United News of Bangladesh

The launch of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which was scheduled for this summer, has been pushed back to 2026. The delay is largely due to three prospective franchise owners shifting their focus to finalizing stake acquisitions in The Hundred, England’s city-based cricket competition. The ETPL, partly owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, was set to feature teams from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, with matches planned between July 15 and August 3 across cities including Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam. Cricket Ireland is leading the project in coordination with its Scottish and Dutch counterparts. Although negotiations for at least half of the six city-based teams are nearing completion, the involved investors have prioritized their interests in The Hundred after the ECB extended its sales deadline in April. This shift has caused a ripple effect, ultimately leading to the ETPL's postponement. A formal announcement is expected within two days. Bachchan, who co-owns the league through Indian firm Rules Sport Tech, had actively promoted the tournament in Ireland earlier this year. Despite the setback, organizers remain optimistic, insisting the ETPL will avoid the fate of the Euro T20 Slam—an earlier attempt at a similar league that was indefinitely postponed after multiple delays since 2019. Cricket boards from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands have declined to comment on the situation.   

England ousted Zimbabwe cricketers at a rate on Friday that suggested their four-day test will be over with a day to spare at Trent Bridge. Despite an acclaimed fightback by Zimbabwe for much of the second day, the visitor was out for 265 and forced to follow on. At stumps, Zimbabwe was 30-2, still 270 runs away from making England bat again. A magnificent maiden test century by opener Brian Bennett kept Zimbabwe's spirit aflame, but his exit for 139 after tea sparked a collapse of six wickets for 26 runs, including Bennett in the second innings for 1. Rain won't appear to save Zimbabwe on Saturday, when clouds will return, giving England's battery ideal conditions to wrap up a big win in the first test matchup between the teams in 22 years. Centuries on Thursday by Zac Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope staked England to an intimidating 498-3 overnight on a flat pitch. The innings was declared at 565-6 after nine more overs on Friday morning. Pope added two runs to his overnight 169 until he drove at Tanaka Chavinga and nicked behind, ending the third highest of his eight hundreds. Captain Ben Stokes was bounced out, and declared when Harry Brook chopped on for 58 off 50 balls. Sam Cook, the first England debutant to bowl the first over in 32 years, was welcomed to test cricket by Bennett hitting three successive boundaries. But Cook got his maiden wicket in just his third over when Ben Curran edged to Brook at second slip. That was the only Zimbabwe wicket to fall by lunch, taken at 73-1 with Bennett and Craig Ervine cruising. Ervine, on 42, was also caught by Brook, and was the 50th test wicket for off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. He's England's youngest to the milestone at 21. Bashir also claimed Sean Williams. But soon after, Bashir left the field with a bloodied pinkie finger when he tried a caught-and-bowled against Sikandar Raza. Stokes finished bowling the over and another chance was mishandled when Joe Root at first slip dropped a sitter off Bennett on 89. An unfazed Bennett rushed to his century in the next over after hitting three straight boundaries against pacer Gus Atkinson. Angelo Mathews to retire from Tests after Bangladesh match Trent Bridge stood to applaud Bennett's maiden ton and the fastest test century by a Zimbabwean, in 97 balls. But Zimbabwe hopes of sighting the follow-on target of 416 were ruined by a double strike by Stokes in his first bowling stint in six months. He got Raza to nick behind and bowled Wessly Madhevere to have 2-3 off 2.2 overs. By tea, Zimbabwe was 210-5 and Bennett was steaming at 122 off 112 balls but running out of partners with teammate Richard Ngavara unavailable after suffering a back spasm on Thursday. Bennett was undone when he popped a Josh Tongue delivery to Pope at short leg. Bennett's 139 off 143 balls included 104 runs in boundaries. He received another standing ovation. Bashir returned to help wrap up the extra-short tail and took 3-62. Forced to follow on with 10 overs left in the day, Zimbabwe's first-innings leaders were both removed for the second time in the day; Bennett by Atkinson leg before on 1 and Ervine caught at short leg on 2.

All the 18 rebel national women's footballers of the SAFF Women's Champions Bangladesh Football team finally signed a six-month contract with Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) recently . With the inclusion of 18 rebel booters, all the preliminary selected 53 women's footballers, are now under the BFF payroll in different categories. Earlier in the first phase in February, thirty five preliminarily selected women's footballers signed six-month contract with BFF. Eight national booters out of 18 are now in national training camp in Dhaka under the team's Head Coach Peter Butler. The rest 10 booters, now in Bhutan,to play in the Bhutan Women's National Football League, signed contract with BFF recently from Bhutan, Chairman of the BFF Women’s Wing  Mahfuza Akter Kiron confirmed. A record ten players will play together in the Bhutan national women’s league beginning on May 10. BCL Football: Arambagh KS beat BFF Elite Academy by 2-0 goals Four players --Bangladesh captain Sabina Khatun, SAFF's best player Ritu Porna Chakma, reliable national booters Monika Chakma and Matsushima Sumaya will play for Paro FC. national defender Masura Parvin, SAFF's best goalkeeper Rupna Chakma and Krishna Rani Sarkar will play for the Transport United while Maria Manda, Sanjida Akter and Shamsunnahar Sr will play for Thimphu City. Of the above 10 national booters, nine booters except Matsushima Sumaya, signed contract with BFF in the highest Grade A of Tk 55,000, Tk 5000 more than the previous contract along with another  four other players The four other Grade A footballers are : Tahura Khantun. Sheuly  Azim, Shamsun Nahar Jr and Nilufa Yesmin Nila        The BFF is conducting women's national training camp under head coach Peter Butler ahead of their two international friendly matches against Jordan on May 31 and with Indonesia on June 3, both the matches will be held in Jordan.  Earlier in January 30,  18 rebel national women's footballers boycotted the national training camp under head coach Peter Butler raising some allegations against him.

