Captain Temba Bavuma hailed what he termed South Africa’s brave decision to bat first in their comprehensive 107-run Champions Trophy win over Afghanistan on Friday as they mastered a Karachi wicket that had left both teams unsure over how it would play.

Jaker Ali, who made a hard fought 68 off 114 balls and was involved in a record 154-run stand with Towhid Hridoy, talked to a few journalists immediately after the India game where he remained optimistic about his team’s chances of reaching the knockout phase. Here are the excerpts:

A Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official on Friday said that the team is hopeful of getting Mahmudullah Riyad’s services in Bangladesh’s remaining two Group A matches of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy after the batter missed the opening match against India due to a calf muscle injury.

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag lived up to his reputation as a snarky cricket analyst once again after Bangladesh’s opening Group A match of the ICC Champions Trophy against India in Dubai on Thursday.

Opener Ryan Rickelton struck a maiden one-day international hundred to guide South Africa to an imposing 315-6 in their Group B Champions Trophy clash against Afghanistan in Karachi on Friday.

Despite scoring a fighting hundred, Towhid Hridoy shouldered the blame for Bangladesh’s failure to post a more challenging target for India in their ICC Champions Trophy Group A match in Dubai yesterday, as the batter said that getting cramped up during the last stretch of his innings shaved a few runs off the total.

After getting dismissed as the last Bangladesh batter in their ICC Champions Trophy opener against India in Dubai yesterday, centurion Towhid Hridoy limped back to the dressing room, with shoulders slumped and a pained expression etched across his face -- a wounded soldier who knew his resilience and determination were not enough to lift Bangladesh out of trouble.

The pre-match hype around Bangladesh’s speedster Nahid Rana proved to be for nought as the pacer did not get picked for their opening Group A match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy against India in Dubai today, a decision that raised quite a few eyebrows.

New Zealand underlined their title aspirations with a 60-run victory against defending champions Pakistan in a Group A match of the Champions Trophy at the National Stadium on Wednesday.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to field first in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy in Rawalpindi today. 

Bangladesh fans can catch the action on Nagorik TV and T Sports, who will be the linear TV broadcasters in Bangladesh, with Toffee app making the games available via streaming too.

His absence had little to do with form or age. Off-field turmoil pulled him away. When the Awami League government fell on August 5, the political landscape shifted. Shakib, associated with the ruling party, was caught in the storm. The writing was on the wall.

Bangladesh’s relationship with the ICC Champions Trophy has been paradoxical from the get-go.

Unlocking the puzzle of how the wicket at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium will play and what would be the right team combination are two factors that could decide the fate of Bangladesh’s ICC Champions Trophy opener against India on Thursday before it even begins.

Even though most cricket pundits are not giving Bangladesh that much of a chance to progress past the group stages of the Champions Trophy, former India spinner turned commentator Murali Karthik believes Bangladesh can spring a surprise and make it to the semifinals from Group A alongside India.

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan said on Tuesday the Champions Trophy would be a "historic occasion" for the country, a day before the hosts kick the tournament off against New Zealand.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto feels that leg-spinner Rishad Hossain will play an important for the team in their forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy campaign, especially in the Pakistan leg.

New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy with a foot injury on Tuesday in a major blow for the Black Caps on the eve of the tournament opener against hosts Pakistan.

Pakistan will host a first major cricket tournament in almost three decades from Wednesday in a move hailed as a landmark just a few years after the country was off-limits because of security fears.

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