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KSCA is looking at alternative venues, including its own facility in Alur as well as the Wadeyar Ground in Mysuru

Shashank Kishore01-Aug-2025The Bengaluru police is yet to give clearance to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host the Maharaja T20, the state’s franchise-based T20 competition, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tournament is scheduled from August 11 to 27.The non-clearance by police is primarily due to the ongoing investigation into the June 4 stampede around the Chinnaswamy premises during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations. An independent state police crime branch investigation into the incident, which resulted in 11 deaths and over 50 injuries, is ongoing.Anticipating potential hurdles, the KSCA had announced on July 11 that the Maharaja T20 would be played behind closed doors. The association is now looking at alternative venues, including its own facility in Alur on the outskirts of Bengaluru, as well as the Wadeyar Ground in Mysuru. While Alur has excellent drainage and infrastructure, the absence of floodlights and spectator seating is an issue, especially for broadcasters and franchises.Related

• Venkatesh Prasad: 'Want to bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy'

• Karnataka government holds RCB accountable for stampede

• Deaths, injuries to fans mar RCB's homecoming

• Probe deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large events

As things stand, Alur is set to host the group matches of the six-day women’s competition – the Maharani T20 – from August 4. The KSCA was considering the idea of hosting the women’s final at the Chinnaswamy, but that seems unlikely with police approvals yet to come.While the KSCA grapples with the possibility of a late venue switch, the franchises have voiced frustration and concern about the financial losses they now face. They have already made hotel bookings for players and staff on the understanding that the entire tournament would be held in central Bengaluru (Chinnaswamy).The issue puts the KSCA in a tough spot. Bengaluru is also the venue for the opening game of the women’s ODI World Cup, as well as one semi-final and possibly the final. India play Sri Lanka in the tournament opener on September 30. The Chinnaswamy is also set to host two warm-up games ahead of the competition.Last week, a one-man committee appointed by the Karnataka government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that are “better suited” to handle significant crowds.India’s domestic season-opening Duleep Trophy will be played entirely at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The board had earlier considered hosting the final at the Chinnaswamy, but those plans were cancelled owing to preparations at the venue for the women’s World Cup.

The pair debate some key BBL talking points following the end of a successful season for the competition

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2025Former Australia captain Aaron Finch would like a full player auction to be brought into the BBL while Glenn Maxwell believes the power surge should be removed as it doesn’t replicate international playing conditions.Currently, overseas players are selected through the draft – with clubs now able to pre-sign one name before that event – while a trade window, that is currently open, has been introduced for the first time this season, but Finch has said the majority of domestic players should also be included in a process more aligned with how the IPL operates.Related

• Marsh and David set to re-sign as BBL, WBBL contracting embargo ends

• Swepson moves to Melbourne Stars on deadline day

• Melbourne Renegades sign Doggett, Jewell set to follow

• Owen's record-equalling 39-ball hundred seals Hurricanes' maiden BBL title

• Higher honours, big pay day on the cards for Hurricanes hero

“I’d like to see an auction come in,” Finch told the Powerplay on ESPN’s . “Each team potentially has the ability to retain maybe four of their players and then you say everybody else in the country, you’re into an auction. I think that that would create a great spectacle.”We see it in the IPL, it’s brilliant, creates evenness across the board I think. What it does give you as well is it gives you what the players are worth. So at times, depending on what your team needs, you might have to overpay for someone. But if it’s an auction, that’s generally what the price of a player is.”Maxwell, though, was uncertain about the idea, raising concern about clubs losing an identity with established names. “You’ve still got to have a way to keep your homegrown players in your home state, [to] still have that relevance,” he said.The BBL continues to be challenged on retaining overseas players with a number leaving in early January for either the SA20 or ILT20.Meanwhile, when asked what he would change about the tournament, Maxwell argued that while he could see the appeal of the power surge – the two overs of fielding restrictions that can be taken by the batting side after the 10th over – he felt it skewed the skills that were required away from how the rest of T20 is played. It echoed the views of Stars team-mate Marcus Stoinis who made similar comments ahead of the BBL season.”I’d get rid of the power surge,” Maxwell said. “I think unless the power surge was introduced in international cricket, I think it’s sort of probably lost its relevance. As a player, I think it probably misrepresents middle-order batting.”When you get picked for your country, you don’t have that luxury of having those two overs in the back ten to boost your strike rate, boost your score. It’s lost on the art of middle order batting to be able to find your way through those last ten overs. I know it’s great for broadcasters. I know it’s great for fans. But until it’s made an international rule, I don’t think we should have it.”Finch acknowledged he had held a similar view when he was a player, but having now retired from the game saw the value the power surge brings.”I think that it provides entertainment right through an innings,” he said. “It keeps games alive. Like if a team needs 15 and over, with a power surge up your sleeve, there’s still half a chance.”

