The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful put his name in international cricket history scoring the fastest "fifty" in the Twenty20 Cricket against West Indies in the ICC World Championship in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The 23-year-old right-handed batsman emerged as the fastest fifty maker in the 20-over-a-side internationals playing just 20 balls with seven fours and three sixes.

He reached the 50 mark with a mighty six over the fine leg off an Fidel Edwards delivery to overhaul Sri Lankan bating sensation Sanath Jayasuriya's record of fastest fifty off 23 balls in the Twenty20 cricket

With the day's outstanding bating, Ashraful, the World's youngest century maker in test debut, guided Bangladesh to a "super eight" berth in the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 Cricket with an historic six-wicket victory over West Indies eliminating the Caribbean team in the first round.

This was the first victory for Bangladesh against West Indies in any form of international cricket playing 13 ODIs and 4 Tests.

Bangladesh also eliminated former world champions India in the first round of the last ICC World Cup held in West Indies early this year.

The day's man of the match Ashraful's excellence with the bat was a sweet revenge against West Indies to whom he conceded 55 runs for a wicket in four overs with his leg spin bowling.

Ashraful in a 109-run third wicket partnership with Aftab Ahmed scored 61 runs off 27 balls with seven fours and three sixes.

Earlier, in a match of the NatWest Series in England in 2004, Ashraful also led Bangladesh to another historic victory against World champions Australia scoring a century.

Bangladesh (165/4, Ashraful 61, Aftab NO 62) beat West Indies (164/8, D Smith 51, Shakib 4/34) by six wickets to reach the second round of the first ever ICC World Twenty20 Cricket

Bangladesh v West Indies T20 scoreboard

Scoreboard of the group A match between Bangladesh and the West Indies in the Twenty20 world championships at the Wanderers here on Thursday:

West Indies

C. Gayle c Kapali b Rasel 0

Devon Smith b Razzak 51

S. Chanderpaul c Mortaza

b Razzak 37

R. Sarwan st Rahim

b Shakib 5

M. Samuels c Shakib

b Ashraful 27

D. Ramdin c Rahim

b Shakib 2

Dwayne Smith b Shakib 29

Dwayne Bravo st Rahim

b Shakib 2

D. Powell not out 1

Extras: (lb2, w8) 10

Total (for eight wickets) 164

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Gayle), 2-95 (Chanderpaul), 3-104 (Devon Smith), 4-126 (Samuels), 5-131 (Ramdin), 6-155 (Sarwan), 7-157 (Bravo), 8-164 (Dwayne Smith).

Bowling: Rasel 4-1-10-1, Razzak 4-0-25-2, Mortaza 2-0-16-0 (w3), Reza 2-0-22-0, Shakib 4-0-34-4 (w1), Ashraful 4-0-55-1

Overs: 20

Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal c Chanderpaul

b Rampaul 10

Mohammad Nazimuddin c Sarwan b Rampaul 1

Aftab Ahmed not out 62

Mohammad Ashraful

c Gayle b Sarwan 61

Shakib Al Hasan c Powell

b Sarwan 13

Alok Kapali not out 5

Extras: (lb4, w8, nb1) 3

Total (for four wickets) 165

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Nazimuddin), 2-28 (Tamim), 3-137 (Ashraful), 4-159 (Shakib)

Bowling: Powell 3-0-28-0, Rampaul 4-0-35-2 (w2), Gayle 4-0-21-0, Edwards 3-0-33-0 (nb1, w1), Bravo 2-0-34-0 (w1), Sarwan 2-0-10-2.

Overs: 18

Bangladesh won by six wickets

Toss: Bangladesh

Umpires: Mark Benson (ENG) and Nigell Long (ENG)

TV umpire: Daryl Harper (AUS)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

BBC Online

Kevin Pietersen and Dimitri Mascarenhas starred as England beat Zimbabwe by 50 runs in their World Twenty20 opener. Pietersen blasted four sixes in his 77 off 35 balls as England totalled 188-9.

