Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Team Bangladesh have beaten Zimbabwe by 6 wickets in the second T20I of the five-match series.
The second of a five-match T20I series held at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Sunday (May 5).
Zimbabwe collected only 138 runs for 7 wickets. In reply, the Tigers reached the port of victory with 9 balls and 6 wickets.
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Johnathan, son of Zimbabwe legend Alistair, called up in squad for Bangladesh tour
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has called up Jonathon Campbell as the only uncapped player in its 15-man squad for its tour to Bangladesh for a five-match Twenty 20 International (T20I) series in May.
Jonathon is the son of former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell, considered as one of the finest ever players the country has produced.
Campbell played 60 Tests and 188 ODIs for Zimbabwe and scored more than 8000 runs.
His son Jonathon Campbell, 26, is a legspin-bowling allrounder who was part of the country's emerging team which won the gold medal at the 13th African Games in March 2024. He scored 115 runs from four innings at a strike rate of 126.37 but wasn't needed to bowl all that much. He did pick up a wicket though, from a total of two overs.
Tadiwanashe Marumani and Faraz Akram have been recalled in the side led by allrounder Sikandar Raza.
The rest of the selected players were part of the squad for Zimbabwe's last T20I series away to Sri Lanka in January.
They include the veterans Craig Ervine and Sean Williams, pacemen Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani as well as the young guns Clive Madande and Brian Bennett.
Madande, Bennett and Campbell were part of the Zimbabwe emerging men's team that won the gold medal at the 13th African Games in Ghana in March.
With ZC yet to appoint a new head coach, Stuart Matsikenyeri will be in charge of Zimbabwe against Bangladesh.
The two sides will play the first three T20Is in Chattogram on May 3, 5 and 7, before concluding the series in Dhaka with matches set for May 10 and 12.
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (captain), Faraz Akram, Biran Bennett, Ryan Burl, Johnathan Campbell, Craig Ervine, Joylord Gumbie, Luke Jongwe, Clive Madande, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Ainsley Ndlovu, Richard Ngarava, Sean Williams.
T20 World Cup / 'We have good chance'
The T20 World Cup is set to be played this year in West Indies and USA from June 1 to June 30. Bangladesh have been clubbed in Group D with South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Nepal.
Shakib Al Hasan didn’t play excessive matches after the ODI World Cup in India, 2023. He was busy with DPL, BPL but he was seen less in national team. In the last edition of World Cup, Bangladesh went in a target of playing semi-final but couldn’t even have competition in front of quality teams.
Shakib said : 'It's tough to say that we're in a position to win the World Cup. But in T20's any team can beat anyone, there is no big or lower ranked team in this format. We need to believe. If we can play with that belief, then we can do good. Not saying, we're winning the World Cup. But we've good chance to do well in the World Cup.'
Bangladesh will start their T20 World Cup from Zimbabwe home series, starting from 3rd May. After, Bangladesh will tour USA for a 3 match T20 series. Bangladesh will have total 8 matches for their preparation before the tournament.
Nigar, Harmanpreet unveiled the trophy for a 5 match T20I series
India won the three-match T20 series 2-1, the last time when the two teams met. On the other hand, the One-Day International series ended at 1-1.
On Sunday (April 28) the 5 match T20I series will commence at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Nigar Sultana Joty, the Bangladesh skipper and her counterpart Harmanpreet Kaur unveiled the trophy for the T20I series on Saturday (April 27) infront of the historic Ali Amjad's Clock in Sylhet.
India’s squad for 5 T20Is : Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sajana Sajeevan, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu.
Bangladesh’s squad for 5 T20Is against Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter (vc), Murshida Khatun, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Fariha Islam Trisna, Shorifa Khatun, Dilara Akter, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Habiba Islam Pinky.
Meanwhile, all the matches will be played at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The last time the two teams met, India won the three-match T20 series 2-1, while the One-Day International series ended at 1-1, with the final game being tied.
BCB announces T20I squad for Zimbabwe series
Pace-bowling allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin will return to international cricket with the T20 series against Zimbabwe. Apart from Saifuddin, Afif Hossain Dhrubo returned to the team.
The BCB has announced the squad for the first three matches of the Zimbabwe series on Sunday evening (April 28).
Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan are not in the squad announced for the first three matches. On the other hand, Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanvir Islam have returned. Taijul Islam, Anamul Haque Bijoy and Naim Sheikh have been dropped from the squad for Zimbabwe series.
Meanwhile, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who is waiting for the debut, got the place. Soumya Sarkar is not due to injury.
The five-match T20I series will begin on May 3 in Chittagong. The first three matches will be held in Chittagong and the last two matches will be held in Dhaka.
Real Madrid to face Bayern in 'European Clasico'
Madrid-Bayern; two giant teams of Europe are facing each other in the first match of the first semi-final of the current season of Champions League. German club Bayern Munich host the Spanish club Real Madrid.
The match starts on Tuesday (April 30) at 1 pm Bangladeshi time. Real Madrid play the semi-final for the 33rd time, while Bayern's 21st. These two teams are also the best in the list of most semi-final appearances.
Bangladesh batting after losing the toss
The Tigresses have lost the first two of the five-match T20 series against India in their own country. Jyoti-Marufa has no option to win the third match to save the series.
India invited Bangladesh to bat after winning the toss in the third match at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday (May 2).
In this match, Bangladesh is entering the field with one change. Sharifa Khatun has joined in the place of Sultana Khatun.
However, India is entering the field with an unchaned XI.
India XI: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smrity Mandhana, Hemaltha, Deepti Sharma, Shefali Verma, Sajana Sajivan, Richa Ghosh, Pooja Bhastrakar, Renuka Singh Tagore, Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav.
Bangladesh XI: Nigar Sultana Jyoti (captain), Nahida Akhtar, Dilara Akhtar Dola, Sobna Mostari, Murshida Khatun, Ritu Moni, Rabeya, Fahima Khan, Marufa Akhtar, Sharifa Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisha.
Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen beat Roma 2-0 in Italy
Bayer Leverkusen took a major step towards the Europa League final with a 2-0 win in Rome in the opening game of their semi-final. The new Bundesliga champs are vying for a season unbeaten in all competitions.
Bayer Leverkusen's pursuit of a treble was boosted by winning their UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg 2-0 away from home at Roma on Thursday.
The Bundesliga champions extended their remarkable unbeaten run to 47 matches in the process.
Florian Wirtz and Robert Andritch scored either side of half-time for Bayer Leverkusen, securing a win after a drier spell of three consecutive draws.
Leverkusen will bring the 2-0 advantage home for the second leg of the semi-final next week in western Germany.
Coach Xabi Alonso's team has already secured the Bundesliga title, the first in the club's history, and the Werkself will also compete in the German Cup final on May 25, as heavy favorites against second-division Kaiserslautern.
With Thursday's win in Rome, the club took another step towards a final in continental competition as well.
In Thursday's other semi-final, Marseille and Atalanta drew 1-1.
Gianluca Scamacca gave Atalanta the lead in 11 minutes but Chancel Mbemba equalised for Marseille nine minutes later.
Both sides missed chances to score further goals in the second half.
The second legs will be held next Thursday, with the final in Dublin on May 22.