Sri Lanka lost their remaining three wickets without adding a run on the fifth morning

The Report by Danyal Rasool in Karachi23-Dec-2019It took Pakistan just 16 balls on the fifth morning to take the three Sri Lanka wickets they needed to wrap up the second Test and the series. It was made even more memorable for the hosts when Naseem Shah became the second-youngest player to take a five-for by trapping Vishwa Fernando plumb in front to seal the win.The 15 minutes today were a microcosm of the lack of fight Sri Lanka exhibited over the previous two days. Not one run was added to the overnight total, and the first wicket of the day fell off the first delivery when a fierce Naseem bouncer brushed Lasith Embuldeniya’s glove on its way to the wicketkeeper. That this would be a short day was confirmed when Oshada Fernando, on 102, nicked one to Asad Shafiq off Yasir Shah, leaving Nos. 10 and 11 at the crease.Naseem took care of the final wicket, and for Pakistan, it ended a decade of a nomadic existence they will hope they never have to return to again. Naseem, and this generation of Pakistan cricketers, deserve that at least.

This will be the first international action for both sides since the Covid-19 pandemic

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-2021Scotland Women will face neighbours Ireland Women in a four-match T20I series, in what will be their first international action for both sides since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The series will run from May 23 to May 27, with Stormont set to stage all four games. The last time Scotland and Ireland were in action was at the T20 World Cup qualifier in 2019, with both teams missing out the main event.This will be Scotland’s first assignment under new coach Mark Coles, who had replaced Steve Knox.Cricket Scotland and Cricket Ireland have been working together to get this series underway for a while. More recently, their attempt to hold the series in Spain earlier this March didn’t come to pass because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.”I want to thank Cricket Ireland High Performance Director Richard Holdsworth and all of his team for the effort that they have put into making this series possible,” Gus Mackay, the Cricket Scotland CEO, said in a media release. “Our women’s side have a crucial year ahead of them and being able to play competitive international cricket in preparation for that is absolutely essential. I’m grateful to everyone involved for making this happen and looking forward to seeing both teams out on the pitch in Belfast.”Scotland’s 14-member squad will be led by Kathryn Bryce, with her younger sister Sarah appointed vice-captain. The Bryce sisters had displayed strong form in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2020. Sarah was the second-highest scorer in the tournament while Kathryn was the second-highest wicket-taker.The uncapped pair of Ikra Farooq and Alisa Lister could potentially make their international debuts. Hannah Rainey, though, is unavailable for the upcoming series.Squad: Kathryn Bryce (captain), Sarah Bryce (vice-captain), Becky Glen, Lorna Jack, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Ikra Farooq, Abtaha Maqsood, Samantha Haggo, Katie Mcgill, Priyanaz Chatterji, Ailsa Lister, Katherine Fraser, Ellen Watson, Megan McColl.

The travelling party will have their passports processed separately, and will not face immigration authorities