Bangladesh U-19 took a strong 3-1 lead in the six-match youth ODI series against Sri Lanka with a 146-run win in Colombo on Friday. Opening batter Zawad Abrar starred with a century, finishing on 100 off 95 balls. He reached the landmark in style, hitting a flicked six in the 35th over after a 133-run stand with Rizan Hasan. This was Zawad’s second hundred of the series, having earlier scored an unbeaten 130 in the second match. Bangladesh posted 336 for 8 — their second-highest total in Youth ODIs. Rizan supported Zawad with 82 off 77 balls. In the final overs, Samiun Bashir (23 off 8) and Al Fahad (19 off 5) added vital runs to lift the score further. Bangladesh eliminated from Women’s U-19 World Cup after losing to India Chasing 337, Sri Lanka were never in the game. They lost four wickets inside 36 runs and were eventually bowled out for 190 in 38.4 overs. Captain Bimath Dinsara’s half-century was the only highlight for the hosts. Pacer Al Fahad picked up 3 for 41 while left-arm spinner Sanjid and captain Azizul Hakim took two wickets each. With this win, Bangladesh have ensured they won’t lose the series. Zawad now has a chance to match Towhid Hridoy’s record of three centuries in a youth bilateral series for Bangladesh, with two matches still to play.

Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will renew their Test rivalry as they meet in the first match of a two-Test series starting Sunday at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The second Test will follow in Chattogram from April 28. The two teams have faced each other 18 times in Tests, with Bangladesh winning eight — their highest number of Test victories against any single opponent. However, Sylhet holds mixed memories for the hosts, who have won only once in three Tests at this venue. Their last meeting here in 2018 saw Zimbabwe secure a commanding 151-run win. Both teams arrive with questions hanging over their consistency in the longest format. Zimbabwe have played just four Tests in the past two years, losing three. Bangladesh, in contrast, played 13 and won five, but their top-order batting has remained a concern. “We have to be more consistent at the top. I personally got out after scoring 30 or 40 on several occasions last year, which is not acceptable. We’re trying to improve,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said ahead of the match.  “We want to play with the intent to win and post the runs necessary to take 20 wickets. The body language has to reflect that,” he added, expressing the importance of a shift in mindset.  With pace-friendly conditions expected in Sylhet, both teams are likely to lean on their fast bowlers. “There’s grass on the wicket. It looks pace-friendly. We’ve trained here for a couple of days and are confident with our preparations,” Craig Ervine, the Zimbabwe skipper, said.  Ervine also said Zimbabwe are embracing a no-fear attitude and looking at the series as an opportunity for young players to gain vital experience in subcontinental conditions. “We haven’t played a lot in Bangladesh, but that’s part of the learning curve. The players are keen to soak up knowledge and adapt,” he added.  Bangladesh’s young pacer Nahid Rana, who can bowl consistently over 140 km/h, has caught attention ahead of the match. “We’ve told him to keep bowling at that pace,” the Bangladesh captain said.  Bangladesh team: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Jaker Ali, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana. Zimbabwe team: Craig Ervine (capt), Ben Curran, Nyasha Mayavo, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nick Welch, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Wessly Madhevere, Sean Williams, Trevor Gwandu, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Vincent Masekesa.

