Tigers’ Zimbabwe mission start at 2:00pm
Bangladesh played their last Test match against India in home on January last year.
The match will be telecasted live on Ten Cricket, a satellite sports channel, from 2:00pm.
The visitors will also play a five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe scheduled for first ODI on August 12, second ODI on August 14, third ODI on August 16, fourth ODI on August 19 and the fifth ODI on August 21.
Zimbabwe-XI beat visiting Bangladesh by four wickets on August 1 in a three-day practice game.
The visitors have departed for Zimbabwe on July 27 to play the lone Test and five one-day internationals.
Bangladesh: (probable) Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaed Siddiqui, Shahriar Nafees, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Robiul Islam, Mahmudullah Riyad and Rubel Hossain.
Zimbabwe: (probable) Brendan Taylor (captain), Tatenda Taibu (wicketkeeper), Elton Chigumbura, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Ray Price Vusi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya, Regis Chakabva, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Tino Mawoyo, Keegan Meth, Brian Vitori.
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Mohammad Robin (L), who scored twice to keep Abahani in the match, celebrates with fellow striker Shakhawat Hossain Rony (C), who converted the final spot-kick in the second semifinal of the Super Cup against Muktijoddha at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Abahani won 5-4 on penalties to advance to final. PHOTO: amran hossain
Abahani moved into the final of the Grameenphone Super Cup with a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Muktijoddha Sangsad after regulation time of the semifinal match ended in a 2-2 draw at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.The Sky Blues will now face holders Mohammedan in the final on Saturday at the same venue and it will be the first title-clash between the two old rivals since their battle in the final of the inaugural Super Cup in 2009.
Last edition's runners-up Abahani gambled with injured goalkeeper Shahedul Alam Sohel as first-choice keeper Ziaur Rahman was ruled out of game with a wrist injury. Sohel, who himself was nursing a knee injury, stood tall under the bar and foiled the spot-kick from Muktijoddha's Alamgir Kabir Rana to book his side a berth in the final of the Tk one-crore tournament.
However, Sohel and his teammates were much indebted to striker Mohammad Robin, who kept the team in the hunt by scoring two spectacular goals to level the margin.
Injuries were the main concern for Abahani before the match, and the Sky Blues were forced to bring three more changes to the starting eleven, apart from a fielding a bandaged Sohel under the bar.
Mehdi Hasan Ujjal and Yussuf Aminu did their best to fill the void in the midfield. Ahahani would have taken lead though within the first five minutes had not Ghanaian striker Awudu Ibrahim squandered two easy chances inside the box.
Muktijoddha Sangsad gradually asserted more control over the midfield and came close to scoring in the 10th minute when Mithun Chowdhury was presented with a low cross from Alamu Bukola, but the national striker saw his diving header miss the near post by a whisker.
However, Bukola gave the Reds a 12th-minute lead availing a fumble from goalkeeper Sohel and two defenders. Bukola slipped while trying to control a through pass from Matiur Munna, but the striker made sure he put it in the back of the net by striking the ball while lying prone on the ground.
Abahani badly wanted some positive contribution from Ibrahim, but the Ghanaian striker once again disappointed before Robin finally brought them back to the game in the 20th minute.
Ibrahim hurled a long throw-in inside the box for Frank who pushed the ball towards Robin and the former national striker made space on his right to place the ball past the near post giving no chance to goalkeeper Biplob to react.
Abahani then came close to taking the lead twice; once Frank failed to beat Biplob from a one-on-one situation and later Robin struck wide from close range.
Muktijoddha put more pressure after the resumption and went ahead on the 48th minute through Zahed Parvez.
Bukola ran down the left to advance into the box and released a clever lob from the touch-line for Zahed, who produced a flying side-volley to find the back of the Abahani net.
Abahani were rescued once again by Robin as the marksman ran down the left flank and dodged defender Nasir outside the box and midfielder Zahed inside the dangerzone to advance towards the six-yard box before curling the ball into the far post.
The rest of the ninety minutes and the added thirty minutes failed to produce any score, as the game rolled into the tiebreaker where one decent save from Sohel paved their way to the final.
TEAMS
ABAHANI: Shahedul Alam Sohel, Pranotosh Kumar, Arup Kumar Badya, Abdullah Parvez (Alfaz Ahmed), Mamun Miah, Ashraf Mahmud Lincon, Mohammad Robin (Abul Hossain), Twum Frank, Samad Yussif, Cletus Blamo and Awudu Ibrahim (Shakawat Hossain Rony).
MUKTIJODDHA: Biplob Bhattacharjee, Rajani Kanta Barman (Mofazzal Hossain Saikat), Motiur Munna, Mithun Chowdhury (Mohammad Rony), Alamu Bukola, Yeamin, Munna, Emmanuel Dami, Arman Aziz, Zahed Parvez (Rajon Mia), Alamgir Kabir and Nasiruddin Chowdhury.
Sunday, July 31, 2011 Sports
Victorious Bangladesh team celebrate with the Sheikh Kamal International Basketball Championship Trophy after beating West Bengal in the title deciding match at the Dhanmondi Basketball Gymnasium yesterday. Photo: Anisur RahmanAs soon as the final whistle was blown, the victorious Bangladesh players started a celebratory huddle while the losing side sat dejected and disgruntled.
Bangladesh dominated the proceedings for most of the match, taking a 32-21 lead in the first quarter. The hosts were finding the middle of the basket all too easily while a few of the efforts from the West Bengal side rebounded off the edge of the basket.
West Bengal though mounted a bit of a fightback in the second quarter and closed the gap to five points at one stage, but the momentum was eventually seized again by the hosts as the second quarter ended 41-32.
The momentum continued in the next two quarters as Bangladesh took the game by a 19-point margin.
The best player for Bangladesh was Ataur Rahman who scored 21 points in the game and the Bangladesh coach Mizanur Rahman gave him the most credit for the win.
“Even though we were the favourites at home, we did not think we would win the game easily. In fact Ataul's early effort helped us take a strong grip on the game.”
Mithun Biswas and Shamsuzzaman Khan Shoeb caged 15 points each for Bangladesh. However, West Bengal's Subhash tallied the highest points for the game with 26 while Pillai and Pal scored 15 points each for the losing side.
However, the losing side were not convinced that the game was conducted impartially and they walked out during the second quarter causing the match to be halted for a few minutes. They alleged that the referee was partial.
“There was clear partiality from the referee. Each time we took the ball in their half, the referee blew the whistle against us and waived their fouls,” West Bengal coach Nitai Banerjee said after the match.
Minister for Trade Faruk Khan MP distributed prizes among the participants after the match. The general secretary of FIBA Dato Yeoh Choo Hock and CEO of sponsors Citycell Mehbub Chowdhury were present, among others.
Zabeer of Maldives was adjudged the best player of the tournament while the Malaysian side were nominated the most disciplined side of the tournament.
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