Mohammad Isam22-Jun-2021The Australian men’s team will have heightened bio-bubble measures on their tour to Bangladesh next month. The visitors are likely to touch down on July 29 to play five T20Is against Bangladesh in early August, with all matches being held in Dhaka as per the agreement between the two boards.The measures will start as soon as the Australians land at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. As Cricket Australia (CA) informed the BCB that they didn’t want the players to be in a hallroom inside the airport, the traveling party will have their passports processed separately, and they will not be facing the immigration authorities,.”The proper procedure of immigration and passport control will take place in the airport by following Covid-19 compliance measures,” Jalal Yunus, the BCB media committee chairman, said. “Maybe this would include their passport being processed separately, but it is what is usually done. They informed us that they don’t want to enter a hallroom for the immigration. The passports will be returned to them following the immigration formalities.”There will also be tighter protocols in the hotel where both teams will be staying. The BCB is using the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in midtown Dhaka, where both West Indies and Sri Lanka stayed during their tours this year.”It is the same bio-bubble that we had for West Indies and Sri Lanka,” Yunus said. “(CA) asked us to address certain pockets in the hotel where outsiders were allowed, like some of the restaurants. Those will be closed during the course of the Australia tour.”The BCB is also complying with the CA’s request to keep all five T20Is at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.The BCB has created bio-bubbles of varying sizes, since competitive cricket resumed in Bangladesh in October 2020. After seeing how Bangladesh hosted their two domestic tournaments, West Indies were impressed with their bio-bubble measures. The two tours, by West Indies and Sri Lanka, were held in Dhaka and Chattogram.Sri Lanka, who came in May, had a bit of a scare ahead of the first ODI against Bangladesh but out of the three positive cases, two turned out to be false with only one player being diagnosed with Covid-19.The BCB is currently holding the Dhaka Premier League T20s with a bio-bubble for all 12 teams and match officials staying in three separate hotels. The tournament hasn’t had too many issues, with only a few days remaining for its conclusion.Australia meanwhile will be traveling to Dhaka directly from the West Indies after their white-ball tour. This will be Australia’s first visit to Bangladesh since their 2017 tour to play two Tests.

Somerset completed a record-breaking rout of Cardiff MCCU in their season opener at Taunton

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2019Somerset 387 for 4 dec and 345 for 9 dec beat Cardiff MCCU 118 and 46 (Overton 6-24, Davey 4-21) by 568 runs
ScorecardThe value of awarding first-class status to university matches is once again under scrutiny after Somerset completed a record-breaking rout of Cardiff MCCU in their season opener at Taunton.Cardiff had been faced with a nominal target of 615 on the third afternoon of their match, after Somerset had completed their batting practice with centuries for James Hildreth in the first innings and Ed Byrom in the second.Sixteen overs later, Cardiff’s last wicket had fallen – all out for 46 as Craig Overton (6 for 24) and Josh Davey (4 for 21) shared all ten between them.Sam Pearce, with 11 from 20 balls, was the only Cardiff batsman to reach double figures; Oskar Kolk, with 9 from 29, at least managed to stay at the crease for a full half an hour.Batting collapses in this day and age are not limited to student line-ups of course – just ask England, who were routed for 77 in 30.2 overs by West Indies in Bridgetown earlier this year, or Australia, whose 60 all out at Trent Bridge in 2015 was done and dusted in 18.3.However, the statistical gulf between the sides was among the most yawning of all time – the eighth-biggest in terms of runs in all first-class cricket, and the largest ever recorded in a first-class fixture in England.It exceeded, by six runs, the 562-run trouncing that Australia inflicted on England at The Oval in 1934, a match in which Don Bradman (244) and Bill Ponsford (266) added 451 for the second wicket in a first-innings total of 701, before Clarrie Grimmett’s five wickets shot England out for 145 on the fourth and final day.And it was the fifth time in which a University side had lost by more than 500 runs to county opposition, following Nottinghamshire’s 541-run defeat of Durham MCCU in 2013, and a trio of defeats for Cambridge (by 523, 522 and 517 runs), one in 1984 and two in consecutive matches in 2016.This defeat did, however, fall someway short of the all-time runs record – 685 – by New South Wales against Queensland in 1929-30, a match in which that man Bradman again made an unbeaten 452, his highest first-class score.But, as if to prove that the student rookies have to start somewhere and that the only way from here is up, Cardiff’s defeat also fell way short of the largest runs defeat ever recorded in a Test match.This time, it was Bradman himself on the receiving end, on Test debut at the Exhibition Ground in Brisbane, when his scores of 18 and 1 formed part of a crushing 675-run defeat against England.

