The New Nation - Internet Edition

Final squads for Tri-Nation Series, Asia Cup announced

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Tuesday announced the final squads for the ensuing Tri-Nation Series and the Asia Cup with pacer Dollar Mahmud as the only uncapped player in the sides for the tournaments.

The Board also announced the final squad for the Bangladesh A team, which will tour Ireland and England next month.

In the 14-member Tri-Nation squad, four players -- Junaed Siddiqui, Dhiman Ghosh, Shakib Al Hasan and Syed Rasel -- have been dropped from the team that toured Pakistan last month, while Mehrab Hossain Jr, wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim and Dollar Mahmud has been included as replacements.

After being axed from the home series against Ireland and South Africa, Mushfiqur Rahim returned to the ODI side for topping the run-scorers list in the prestigious Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2008. He scored 632 runs in 14 matches at an average of 48.61.

Mehrab Hossain Jr. also got the opportunity as Shakib Al Hasan opted himself out of the Tri-Series and Asia Cup as he appears in the HSC examination beginning May 29.

Along with the 14 players of the tri-nation squad, left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel will feature in the 15-member national squad for the Asia Cup to be held in June in Pakistan. Bangladesh have been placed in group A with Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup.

Announcing the squads at a press conference at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) Tuesday afternoon, chief selector Rafiq-ul-Alam said: "We thought this is the best possible team at the moment and we are hopeful to play competitive and consistent cricket during the tournaments."

The other two members of the selection panel, Akram Khan and Naimur Rahman Durjoy, were also present on the occasion.

About the exclusion of left-handed opener Junaed Siddiqui, the chief selector said: "Junaed has been dropped from the squad due to his poor performance in the Pakistan tour. He needs a break and hopefully he can make a comeback in the upcoming A team's tour to England."

Explaining the inclusion of pacer Dollar Mahmud, he said: "Dollar is a pretty good medium pacer and he can bat also. He played for the national Academy team and also represented Bangladesh in the Under-19 World Cup."

Rafiq-ul-Alam, however, said that before choosing Dollar, another pacer Nazmul Hossain was their first choice but he was declared unfit by the team physio due to his groin injury.

Another left-arm pacer Syed Rasel was also out of their consideration for his ankle injury, he added.

Asked about Aftab's place in the squad despite his poor performance recently, the chief selector said: "It's true Aftab is out of form at the moment. We kept faith in him, as he is experienced. We thought he was reasonable (choice) considering his overall performance during the New Zealand tour and the home series against South Africa and Ireland."

He told another questioner that all-rounder Alok Kapali was not included in the final squad as he did not play any international match after the Twenty20 World Cup.

On ignoring wicket-keeper Dhiman Ghosh, the former national cricketer said: "We picked Mushfiq in his (Dhiman's) place as Mushfiq topped the batting aggregate in the Premier League. It's just bad luck for him (Dhiman)."

Meanwhile, the tigers will begin their preparation for the Tri-Nation Series Wednesday morning at the Mirpur Sher-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS). Apart from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are the other two sides to play in the Tournament.

The eight-day tri-nation tournament will begin on June 8 with hosts Bangladesh taking on Pakistan in the first ODI at the SBNS. Pakistan will fight against old foes India in the 2nd ODI on June 10, also at the SBNS.

Bangladesh will face India in the 3rd match on June 12. After the single league basis matches, the top two teams will play in the final billed for June 14, also at the same venue. All the matches will be on day-night basis.

Bangladesh Squad for Tri-Nation ODI Series: Mohammad Ashraful (Captain), Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Vice Captain), Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Farhad Reza, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Nazim Uddin, Roqibul Hassan, Shahadat Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehrab Hossain (Jr.), Dollar Mahmud

Reserves: Zunaed Siddique, Dhiman Ghosh, Rubel Hossain, Alok Kapali, Musharraf Hossain

Bangladesh Squad for Asia Cup: Mohammad Ashraful (Captain), Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Vice Captain), Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Farhad Reza, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Nazim Uddin, Roqibul Hassan, Shahadat Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehrab Hossain (Jr.), Dollar Mahmud and Musharraf Hossain

Reserves: Zunaed Siddique, Dhiman Ghosh, Rubel Hossain, Alok Kapali, Naeem Islam

Bangladesh A Team for Tour of Ireland Zunaed Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, Alok Kapali, Jahurul Islam Omi, Nadif Chowdhury, Nayeem Islam, Dhiman Ghosh, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel, Suhrawardi Shuvo, Mahbubul Alam Robin, Arafat Sunny and Nazmul Hossain.

