CRICEKET
Siraj’s Spell Secures Thrilling Win as India Beat England by 6 Runs at The Oval
India clinched a dramatic six-run victory over England at The Oval, with pace bowler Mohammad Siraj delivering a match-winning performance. Siraj took five wickets in the final innings—three of them on the fifth morning—as England were bowled out for 367, falling just seven runs short of their target of 374.
The match reached a thrilling climax when Siraj shattered Gus Atkinson’s stumps to seal the win, turning the tide after nearly becoming the villain a day earlier. He had misjudged a catch of Harry Brook near the boundary, gifting England six crucial runs and raising doubts within the Indian camp.
However, the right-arm quick made a stunning comeback on the final day. With England starting at 339 for 6, needing only 35 more runs, Siraj struck early, dismissing Jamie Smith with a fine outswinger. Smith managed just 2 runs off 20 balls before edging to keeper Dhruv Jurel.
England’s hopes rested on lower-order batters Jamie Overton and Gus Atkinson. They attempted to steady the innings, but Siraj returned to trap Overton lbw, further tightening the noose. England then lost Josh Tongue, bowled by Prasidh Krishna, reducing them to their final pair with 17 runs still needed.
Despite Chris Woakes coming out to bat with a dislocated shoulder, England fought back valiantly. Atkinson even hit a six to reduce the target to single digits. But with just 7 runs remaining, Siraj produced a lethal delivery that clean bowled Atkinson, sealing India’s remarkable win.
Earlier in the match, India had posted 224 runs in their first innings, trailing by 23 after England managed 247. In their second innings, India recovered from 70/2 with a 107-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep. Jaiswal scored a brilliant 118 off 164 balls, while Akash added 66. Contributions from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, both scoring fifties, took the total to 396—setting England a challenging 374-run target.
England’s chase began confidently, with Joe Root and Harry Brook putting on a massive 195-run stand after the team was 106/3. Both batters reached centuries—Root with 105 and Brook with 111—but their dismissals opened the door for India.
England ended Day 4 at 339/6, just 35 runs shy of victory. With fans anticipating a tense finish, the final day delivered high drama. Mohammad Siraj’s final spell, combined with India’s relentless pressure, ensured one of the most exciting Test match finishes in recent memory—bringing the series level.
The second T20 between Bangladesh and Ireland began at 6 p.m. at the Birshreshtha Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram, where Ireland won the toss and opted to field. The match is crucial for Bangladesh to keep the series alive, while a victory would give Ireland their first-ever T20 series win against Bangladesh at the third attempt.
Spectator turnout has been noticeably lower compared with the previous match, with a layer of mist hanging over the stadium as both teams completed their fielding drills before the start.
Bangladesh made three changes to their lineup, dropping Zakir Ali, Rishad Hossain and Shoriful Islam. Nurul Hasan, all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin and spinner Mehidy Hasan have returned to the side.
The Bangladesh XI includes Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Saif Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Nasum Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan.
Ireland field a lineup featuring captain Paul Stirling, along with Tim Tector, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys and Josh Little.
Three Bangladeshi women cricketers have registered for the upcoming Women’s IPL mega auction, scheduled to be held on 27 November in Delhi. The high-profile event will feature some of the world’s top female cricketers competing for limited team spots.
Bangladesh’s Marufa Akter, Shorna Akter and Rabeya Khan have entered their names in the auction, each with a base price of 3 million rupees. A total of 227 players have registered this year, including 83 overseas cricketers — but only 23 foreign players will be able to secure team contracts.
Pacer Marufa Akter gained international attention during the recent Women’s ODI World Cup with her impressive swinging deliveries, notably dismissing Pakistan’s Omaima Sohail and Sidra Ameen. Her viral bowling clip even drew praise from Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga.
Shorna Akter contributed 116 runs and took six wickets in seven World Cup matches, showcasing her credentials as an all-rounder. Rabeya Khan also made her mark with seven wickets and 87 runs across seven matches.
The participation of three Bangladeshi players in the Women’s IPL auction is being seen as a significant step forward for women’s cricket in Bangladesh.
Ireland opt to bat first in Sylhet Test, Bangladesh debutant Hasan Murad gets cap
Ireland have won the toss and elected to bat first against Bangladesh in the opening Test of the series, being held in Sylhet on Tuesday (11 November).
Bangladesh handed a maiden Test cap to left-arm spinner Hasan Murad, who received his cap from senior spinner Taijul Islam ahead of the match. The hosts fielded a combination of two pacers and three spinners in their playing XI.
Ireland also introduced two debutants — Jordan Neill and Cade Carmichael — with Neill becoming the youngest Irish cricketer to debut in Test cricket at just 19 years old.
The two teams last met in a Test in April 2023, when Bangladesh secured a convincing four-day victory in Mirpur.
Bangladesh XI: Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad.
Ireland XI: Andy Balbirnie (captain), Paul Stirling, Cade Carmichael, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker, Jordan Neill, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Craig Young.