Thursday 20 April 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tennis: Murray crashes in Monte Carlo, Djokovic struggles on

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MONTE CARLO (AFP) - Andy Murray surrendered a 4-0 lead in the decisive third set on his way to defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday as the world number ones 2017 season hit another setback.Murray suffered a shock third-round loss to Spains 15th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 in more than two and a half hours.Former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka was also routed, with the Swiss third seed losing to Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-4, 6-4.Rafael Nadal gatecrashed Alexander Zverevs 20th birthday party with a brutal 6-1, 6-1 demolition while Novak Djokovic battled past Pablo Carreno Busta 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.Ramos-Vinolas toppled Scottish top seed Murray on his second match point to progress to the quarter-finals on the Monaco clay for the first time at the French Open warm-up event.Im disappointed to lose from the position that I was in, said 29-year-old Murray, who was making his first ATP appearance this week since a second-round loss to Vasek Pospisil at Indian Wells on March 12.If you look at the scoreline, it was 7-5 in the third. One week ago I would have been okay with that. But sitting here, being 4-Love up in the third, I havent lost many matches like that in my career.Im disappointed. I feel like I had enough chances to win. I was close, I think. Maybe tomorrow or a day after Ill be able to look back a little bit and think where Im at now from where I was a week ago.My elbow felt pretty good. I served much better today than I did yesterday. Thats only going to get better. So hopefully I keep going in the right direction.Defending champion Nadal, chasing a 10th title at the tournament, will face Argentinas Diego Schwartzman, who beat German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-0.I played well. I played much better than yesterday. I played more aggressive, I played with a very high intensity from the beginning, Nadal said.Im playing much better with my forehand. I maintained that kind of level for all the match, I think that was the key.Second seed Djokovic got past Carreno Busta, leaving the 13th seeded Spaniard standing 0-16 against top 10 opponents.The French Open champion had needed three sets to get past Gilles Simon in his opening match at the clay court showpiece and goes on to face Belgiums David Goffin for a semi-final spot.Victory for Vinolas-Ramos marked the first time the 29-year-old from Barcelona, who reached last years French Open quarter-finals, had got the better of a world number one.His reward is a Friday quarter-final against Croatian fifth seed Marin Cilic, who motored past number ninth seed Tomas Berdych 6-2, 7-6 (7/0).

Golf: Tiger Woods undergoes fourth back surgery

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Superstar golfer Tiger Woods announced on his website Thursday that he has undergone a fourth back surgery to alleviate pain, one that likely sidelines him at least until October.The surgery went well, and Im optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain, said Woods, who hasnt played competitive golf since pulling out of the Dubai Desert Classic on February 3 with back spasms.Typical recovery time after his latest procedure is about six months, the article on Woods website said. That timeline would mean missing the remainder of this PGA Tour season and the Presidents Cup matches.Woods first had back surgery shortly before the 2014 Masters and had two more procedures after the 2015 PGA season, following which he was sidelined for more than a year.When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long, Woods said on his website.The announcement comes two days after Woods said his back was progressing as he briefly answered questions at a function in Missouri to announce a golf course being designed by his TGR Design.The 14-time major champion hit two golf shots in front of an appreciative crowd -- the first finding the water.Now, according to his website, Woods will rest for several weeks, then begin therapy and treatment.While each procedure and case is unique, patients typically return to full activity in about six months.The procedure performed was a minimally invasive Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, aimed at relieving pressure on the nerve that was leading to sciatica and severe back and leg pain.Conservative therapy, which included rehabilitation, medications, limiting activities and injections, failed as a permanent solution and Woods opted to have surgery, the website said.Injuries have helped stall the 41-year-old Woods pursuit of Jack Nicklaus record of 18 major titles.Woods missed the Masters this month for the third time in four years. His last major title came at the 2008 US Open, and the 2015 Masters marks the last time Woods even made the cut at a major.Woods ended a 16-month layoff when he played the Hero World Challenge unofficial event in the Bahamas in December.His first US PGA Tour event after 17 months was at Torrey Pines in January, where he missed the cut. He withdrew in Dubai after a first-round 77, and pulled out of the US PGA Tour event in Los Angeles in February and the Honda Classic and Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.He even cancelled a planned press conference at the Los Angeles tournament, saying doctors had advised him to limit all activities as he tried to get his balky back on track.Doctor Richard Guyer of the Center for Disc Replacement at the Texas Back Institute performed Woods surgery and said Woods rehabilitation would be gradual.After he recovers from surgery, he will gradually begin his rehabilitation until he is completely healed, Guyer said. Once thats accomplished, his workouts will be geared to allowing him to return to competitive golf.