Vusi Sibanda (29) and Brendan Taylor (47) helped Zimbabwe, who stunned Australia by five wickets on Wednesday, ease to 74-0 before Mascarenhas struck.

He took 3-18 to spark a collapse, while Chris Schofield marked his return after seven years with 2-15, and an England win on Friday will knock Australia out

It was a reality check for the Zimbabweans, who were cock-a-hoop on Wednesday after outclassing the Aussies in a stunning five-wicket triumph.

They were once again enthusiastic in the field and on top early on when Elton Chigumbura (4-31) saw Darren Maddy mis-time a booming drive to cover and Luke Wright edge his first ball behind trying to flay it away.

When Mat Prior (20) was caught trying to hit Tawanda Mupariwa over wide long-on for a second six, England were looking for some inspiration.

Pietersen showed he was the man to provide it by geting after Chigumbura in an over costing 17 runs and launching Prosper Utseya over the wide long-on fence.

Skipper Collingwood, who won the toss, joined in the fun by crashing Gary Brent over mid-wicket for another maxiumum before Pietersen came up with the real fireworks.

Three successive left-handed pulls and slog-sweeps off Keith Dabengwa disappeared in a flash and he followed those with another maximum over mid-wicket to make it 22 off the over.

When Collingwood lofted Justice Chibhabha over mid-wicket for six it looked grim for the underdogs but Pietersen was snaffled trying another left-handed pull and a good throw from the deep point boundary ran out the skipper.

The scoring slowed inevitably and Andrew Flintoff, passed fit after struggling with his left ankle against India, was twice dropped in the covers and slogged a six over wide long-on before being bowled by Chibhabha.

Sports Reporter

Fomex Phone First College Rugby Competition begins on September 16 at the Paltan Maidan. Bangladesh Rugby Association will arrange the rugby meet under auspices of Tajin Group.

Government Titumir College will face Mirpur Government Bangla College in the inaugural match. Former national footballer Kaisar Hamid will formally open the competition on September 16 at 3.00 PM as the chief guest

A total of nine teams spliting into three groups will take part in the rugby meet Top team of each group will play in the Super League. The highest point-taker of the Super League will be the champions while the second highest point-taker team will be the runners-up.

Government Titumir College, Mirpur Government Bangla College, Imperial College have been pencilled in Group A while Teachers Training College, Dhaka State College, Dr Shahidullah College have been billed in Group B and Dhaka College, Notredame College, RK Chowdhury Degree College have been placed in Group C.

The competition will come to an end on September 24.

UNB, Dhaka

Six matches of the Under-13 and Under-11 School Football League were decided at different city venues on Thursday.

In the Under-13 matches, Khilgaon High School drubbed Ideal School & College 6-0 at the Khilgaon High School ground, Sena Palli High School defeated Dharmarajik High School 3-1 at the Basabo Club ground while Ali Ahmed High School played to a goalless with Haider Ali High School.

In the Under-11 matches, Jatrabari Ideal High School beat Motijheel Govt Boys High School 3-1 at the Motijheel Govt Boys High School ground, Khilgaon High School edged past Nidhu Smriti Govt Primary School 1-0 at the Khilgaon Model School ground while Shaheed Nabi High School played to a 2-2 draw with Segun Bagicha High School at the Segun Bagicha High School ground.

UNB, Dhaka

U Shew Shew-Rashadul pair of Bangladesh moved into the second round of the Prime Bank Asian Under-14 Tennis Tournament beating Kishore-Lakhotia pair of India 7-5, 6-3 in the boys doubles at the Ramna National Tennis Complex here on Thursday.

In the day's other matches, Maksudul-Jobayer pair and Hasinul-Sabbir pair won their respective doubles matches.

In the boys' singles, Bishit Rohit, Lakhotia Raghav, Mayur Mohit, Thakkar Rakshay, Goghari Aashman and Bishit Ronit of India, Khurram Faizan (Pakistan) and Tachi Ryotho (Japan) won their respective matches.

Meanwhile, in the girls' singles, Malik Arzoo, Hegde Riddhi and VKC Vishesh of India won their respective matches.