Khaled Mahmud Sujon, the head coach of Abahani Limited believes the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) decision to bring back Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) is right one because the ‘country comes first’ always.  Mustafizur is currently playing for Chennai Super Kings where he has been the form of his life, taking 10 wickets in five matches. Initially he was given NOC until April 30 but the BCB extended it by one day, just to give him the opportunity to play CSK’s match on May 1.  He thereafter would have to return to the country to play the five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe at home.  "What I believe at the end of the day is that the country should come first always," Mahmud said after Abahani's match against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.  "Had he (Mustafizur) played the whole IPL, I would have been happy. There would've been no issues if the national team didn't have any series. Now, some may argue that the New Zealand cricketers are staying back for the IPL. But you have to understand that they have no shortage of players. We don't have 10-12 bowlers like Mustafizur, we need to keep that in mind as well.”  According to Mahmud, BCB has taken the correct decision to call back Mustafizur from the IPL even though it’s not uncommon for the cricket boards around the world to allow their players to play IPL, instead of International cricket.  Yesterday, the chairman of the cricket operations of BCB Jalal Younus hogged the headline by saying that Mustafizur had nothing to learn by playing in the IPL. Mahmud differed with his statement but said that Younus might have tried to mean it in other sense.   "You can learn from everywhere. I think maybe he [Jalal] didn't mean it like that. He probably tried to mean that Mustafizur has been playing for many years, he is not a young pacer like Tanzim Hasan Sakib. He is already a very big name in world cricket. He probably meant it from that angle. The young Indian pacers can learn from Mustafizur, that's what he meant."  Mahmud also believes that Bangladesh might give Mustafizur rest in the first two T20s against Zimbabwe in a bid to manage his workload.  "Bangladesh indeed need not Mustafizur’s service to beat Zimbabwe. Jalal vai also spoke about Mustafizur's workload management. Mustafizur might not even play in the first two matches."  Source: BSS  

Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman returned to Chennai to join his side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) today after completing his visa procedure.   Mustafizur came back to Bangladesh from IPL on April 2 as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) called him to complete the visa process for the USA where the T20 World Cup will be held alongside West Indies in June.   Mustafizur was the part of CSK in the first three matches and took seven wickets so far to occupy the second spot. Chennai played the last game without him and lost the game. However, CSK will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) tomorrow and Mustafizur is expected to be available for the selection.   Source: BSS

The Government has decided to appoint Mr. Md. Mustafizur Rahman, the serving Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Offices in Geneva and the Ambassador to Switzerland, as the next High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India. He will be replacing Mr. Muhammad Imran in this capacity.     Ambassador Rahman is a career foreign service officer belonging to the 11th batch of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Foreign Affairs cadre. In his distinguished diplomatic career, he has served in various capacities in Bangladesh Missions in Paris, New York, Geneva and Kolkata. He has also served as the Bangladesh High Commissioner to Singapore. At the Headquarters, he occupied various positions primarily in the United Nations Wing. Mr. Rahman is a medical graduate from Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka. He also obtained a Masters in Public International Law from University of London, UK and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the International Institute of Public Administration (IIAP), France. He is married and blessed with two sons.

Bangladesh clinched the five-match Twenty-20 International series against New Zealand, thanks to a sublime bowling effort of left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who scripted the side's six-wicket victory in the fourth game today (September 8) at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.   Both of the bowlers claimed four wickets, with Nasum's four for 10 being his career-best bowling. Mustafizur conceded just 12 runs in 3.3 overs for his four wickets.   The combined effort of the duo dismissed New Zealand for just 93 in 19.3 overs but the victory of Bangladesh was not as clinical as it was anticipated.   The hosts had to play till the last over to confirm the victory with captain Mahmudullah Riyad slog-sweeping offspinner Cole McConchie for boundary to bring the score 96-4 in 19.1 overs.   Mahmudullah was not out on 43 off 48 with one four and two sixes and saved the side from the blushes which was on the cards after Ajaz Patel left Bangladesh reeling to 32-3 in sixth overs.   A third series victory before the Twenty20 World Cup was on the line as Bangladesh began the chase.   Bangladesh won the first two matches by seven wickets and four runs before tasting a 52-run to New Zealand in the third game.   Offspinner Cole McConchie broke through with the wicket of Liton Das for 6 and then Patel came into action, baffling the batsmen with simple but accurate bowling.   The lack of patience of Bangladeshi batsmen helped him when both Shakib Al Hasan (8) and Mushfiqur Rahim (0) played rash shot to be out in consecutive deliveries.   New Zealand sensed a chance but Mahmudullah Riyad ruined that. He firstly shared a 35-run partnership with Naim Sheikh and brought the side back on track.    Naim's run-out dismissal for 29 runs again gave New Zealand a glimmer of hope. However Mahmudullah calmly drove the side to the victory.   For New Zealand, Will Young battled lonely to score 46 off 48, clobbering five fours and one six.   While Nasum sliced the top order of New Zealand, Mustafizur showed his magic in the death overs, denying the visitors go past 100 runs. This was the second time New Zealand being dismissed below 100, with their 60 in the first match remaining their joint lowest ever T20 International score.   After New Zealand opted to bat first, Nasum struck in the first over as Rachin Ravindra top-edged one to Saifuddin for duck. In his next over, he found extra bounce to get Finn Allen (12) who looked to be dangerous increasingly after reverse-swept Shakib Al Hasan for six.   But New Zealand found some hope when skipper Tom Latham and Will Young stabilized the innings, playing with caution that the pitch demanded.   After scoring 21, Latham was baffled by the sharp turn of offspinner Mahedi Hasan bowling and got dismissed. His dismissal ended a crucial 35-run partnership.   Nasum then came back to his second spell and demolished New Zealand completely with a double strike in consecutive deliveries, dismissing Henry Nicholls (1) and Colin de Grandhome for duck.   Will Young showed the maturity to carry the innings amid the wickets tumbling around him.   Mustafizur came up with his trademark cutter and slower to curb the aggression of the visitors. He firstly got the wicket of Tom Blundell (4) to start his venture and later cleaned up the tail with an intriguing show of death bowling.   His four wickets also included the prized scalp of Young who was dismissed in the last over.   Mohammad Saifuddin and Mahedi Hasan got the rest of the two wickets evenly. Source: BSS AH

