Six-time champions, Dhaka Abahani Limited dropped points with Brothers Union Club as the ninth round match of the Bashundhara Kings Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football ended in a goalless draw at the Bir Shreshtho Fl Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Saturday. Despite the day’s draw in a keenly contested match, the sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani Ltd, without any foreign players, maintained their second slot in the league table, securing 20 points from all nine first-phase matches, while the Gopibagh outfit Brothers Union remained at the 5th slot with 15 points from nine encounters. Pakistan head coach Aaqib Javed backs spin pitches for home test matches Meanwhile, Dhaka Mohammedan SC comfortably dominated the 10-team league, securing 24 points from nine outings despite conceding the first defeat against lowly Youngsmen’s Club Fakirerpool by a 0-1 goal in their ninth match on Friday. Last season’s treble winners, Bashundhara Kings, completed the nine-match first phase league in the third slot, collecting 17 points, while the old Dhaka outfit Rahmatganj MFS is in the fourth place by virtue of better goal differences, securing equal 15 points like the Brothers Union. Abahani’s national-coloured custodian, Mitul Marma, who did not concede any goals in the last six matches, also displayed his brilliance in the day’s match, saving some good opponent’s attempts and being adjudged player of the match. Ashraful Islam Rana of Brothers Union also played entertaining football in the match. In the day’s other match, Fortis FC advanced to the 6th slot in the league table, beating bottom-ranked Chittagong Abahani Limited by a 1-0 goal at the Bashundhara Kings Arena Saturday afternoon. 10th Shah Cement AKS Cup Golf Tournament begins Gambian defender Essa Jallow scored the match-winning goal for Fortis FC in the 34th minute. Fortis FC bagged 11 points from nine outings to move up to 6th place while Chittagong Abahani Limited remained at the bottom with three points from nine encounters.

Dhaka Capitals moved up to the fourth place of the points table, beating Chittagong Kings by eight wickets on Wednesday in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match in Chattogram. It was Dhaka’s third win in 10 matches, while it was Chittagong’s fourth defeat in nine matches. Chittagong batted first and posted 148 for six wickets in 20 overs. Naeem Islam was the highest scorer with 44, while Zubaid Akbari posted 23, and Graham Clark scored 19. U-19 WC: Bangladesh girls move into Super 6 For Dhaka, Mosaddek Hossain took two wickets for 13 runs in three overs, while Nazmul Islam and Ronsford Beaton scalped two wickets each. Tanzid Hasan led Dhaka’s reply with 90 off 54 balls. He hit seven sixes and three fours. Tanzid and Litton Das shared a 75-run stand in the opening partnership. Dhaka reached the target in just 18.1 overs.

Two teams--Rahmatganj MFS and Dhaka Abahani Limited—which already reached the qualifiers stage from Group B with two matches to spare, having all-win records, will play their 3rd  round matches at two separate venues across the country on Tuesday. Group leader Rahmatganj MFS will play bottom-placed Chittagong Abahani Limited at 2:30 pm at the Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh while Dhaka Abahani Limited will meet lowly Youngmen’s Club Fakirerpool  also at 2:30 pm at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla. Asian Snooker: Asif, Shuvo to represent Bangladesh in Asian Snooker Championship 2025 in Doha In Group B, Rahmatganj MFS and Dhaka Abahani Limited already moved into the qualifier stage with two matches to spare securing full six points each from straight two matches eliminating last time runners-up Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Youngmen’s Club Fakirerpool and Chittagong Abahani Limited.    Maruful Haque’s Dhaka Abahani Limited, without any foreign booters, smartly booked a seat for the qualifiers shocking their traditional rivals Dhaka Mohammedan SC beating them by 1-0 goal in a titans battle. Dhaka Mohammedan SC collected three points from three matches to eliminate from the race with one win and two defeats. Dhaka register six-run win over Sylhet Youngmen’s Club Fakirerpool earned one point from two matches while Chittagong Abahani Ltd also bagged one point playing three matches to eliminate from the meet.  In Group A, Fortis FC topped the group list securing seven points from all the four group matches with two wins, one draw and one defeat while defending champions Bashundhara Kings, Brothers Union Club and Bangladesh Police FC are still in the race securing six, six and four points respectively, playing three matches each.

A gold medal from the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, awarded to the 110-meter hurdles champion, is being auctioned as part of a collection featuring hundreds of Olympic memorabilia spanning decades, reports AP. The medal, inscribed with “Olympiad, 1904,” depicts a victorious athlete holding a wreath on one side and Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory, alongside Zeus on the other, with an engraving specifying the hurdles event. Awarded to American athlete Fred Schule, it comes with its original ribbon and leather case. This marked the first Olympics where gold medals were introduced, with the U.S. dominating by winning 78 of 96 events. Unlike modern Olympic gold medals, which are primarily silver with gold plating, these were smaller and crafted entirely from gold. Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform at Paris Olympics' closing ceremony Bobby Eaton, an Olympic memorabilia specialist at Boston-based RR Auction, highlighted the rarity of such medals, noting that few of the roughly 100 awarded in 1904 remain, as many have been lost or are held in private collections and museums. The 1904 Games, remembered for both achievements and controversies, were initially set for Chicago but were moved to St. Louis after disputes with the World’s Fair organizers, who threatened to hold their own competing athletic events. The marathon was marred by scandal when Fred Lorz, initially thought to be the winner, was found to have traveled part of the race by car. Additionally, “Anthropology Days” saw indigenous tribes competing without prior notice as part of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The event also introduced boxing and freestyle wrestling to the Olympics, alongside now-defunct events like croquet and tug-of-war. “These medals are more than symbols of competition; they represent the early days of the modern Olympics,” Eaton remarked, describing the auction as a rare opportunity for collectors. The auction also features other Olympic treasures, including a bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics and gold medals from the 1932 Los Angeles, 1964 Tokyo, 1998 Nagano, and 2012 London Games. IOC president Thomas Bach plans to leave office next year. He says the Olympics needs a change Olympic memorabilia continues to attract high prices. In recent years, Luz Long’s 1936 Berlin Olympics silver medal sold for over $488,000, while a silver medal from the first modern Olympics in 1896 fetched $180,111 in 2021. More recently, Yuri Cheban of Ukraine sold his medals to support the war effort, and Ryan Lochte auctioned six of his medals for charity, retaining only his golds. Looking ahead, the Summer Olympics will return to Los Angeles in 2028, marking its third time hosting, after 1932 and 1984.

Rangpur Riders solidified their dominance in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with an 8-run win over Khulna Tigers in Sylhet on Monday, maintaining their flawless record in the tournament. A disciplined bowling effort by Rangpur and a surprising late collapse by Khulna secured the Riders’ seventh consecutive win in a match that reached a climax in the last overs. Rangpur batted first and posted 186 for 5, powered by Khushdil Shah’s unbeaten 73 off just 35 balls, featuring seven sixes. His 115-run stand with Iftikhar Ahmed, who scored 43 off 36, rescued the Riders after a slow start. Khulna bowlers Abu Hider and Hasan Mahmud took two wickets each but struggled to contain Rangpur’s middle-order fireworks. BPL: Clark shines as Chittagong Kings beat Sylhet Strikers by 30 runs In their chase, Khulna appeared on course for victory at 164 for 4, needing only 22 runs off the final 18 balls with six wickets in hand. However, Rangpur’s bowlers, led by Akif Javed, who took 3 for 29 runs, and Saifuddin, who bagged 2 for 28 runs, turned the tide with a great comeback. A series of quick wickets, including two run-outs, saw Khulna collapse, losing six batters for just 12 runs and finishing at 178 for 9. Shakib, Litton left out as Bangladesh announce Champions Trophy squad Khulna’s Mohammad Naim scored 58 off 41 balls, while skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz chipped in with a 39 off 24. Despite their efforts, Khulna fell short, extending their losing streak to three matches after winning their opening two.

The eight-nation ICC Champions Trophy' 2025 is set to begins on February 19, 2025 in Pakistan in promises to deliver intense cricketing action among the top teams in the world. Hosts Pakistan will play New Zealand in the opening match on February 19 in Karachi Bangladesh is likely to start their campaign taking on their giant neighbor India on the following day (February 20) at neutral venue in Dubai. BCB announces much-needed pay rise for women cricketers with central contracts The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash will take place on February 23. The highly anticipated tournament, hosted by Pakistan, will feature eight teams divided into two groups, will play across the Pakistani city of Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.  Grouping of Champions Trophy : Group A: Pakistan, New Zealand, India, Bangladesh Group B: South Africa, England, Australia, Afghanistan U-19 cricketers get cash bonus from BCB for Asia Cup triumph As per latest ICC ruling, all the matches of the Indian team will be held in neutral venue, likely in Dubai,  as per its hybrid deal. The grand final will commence on March 9, 2025, with March 10 reserved as the backup day Tentative schedule of the Champions Trophy. Date Time (IST) Venue Match February 19, 2025 2:30 pm Karachi Pakistan vs New Zealand February 20, 2025 2:30 pm Neutral Bangladesh vs India February 21, 2025 2:30 pm Karachi Afghanistan vs South Africa February 22, 2025 2:30 pm Lahore Australia vs England February 23, 2025 2:30 pm Neutral Pakistan vs India February 24, 2025 2:30 pm Rawalpindi Bangladesh vs New Zealand February 25, 2025 2:30 pm Rawalpindi Australia vs South Africa February 26, 2025 2:30 pm Lahore Afghanistan vs England February 27, 2025 2:30 pm Rawalpindi Pakistan vs Bangladesh February 28, 2025 2:30 pm Lahore Afghanistan vs Australia March 1, 2025 2:30 pm Karachi South Africa vs England March 2, 2025 2:30 pm Neutral New Zealand vs India March 4, 2025 2:30 pm Neutral Semi-Final A1 vs B2 March 5, 2025 2:30 pm Neutral Semi-Final B1 vs A2 March 9, 2025 2:30 pm Neutral Final March 10, 2025 - Neutral Reserve Day  

Mikyle Louis hits a fifty for West Indies in the Antigua Test after Taskin Ahmed takes two wickets. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first. At the end of 53 overs, the hosts were batting at 113 for three, with Louis was unbeaten on 68. West Indies lost their first wicket for 25 runs when Taskin trapped Kraigg Brathwaite for lbw. It was an outside off delivery but sharply turned to the stumps. Kraigg missed it while driving and the ball hit his pads. In his next over, Taskin dismissed Keacy Carty for a duck. It was a soft dismissal. Taijul Islam took an easy catch at the mid-on. Bangladesh opted for a three-pacer attack in this match, taking Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Shoriful Islam in the XI. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam is also on the team. Hasan Murad, who is yet to make debut for Bangladesh, is overlooked despite registering a hat-trick in the practice match ahead of the main series. Bangladesh hasn't had the best track record against the West Indies in Tests, having won just four out of twenty encounters. This time around, they'll be fielding a rather youthful side with several seasoned players missing. The second and final Test of the series will be played from November 30 in Kingston.  

While men’s cricket gets a lot of attention, the history of women in cricket is also no less impressive. The first recorded instance of women in cricket goes back to 1745 and the first Women’s One Day International (WODI) was played in 1934. Over the years, the participation and fan following surrounding women’s cricket has only increased, and one of our very own has taken the flag to new heights. We’re talking about none other than Shathira Jakir Jessy, the first Bangladeshi woman to become an international umpire.  Early Life  Shathira Jakir Jessy was born in 1990 in Lalmonirhat. Her father, a banker, and mother, a head teacher, were very supportive of her love for cricket. Through her mother, Jessy first got into Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP) in shooting as women’s cricket wasn’t offered by BKSP at that time.  Over the years, Jessy persisted and when women’s cricket finally took off in 2007, Jessy found her calling. And the rest is history.  Read more: Women's Asia Cup: Bangladesh aim for semifinal spot Career Overview  Table: Shathira Jakir Jessy’s Cricket Career at a Glance Competition Matches Runs Scored  Top Score  Ball Bowled Wickets WODI 2 1 1 22 0 WT20I 1 - - - - WLA 9 133 62 342 15 WT20 13 57 22* 270 17 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shathira_Jakir

Three players from different sports were elected as Members of Parliament (MPs) in the 12th parliamentary election held on Sunday. LGRD minister Tajul Islam secures win in Cumilla-9 The elected MPs are BFF Senior Vice-Presidents Abdus Salam Murshedy from Khulna-4, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza from Narail-2 and Shakib Al Hasan from Magura-1 constituency. All three were elected with Awami League's boat symbol. Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin elected MP for the fourth consecutive time Salam Murshedy and Mashrafe won the parliamentary seat for the second time and Shakib for the first time. The polling that began at 8:00 am concluded at 4pm without any break amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies. The counting of votes started immediately after the end of voting. Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque wins in Tangail-1  Voting was postponed in three polling centers due to violence, capturing of polling stations and ballot stuffing.

Candidate Master Sakline Mostafa Sajid of Pabna District and Bangladesh Police emerged unbeaten champion in the Open Division of the Sheikh Russel 41st National Junior (Under-20) Chess Championships 2023 securing 8.5 points after the 9th and final round matches at the Bangladesh Chess Federation Hall-Room here on Sunday FM Manon Reja Neer of Bangladesh Navy finished undefeated runner-up collecting 8 points. In the Girl’s Category, WFM Wadifa Ahmed clinched the title also with unbeaten record securing 8.5 points at the end of 9th and last round matches on Sunday. WCM Warsia Khusbu became runner-up and WCM Kazi Zarin Tasnim finished 3rd securing 7 points each. In other open category matches, Swarnavo Choudhury of Bangladesh Ansar became 3rd, WFM Noshin Anjum became 4th and FM Nayem Haque of Sirajganj became 5th with 7 points each. Mohammad Shafiqul Islam became 6th, Shadat Kibria Ayaan of Chandpur became 7th, Aiyan Rahman became 8th, Nazmul Hayat of Chittagong became 9th and Ajraf Anan became 10th with 6.5 points each. In the Girls Category, WCM Nusrat Jahan Alo of Cumilla finished 4th fourth in the girl’s category with 6.5 points. Jannatul Preety of Barisal became 5th, Israt Jahan Nishi of Cumilla became 6th, Neelava Choudhury became 7th and Ahona Dey of Cumilla became 8th with 6 points each. Sanowara Akhter of Chattogram became 9th and Saliha Binti Hafiz became 10th collecting 5.5 points each. In the day's 9th round open category matches, CM Sakline Mostafa Sajid beat Aiyan Rahman, FM Manon Reja Neer drew with Swarnavo Choudhury, Nayem Haque beat Afnan Zarif Haque and WFM Noshin Anjum beat CM Md. Sajidul Haque and Mohammad Shafiqul Islam drew with Shadat Kibria Ayaan in the open section. In the day' s girl’s category matches, WFM Wadifa Ahmed drew with Jannatul Preety, WCM Warsia Khusbu drew with Ahona Dey, WCM Kazi Zarin Tasnim beat Khondakar Aneeka Mowla, WCM Nusrat Jahan Alo beat Areeba Adreeta, Israt Jahan Nishi beat Prothoma Zaman, Neelava Choudhury beat Jarin Tasnim, Sanowara Akter beat Nazia jafrin Mohona and Saliha Binti Hafiz beat Ayasa Akter. A total of 120 players took part in open category and 39 players participated in girl’s category match was held on a 9-round Swiss-league format. Roll of Honour 1979- Mansur Rahman, 1980- International Master Zillur Rahman, 1981- Farid Ahmed, 1982- S.M. Idris Ali,1983- Moniruzzaman Khan, 1984- Neamul Haque Niru,1985- Not held, 1986- Syed Ohidul Islam Riton,1987- Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman,1988- Grandmaster Reefat Bin Sattar,1989- Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman,1990- Kh. Kayes Hasan,1991- Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman,1992- Grandmaster Reefat Bin Sattar,1993- Grandmaster Reefat Bin Sattar,1994- Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman,1995- Adnan Faisal,1996- Grandmaster Mollah Abdullah Al Rakib,1997- Dewan Shahidul Amin Tipu,1998- Grandmaster Mollah Abdullah Al Rakib,1999- Grandmaster Enamul Hossain,2000- Grandmaster Enamul Hossain,2001- FIDE Master Mehdi Hasan (Parag),2002- FIDE Master Mehdi Hasan (Parag),2003- Mohammad Ali,2004- FIDE Master Mehdi Hasan (Parag),2005- FIDE Master Mehdi Hasan (Parag),2006- Golam Moshtafa Bhuiyan,2007- International Master Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar,2008- International Master Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar,2009- International Master Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar,2010- Abdullah Al Saif,2011- Abdullah Al Saif,2012- Ikramul Haq Siam,2013- Not Held,2014- FIDE Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman,2015- Avik Sarker,2016- FIDE Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman,2017- FIDE Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman, 2018- FIDE Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman,2019-Yasir Ali Khan Evan, 2020-Not held, 2021-Not held, 2022-FIDE Master Subrota Biswas, 2023- Candidate Master Sakline Mostafa Sajid. Junior Girl- 2017- Woman FIDE Master Noshin Anjum, 2018- Woman FIDE Master Noshin Anjum, 2019- Woman FIDE Master Noshin Anjum, 2020- Not held, 2021-not held, 2022-Woman Candidate Master Ahmed Walijah, 2023-Woman FIDE Master Wadifa Ahmed.