Athletics: Bolt in shock as friend dies in moto crash

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KINGSTON (AFP) - Sprint superstar Usain Bolt was caught up in a fatal motorcycle crash in Jamaica which claimed the life of Germaine Mason, the British high jumper who won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, media reported.Jamaican-born Mason, 34, died Thursday in the early morning crash which occurred near Kingston, police said, when he lost control of his motorcycle.According to the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper, Bolt, Jamaicas eight-time Olympic sprint champion and 11-time world champion, and fellow sprinter Michael Frater were immediately at the scene.Team Jamaica, a website run by Jamaican athletics supporters, said a number of athletes, including Bolt and Frater, were riding in a convoy with Mason when the crash took place.Usain Bolt was part of the group that came by and he was very, very emotional, and still is, police senior superintendent Calvin Allen told the BBC.I understand they are very close friends.Mason began competing for Britain, his fathers homeland, in 2006 after having taken bronze for Jamaica at the 2004 world indoors and claimed silver at the 2000 world juniors in Chile and bronze at the 2002 world juniors in Kingston.Germaine was an outstanding athlete and a truly lovely man. He had a wry sense of humour and was a pleasure to be around, said Fuzz Caan, a senior high jump coach at British Athletics who worked with Mason during his time as Olympic champion.He was a great ambassador of British high jumping. It is an honour for us to have him as part of our sporting history.Mason, still the Jamaican national record holder in the event, matched his personal best of 2.34m to claim silver at Beijing, one of a then-record 47 British Olympic medals taken in China.The whole of the British Olympic Aassociation is incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Germaine Mason, said BOA chief executive Bill Sweeney.Germaine was a great athlete, an Olympian and a silver medal-winning part of Team GB who made history at Beijing 2008. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends at this difficult time.Other British athletics stars were stunned and saddened at the news.This is just awful. Such sad news, tweeted 2012 London Olympic and three-time world heptathlon champion Jess Ennis-Hill.Heart goes out to friends and family of Germaine Mason on this sad day, tweeted 1992 Barcelona Olympic 100m champion Linford Christie. R I P Germaine. Never forgotten.Denise Lewis, the 2000 Sydney Olympics heptathlon champion, tweeted, My condolences and deepest sympathy go out to Germaine Masons family & friends. A tragic loss of such fun & loving person.Beijing Olympic 400m hurdles bronze mediallist Tasha Danvers called it a very sad day for track and field... He will missed.

Snooker: Dominant Robertson earns Fu clash

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SHEFFIELD (AFP) - Neil Robertson booked a World Championship second-round clash with Hong Kongs Marco Fu as the Australian crushed Thailands Noppon Saengkham on Thursday.Robertson, the 2010 world champion, wasted little time turning an 8-1 overnight lead into a 10-4 victory at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.The 35-year-old, now based in England, fired breaks of 70 and 76 to make sure of his place in the last 16.Im very happy to get through. The damage was done yesterday when clearly I took full advantage of his nerves on his debut and I seemed to punish all his mistakes, Robertson said.Overall it was a very professional performance. He came out without any pressure on him and knocked in a lot of great balls.He nicked a few back, but from 8-1 youve pretty much got to not turn up to get beaten from there.Today I was maybe a little bit slack on a few shots but after the interval I regained my focus and was determined to finish it off.Five-time champion Ronnie OSullivan looks set to move into the third round after building up a daunting 6-2 lead over the 2005 champion Shaun Murphy who the former has openly said he does not like.Murphy, who scraped past 17-year-old Chinese debutant Yan Bingtao in the first round, stoked the fires before the match by picking apart OSullivans claims he was being bullied by the governing body.However, it was O;Sullivan who threatened to bully his oppomnent into submission with some superb snooker with five breaks over 70 including one of 128.His lead sets up the possibility of closing out Murphy in just two sesssions as he did in the 2014 quarter-finals whipping Murphy 13-3.

Gang war commander among 27 arrested in Karachi

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – At least 27 persons, including a gang war commander, were apprehended during police operations in different parts of Karachi on Thursday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police arrested Lyari gang war commander Arif from Mawach Goth area after an encounter while two of his accomplices managed to escape from the scene.Police sources said that Arif belonged to Lyari gang war’s Bahadur PMT group and was involved in killing police official Naqeeb Ullah and two boxer brothers. He was also involved in cases of extortion.Separately, a police official opened fire a wounded a dacoit during a robbery attempt at the Lyari Adam Khan Road area.On the other hand, police conducted a search operation in Khamiso Goth area of New Karachi during which 25 suspects were taken into custody in house-to-house search.

