Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto’s bizarre review on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka has left everyone baffled. 

Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who had initially opted to sit out the Sri Lanka series owing to fitness issues, joined the Bangladesh Test squad on Thursday ahead of their second and final match against the Lankans in Chattogram on Saturday. Having already suffered a 328-run thumping in the first Test in Sylhet, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto would be delighted to have the all-rounder available for the crucial contest. Shakib returned to the longer format after nearly a year-long absence. He last played a Test against Ireland in Mirpur in April last year and has not even played any longer-version domestic cricket since then. Photos: Rajib Raihan

The fourth day of the first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Sylhet on Monday was just about completing mere formality -- at least that’s what was ensured by the recklessness portrayed by Bangladesh batters the previous day.

“I can’t speak about Liton’s dismissal. Liton can explain it better. But yes, you don’t see such dismissals often in Test cricket,” Shanto said after the match

“Not just us, both team’s top-order struggled. But we don’t want to use that as an excuse. We need to work on how we can improve from here,” Shanto said after the match

“I think on a wicket like this the bowlers showed a lot of character," Shanto said.

Bangladesh play Sri Lanka in the third and final series-deciding ODI in Chattogram today, with questions remaining over what the Tigers' line-up could be for the pivotal contest. The Tigers started the series with a convincing six-wicket win before the visitors bounced back with a three-wicket victory in the second game.

As impressive as he was in Bangladesh's win in the first ODI against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib was equally ineffective in the second of the three-match series in Chattogram yesterday.

Shanto and Mushfiqur’s unbroken 165-run partnership saw Bangladesh coast to victory against Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today, hoping to avenge the series loss in the Twenty20s and also regain their groove in the 50-over format.

Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in the first of the three-match ODI series in Chattogram today, and newly appointed skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was eager to make a strong comeback in the format after the disappointments of last year’s fifty-over World Cup in India, and also find a quick reply to the loss against Sri Lanka in the preceding T20I series at home.

“Win or lose, the most important thing is whether we are playing as a team or not,” Shanto told the media in Chattogram today.

The tensions relating to the timed out dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Angelo Matthews during the 2023 ICC World Cup match against Bangladesh came back to the fore between the two sides as the Lankans celebrated their T20I series win by pointing to their wrists.

The dearth of legspinners in the country is so acute that when Rishad Hossain was picked recently by the national team for the Ireland series, there were doubtful gazes from the cricket fraternity over how long he would be continued.

Following the post-match press conference on Wednesday, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was asked whether a change of environment from his BPL franchise to the national team had seen him get back to runs.

Bangladesh national team had a rest day yesterday following their three-run defeat in the first T20I on Monday. 

Bangladesh need 207 runs to win

On November 11, 2023, after Bangladesh’s final match in the ICC World Cup ended in a sound defeat to Australia, Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had captained in that game in place of the injured Shakib Al Hasan, boldly told the media that he was ready to lead the Tigers full-time if the opportunity arises.

The Bangladesh captain also explained why Jaker Ali Anik got the nod in Bangladesh's squad for Sri Lanka T20Is.

Najmul Hossain Shanto, the new captain of Bangladesh in all three formats, expects his first assignment as a full-time captain against Sri Lanka to be a competitive one.