Football fever reaches its peak every four years in Bangladesh during the FIFA World Cup, and nowhere is it more evident than on the streets of Dhaka city.
By waving flags of their favorite teams, hanging banners and festoons and drawing frescos, people express their love for the greatest show on Earth.
In this video, we roamed around some areas of the capital to take part in this football mania.
To know more about the colorful city watch Star Live’s video.
BCB's chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu identified a few problem areas following the recent debacle in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
While talking to reporters yesterday he said that batters found transition from shorter-version to red-ball cricket difficult while also reiterating the need for playing on the kind of sporting tracks that were seen in Sylhet and Chattogram.
"Our performance in Test cricket was disappointing. It is not like result had to come our way but we wanted our team to compete more and perform better," said Lipu when addressing the media in Mirpur yesterday, the first time since his appointment as chief selector.
"We wanted to play on sporting wickets because we have to play lot of Tests abroad. We wanted to judge our strengths and weaknesses and so we had gone for this kind of wicket. Probably that is the reason we are disappointed because our lackings were exposed and our team management would certainly work on those areas in the coming days," he said.
He brought particular attention to the batters' temperament and application.
"The way we got out was not good. They got out before settling down and if they had known where their off-stump was, they wouldn't have got out trying to chase those deliveries. Some were found going for shots the first ball they played in the match. They could not bat with a Test temperament," he said.
Lipu also identified that batters had been getting out to similar ploys being used against them.
"The bowlers have repeatedly deceived us by creating angles. This is not the first series that this has happened. I think it is a repetition. We should take this seriously," he said, adding that coaches and analysts have already detected errors that would be communicated to the players.
There has been question marks over how well Bangladesh prepared for the series and Lipu said he was aware of the problem. There were no warm-up fixtures as players coming from BPL, played the T20I and ODI series before taking on Tests.
"Even three-day matches can definitely help with preparations. Especially after white-ball cricket, opening the Test window and transitioning to that temperament, has been found to be difficult in our observation because they were playing the Test match in somewhat of an attacking mode. It may have been a reflection of shorter-version," he said.
Lipu said that talking to players such as Mominul Haque, who brought up difficulties of preparation and handling challenges of international cricket, would be of importance.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed former Pakistani leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed as the national team's spin bowling coach on Tuesday. The decision seemed like a curious one given the dearth of leg-spinners in the national team and the country itself.
BCB had brought high-profile coaches in the past too. Daniel Vettori and Rangana Herath -- the past two spin coaches were both left-arm spinners, and given that left-arm spinners are not only highly-valued in the domestic circuit but are also high in numbers, their appointments were a regular scenario.
However, BCB, while looking at Mushtaq's vast history of coaching, felt that it was more than just leg-spin but his experience too which could make a difference. With coaches such as Sohel Islam already present as a mentor for majority of the finger spinners in the country, the BCB went against the grain in its recruitment of the spin coach.
"We have brought him with the Zimbabwe series and the T20 World Cup in mind. We have discussed long-term plans and about how the move benefits us. But nothing is certain. When a coach of Mushtaq Ahmed's level comes to Bangladesh, seeing that we have a dearth of leg-spinners, it will be a big support for the promising ones, those apart from Rishad [Hossain], who is in the national side. It will be a big thing that Mushtaq shares his vast knowledge with them. At the same time, when Mushtaq is with us, we can arrange spin hunt in every nook and corner of the country, it will be very good for us and good for the future of leg-spinners," BCB's cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus told reporters on Wednesday.
"It's very rare to get leg-spinners now. But after he comes, some will be inspired. Mushtaq gives a lot of tips and given his experience of playing in World Cups along with his coaching and playing career, he will create a different atmosphere. It will be a big help and we might get that support from him," Yunus added.
Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, cricket analyst and a mentor to many national team stars, felt that perhaps too much focus is being laid on Mushtaq's past as a leg-spinner.
"He will look after all the spinners; it's not like there will be separate coaches for left-arm spinners, right-arm spinners or a leg-spinner. We have not reached that place yet. When there is a pool of spinners, he will have opportunity to work. It would be very good if he can watch the players in the league [DPL] going on.
"I feel he is relatively more experienced compared to past appointments and he will have less of a language barrier and also have a better understanding of culture," Fahim felt.
"There has been too much emphasis placed on him being a leg-spinner. When it comes to spin, he will have expertise on all kinds of spin. He will also be a role model and an impact would be there if there is leg-spin camps or spin hunts," he added.
However, high-profile coaches are not a guarantee for improvements in results. Fahim opined that spinners have not improved much in recent years.
"Our spinners have not improved greatly, if you look at stats from last two to three years. So I don't know if there was any visible difference," Fahim said.
How much the spinners progress under the guidance of Mushtaq will be of great importance to the team's cause going forward.
While World Test Championship 2023-2025 action and other longer format cricket makes way for a smorgasboard of white-ball play, most notably the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean, the second Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka did bring about a number of shuffles across the rankings lists.
Sri Lankan All-rounder Kamindu Mendis and compatriot Angelo Mathews made sizable jumps in the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings, helping their side to a thumping 192-run victory away from home, and completing a 2-0 series sweep in their ICC World Test Championship series.