The board also divulged details around team composition and the competition format, as well as the bidding process, which will decide the six venues

Liam Brickhill26-Sep-2018Cricket South Africa will receive help from some of BCCI’s senior administrators in running their new T20 cricket league, CSA’s chief executive Thabang Moroe has announced.”I am delighted to announce that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has accepted our invitation to make some of their senior administrators, who have extensive experience in running the Indian Premier League (IPL), available to assist with the smooth running of our tournament,” said Moroe. “Their experience will be invaluable and will assist in ensuring that the League is one of international standing.”CSA also divulged details around team composition and the competition format, as well as the bidding process, which will decide the six venues. Each franchise’s squads will have 16 players, with a minimum of three and a maximum of four overseas players. Any Kolpak-contracted South African will be regarded as overseas players for the event. The bidding process will be decided by a bid “open to all ICC-accredited CSA Members that will include an independent analysis by an appropriate consultancy firm”, and no venue will host more than one team.The CSA board unanimously approved the six-team format, which would appear to put them on a collision course with previous franchise owners of the original, eight-team event. Some former owners are either considering or pursuing legal action against CSA, who have also recently changed attorneys from Mota Attorneys to Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, Africa’s largest law firm.The announcements came as CSA took a further step forward, a day after announcing public broadcaster SABC as their exclusive broadcast partner for the event, towards the realisation of the T20 league originally pitched early last year by opening applications from South African and overseas players interested in participating in the SA T20 League.The closing date for players to register is October 2, and the player draft will take place on October 17. The inaugural edition of the league will run during the last quarter of 2018, with the tournament starting on November 9 and culminating in the final on December 16.Moroe suggested that CSA are hoping to retain the marquee players – the likes of Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Dwayne Bravo and Eoin Morgan – who were part of the original draft for the first, postponed edition of the league last year.”The time is now right for us to register players who would like to participate in our League,” said Moroe. “We will be seeking to secure the services of the foreign and South African marquee players who were recruited for the previous league on two-year contracts. In addition, subject to our international commitments, all the Proteas-contracted players are expected to participate in most of the League.”Any unavailability of Proteas players only affects the first few days of the league when the Proteas will be involved in their limited-overs tour to Australia which finishes with the T20 match on November 17.”

Birmingham go second in North Group with six-wicket victory, Northants slip to fourth

David Hopps22-Jun-2022The time of reckoning is upon us in the Blast and Birmingham responded to it by swinging to the leg-side harder and more often. They remained in touch with Northants’ 211 for 6 from the outset, and even though they needed 77 from the last six overs, they broke the target with a merciless assault on the Northants’ left-arm wrist spinner, Freddie Heldreich as they pulled off the highest T20 chase in their history.Adam Hose is as uncomplicated a T20 batter as you can get, an unabashed seeker of deep midwicket. Put the ball in his arc and his long limbs will deposit the ball skywards. Chris Benjamin often looked scratchy, but give him half an opportunity and he can target the same region in destructive fashion. Both made unbeaten half-centuries, their shot selection excellent as their stand of 100 rattled along in 54 balls.Carlos Brathwaite, Birmingham’s captain, exudes relaxation and confidence, good attributes at this stage of the season. “We’ve been reckless at times this season,” he said. “We wanted to be positive, express ourselves, but bat a lot smarter.”Birmingham go second in North group with this victory whereas Northants now slip to fourth and will sense Yorkshire, in particular, scenting an opportunity to overhaul them.Heldreich, who went for 59 from four overs, must have felt himself deliberately targeted. Alex Davies’ whirlwind 42 from 18 balls set the tone. Successive sixes over long-on appeared to have put the bowler in his place, but Heldreich is a confident sort and, with his next ball, he drew Davies into a wild sweep and bowled him off a bottom edge.But it was not the bowler’s night. Chris Benjamin looked out of touch until he launched him over the leg-side for 6-4-6 in successive balls. Converging boundary fielders were beaten by inches and Heldreich winced, not the first bowler to wonder why the boards could not be pushed back to fairer proportions. With 59 needed from six, Birmingham’s head coach Mark Robinson, a bit of a poker face these days, flashed a smile for the first time on the night. By the end Jake Lintott, sat next to him in the dugout, had him roaring with laughter: when Birmingham are batting, the dugout is where Robinson wants Lintott, for more reason than one.Birmingham had lost three wickets for 64 by the end of the powerplay. Paul Stirling took Northants for a career-best 119 in a memorable Birmingham debut, including five consecutive sixes off James Sales, but he has been short of runs since. He biffed 17 from Tom Taylor’s first over, but that was that.The reason for that was Ben Sanderson, an old-fashioned seamer but highly effective as he nibbled the new ball both ways off the seam, having Stirling caught at the wicket off an inside edge and silencing Rob Yates with a bail-trimmer. Sam Hain, the lynchpin of the Bears’ line-up, is having to contend with a back strain, and there was general delight when Taylor returned to the attack and immediately had him lbw to a yorker.Northants’ batting remains heavily reliant, perhaps overly reliant, upon the Australian Chris Lynn, whose 59 from 43 balls moves him alongside Somerset’s Rilee Rossouw at the top of the Blast run-scorers with 443 runs apiece. Rossouw has a faster scoring rate (191 to 161) and has struck the most sixes, but over the tournament there have been no more violent batters in the country.There were times when Lynn felt comparatively reserved, as if aware of the responsibilities that rest upon him. Initial assessment was necessary because Olly Stone, on the ground where his career began, was unsettlingly fast and bouncy with the new ball. Stone is recovering cautiously from his fourth stress fracture in five years, but caution is thrown to the winds whenever he gets the ball in his hands.Somehow, Northants still emerged from the powerplay with 53 to their name. Ben Curran had also been troubled by Stone’s pace and bounce on an excellent, fresh pitch, surviving one bat-handle crusher with a cry of “where did that come from?” as he made it to the safety of the non-striker’s end. He fell after an opening stand of 72, bowled by Brathwaite as his defensive block spun back onto his stumps.Lintott’s avuncular left-arm wrist spin did for Lynn, who carved a ball angled across him to short third, but Saif Zaib quickened the impetus, his 74 taking only 32 balls, when he swung Lintott to long off. He was confident, steely-eyed and full of purpose. A definite, long-term breakthrough has been a long time coming, and he has had a thin time in the Championship this season, but he has more talent, if not better outcomes, than some batters holding Hundred deals. A career-best 92 from 58 against Derbyshire in Northants’ defeat the previous night, and now this: this time, at 24, he needs to make it pay.Birmingham gave both Lynn and Zaib lives in the field. Zaib was only 12 when he cut Craig Miles to deep point, but Yates, sliding in, failed to retrieve a half-volley chance. Benjamin’s miss at deep midwicket, off Brathwaite, when Lynn was 52, probably owed much to a low evening sun and he was fortunate not to take a blow in the face. The County Ground is hardly the most vociferous crowd in the country, but the most raucous spectators sit in this area, preying upon fielders like Great White Sharks exploiting the angle of the sun to hunt down their prey. Long before the end, Birmingham were firing sixes in their direction

