Sports
Bangabandhu 34th National Age Group Swimming begins on Sunday
The Bangabandhu 34th National Age Group Swimming and Dyving Competition 2021, arranged on the occasion of the of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, began on Sunday (Oct 3) at the Syed Nazrul Islam National Swimming Complex in Mirpur.
President of Bangladesh Swimming Federation (BSF) and Chief of the Bangladesh Navy Admiral M Shahin Iqbal inaugurated three-day meet at a simple ceremony, chaired by BSF vice president and Managing Director of the meet’s sponsored Saif Powertek Ltd Tarafder M Ruhul Amin.
Thirty six events were decided on the very first day (Sunday) featuring two new national records.
After the first day, BKSP comfortably dominated the medal table securing 17 gold, 20 silver and 14 bronzes while Bangladesh Ansar were in distant 2nd with seven gold, four silver and two bronzes.
SAFF Championship: Bangladesh take on favourites India on Monday
Bangladesh national football team will face giant neighbor and upper ranked India in their 2nd match of the five-nation SAFF Championship 2021 on Monday (Oct 4) at 5 pm Bangladesh Time at the National Football Stadium in the Maldives capital Male.
T-Sports will telecast the match live from the big bowl at 5:pm (BST).
Earlier on Friday, Bangladesh team made a good start in the regional soccer meet beating Island nation Sri Lanka by 1-0.
Veteran defender Tapu Barman scored the match-winner for Bangladesh in the 56th minute and was adjudged man of the match.
It will be another acid test for the newly appointed Spanish interim Head Coach of Bangladesh national football team Oscar Bruzon after proving his worth in his very first assignment (against Sri Lanka).
Read: Bruzon era starts brightly as Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in SAFF opener
In the remaining matches of the South Asian biggest soccer tournament Bangladesh will play hosts Maldives on Oct 7 at 10 pm and Nepal on Oct 13 at 5:pm , both at the National Football Stadium in Male.
Two top teams of the five–nation meet will play the final on October 16 at the small venue.
Bangladesh team made their practices at the Henveiru Training Pitch in Male on Sunday from 5:30 to 7 pm (Bangladesh Time) where defender Rezaul Karim did not take part due to sickness.
Ahead of the Monday’s vital match, Bangladesh Medio Sohel Rana, who missed the team’s first match due to fever and joined the team’s practice session on Sunday said, “Our players are morally boost-up now after winning the first match (against Sri Lanka), but we have to utilize few chances that came our way against India”.
Earlier, the recently relieved head coach Jamie Day's Bangladesh team completed their Three-nation Cup and friendly match in Kyrgyzstan, a preparatory tour for SAFF Championships, with a frustrating note losing all the three matches,
Visiting Bangladesh conceded 0-2 goals defeat against Palestine in their first match of the Three Nations Cup, suffered 1-4 goals defeat against hosts Kyrgyzstan, the unbeaten champions of the three nations cup and finally conceded 2-3 goals defeat against Kyrgyzstan U-23 team, all at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek.
Ballon d'Or 2021: Five favorites to win the coveted award
Since 1956, France Football magazine has given the Ballon d'Or to the best player of the year. Usually, the top players from the World Cup, continental football tournaments, and European club football championships fight for the prestigious award. During the selection process of the best footballer of the year, the finest individual performances in the Euro 2020 and Copa America 2021 competitions will be given more priority. Therefore, all eyes are stuck on the best performers in major events. Let’s see who are the top five potential candidates for the Ballon d'Or 2021 award.
Top Five Contenders for the Ballon d'Or 2021 Award
We have compiled a list of the top five individual performers this year for the renowned Ballon d'Or award 2021. Take a look at the players who made our list.
05) N'Golo Kante (France & Chelsea)
Kante’s accomplishments in 2021: Champions League and UEFA Super Cup
N'Golo Kante has been Chelsea's most consistent performer this season. Chelsea qualified for the Champions League final thanks to Kante's outstanding performances in the knockout stages. He was outstanding in the CL final against Manchester City, helping the Blues win the tournament for the second time last May. Kante's influence on the current Chelsea squad can't be denied despite the fact that he was relatively quiet in the Euro 2020 tournament for France. Kante is expected to be one of the top five candidates for the Ballon d'Or 2021 award.
Read Barcelona coach Koeman says rumors of firing 'probably true'
04) Romelu Lukaku (Belgium & Inter Milan)
Lukaku’s accomplishments in 2021: Serie A
Striker Romelu Lukaku's fortunes turned around after transferring from Manchester United to Inter Milan in 2019. He helped Inter Milan win the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years with 24 goals and 11 assists. He was Serie A's most valuable player for the 2020/2021 season. Lukaku had a quiet EURO campaign for Belgium, which might affect his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or award. The charismatic forward joined Chelsea from Inter Milan during the summer transfer window of 2021. Lukaku has been one of the top performers for Chelsea in the 2021-2022 season.
03) Robert Lewandowski (Germany & Bayern Munich)
Lewandowski’s accomplishments in 2021: Bundesliga & DFL Super Cup
Robert Lewandowski has been one of the finest strikers in the world in the last ten years. He broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season with 41 goals in the 2020/2021 season. Bayern Munich's most prolific striker has made an excellent start this season. However, Lewandowski failed to lead Poland to the knockout round of the EURO 2020 competition. Despite this, he scored three goals for the Polish national team in the tournament.
Read Bruzon era starts brightly as Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in SAFF opener
02) Jorginho (Italy & Chelsea)
Jorginho’s accomplishments in 2021: Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA European Championship 2020
Italian creative midfielder Jorginho has won more trophies than anybody else on the list in terms of winning silverware. Jorginho was a key player for Italy at EURO 2020, and he helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2021. Jorginho is one of the leading candidates for the Ballon d'Or 2021.
01) Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)
Messi’s accomplishments in 2021: Copa del Rey, Copa America 2021
Individually, Lionel Messi had done well for Barcelona last season, assisting them in winning the Copa del Rey. However, Lionel Messi has emerged as one of the leading contenders for the Ballon d'Or 2021 award after winning the Copa America 2021. Lionel Messi's first major trophy with the Argentina national team came in this tournament. Messi was a standout performer for Argentina at the South American Championship. Deservedly, he is now in the lead in the race for the coveted individual trophy.
Read SAFF Championship: Bangladesh kick off against Sri Lanka in opener Friday
Bottom Line
The Ballon d'Or 2021 award will be presented to the best player of the year on November 29, at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris. Personal performance is taken into consideration when picking the best footballer of the year. That’s why sports journalists, national team captains, and coaches will evaluate the individual performances of the nominated footballers before selecting the eventual winner.
Based on the achievements of the players, Argentina's Lionel Messi is the overwhelming favorite to win his seventh Ballon d'Or award this year. The diminutive Argentine magician won his first trophy with the national team last July and this success is likely to influence many panelists to vote for Messi. Italy's Jorginho and Polish striker Lewandowski also have a fair chance of winning the award since they have done well for their respective teams. On the other hand, Kante and Lukaku are also on the list by virtue of their praiseworthy performance in 2021
Read Man Utd vs. Villarreal: Cristiano Ronaldo’s late goal gives Manchester United a dramatic win
Tigers test negative for Covid-19 before flying for WC
All the members of the Bangladesh national cricket team have tested negative for Covid-19 before flying for the T20 World Cup, confirmed Debashis Chowdhury, the chief physician of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
The Bangladesh team is scheduled leave Dhaka for Muscat, Oman on Sunday night.
Read:Bangladesh leave Sunday for ICC T20 World Cup 2021 campaign
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman did not take part in this Covid-19 test as they are busy in playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE. They will join the national team in Oman.
To take part in the World Cup, Bangladesh will travel to Oman. After a five-day camp in Oman, Bangladesh will travel to the UAE on October 9 to play two warm-up matches against Sri Lanka and Ireland. They will return to Oman on October 15.
In the first round of the World Cup, Bangladesh will take on Scotland, Oman and Papua New Guinea on October 17, 19 and 21.
If Bangladesh can end up as the champion of Group B in the first round, they will join Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and A 1 in Group 2 in Super 12s. All the matches of Super 12s will take place in the UAE.
BCB had announced the squad for the World Cup on September 9.
Mahmudullah Riyad will lead the Tigers in the T20 World Cup. The team, however, will miss the service of Tamim Iqbal. The ace opener opted not to take part in the World Cup as he lacks enough match time due to a knee injury.
Read:Uncertainty over Bangladesh team’s departure to cyclone-hit Oman
Bangladesh includes seven members who are set to play their first World Cup.
Bangladesh squad for T20 World Cup 2021: Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed Saifuddin, Shamim Hossain and Soumya Sarkar.
Additional with the team: Rubel Hossain, Aminul Islam Biplob
Uncertainty over Bangladesh team’s departure to cyclone-hit Oman
Bangladesh national cricket team could not fly to Oman as scheduled on Sunday morning after a tropical cyclone forced the sultanate’s Muscat International Airport to postpone all flights for now.
According to Gulf News, Oman has announced a two-day holiday for both public and private sectors on October 3 & 4 as the sultanate was lashed by cyclone Shaheen.
Read:Tigers test negative for Covid-19 before flying for WC
“International Airport has been postponed and rescheduled to further notice to avoid any risks that may result from the direct impact of climate conditions on the Airport’s operations,” Muscat International Airport authority said in a Tweet.
Dear travelers ⚠️We would like to inform you that all flights to and from Muscat International Airport have been postponed and rescheduled to a further notice to avoid any risks that may result from the direct impact of climate conditions on the Airport’s operations. https://t.co/4OyLe5Xtqc
— مطارات عُمان (@OmanAirports) October 3, 2021
As of Bangladesh time, Sunday 4:00 pm, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport authority couldn’t confirm the fate of the flight to Muscat.
Sources close to Bangladesh team said they are yet to receive any message regarding a new schedule of the flight.
Read:Bangladesh leave Sunday for ICC T20 World Cup 2021 campaign
Tigers will travel to Oman to take part in the T20 World Cup 2021. They will play three matches of the first round of the event in Oman, and other parts of the event in the UAE.
Bangladesh leave Sunday for ICC T20 World Cup 2021 campaign
Bangladesh's cricketers, lovingly called the Tigers, will leave the capital for Oman on Sunday (October 3) night on a chartered flight to take part in the Men's T20 World Cup to be hosted by Oman and United Arab Emirates.
Ahead of flying for Oman, all the members of the Bangladesh Cricket team tested for Covid-19 here on Saturday and after that they are maintaining a strict home quarantine for a day.
The Tigers will reach Oman capital Muscat on Monday ( October 4) and will start their practice session on the next day (Tuesday).
All the coaching staff of Bangladesh team including head coach Russell Domingo, now abroad, will join the team in Oman by October 5 before the first practice session.
Later, Bangladesh team will fly for UAE from Oman on Oct 9 to play two warm-up matches there against Sri Lanka and Ireland on October 12 and 14.
Read: National Cricket League to be more competitive, hopes Habibul
They will return to Oman on October 15.
Bangladesh must play in a round robin leauge qualifiers to enter the main competition. Placed in qualifying Group B, will start their campaign taking on Scotland on Oct 17, before facing hosts Oman on Oct 19 and Papua New Guinea on Oct 21. Top two in the group will advance to the main competition.
Bangladesh stand a chance to qualify for the Super 12 stage if they finish in the top two of their group.
Mahmudullah Riyad will lead the Tigers in the T20 World Cup coming off three consecutive T20 series wins: against Zimbabwe 2-1, Australia 4-1 and New Zealand 3-2.
The team has no major surprises, given that leading batsman Tamim Iqbal ruled himself out well in advance.
Tamim Iqbal was the highest scorer for Bangladesh in the 2016 T20 World Cup in India scoring 295 runs at an average of 73.7.
Read: Bangladesh U-19 to travel Sri Lanka in October
Bangladesh team comprises seven new faces, who are set to play their first World Cup.
Pacer Rubel Hossain and Aminul Islam Biplob, the leg spinning-all rounder, are named as reserves.
Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2021 squad are: Mahmudullah Riyad (Captain) ,Mohammad Naim, Liton Kumar Das, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin and Shamim Hossain.
Two reserved cricketers are: Rubel Hossain, and Aminul Islam Biplob.
KKR vs. PBKS: KL Rahul guides Punjab to 5-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021
Punjab Kings needed to win over Kolkata Knight Riders to stay in contention for a playoff spot in IPL 2021. They won the match courtesy of a short cameo by Shahrukh Khan while chasing a challenging total. Punjab and Kolkata currently have the same number of points in the standings, with the net run rate separating them. Knight Riders will play two of the bottom teams in their next two matches. On the other hand, the Kings will play RCB and CSK in their final round-robin league matchups. The match report of KKR vs. PBKS is discussed in this article.
Match Report: KKR vs. PBKS
Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul chose to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday in Dubai.
Kolkata’s Innings
Kolkata batted first and scored 165/7 in their allotted 20 overs. They lost their star opener, Shubman Gill in the third over with only 18 runs on the board. However, a 72-run partnership between Venkatesh Iyer and Rahul Tripathi for the second wicket helped Kolkata reach 90 runs in 12 overs.
Read IPL 2021: Shakib's Kolkata leads over Mustafiz's Rajasthan in the playoffs race
Knight Riders were on set for 200 runs at that point. However, Punjab managed to disrupt the flow of runs by taking two successive wickets in the 14th and 15th overs, respectively.
In the dying overs, Nitesh Rana's fiery batting helped Kolkata put up a competitive total on the board. Venkatesh Iyer scored the highest 67 runs for the Knight Riders. Apart from him, Rahul Tripathi made 34 runs and Nitesh Rana played a 31 off 18 balls knock. Arshdeep Singh was a little expensive, but he took the highest three wickets for Punjab Kings.
Punjab’s Innings
Chasing a difficult target, openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal gave Punjab Kings a perfect start with a 70-run stand between them in 8.5 overs. They were a bit watchful but they kept a solid pace in the middle.
Kolkata's spinner Varun Chakravarthy provided the much-needed breakthrough in the ninth over, dismissing Mayank Agarwal (40). He struck again in two overs, sending West Indian Nicholas Pooran back to the pavilion.
Read Tigers to leave for T20 World Cup on October 3
KL Rahul and Proteas power hitter Aiden Markram then put up a crucial 45-run partnership to take the total to 129 in 16 overs. Markram lost his wicket after an important 18-run innings.
Despite losing wickets at the other end, Captain KL Rahul stayed at the crease till the last over and made sure Punjab remained in the chase. Rahul's anchoring innings (67) came to an end in the second delivery of the 20th over.
Punjab's young power hitter Shahrukh Khan played a key role with the bat. He scored an unbeaten 22* from 9 balls to give Punjab a five-wicket victory. Kolkata's most successful bowler was Varun Chakravarthy (4-0-24-2).
Read Mushfiqur, Imrul hit fifties as Bangladesh A register easy win
Player of the Match
Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul was named the best player of the match for his guided 67-run innings.
Bottom Line
Kolkata lost the KKR vs. PBKS contest after three consecutive victories in the UAE phase. Kolkata cannot afford to lose momentum at this crucial stage of the round-robin league. The Knight Riders must win their next two matches for a playoff berth. Otherwise, Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings will seize the opportunity and move up the points table.
On the other hand, defeating Kolkata was a huge result for the Punjab team. Now they are heading to their next two matches with greater confidence. Punjab's next two opponents, Chennai Super Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore have already qualified for the playoffs. Both teams may deploy some young players against Punjab in order to test the strength of their respective squads. If they do, Punjab will have the upper hand in both the fixtures.
Read BCB election 2021: 32 candidates submit nomination papers
Barcelona coach Koeman says rumors of firing 'probably true'
Ronald Koeman said Friday that Barcelona's leadership has not spoken to him about his future, but that he has "eyes and ears" to catch the rumors swirling about his possible firing.
Spanish media has been rife with reports that Barcelona president Joan Laporta is close to making a coaching change after Wednesday's 3-0 loss at Benfica, the team's second loss in as many Champions League games this season.
"It is a complicated situation," Koeman said the day before his team visits defending champion Atlético Madrid.
"The president was here this morning, but I didn't see him because I was preparing for the game," he added. "Nobody has told me anything, but I have eyes and ears and I know that things are being leaked. They are probably true, but nobody has told me."
Koeman will not be in the dugout for what could be the former Barcelona defender's last match in charge while he serves the second of a two-game suspension for complaining at the end of their recent 0-0 draw at Cádiz.
The top names linked to replacing Koeman are led by former Barcelona star Xavi Hernández, Italy great Andrea Pirlo and Belgium coach Roberto Martínez.
Martínez brushed off questions about Barcelona on Friday when he announced Belgium's squad for the Nations League final four.
"I'm not going to comment on my personal situation because I never do it as a coach," Martínez said. "Now we are facing an incredible opportunity of being at the Nations League finals, so that's the only thing that matters. Anything that you could ask about myself or rumors is not relevant for this press conference."
The Atlético match is the last before an international break in the club calendar. That window could give the club time to bring in a new coach.
Bruzon era starts brightly as Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in SAFF opener
Bangladesh got the start they hoped for in the 5-nation SAFF Championship with a comfortable win against Sri Lanka in Male on Friday, although new head coach Oscar Bruzon will be concerned at the failure to convert their much greater possession and chances in open play into goals.
Ultimately they had to rely on a second half penalty for a 1-0 victory, after Lankan defender Duckson Puslas handled inside the box. It was Duckson's second yellow card offense, meaning the Lankans were also down to 10 men.
Defender Topu Barman stepped up to coolly convert from the spot in the 55th minute. Sri Lanka never really looked like troubling the Bangladeshi goalkeeper, and Bruzon's men had the 3 points they craved to start the tournament.
The Spaniard, who came to the job with extensive knowledge of Bangladeshi football after three successful years managing BPL champions Bashundhara Kings, made good on his promise of a more modern and attractive style of play in his team's very first outing under him.
Read: SAFF Championship: Bangladesh kick off against Sri Lanka in opener Friday
Bangladesh bossed possession (58% to 42%) throughout the match and created waves of chances, with 20 shots on goal against 9 for Sri Lanka, none of which were on target. Bangladesh had 4 shots on target.
The failure to convert more of those chances into direct threats for the Lankan goalkeeper will be an area Bruzon will surely work to improve. Although dominant in midfield, some of the play in the final third left a lot to be desired.