Shakib Al Hasan is a shining star in Bangladesh cricket. The world's best all-rounder is ruling in all three formats of cricket. He has been serving Bangladesh for a long time with a great performance. Shakib's contribution is behind many big victories of Bangladesh. Shakib has also brightened the country's reputation by playing in various franchise leagues around the world. He is a cricketer who owns almost all the records of Bangladesh.

Born in 1987, Shakib has turned 34 in time. Naturally, Shakib is nearing the end of his cricket career. Maybe the Bangladesh team will get Shakib's service for several more years. But the question is, if Shakib retires, who will be the next 'Shakib'? Or, will Bangladesh get the next 'Shakib' at all?

Shakib is a cricketer whose quality is not easy to find. However, it cannot be said that it is absolutely impossible. Shakib always contributed to the team with bat or ball. The question remains as to who is Shakib's replacement in Bangladesh cricket. Most of the time, the selectors themselves say that if Shakib does not play any match for any reason, two players in the XI have to play extra to make up for the lack of Shakib. Such comments of the selectors prove the importance of Shakib's role in the Bangladesh team.

It is natural that Shakib will have to retire at some point in time. Maybe that day is not too far away. But if Shakib retires, how will his place be filled or built someone as an alternative to Shakib or has the BCB found an alternative to Shakib at all? Or did they try to find out? Or did they do the work of building a new 'Shakib'? Most likely, the answer to all the questions will be 'no'.

The BCB, the governing body of cricket in Bangladesh, should start thinking about the next 'Sakib' issue from now on. Because a quality cricketer like Shakib cannot be made in one day just like it cannot be found in one day. That is why long-term planning and sincere efforts of BCB are required.

In Bangladesh cricket, one or more cricketers were once considered as Shakib's substitute or equal to Shakib. But due to lack of proper care, those cricketers are irregular in the national team today. Again, some are hopeful to find the next Shakib from the World Cup-winning Under-19 team. Undoubtedly they are good quality cricketers. But it remains to be seen whether the BCB will ensure the amount of nursing required to become a player like 'Shakib'. All in all, it can be said that the BCB has to play the most important role in getting the next 'Shakib'.

West Indies thrashed Bangladesh by 10 wickets in St Lucia to win the second match of the two-Test series. With this, the hosts won the series 2-0.

In fact, Bangladesh failed to impress with the bat throughout the series. They suffered six ducks in the first innings of the first Test, and in the last innings of the series, they managed to post only 186 runs. Overall, it was yet another poor batting display by Bangladesh that eventually handed WI a Test series that they would love to forget.

“We always knew it was going to be a tough series,” Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan told the broadcaster after the match. “There are a lot of positives to take from this series. We will have time to think now and try to get better in Tests. In Tests, when we travel, most sides don't do well. We need to be mentally tough.”

Shakib also said that his team needs more time to produce a good performance in the Tests. But he also said that the upcoming white-ball series will be a stage for the Tigers to show their guts.

Like the third day of the St Lucia Test, the fourth day was also hit by intense rain. The first session of the day was completely washed away.

Bangladesh were struggling at 132 for six at the end of day three. They could add only 54 runs to their overnight total with a fifty from Nurul Hasan Shohan. The last three batters who are pacers — Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed and Shoriful Islam — failed to perform.

Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales took three wickets each.

With the fifty of Sohan, Bangladesh avoided an innings defeat but the fourth-innings target for the West Indies was small — 13 runs that the hosts managed to score in just 2.5 overs without losing any wicket.

Bangladesh were behind the hosts from the first innings of the match when they had scored only 234 runs. The visitors were not able to come out from that downfall.

In reply to Bangladesh’s below-par first innings, the West Indies scored 408 runs -- thanks to a century by Kyle Mayers who scored 146 and the West Indies captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, who hit a fifty.

For Bangladesh, Khaled Ahmed bagged five wickets in the first innings — the best bowling display by any Bangladeshi pacer in the West Indies. But his effort went in vain as the batters couldn't produce a total to keep the fight alive.

“I think the confidence of the guys was high,” Kraigg Brathwaite, the West Indies captain, said after the match. “The planning and execution made me happy. Mayers' partnership with Blackwood was superb. Bangladesh bowled well. I think there is always room for improvement. We should try to bat over 100 overs almost every time.”

Both the teams will now lock horns in a three-match T20I and three-match ODI series. The T20Is will take place on July 2, 3 and 7, and the ODIs on July 10, 13 and 16.

