BD ‘A’ strike back after Shaheens impress with ball

Khurram shines again with the ball to capture 3 for 69

Pakistan Shaheens trail by 219 runs with eight wickets in hand as they finished the day with 39-2 in 16 overs, before bowling out Bangladesh ‘A’ for 258 runs, on the opening day of second four-day match on Friday at DXC Arena in Darwin.

Ripon Mondol removed Shaheens’ opening batters, Sahibzada Farhan (4, 13b) and Haseebullah (18, 46b, 3x4s). Mohammad Ali (1 not out, 5b), sent in as night-watchman, will be on the crease with Omair Bin Yousuf (7 not out, 33b, 1x4) at the start of play on second day.

Earlier, Kashif Ali drew first blood for Pakistan Shaheens, after skipper Sahibzada opted to bowl first, as he dismissed Shadman Islam in the eighth over.

Parvez Hossain Emon (30, 75b, 4x4s) stitched a 60-run second wicket partnership with skipper Mahmudul Hasan Joy before Khurram Shahzad struck to remove him.

Soon, Khurram and Faisal Akram gave Bangladesh ‘A’ a double blow as the former pinned Amite Hasan leg-before wicket for seven in 28th over while the latter got rid of Shahadat Hossain, in the following over, for a solitary run. With Bangladesh ‘A’ losing momentum at 104-4, skipper, Mahmudul (69, 90b, 8x4s, 1x6), joined forces with Aich Mollah to put on a 54-run fifth-wicket partnership before falling prey to Kashif.

Another double strike left Bangladesh ‘A’ reeling at 188-7, when Aich Mollah (55, 80b, 7x4s) was caught behind soon to be followed by Hasan Murad, seven-ball duck, who was run out by Haseebullah.

Vital contributions from Mahidul Hasan Ankon (31, 43b, 6x4s), batting at seven, Rejaur Rehman Raja (28, 34b, 5x4s), batting at nine, and Ripon Mondol (17, 40b, 2x4s), batting at 10, helped their team cross the 250-run mark before falling for 258 in 67.3 overs.

Pacers Khurram and Kashif dismissed three and two batters, respectively while Faisal Akram and Kamran Ghulam bagged two wickets each.

Khawaja, Reesa replace Babar, Rizwan in GT20

Pakistan’s white-ball skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who were scheduled to play in the GT20 Canada 2024 for the Vancouver Knights, are unavailable for the entire tournament as the PCB has declined their No Objection Certificates (NOCs).

Rizwan was replaced by Australian batter Usman Khawaja, who is taking on the captaincy role. South African batter Reeza Hendricks has replaced Babar Azam.