Bangladesh’s Tamim smashes ton in Lanka warm-up

Bangladesh cricketer Tamim Iqbal plays a shot during the first day of a two-day warm-up match between Sri Lanka President XI and Bangladesh in Moratuwa, on the outskirts of Colombo on 2 March 2017 - AFP

AFP: Opener Tamim Iqbal smashed 136 Thursday to propel Bangladesh to 391-7 on day one of a warm-up match in Sri Lanka ahead of their Test series starting in Galle next week.

Tamim hit seven sixes and nine fours before retiring in the two-day match against a Sri Lanka Board President’s XI squad at Moratuwa stadium, just outside the capital Colombo.

Mominul Haque also found form in what is the first match of Bangladesh’s tour, hitting 10 boundaries in a knock of 73 before also retiring.

Sri Lanka’s right-arm medium pacer Chamika Karunaratne took three wickets for 61, while Lahiru Samarakoon and Lasith Ambuldeniya claimed one apiece.

The hosts won the toss and sent the tourists in to bat amid forecasts of scattered showers which failed to materialise.

Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka in two Tests, the first starting in Galle on Tuesday, before playing three 50-over internationals and two Twenty20 matches.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 391/7 (Tamim Iqbal 136 ret, Mominul Haque 73 ret)

Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XI (Karunaratne 3-61, Samarakoon 1-70, Ambuldeniya 1-57)

Mushfiqur asked to give up wicketkeeping​

ESPNCricinfo: Bangladesh’s manager Khaled Mahmud has said that Mushfiqur Rahim has been informed he will play the upcoming Tests against Sri Lanka as a specialist batsman, and has to give up his position as the designated wicketkeeper. This means Liton Das, the other specialist wicketkeeper in the Test squad, will take over the role.

Mushfiqur’s wicketkeeping came under focus after he missed plenty of chances during the Afghanistan series last year. In Bangladesh’s last Test, against India in Hyderabad last month, his missed stumping of Wriddhiman Saha cost the team and highlighted his frailties behind the stumps. During the interim, the BCB had said that the matter will be discussed with Mushfiqur, which is what the team management has done ahead of the Test series in Sri Lanka.

“The coach [Chandika Hathurusingha] and I have informed Mushfiqur officially [that he will play only as a batsman],” Mahmud told the Bengali daily Prothom Alo. “He is the best batsman in the team. He is in such form that we believe he will be able to give more to the team, which is why he will bat at No. 4 and will not be keeping wickets. Mushfiqur has taken the decision positively, which is the best part.

“We gave him examples of Kumar Sangakkara and Brendan Taylor whose batting improved as soon as they gave up wicketkeeping in Tests. It is hard to play as wicketkeeper, captain and batsman.”

Liton kept wickets in the three Tests he played in 2015, against India and South Africa. The last time Mushfiqur was told to play as a batsman was during the 2016 Asia Cup T20s when he shared the duty with Nurul Hasan during the tournament at home.

With Mushfiqur now slated to bat at No. 4 and Liton being confirmed a place in the XI, the team management will now have to decide between Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman in the middle order. While Mahmudullah has just struck his first Test fifty after a long gap, Sabbir hasn’t got a big Test score despite a promising start to his career.