Having also claimed ICC Men's Player of the Month for March thanks to his exploits, Mendis' knock of 92 not out sees him move 18 places to 46th position (533) in the batting list, while his three-wicket haul in the second innings also saw a 46-spot jump among bowlers. Mathews meanwhile has inched two places to 25th (639) after scores of 23 and 56, while teammate Kusal Mendis saw a minor jump (520) after scoring 93 in the first innings.
Despite defeat, Bangladesh opener Zakir Hasan's first innings half-century saw him climb three places in the Test batting rankings while Mehidy Hasan Miraz is up from 99th to 88th after a valiant 81 not out in the second innings. Mominul Haque has gained four slots and is in 46th position after scoring 83 runs in his two innings.
Dimuth Karunaratne's drop of one place to eighth was the only movement in the top 10. New Zealand's Kane Williamson remains the No.1 Test batter heading into the break (859), and holds a 35-point margin over England's Joe Root. Babar Azam of Pakistan and Daryl Mitchell (768) share the third podium spot.
On the bowling side, Asitha Fernando was the most notable mover in Chittagong, up seven places to 27th position (576) after a four-wicket haul in the first innings. Vishwa Fernando made a two-step improvement (41st, 482) with three wickets in the match, with Lahiru Kumara also climbing a pair of spots (to 44th, 482) after finishing with six wickets across the two innings. For Bangladesh, debutant fast bowler Hasan Mahmud has entered the Test bowling rankings in 95th position after his half-dozen wicket collection in the same match.
Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya's three-spot drop to 11th (724) means one-spot moves up for James Anderson (8th, 739), Shaheen Afridi (9th, 733) and Kyle Jamieson (10th, 729). India's Ravichandran Ashwin (870) boasts the top spot on the Test Bowling Rankings, with compatriot Jasprit Bumrah and Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood in a tie for second (847).
The top 10 on the Test All-Rounder Rankings remains unchanged after the Chittagong Test match, with India's Ravindra Jadeja (444) well ahead of compatriot Ashwin (322) for the No.1 spot. Shakib Al Hasan remains in third (310) after taking four wickets and compiling 51 runs across his two innings in the Test match.
Argentina went through to the last 16 of the 2018 Fifa World Cup by overcoming Nigeria 2-1 in a nerve-wracking tussle at the Saint Petersburg Stadium last night.
Defender Marcos Rojo hit the winner in the 86th minute after an early second-half penalty neutralised Lionel Messi's 14th-minute lead in a game where Argentina not only did everything in their power to avoid early elimination, but literally shed blood. When Rojo hit the winning goal, which can be best described as Toni Kroos moment, with a powerful low drive off a right cross from the flank, Javier Mascherano was still bleeding from a scraped cheek.
In another Group D match, Croatia defeated Iceland 2-1 to seal top spot in the group. They will face Denmark in the round of 16, who earlier in the day played out the Russia 2018's first goalless draw against France, Argentina's next opponents. Peru got their first World Cup win in 40 years as they handed a 2-0 defeat to Australia, but both teams were eliminated.
In Saint Petersburg, Mascherano was actually responsible for awarding Nigeria a penalty; he was holding Leon Balogun when Oghenekaro Etebo took the corner from the right flank. Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir retained his decision after consulting with the VAR (video assistant referee) and Victor Moses converted it, sending Franco Armani to the wrong end. The early second half Nigeria goal served as a real shockwave for the Argentina fans, who were actually celebrating Messi's goal in the 14th minute of the do-or-die encounter.
It was a brilliant through ball from midfielder Ever Banega. But still it needed the precision and extreme control of the world's best player to convert it to a goal. He made his run perfectly, took it on the thigh and then on his left foot before slipping away just enough from his marker. Messi then unleashed a shot with his weaker right foot into the far corner of the net. He also got the opportunity to double the lead in the 32nd minute from a free kick just outside the left-hand box. But his left-footed curler came off the post.
It was a game anybody could have won. But Argentina showed more tenacity and were eventually rewarded. Unlike the last two games, when Messi was less involved, he played the central role. He came down a bit to orchestrate the attack and the return of Banega provided the creativity that Argentina lacked against Croatia. Messi not only controlled the game; he was even seen playing the role of the manager when he had a brief meeting before coming out of the dugout in the second half.
The Saint Petersburg Stadium virtually turned into Buenos Aires moments after the referee blew the final whistle. The players were involved in an emotional huddle in the middle while Diego Maradona was wiping tears of joy in the stands amidst raucous noise. Argentina fans were singing and dancing in the stands even half an hour after the game was finished. With Croatia winning the other game 2-1 against Iceland, Argentina will now travel to Kazan to face France on June 30 in the round of 16.
Despite a record hattrick from left-arm pacer Fariha Trishna, Bangladesh suffered a 58-run defeat against six-time T20 world champions Australia in the second T20I in Mirpur on Tuesday.
Trishna took her second hattrick of her fledgling career -- becoming only the third player to do so in Women's T20Is -- as Australia were restricted to 161 for eight at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium .
Fariha had taken a hattrick on her debut T20I during the 2022 Asia Cup game against Malaysia in Sylhet. Today the pacer bagged Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molinuex and Beth Mooney off the last three deliveries of the innings to finish with four for 19 in four overs as Australia posted 161 for eight.
In reply, Bangladesh managed 103 runs losing nine wickets in 20 overs, with opener Dilara Akter scoring a team-high 27.
Bangladesh had lost the first match of the three-match series by 10 wickets.
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