From falling out with the head coach to becoming his new boss, the 39-year old has made a triumphant return

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jun-2022From falling out with the head coach to becoming his new boss, Enoch Nkwe has completed a triumphant return to South African cricket. The 39-year old who resigned as assistant coach in 2021 in part due to differences with Mark Boucher has now been appointed Director of Cricket by CSA.Nkwe beat former South Africa spinner and current Warriors coach Robin Peterson to the job. He succeeds Graeme Smith whose tenure ended in March 2022.Once a promising batter for Gauteng who began his first-class career with a century on debut, Nkwe’s time on the field was cut short at age of 26 thanks to a finger injury. But as that door closed, another opened. In 2018, during his very first season as head coach, Nkwe claimed three domestic titles – two with the Lions and one with the Jozi Stars.That catapulted him to higher honours and, on the back of being named Coach of the Season in 2019, he took over as interim team director with South Africa remodelling the way they ran the game by borrowing from successful football teams. Nkwe even invoked his love of Pep Guardiola when he was first appointed.Nkwe’s tenure as interim director lasted five months between August and December 2019. He was then appointed assistant coach to Boucher, but in the lead-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup, he left the post citing disillusionment with the job and differences of opinion with Boucher, but the issues were not related to race.Nkwe’s demotion was a part of the Social Justice and Nation Building hearings, where CSA was said to be institutionally racist. He was stood down by then Director of Cricket Smith in favour of his former team-mate Boucher, but in arbitration it was found that Smith had acted on sound cricketing logic given Boucher’s 14 years of experience as a player in the top flight. Nkwe had never played international cricket for South Africa but he did have something Boucher didn’t at the time – a level four coaching certificate. That, though, was never a pre-requisite for the job. Gary Kirsten once served as South Africa coach without such certification.CSA has also brought in Mtunzi Jonas, who used to be a general manager with financial services company Absa Group, as their new Chief Commercial Officer. Tjaart van der Walt is their new Chief Financial Officer and Wanele Mngomezulu, who was part of the Jozi Stars’ set up in 2018, as Chief Marketing Officer.”The appointment of these executives is intended to strengthen CSA’s resolve and anchoring the administration with the best expertise on offer,” CSA chief executive Pholetsi Moseki said. “I am delighted that CSA has attracted this calibre of talent, which will change the fortunes of the organisation into the future. It is against this background that I congratulate the appointees for making it through the stringent recruitment process, which merited their appointments. They have indeed demonstrated their desire to serve this beautiful game in the different portfolio’s by bringing their capabilities to bear.”The Director of Cricket will assume duty on July 1 while the other three will join on August 1.

