Mustafizur Rahman gets NOC to participate in IPL 2021

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has allowed its premium fast bowler in limited-overs format Mustafizur Rahman to play in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. The decision is important considering the huge outcry regarding the country’s best cricketer Shakib Al Hasan being misrepresented by the board and then threatened with a reconsideration of his IPL No Objection Certificate. 

Shakib was eventually given the certificate as he left for Mumbai on Saturday, March 27. Mustafiz, 25, is currently in New Zealand playing the limited-overs series. Bangladesh have already lost the ODI series 0-3 and the three match T20I series commences today. Fizz would join his team Rajasthan Royals in due course of time. The Royals bought the ‘Fizz’ for Indian Rupee 1 crore, his base price in the 2021 IPL Mini Auction. 

BCB's chief selector Minhajul Abedin, commenting on the NOC granted to Mustafiz said that he was not in Bangladesh’s scheme of things as far as the next two Tests against Sri Lanka are concerned. 

"We have given him NOC for IPL as he is not in our Test plans for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka," said Minhajul on Saturday. "It's better if he plays there and gains some experience," Abedin was quoted as saying to Cricbuzz.  

Earlier, after the Shakib controversy, Mustafiz had said that country comes first for him. 

"My first priority is to play for my country and if I am picked in the Test series against Sri Lanka, I will naturally play. If I am not picked then BCB will tell me that I am not included. At that point, if I am given NOC to play in the IPL then I will play but patriotism comes first for me,” the Fizz told media regarding his IPL plans.  

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IND vs ENG: Jos Buttler can’t praise Bairstow enough; feels T20 helping push boundaries in ODIs

Jos Buttler, the stand-in English skipper feels has praised opening batsman Jonny Bairstow for the king of form that he has been and the way he has lifted the English side by giving amazing starts in both the chases. Stating that there is no doubt that Bairstow could break all ODI batting records for England, Buttler said, "That's fantastic, the form Jonny is in, and there is no reason why he shouldn't go on and break all those records. If those numbers drive him on, that's fantastic.” “For us as a side, we all want to push boundaries of what we are all capable of as a team and, of course, individuals want to do that as well,’ he added saying that the team always wants players to keep pushing boundaries personally as well as a team. Commenting on the intent of the team and the fearless approach that England has carried throughout the limited-overs leg of the Indian tour, Buttler, 30, said that it is the T20s that have helped the players realise that they could more than what they used to in the fifty overs format a few years ago. "I think the two games are probably as close as they've ever been. T20 has given people probably a greater understanding of risk and reward, and that's sort of coming into the 50-over game, especially for us, the six-hitting capability and boundary-hitting capability,” Buttler told reporters on the eve of the final ODI of the three-match series at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. “The guys' attitude to risk is probably quite different compared to how it was a number of years ago and I think T20 has sort of made people realise that they can operate at a level above what they used to be able to do for longer periods of time so bringing that into 50-over cricket,” he added saying that risk and reward factor is a major booster in realising the true potential of the players and becoming fearless in their approach. The Taunton born also stressed the point that opportunities being given to many players has helped develop the team for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India. He also praised debutant Liam Livingstone and Reece Topley, who was making his comeback into ODI cricket after 2016. "Lots of guys have had opportunities. It was great to see Liam Livingstone make his debut yesterday, brilliant to see Reece Topley come back in and bowl so well. It's fantastic for these guys to get exposure and come in and perform in the fashion that we like to play as a side. It's great to see someone like Liam fully commit to his way and it's great to see someone do that on debut," Buttler said.

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Jimmy Neesham is the new foreign recruit for T20 Blast; joins Essex

With counties on a spree to sign foreign players for their key positions, Essex too got into the race by signing New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham for the upcoming T20 Blast, the premier T20 tournament of England and Wales. After plying his trade in the Indian Premier League from early April till May, Neesham, 30, will join the county in June and would be available throughout the group stage of the tournament. Essex head coach Anthony McGrath believes that a true all-rounder was the need of the hour for the side, especially after Ravi Bopara left to join Sussex. "We sat down at the end of last season and concluded that we needed to add another allrounder to the T20 squad, and with all of his talent and experience, Jimmy fits the bill perfectly," said McGrath. "He's excelled with both the bat and the ball on the biggest of stages for his country, as well as in the global franchise competitions and it's a great match for both the player and the club," he added enumeration the importance of Neesham in the squad. The Auckland born has previously had county stints with Derbyshire and Kent and is looking forward to playing with the 2019 Blast champions. "I am really looking forward to joining up with Essex Eagles for this year's Vitality Blast. I'm excited about linking up with Ryan ten Doeschate again, having played with him for a few seasons when he was with Otago, and hopefully, we can replicate the success of 2019," Neesham said. The right-handed bowler and left-arm medium-fast bowler has so far played 143 T20 matches. In them, he has scored 2001 runs at a strike rate of 138.76 and taken 132 wickets with an economy of 9.14.