Shabab Chowdhury

The Flying Dutchman – the infamous supernatural ghost ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean -- daunting if one looks at its reputation, yet relentless in its endeavors in wreaking havoc across the seas.

The decision-making process, in particular, as well as the outcomes, often relating to simple issues, are commonly shrouded in mystery, most of it done unnecessarily.

Poor string of scores is nothing new for the 30-year-old as he has gone on a run of registering single-digit scores for three or more matches on the trot on four different phases in his 50-over career but this is the longest he has gone without reaching double digits.

The Tigers’ new breed must step up without relying on the likes Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, or Mustafizur Rahman -- all of whom were instrumental in Bangladesh's 2-1 ODI series win during their last Caribbean tour in 2018.

If you are a left-handed top-order Bangladesh batter, you would not like the sight of Afghanistan’s left-handed pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi steaming in at you with the new ball.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed has made a meal manoeuvring the removal of national team head coach Chandika Hathursingha.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his inclusion, the 38-year-old was named in the 15-member squad announced for the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, starting in Gwalior on October 6.

Amid Bangladesh’s continued top-order failure in Test cricket in recent times, one character that might have escaped wide scrutiny is Mominul Haque, who these days bats at number four position – one of the two most crucial batting positions in Test cricket.

Bangladesh seamer Mohammad Saifuddin does not always make things easy for himself whenever he speaks to the media.

Now, will the BCB finally demand accountability from Hathurusingha or will they maintain the status quo as raising questions will bring them directly into the firing line?

A significant mismatch on paper was the theme for Bangladesh ahead of their T20 World Cup Super 8 fixture against Australia in St. Lucia and the Tigers could do very little to overturn the notion with their on-field display on Friday.

Bangladesh are not accustomed to seeing what leg-spinner Rishad Hossain is dishing out in the ongoing T20 World Cup.

Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic will have to channel all his expertise into masterminding the game of his life to plot the downfall of Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.

More than a year into his contract, Hathurusingha got to see both sides of the coin. In 2023, Bangladesh whitewashed defending champions England, and Afghanistan won a series against Ireland at home and claimed their maiden T20I win over New Zealand in the BlackCaps’ backyard. But less than a year since enjoying their best ever run in the shortest format, the Tigers spiralled down to their lowest point, displaying a severe lack of continuity.

Afif Hossain has been one of the most fortuitous cricketers in the national fold since his debut in February 2018.

Sure, Saifuddin has dished out glimpses of his talents with bat and ball in domestic competitions but can those sparks of promise in lower-quality contests be used to solidify faith in the 27-year-old heading into the T20 World Cup in June?

The right-handed opener’s lengthy string of failures has most definitely begun to eclipse the sunshine provided by the few glimpses of sparkling performances which had ample promise to make him a potential world-beater.

Enthralling first-leg semifinals in the Champions League have left the fate of the return legs in greater anticipation and in edge-of-the-seat poise, with Borussia Dortmund upstaging Kylian Mbappe’s PSG in Germany and 14-time winners Real Madrid snatching a draw against Bayern Munich away from home.

In the series, the pacers excelled in the first two phases of the innings – the first and second Powerplays - and this success shielded them from getting tested in the most happening phase of play, aka the death overs.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) media committee chairman Tanvir Islam Tito yesterday seemed to have fortified the board's apparent confusion in identifying elements causing the national team's World Cup fiasco with a baffling statement pointing at the media.