Bangladesh whitewash world champion England in T20 series
Mirpur, Mar 14: Bangladesh whitewashed world champion England in their Twenty20 series by winning the third game by 16 runs on Tuesday.
Opener Liton Das hit a career-best 73 and Najmul Hossain Shanto 47 not out for Bangladesh to put up 158-2 on a slow Mirpur pitch.
Dawid Malan and skipper Jos Buttler had England on track to avoid being swept until their dismissals in consecutive deliveries. England slumped to 142-6.
Bangladesh earned its first T20 sweep of major opposition, while England was swept for only the third time after Australia in 2014 and South Africa in 2016.
"We talked about showing character ahead of the series and that's what we showed," Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said.
"We were put into a tough position but won the game. That's the thing that will give us the confidence as we are build a team for the 2024 T20 World Cup."
Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, on debut, struck with his third ball when he removed opener Phil Salt for a duck.
Then Malan hit a 47-ball 53 with six fours and two sixes and put on a 95-run stand with Buttler, who appeared to be in supreme touch with 40 off 31, including four fours and a six.
But Malan edged behind to give pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman his 100th T20 wicket, and Mehidy Hasan ran out Buttler with a direct hit from point.
England collapsed from there, trying to maintain the asking run rate.
"Our fielding was top notch. Those two wickets in two balls changed the game completely," Shakib said.
England coach Mathew Mott agreed.
"The turning point was the run out, it was an amazing piece of fielding," Mott said. "You'd back yourself with Jos set at the back end there, got his eye in, and was ready to go. It really turned the game.
"We lost two wickets in the over. I thought we had enough of a platform that, if one of those two batted through, we would have given it a big shake at the back end."
Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed took 2-26 to receive man of the match and, when England needed an unlikely 27 off the last over, Hasan Mahmud conceded just two boundaries.
England also bowled superbly at the death, giving up only 27 runs in five overs to Bangladesh, and only one four.
But Bangladesh capitalized on dropped catches to build a competitive total.
Opener Liton Das, who made just 26 runs in the last five matches against England, returned to form with a 57-ball 73 studded with 10 fours and one six.
Liton brought up his ninth fifty off 41 balls, then was dropped on 51 by Ben Duckett.
Rony Talukdar was dropped by Rehan Ahmed off Jofra Archer but the damage was limited.
Liton and Talukdar shared 55 in the opening stand before Talukdar gave legspinner Adil Rashid a return catch, and Liton and Najmul Hossain Shanto combined for 84 for the second wicket.
Liton was finally fooled by a slower ball from Chris Jordan which carried to Salt.
Shanto saw the innings out with an unbeaten 47 off 36.
"We were really proud of our one-day (series) win (2-1). That was a massive effort," Mott said. "To finish the way we did today will leave a bit of a sour taste in our mouths but it also should act as an eye-opener for us on where we need to improve."
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Beauty of democracy: Tharoor congratulates BJP on civic body poll win in his constituency
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, while lauding the win of the UDF in Kerala local bodies elections, also congratulated the BJP for its historic performance in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, calling it the "beauty of democracy".
In a post on X, he said the people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in his constituency.
"What a day of amazing results in the Kerala local self-government elections! The mandate is clear, and the democratic spirit of the state shines through.
"A huge congratulations to @UDFKerala for a truly impressive win across various local bodies! This is a massive endorsement and a powerful signal ahead of the state legislative elections. Hard work, a strong message and anti-incumbency have all clearly paid off to achieve a much better result than in 2020," Tharoor said.
He said he also acknowledges the historic performance of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, and "offer humble congratulations on their significant victory in the city corporation - a strong showing that marks a notable shift in the capital's political landscape."
Tharoor said he campaigned for a change from 45 years of the LDF "misrule", but the voters have ultimately rewarded another party that also sought a clear change in governance.
"That is the beauty of democracy. The people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in my constituency.
"We will continue to work for the betterment of Kerala, advocating for the people's needs and upholding the principles of good governance. Onwards and upwards!" Tharoor, who is the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said.
The lotus bloomed in the state capital as the BJP-led NDA achieved a resounding win in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left rule in the local body.
The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 Assembly polls, especially in the state capital.
Of the 101 wards in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, LDF 29, UDF 19 and two wards were won by independent candidates.
The BJP is one seat short of a decisive majority in the corporation.
Besides this, the NDA retained the Palakkad municipality after a close battle with the Congress-led UDF and wrested the Thrippunithura Municipality from the grand old party.
In Thrissur, from where Suresh Gopi won in the Lok Sabha polls last year, the BJP won 18 out of the 46 wards in Kodungallur Municipality, eight in Thrissur Corporation, two each in Guruvayoor and Vadakkancherry municipalities, seven in Kunnamkulam Municipality, six in Irinjalakuda Municipality and one in Chalakudy Municipality.