Bangladesh A Team for Tour of England: Zunaed Siddiqui, Tamim Iqbal, Nazim Uddin, Roqibul Hassan, Naeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Alok Kapali, Rajin Saleh, Mosharraf Hossain Rubel, Sajedul Islam, Dollar Mahmud, Nazmul Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel and Shakib Al Hasan.

Bangladesh Football team off to Thailand

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh National Football team left the city yesterday for Thailand to play two practice matches against Thailand. Later, the team will reach Sri Lanka on May 31 to take part in the Fifth SAFF Championship scheduled to be held in Maldives and Sri Lanka from June 3 to June 14.

A total of eight teams splitting into two groups will take part in the prestigious football tournament for the South Asian region.

Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan have been taken place in Group B while India, Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal have been billed in Group A.

Bangladesh will take on Bhutan in their opening match of Group B on June 4 in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh will face Afghanistan on June 6 in Colombo.

Bangladesh will meet Sri Lanka on June 8 in Colombo.

The champions of Group A will face the runners-up of Group B in the first semifinal on June 11 in Male, the capital city of Maldives while the champions of Group B will meet the runners-up of Group A in the second semifinal in Colombo on the same day.

The winners of the two semifinals will face each other in the final on June 14 in Colombo.

The players of Bangladesh National Football team are: Aminul (captain), Biplob, Hasan Al Mamun, Wali Faisal, Ariful, Rajani, Arup, Mishu, Mofazzal, Nazrul, Sharif, Faisal Mahmud, Zahid Parvez, Mamun, Joy, Abul, Arman Aziz, Uzzal, Amily and Komol .

The officials are: Md Shafiquzzaman (Team Leader), Sheikh Md Aslam (Manager), Mohammad Abu Yousuf (Head Coach), Golam Rabbani Chatan (Assistant Coach), Dr Mahfuz Ullah Chisti (Physician), Md Mohsin (Team Staff).

Usha KC blank Azax SC 5-0 in super league

UNB, Dhaka

League leader Usha KC Tuesday blanked Azax SC by 5-0 goals in the day's lone opening super league match of the Green Delta Insurance Metropolis Premier Division Hockey League at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium.

With this, Usha KC clearly dominated the league table maintaining its all-win run with 30 points, while Azax SC remained at their previous collection of 13 points, both playing 10 matches.

Usha KC now will be needed two more wins to clinch the league title with three matches in hand.

The league leader Usha KC will play their next matches against Sonali Bank, Mohammedan SC and Abahani Limited on May 30, June 1 and 06 respectively.

In the day's match, Akhter Ali, Tariq Aziz, Maksud Alam Habul, Zahidul Islam Rajan and Rafiqul Islam Kamal scored one goal each for the winners' after leading the 1st half 3-0.

Akhter put Usha KC ahead in the 8th minute with a hit off Rajan's close pass (1-0) while Aziz doubled the winners' margin converting a penalty corner in the 29th minute (2-0).

Habul widened the winners' margin in the 34th minute with a placing shot off Akhter pass (3-0) while Rajan scored the 4th goal for Usha KC converting a penalty corner in the 49th minute (4-0).

Kamal completed the winners' tally with a powerful hit off Akhter pass giving no chance to opponent custodian Imran Hossain (5-0).

The winners' clearly dominated Azax SC at the beginning of the match and notched their deserving victory.

Today's match: Abahani Limited vs Sonali Bank (at 4 pm).

India, Nepal Police reach semis of both men's and women's groups

UNB, Cox's Bazar

India and Nepal Police reached the semifinals of both men's and women's group of International Beach Volleyball tournament winning their respective matches at the Laboni Point of the resort town on Tuesday.

In the men's semis today (Wednesday), India will face Bangladesh Rifles, while Nepal Police meet Bangladesh Navy.

In the women's semis, India will play Abahani Limited, while Nepal Police meet Indonesia today (Wednesday) at the same venue.

In the day's men's group matches, India defeated Bangladesh Navy 21-18, 21-15, while Nepal Police beat Bangladesh Police 21-18, 21-14.

In the women's section, India beat Nepal Police 21-12, 21-11 points, Abahani Limited beat Mitali Sangha 21-15, 21-13, Nepal Police overcame SNT 21-17, 19-21, 15-5, and Indonesia defeated Jawlakhel Sports Club of Nepal 21-14, 21-8.

Fifteen teams -- eight men's and seven women's -- are taking part in the competition.

Participating men's team: India, Nepal Police, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Rifles, PDB and Cox's Bazar Eleven.

Women's team: Indonesia, India, Nepal Police, Abahani Limited, SNT, Jawlakhel Sports Club (Nepal) and Mitali Sangha.