With the ODIs against Zimbabwe beginning later this month, a lot of key Bangladesh players are carrying injuries

Mohammad Isam04-Oct-2018Mashrafe Mortaza and Mushfiqur Rahim, who had injuries during the Asia Cup, are expected to recover in the next two weeks to add experience to Bangladesh’s squad for the ODIs against Zimbabwe from October 21.With the selectors likely to name a preliminary squad by next week, the injuries to Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal have already left a gaping hole in the batting line-up. Bangladesh are scheduled to start a training camp in Dhaka from October 15.According to BCB’s chief physician Debashish Chowdhury, Mashrafe will need two more weeks to recover fully from his finger injury, which he sustained during the Asia Cup match against Pakistan on September 26.”The injury on his little finger is quite serious,” Chowdhury said. “It takes about three weeks to recover. We are hoping that Mashrafe can come back from that injury within two weeks. He was struck by a ball directly. We will have a further scan tomorrow to ascertain how much of a blood clot there is. Once we know about it, we will go for our next course of action.”Mashrafe is not too bothered about the injury though. He said he has already played two matches with it, and his bowling isn’t affected by the injury. The finger comes to use for his batting, of course.”Chowdhury said Mushfiqur, who injured his rib during the pre-Asia Cup training camp in Dhaka, has been rested for a week. “[Mushfiqur] has a cracked rib which usually takes four to six weeks to heal. Ribs usually take time as it is constantly moving. There’s no rest. We have asked Mushfiqur to rest for a week after which we will determine the next course of action.”If their recoveries don’t go to plan, Bangladesh might find it difficult to replace Mushfiqur in the middle order and Mashrafe as captain.The opening partnership was an issue for Bangladesh in the Asia Cup. Mehidy Hasan, who had a 120-run opening stand with Liton Das in the final, was last-gasp measure after Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar failed throughout the tournament.Even if the team management is looking to continue with Mehidy as opener in the Zimbabwe series, they would still want back-up. Despite scoring only 20 runs in three Asia Cup matches, Shanto remains the long-term option. Soumya could, for the fourth time this year, sneak into the squad despite a number of failures, as he has always been preferred either by the team management or by the BCB officials.Imrul Kayes could also be in contention for his experience, though he made only one fifty in three Asia Cup matches. Mominul Haque, Mosaddek Hossain and Ariful Haque will be competing for middle-order slots. Mominul and Mosaddek struggled in the Asia Cup while Ariful, who didn’t get a game, recently struck a maiden double-hundred in the first-class competition’s opening round.Mohammad Mithun made two vital fifties in the Asia Cup and would be crucial in the middle order, along with Mahmudullah. However, Tushar Imran, who scored twin hundreds in the opening first-class match of the season, might have to wait till early November as he may be considered for the Test series against Zimbabwe.Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain are likely to partner Mashrafe – if he is fit – in the pace attack, while Abu Hider is likely to continue as their understudy. Bangladesh could pick an extra pace bowler as cover for Mashrafe.Left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam could be leading the race to replace Shakib the bowler, though in the recent past the more experienced Abdur Razzak has had more success in domestic cricket. Offspinner Sohag Gazi also made a strong case for selection with a number of notable performances in the last 12 months.Chowdhury said Shakib’s recovery would be determined after a surgeon in Australia assesses him next week. “We have removed fluid twice within the last two-four days from Shakib’s infected finger. He is improving. His infection will come under control in a week through medication. He is likely to go to Australia on Friday, to determine whether he needs surgery,” he said.An update on Tamim’s injury might take about three weeks.