PTI to observe thanksgiving day today

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has decided to observe ‘thanksgiving day’ and ‘Youm-e-Nijaat’ today (Friday) to celebrate the Supreme Court verdict on Panama Papers case.Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Naeem-ul-Haq said that PTI chief Imran Khan has asked all the party workers offer ‘Nawafil’ after the Jumma prayers.Naeem-ul-Haq further said that special prayers will also be offered for the peace, prosperity and solidarity of the country on the occasion of ‘thanksgiving day’ and ‘Youm-e-Nijaat’.

79th death anniversary of Allama Iqbal today

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – The 79th death anniversary of national poet Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal is being observed today (Friday) all over the country, Dunya News reported.Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born in Sialkot on November 9, 1877. He is also recognised as national poet, and known as Muffakir-e-Pakistan, Shair-e-Mashriq and Hakeemul Ummat and is credited with sparking the pan-Islamic thought among Muslims of the subcontinent.He is also considered one of the most important figures in literature with literary works in both Urdu and Persian languages. Asrar-e-Khudi, Payam-i-Mashriq, Bang-i-Dara, Bal-i-Jibril, Zarb-i Kalim and Armughan-e-Hijaz were amongst his best works.Various social, political and cultural organizations will hold special programmes to pay homage to the poet. He passed away in Lahore on April 21, 1938.

Fireworks explosion injures five in Karachi

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers were celebrating after the Supreme Court verdict in the Panama Papers case in the North Nazimabad area of Karachi on Thursday when a blast occurred in the fireworks material due to which five people sustained injuries.The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. A police contingent reached the spot after the incident and arrested at least five PML-N activists.

Peshawar: Two killed, four injured in firing incident

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – At least two people were killed and four others were wounded when some unidentified persons riding on motorcycle opened fire in Patang Chowk area of Peshawar on Thursday, Dunya News reported.Police sources said that the miscreants opened fire at the people who were coming out of a mosque in Patang Chowk area, killing two people on the spot.The deceased were identified as Abdul Qayyum and Asad Ullah. Rescue teams reached the spot after the incident and shifted the injured to Lady Reading Hospital for treatment.

Faisalabad: Police constable martyred in firing incident

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FAISALABAD (Dunya News) – Police sources said police tried to stop a motorcycle at a check post situated near Baho Chowk at the Sargodha Road in Faisalabad on Thursday upon which the motorcyclists opened fire and critically wounded constable Iqbal.The injured police official was shifted to Allied hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Police have launched a search operation to arrest the attackers.

Unofficial result: PPP wins PS-81 Sanghar by-election

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SANGHAR (Dunya News) – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won the Sindh Assembly s constituency PS-81 Sanghar by-election on Thursday, Dunya News reported.According to unofficial and unconfirmed result, PPP candidate Jam Madad Ali secured the PS-81 Sanghar seat by beating Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) candidate Jam Nafees Ali.The PPP and PML-F workers clashed with each other at Tala Shah polling station during the voting due to which one PPP worker died. The PPP blamed PML-F workers for the attack.The total number of voters in the constituency were 1,39,000 which include 76,461 males and 62, 540 females for which 122 polling stations were set up along with 122 presiding officers and 379 assistant presiding officers.At least 1800 policemen and 700 Rangers personnel were deployed in the area to maintain law and order situation.