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)’s Distinguished Fellow Professor Mustafizur Rahman on Sunday underscored the need for the formation of an “Independent Commission” to provide accurate data for the sake of proper policies of the country. He made the observation at a virtual media briefing on ‘Provisional estimates of GDP growth in 2019-20: CPD’s reaction’. CPD’s Senior Research Fellow Towfiqul Islam Khan presented a keynote paper while its Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun moderated the function. Mustafizur said Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) recently unveiled its provisional data recording 5.24 percent GDP growth in the FY20 which is not focused on the country’s real economic scenery. “The BBS data do not reflect reality. We hope to see actual data in its final figure. BBS has the institutional capacity to provide accurate data but it can’t do so for various reasons. So, an independent commission is needed to provide proper data and opinion to inform the country’s overall economic situation,” he said.  He said accurate data is much needed to overcome the impact of coronavirus pandemic. “We’re getting a wrong signal observing overall economic indexes like employment, inflation, income disparity and GDP growth. Providing wrong information influenced by political perspective will distract policy makers from formulating proper policies,” he added. CPD’s Research Director Dr Khondoker Golam Moazzem said the poverty rate may rise to 35 percent in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The government took various initiatives for providing big stimulus packages to resolve the problems of economic sectors. If our private investment and GDP growth are good then why the packages are needed?” he asked. Dr Moazzem said there is an independent commission in South Africa who are working independently and providing proper data. “We’ll get accurate data on our economy if BBS works properly as it has institutional capacity. Now an independent commission is needed for this,” he added. Source: UNB AH

World Cup cricket is knocking at the door. All teams have begun their preparations for the highest event of cricket. Mustafizur Rahman is also preparing him for his first world cup appearance. To remain fit for the tournament the Cutter Master withdrew his name from the Indian Premier League (IPL) for this year. Now the good news has come in front. The left hand pacer is going to tie the knot. According to the family source, Mustafiz is going to marry his maternal cousin Sumaya Yasmin according to the choice of his mother Mahfuza Khatun. Mustafiz’s brother Mokhlesur Rahman Poltu said, with a very familiar arrangement ‘akd’ of Mustafiz will take place at his own home at Tetulia village under Kaliganj upazila of Satkhira district after saying Juma prayers. All the preparations have been taken. The name of Mustafiz’s to be father in law Raunagul Islam Babu. He is a resident of Hadipur village under Debhata upazila. His daughter is a first year student of Dhaka University. Poltu also said that Mustafiz’s post wedding reception program will be held after the world cup along with BCB officials, players and well wishers. AH   

Bangladesh’s cutter master Mustafizur Rahman has been named in ICC’s ODI team of the year 2018. India captain Virat Kohli has been named to lead ICC's ODI Team of the Year, which features four players each from India and England. Kohli was named captain as he led India to nine wins from the 14 games he played. Overall, India won 14 games and lost just four, while being involved in a couple of tied matches. England too enjoyed a similarly stellar record in 2018, winning 17 times out of 24 matches, winning every series barring a one-off ODI against Scotland. The Bangladesh fast bowler enjoyed good form in 2018, picking up 29 wickets at an average of 21.72. In the Asia Cup 2018, he picked up 10 wickets at 18.50 to finish as the joint highest wicket-taker with Rashid Khan and Kuldeep Yadav, who also feature in this team. His ability to swing the ball coupled with his bag of wily slower ones makes him a fine ODI bowler. Test Team of the Year (in batting order): Tom Latham (New Zealand), Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Kane Williamson (New Zealand), Virat Kohli (India) (capt), Henry Nicholls (New Zealand), Rishabh Pant (India) (wk), Jason Holder (Windies), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Nathan Lyon (Australia), Jasprit Bumrah (India), Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan) ODI team of the year (in batting order): Rohit Sharma (India), Jonny Bairstow (England), Virat Kohli (India) (capt), Joe Root (England), Ross Taylor (New Zealand), Jos Buttler (England) (wk), Ben Stokes (England), Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Kuldeep Yadav (India), Jasprit Bumrah (India) MHK