No captaincy pressure, Miraz hits practice ton

Mehidy Hasan Miraz has responded to being stripped of the ODI captaincy, a move management described as a decision to help him focus on batting. After a slump, Miraz rediscovered his form by scoring a century in a warm-up match. On the first day at Marrara Oval against Cricket Australia XI, Miraz came in at No. 7 with Bangladesh in trouble and scored 109 not out off 141 balls, including 11 boundaries and four sixes.

Miraz’s innings lifted Bangladesh from 105 for 5 to 263. At 194 for 9, he added 69 runs in a wicket partnership with Syed Khaled Ahmed. The hosts finished on 51 for 2. He reached his half-century off 75 balls before scoring his second fifty in 53 deliveries. Bangladesh will face Australia in Darwin on August 13 and Mackay on August 22. “We have a Test match coming up, so this century will boost my confidence,” Miraz said.