Retiring duo Misbah, Younis lead Pakistan against Windies

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KINGSTON (AFP) - West Indies and Pakistan get a three-Test series underway on Friday at Sabina Park in Jamaica with both teams struggling in the midst of challenging transition periods.Despite victories in both the T20 and One-Day International series earlier in the tour, the tourists have shaped up as a far more vulnerable outfit in the traditional format of the game.The home side, who remain mired in the lower reaches of the international rankings, look set to make further alterations to their line-up in the quest for a consistent winning formula.Pakistan topped the Test rankings last September following their drawn series in England.But a slump of six consecutive defeats, ironically initiated by the West Indies in Sharjah five-and-a-half months ago at the end of an otherwise disastrous campaign for the Caribbean team, has seen them slip to fifth and increased public pressure on Misbah ul Haq to step down as captain.After much speculation Misbah has announced that this series will be his last before retiring from the international game.And only last week fellow veteran Younis Khan, Pakistans most prolific run-scorer in Test history, also revealed that the West Indies tour will be his last in national colours.Khan goes into the match needing just 23 more runs to become the first Pakistani to amass 10,000 runs in Tests, and while the milestone will be of immense personal significance, of even greater concern to the visiting team is completing their first-ever Test series triumph in the West Indies by the time the final Test concludes in Dominica in mid-May.Sabina Parks 50th Test since the first was staged in 1930 against England is likely to be an intriguing affair given Pakistans less than flattering display in their lone warm-up match ahead of the series where they were outplayed in a drawn three-day fixture by a West Indies Board Presidents XI in the western Jamaican town of Trelawny.Three of the representative team who starred with the bat against the tourists - Kieran Powell and the uncapped pair of Vishaul Singh and Shimron Hetmyer - were named in the West Indies squad of 13 for the opening Test although it is anticipated that Hetmyer, captain of the victorious team at last years Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, and fast-medium bowler Miguel Cummins will be omitted from the final eleven.Kraigg Brathwaite, the mainstay at the top of the batting order over the past three years, goes into the match still basking in the glow of his historic effort in the Sharjah Test victory when his unbeaten innings of 142 and 60 guided the West Indies to their first Test win over Pakistan away from home in 26 years.Notwithstanding his outstanding entry to senior international cricket during the limited-over leg of the tour, Pakistans Shadab Khan may not make his Test debut alongside established wrist-spinner Yasir Shah unless the pitch looks extremely dry before the toss on Friday morning.Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Aamir are set to spearhead their attack but with Hasan Ali nursing an injury sustained in the warm-up match, there is speculation that 27-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Abbas will earn his first Test cap in support of the senior men.Teams (probable):Pakistan: Misbah ul Haq (capt), Azhar Ali, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Aamir, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas.West Indies: Jason Holder (capt), Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Vishaul Singh, Jermaine Blackwood, Shane Dowrich, Roston Chase, Devendra Bishoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shannon Gabriel.

Misbah, Pakistan's redeemer from scandal to supremacy

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KARACHI (AFP) - Misbah-ul-Haq defied critics and his advancing age to take Pakistan from the depths of a major spot-fixing scandal to the worlds number one Test team, becoming their most successful captain along the way.The 42-year-old, who will retire at the end of the West Indies Test series starting Friday, completed Pakistans climb to the top of the rankings with a hard-fought draw in England in 2016, exorcising the ghosts of the tainted visit six years earlier.Derided for his cautious batting in the semi-final loss to India in the 2011 World Cup, and forced to retire early from the Twenty20 format, a more sensitive soul may have retreated into early retirement.Not so for Misbah, who started out in street cricket, weathered early trials and disappointments and has survived to become the oldest current Test player.Born in the city of Mianwali in the central province of Punjab, he was advised by his father, a disgruntled ex-hockey star, to put aside thoughts of being a sportsman and pursue his studies.His fathers untimely death briefly changed young Misbahs priorities, and he reluctantly agreed to a job at a textiles company -- but never showed up for work.It was a tough decision, Misbah recalled to AFP. I had to fight with circumstances and finally made my mark in cricket grounds.In order to overcome a lack of opportunities in his hometown, he regularly commuted by train to bigger cities where he laid the foundations of his career, first in street tournaments featuring tennis balls bound in electric tape, and later at domestic level.His international career started with the tour of New Zealand in 2001, but he failed to make an impression and was duly dropped in an era dominated by middle-order heavyweights Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohmammed Yousuf and Younis Khan.But he forced himself back into contention with strong domestic performances and was a surprise pick for the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007, where at the age of 33 he was Pakistans find of the tournament, bringing them tantalisingly close to victory over arch-rivals India with a knock of 43 in the final.He got out to an infamous scoop shot that was seared into fans collective memory, as Pakistan fell short by five runs.It was very disappointing to lose that final, he said. I brought Pakistan back from a losing position but couldnt cross the finish line and thats the most disappointing moment of my career.Misbah followed up with two brilliant Test hundreds on the 2007 tour of India, but his career dived again following a poor showing on the Australia tour in 2010.They were desperate times, he told AFP at the time. You are in the eleven and suddenly you are out, it prompts you to burn all your cricket equipment in anger.That summer, Pakistan found itself led by a young and well-regarded captain in the shape of Salman Butt, backed by two of the best fast bowlers in world cricket, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.But after some encouraging performances, the team and its fans were left reeling when a British tabloid spot-fixing sting led to lengthy bans and jail terms for the disgraced trio.Much-maligned Misbah was handed the daunting task of rebuilding, and never looked back.Aided by unreadable off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, his canny captaincy and calming presence helped unite a fractious team which he led to nine undefeated series (five won, four drawn) in the UAE, where Pakistans home matches are played for security reasons.In 2016, he was handed the International Cricket Councils Spirit of Cricket award, and his current win-loss ratio stands at 24-14 -- spoilt somewhat by the consecutive whitewashes to New Zealand and Australia which prompted calls for him to finally retire.A last hurrah against an unfancied West Indies side may give him a fitting send-off, and Misbah believes posterity will view him kindly.My legacy will be in my numbers and the respect earned by the team, he said.

'Unique' Younis eyes final Test milestone

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KARACHI (AFP) - When Younis Khan hangs up his bat at the end of Pakistans tour of the West Indies, it will likely be with a final Test milestone against his name.Younis is just 23 runs away from becoming the first Pakistan player to score 10,000 Test runs.With the first of three Tests against the West Indies beginning on Friday in Kingston, Jamaica, few would bet against him marking his swansong with a final foray into the record books.Since his debut in 2000 against Sri Lanka, he proved his ability to adapt to different conditions by scoring centuries in every Test playing nation, including double hundreds in India and England.His batting average of 53.06 is the highest by any Pakistani who has played 10 Tests or more.But for all Youniss record-breaking individual achievements, former team-mate and fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said his former captain should be remembered for his selfless personality and team ethic.To me Younis should be renamed Unique Khan for his selflessness and honesty towards Pakistan cricket and the team, said Shoaib, who retired in 2011.Renowned as a fighter at the crease, Younis often produced his greatest performances with his back against the wall.Of his 34 tons, an all-time Test record five have been scored in the fourth innings.His 2005 match-winning 267 and 84 not out against India in Bangalore came after a string of low scores saw him battling to avoid being dropped.Youniss greatest achievement as captain was winning the 2009 world Twenty20 championship in England.And yet that came just weeks after Pakistan cricket had been thrown into disarray by the gun attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, an incident which means the national side still plays their home matches in the UAE.Younis said he wanted to be remembered as a team player.When I am retired and when I am not in the dressing room, I want youngsters to remember me as a role model, he said.I want them to remember me as a player and batsman who always played for his country.Hailing from Mardan in the north-west Khybe Pakhtunkhwa, Youniss career was moulded in Karachi.Younis scored a hundred in his first Test against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi in 2000 and went on to record 33 more, with a triple ton and three double hundreds.His most recent was a typical unbeaten 175 ground out over more than seven hours as Pakistan crawled to 315 against Australia in Sydney in January.His Test best 313 against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 2009 is the third highest individual score for Pakistan behind Hanif Mohammads 337 and Inzamam-ul-Haqs 329.

Bangladesh's Shafiul gets Champions Trophy nod

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DHAKA (AFP) - Bangladesh on Thursday recalled fit-again fast bowler Shafiul Islam as they named a 15-man Champions Trophy squad ahead of the tournament in England in June.Shafiul, who last played for Bangladesh in October, replaces Subashis Roy, the only change to the squad that drew the recent ODI series 1-1 in Sri Lanka.Shafiul has been our one of the best bowlers of late, but we could not include him in the squad in recent tours because of fitness concerns, said chief selector Minhajul Abedin.Now he looks fit and we hope the conditions in UK will also suit his bowling, he added.Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan and all-rounder Shuvagata Hom, who were included in the extended squad in Sri Lanka but did not play, missed out.Bangladesh will return to the Champions Trophy after more than a decade, having last played the tournament in 2006 in India.They will feature in Group A alongside hosts England, and Australia and New Zealand in the eight-team event.The Mashrafe Mortaza-led team will open their campaign against England at the Oval on June 1.Bangladesh will hold a 10-day training camp in Sussex and a tri-series competition against Ireland and New Zealand ahead of the main tournament.Bangladeshi selectors added Nurul, Roy and batsman Nasir Hossain to their squad for the tri-series event, which will be hosted by Ireland.Nasir, who has played 17 Tests and 58 ODIs, will make his return after missing recent tours in New Zealand and Sri Lanka during a drop in form.He played well in recent competitions, so we decided to take him to the tri-series to help him readjust in the national team set-up, said Minhajul.Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Sanjamul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Mehedi Hasan and Shafiul Islam.
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