SYLHET: Sylhet International Cricket Stadium starts hosting Test match with Tigers taking on visiting Zimbabwe in their first Test of two Test match series on Saturday (Nov 3).

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director who captained the national team to win ICC Trophy in 1997 Akram Khan, BCB Selector and former captain Habibul Bashar and former national team player from Sylhet Hasibul Hossain Shanto rang the traditional five-minute bell five minute before the clock hits 10am.

Players of both the squads walked through red-carpet to enter the stadium.

Administrative officials handed over souvenir items to the players to mark the stadium’s debut in long-format cricket.  

Zimbabwe opted to bat first after winning the toss.

Tigers’ Acting Test Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad earlier expressed hope during a media brief to secure win for marking the launching gloried.

However, Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, also known as Sylhet Stadium had an expansion in 2103 to host matches of the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and 2014 ICC Women's World Twenty20.

The stadium hosted its first international match on 17 March 2014 with Ireland taking on Zimbabwe.

The squads of first Test:

Bangladesh: Liton Das, Imrul Kayes, Nazmul Hossain, Mominul Haque, Ariful Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Nazmul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Miraz, Abu Jayed

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Brian Chari, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, PJ Moor, Regis Chakabva (wk), Brandon Mavuta, Wellington Masakadza, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara

BDST: 1353 HRS, NOV 3, 2018
SI/SMS