Bangladesh register first Test win in New Zealand
Bangladesh beat New Zealand for the first time in Test cricket. They won the first Test match, at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, by eight wickets. They took five wickets for 22 on Day 5 to bowl out New Zealand for 169. Ebadot Hossain returned 6-56 and Taskin Ahmed 3-36.
That left Bangladesh 40 to win, which they scored in 16.5 overs, with Mushfiqur Rahim hitting the winning boundary.
The second and last Test match in the series will start on 9 January in Christchurch.
South Africa 122 runs away to level series against India
South Africa reached 118/2 in 40 overs at stumps on Day 3 of the second Test match against India at the Wanderers, Johannesburg. With two days remaining, they need 122 runs more to level the series. India, on the other hand, will look to snare eight wickets to win a series in South Africa for the first time.
Earlier, India set a target of 240 after South Africa bowled them out for 266 in the second innings. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya scored fifties, while Hanuma Vihari remained unbeaten on 40. For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen took three wickets each.
Heat vs Sixers postponed after -19 outbreak
Match 36 of the BBL 2021/22, between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers, was postponed after 12 Heat players tested positive for Covid-19. All players were forced to isolate, rendering the Heat unable to make up the required 13-member squad for the fixture.
Earlier in the day, Melbourne Stars captain Glenn Maxwell tested positive for the Coronavirus as well.
Rajapaksa retires from international cricket
Bhanuka Rajapaksa announced his retirement from international cricket at 30. He handed in a resignation letter to SLC, citing ‘familial obligations’.
‘I have very carefully considered my position as a player, husband and am taking this decision looking forward to fatherhood and associated familial obligations’, SLC quoted Rajapaksa's statement.
Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's top run-scorer in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup, made his senior debut in Pakistan in 2019. In total, he played five ODIs and 18 T20Is.
Netherlands announce squad for Afghanistan ODIs
The Netherlands announced a 15-member squad for their upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, to be played in Qatar. Pieter Seelaar will continue to lead the side, with Colin Ackermann as deputy. Fred Klaassen, Bas de Leede and Max O'Dowd have retained their places, while Asad Zulfiqar received a maiden international call up.
The series will be part of the CWC Super League, and will begin 21 January. All three matches will be played at the Asian Town Cricket Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
Netherlands squad: Pieter Seelaar (c), Colin Ackermann (vc), Max O’Dowd, Fred Klaassen, Scott Edwards, Brandon Glover, Ryan Klein, Boris Gorlee, Clayton Floyd, Saqib Zulfiqar, Asad Zulfiqar, Bas de Leede, Vivian Kingma, Aryan Dutt, Phillipe Boissevain.