Right-hand batter Anamul Haque Bijoy returned to the Bangladesh team after eight years, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said Wednesday.

He will be available to play Test from the second match of the two-match Test series between West Indies and Bangladesh which will begin on June 24 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia – the same venue where Anamul played his last Test against the same team in 2014.

In his Four-Test career, Anamul scored 73 runs with the best innings of 22 runs.

In the last edition of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, a 50-over format, Anamul scored more than 1100 runs at an average exceeding 81 with nine fifties and three centuries.

With this batting display, he became the first and only Bangladeshi batter to score 1000 or more runs in a List A event.

The batter was part of the limited-overs team when the squad was announced.

Also, a back injury of Yasir Ali Rabbi, which eventually ruled him out of the Test series, paved the way for Anamul.

The 29-year-old is among the batters who have scored 7000 or more runs in first-class cricket for Bangladesh, and he is the youngest among them. He has 7348 runs in first-class cricket, with 22 centuries and 37 fifties.

In the ongoing series in the West Indies, apart from the two-match Test series, Bangladesh will take on the hosts in a three-match ODI and three-match T20 series.

The first two T20s will be played at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica on July 2 and 3.

The third T20 and all three ODIs will be played at Providence Stadium, Guyana on July 10, 13 and 16.

- UNB

The Fifa World Cup trophy has arrived in Dhaka today, giving Bangladeshi fans the chance to experience football's most coveted prize.

A chartered flight, carrying the original trophy, which will tour Bangladesh from 8-11 June, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 11.25 am.

The trophy tour has been accompanied by a seven-member FIFA delegation, including French 1998 World Cup winner Christian Karembeu. Officials of Coca Cola and BFF, led by the BFF president Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, received the trophy from the airport.

During the tour of Bangladesh, the trophy will be taken to the President's residence, the Bangabhaban at 4pm, and the residence of the Prime Minister, the Ganabhaban at 7 pm.

After the two high profile courtesy meetings, Coca Cola Bangladesh will host a dinner for specific invited guests on Tuesday night.

On the following day (Wednesday), a cultural programme will be held as the trophy will be displayed at the Army Stadium for the public. People will also have opportunities to take photos with the trophy.

The global tour of the world's most coveted trophy started on May 12 with a first-stop event in Dubai.

The showpiece event, sponsored by Coca-Cola, will be held in 51 countries, including all the 32 countries of the upcoming Qatar World Cup in November-December this year.

Earlier, the trophy made its visit to Bangladesh in 2013 before the Fifa World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

The overall number of Covid cases has now crossed 536 million amid a rise in new infections in parts of the world.

According to the latest global data, the total case count mounted to 536,575,203 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,323,378 on Wednesday morning.

The US has recorded 86,782,404 cases so far and 1,034,284 people have died from the virus in the country, the data shows.

India's Covid-19 tally rose to 43,185,049 on Tuesday with 3,714 new cases registered in 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.

Besides, seven deaths from the pandemic registered across the country since Monday morning took the death toll to 524,708.

Currently there are 26,976 active Covid-19 cases recorded in the country, an increase of 1,194 during the past 24 hours.

So far, 42,633,365 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged from hospitals in India, including 2,513 new recoveries.

The FIFA World Cup trophy is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Wednesday giving Bangladeshi fans the chance to experience football's most coveted prize.

A chartered flight, carrying the original FIFA World Cup trophy is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 10:45 am. 

The trophy will tour Bangladesh from June 8-11. 

The trophy tour would be accompanied by a seven-member FIFA delegation, including French 1998 World Cup winner Christian Karembeu. Officials of Coca-Cola and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), led by the BFF president Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, will receive the trophy from the airport.

During the tour of Bangladesh, the trophy will be taken to the President's residence, the Bangabhaban at 4:00 pm, and the residence of the Prime Minister, the Ganabhaban at 7:00 pm.

Today, a cultural programme will be held as the trophy will be displayed at the Army Stadium for the public. People will also have opportunities to take photos with the trophy. 

The global tour of the world's most coveted trophy started on May 12 with a first-stop event in Dubai.

The showpiece event, sponsored by Coca-Cola will be held in 51 countries, including all the 32 countries of the upcoming Qatar World Cup in November-December this year. 

Earlier, the trophy made its visit to Bangladesh in 2013 before FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil.