Bishwajit Roy

If entertainment value and visibility are benchmarks for attracting sponsors and club interest, then our women footballers have already made a strong case.

There are games that thrill, and then there are Test matches that sear themselves into memory.

Players have spoken publicly about the need for proper nutrition, functioning gyms, better training grounds, and a stable domestic league.

Yet, despite the individual brilliance, murmurs of doubt persisted over Bangladesh’s approach, particularly their intent, or the lack thereof, in pursuing a win.

If there were still doubters of Test cricket's enduring magic in the age of T20 fireworks, South Africa’s thrilling five-wicket victory over defending champions Australia offered the most poetic rebuttal.

Faruque Ahmed ascended to the presidency of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) after the July uprising, with the onus of reforming the board from the inside. But his tenure ended in a little over nine months before the reform initiative could even begin.

“If we can’t stick to our planning even against lower-ranked sides, how can we expect growth in Test cricket? I’m not against offering spin-friendly conditions, but why against Zimbabwe? Why did we lose confidence after one loss?”

Facing a must-win Test in Chattogram, Bangladesh and Mushfiqur battle to revive their struggling campaign.

The situation, both on and off the field, is disheartening. The national team’s struggles, coupled with ongoing match-fixing allegations and administrative chaos in the domestic arena, mirror the dysfunction of the previous regime Faruque promised to reform.

He is five Tests away from becoming the first Bangladeshi cricketer to reach the 100-Test milestone — a landmark achievement. But milestones alone cannot justify selection if current form continues to deteriorate. 

The latest slip-up came courtesy of Zimbabwe, who secured a gripping three-wicket win in fading light -- an outcome that, in truth, should never have been on the cards.

Will the success against Pakistan put Faruque in a difficult position regarding the decision to remove Hathurusingha from his role?

“By far, this is our best Test series victory and Test performance,” said an excited Bashar soon after Bangladesh recorded a historic first-ever series win over Pakistan with a six-wicket victory in the second Test in Rawalpindi today.

The 29-year-old became the first batter to have scored three centuries as a number 6 or 7 batter after coming in to bat with the team’s score below 50 runs, and in this regard, he must thank Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud.

Nazmul Hassan Papon’s long reign at Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) came to an end yesterday when he resigned as president of the country’s most coveted sports body, paving the way for former captain Faruque Ahmed to assume the lead role.

No shortage of excitement, tension, and twists with the semifinals spot at stake: one could not have expected more drama than what unfolded during an absorbing T20 World Cup Super Eights contest between Bangladesh and Afghanistan at the Arnos Vale Stadium in Saint Vincent yesterday.

We all hope the year 2024 will be a better one for Bangladesh sports.

Fahim acknowledges the team's potential under Shanto's leadership but questions the wisdom of persisting with Shakib.

Who is to blame for the unpleasant episode between the two stalwarts?

The Asia Cup remains unparalleled for a certain generation of former Bangladesh cricketers, when it comes to evoking an intense sense of nostalgia.