. Pakistan: Pakistan have already announced their 12-member squad for the first encounter which will be led by Babar Azam. “Moving forward we would like to keep the momentum (that we earned in the T20 series) in Test matches and we have experienced players in the Test team. I think it makes us happy to perform consistently,” he said. Probable XI Bangladesh: Shadman Islam Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque (C), Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali, Liton Das (wk), Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain Pakistan: Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (C), Fawad Alam, Mohammad rizwan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah Fantasy XI Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Babar Azam, Azhar Ali, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Fawad Alam (VC), Mehidy Hasan, Abu Jayed, Taijul Islam, Shaheen Afridi (C), Naseem Shah

WBBL 2021 | Adelaide Strikers on a roll, dismantle Harmanpreet Kaur’s Renegades to march into Final

It was a total team effort on the part of the Adelaide Strikers Women as they put out yet another brilliant performance with the ball to dismantle favourites Melbourne Renegades and qualify for the final of the Women’s Big Bash League 2021. They will now face Perth Scorchers in the final on November 27 at the Optus Stadium. The match was actually no match in the Challenger as the Renegades Women were simply not able to put up any challenge and could score only 83-8 in their allotted 20 overs after falling to 30-6 in the ninth over with all their main batters including tournament’s top scorer Harmanpreet Kaur and opener Jemimah Rodriguez unable to make an impact in the big game. Sophie Molineux, the Renegades skipper wasn’t able to bat in the innings due to some problem and also bowled only two overs. For Strikers, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown, two Aussie internationals picked two wickets each with Brown being declared Player of the Match for her early strikes and a spell of 2-9 in her four overs. Chasing the target the home team was not at all bothered as the openers Dane van Niekerk and Katie Mack put up a 72 runs stand in only 57 balls. While van Niekerk got out, Mack finished the job along with Laura Wolvaardt, winning the game by nine wickets and 55 balls remaining.