Four times champions  Bangladesh Men's Hockey team will fly for Indonesia Tuesday (April 15)  early hour at 2:30 am by a Thai flight in a hope to repeat their feat in the AHF Cup Hockey Tournament '2025 billed for Indonesia capital Jakarta from April 17 to 27. Earlier on last Sunday, Bangladesh Hockey Federation ( BHF) announced a 26- member Bangladesh national team, consists of 18 players and eight officials. BKSP emerge unbeaten champions outplaying Kishoreganj in hockey Celebrated forward Rasel Mahmud Jimmy dropped from team earlier due to age limit  while Mehrab Hossain Samin, who guided the Bangladesh U-21 team to the  Youth World Cup Hockey, also excluded from the squad. Senior player Pushkar Kisha Mimo named as the new captain of the Bangladesh National Hockey team for the AHF Cup Hockey,  a  qualifying tournament for the Men's Asia Cup Hockey. Holders Bangladesh will compete in the 10-nation AHF Cup Hockey alongwith Oman, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Singapore and Kazakhstan to repeat their feat  Top two teams of the AHF Cup Hockey will qualify for the eight-team Men's Asia Cup Hockey to be held in the Indian city of Rajgir, Bihar from Aug 27 to Sept 7. Six teams--Defending champions South Korea, hosts India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and China--will directly play in the final round of the Men's Asia Cup Hockey. Players of the Bangladesh national team are: Pushkar Kisha Mimo (Captain), Fazle Hossain Rabbi (Vice Captan), Huzaifa Hossain, Rezaul Karim Babu, Sohanur Rahman Sabuj, Farhad Ahmed Shetul, Ashraful Islam, Amirul Islam, Abed Uddin, Nayemuddin, Al Nahian Shuvo, Roman Sarkar, Arshad Hossain, Obaidul Hossain Joy, Rakibul Hasan, Mahbub Hossain, Biplob Kuzur and Abu Sayed Nikson. Women's Hockey: BKSP to face Kishoreganj DSA in final Saturday Eight officials are: Syed Bayazid Haider ( Manager), Kazi Abu Zafar Tapan (Assistant Manager), Mamumur Rashid (Head  Coach), Moshiur Rahman Biplob ( Assistant Coach), Alamgir Islam ( Trainer), Saifuddin Ahmed ( Physio),Taposh Barman (Video Analyst ) and Ismail Hossain Liton (Umpire).  

A new 60,000-seat stadium for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, located in inner-city parkland, has been revealed as part of a major revision of the planning for the 2032 Summer Games. David Crisafulli, the third premier of Queensland state since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 2032 Games to Brisbane almost four years ago, presented the updated plans on a rainy Tuesday during a Future Brisbane forum. Jahir Raihan leaves for China to compete in 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championship It has been over 1,340 days since the IOC's decision in 2021, yet local organisers have yet to begin constructing Olympic venues. During this time, changes in government at both federal and state levels have occurred. After 150 days in office, Crisafulli declared, “The time has come to just get on with it — get on with it, and build.” He added, “We are going to start immediately. We've got seven years to make it work, and make it work we will.” A 25,000-seat aquatics centre has also been proposed for an Olympic precinct that includes the new main stadium at Victoria Park, a former golf course near downtown Brisbane. With Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Games, Brisbane is next in line. The 11 years initially allotted for Brisbane's preparations have now been reduced to seven, and leaders at all levels of government and sports federations agree that it is time to cease arguing over venues and begin constructing them. Newly elected IOC president Kirsty Coventry has overseen the early stages of planning for the Olympic movement and has been kept informed of the changes by Andrew Liveris, chairman of the 2032 organising committee. Liveris mentioned that there had been daily engagement between a review panel assessing all venue options and the local organising committee, which is responsible for running the Games. “The stage matters,” he said. “We’ve still got 7½ years to go, and we have a plan. None of this is embarrassing — this is a go-get-it-done plan.” Brisbane was the first Summer Games host chosen through a new process that allowed a preferred candidate to enter exclusive, fast-track discussions without competing against rival bidders in a vote. This change aimed to reduce the costs of campaigning and venue construction while avoiding vote-buying scandals. False starts It has been a year since local organisers abandoned plans to demolish and rebuild the Gabba, an iconic cricket ground, as the centrepiece of the 2032 Games after a review panel, appointed in 2023, suggested a new stadium in city parkland instead. The costs for rebuilding the Gabba had escalated, and the Australian Olympic Committee withdrew its support for the concept. At the time, Queensland's premier Steven Miles rejected the review’s recommendations, led by former Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk. Instead, Miles planned to upgrade an existing rugby stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies and renovate an older facility in the city’s southern outskirts, built for the 1982 Commonwealth Games, to serve as the track and field venue. Quirk argued that a new stadium at Victoria Park, on former council-owned golf course land, would cost slightly more than the full Gabba rebuild but offer better operational efficiencies. Crisafulli, who ran for election late last year with a promise of no new stadiums, quickly instituted another 100-day review after taking power for the Liberal-National coalition. His cabinet approved the recommendations on Monday. A croc, or not? Ahead of the venue announcements, local media reported that rowing would take place on the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton on the central Queensland coast, where crocodiles are often sighted. Crisafulli confirmed the proposed Fitzroy River venue, noting that numerous events, including Australia's pre-Olympic rowing camps, had been held there. He added that local children swam and paddled in the river most weekends, and crocodiles posed no real threat. Rowing Australia stated that media concerns about crocodiles had been exaggerated but raised some concerns regarding the river's current. Liveris mentioned that World Rowing would visit the organisers in May. National Athletics: 3 more national records created on day-2 He also downplayed any concerns about crocodiles at the rowing venue, saying, “There’s sharks in the ocean and we still do sailing and we still do surfing. It’s a bit kind of Hollywood-ish. I’m not worried about crocodiles.”

After a recent successful bowling reassessment in Loughborough, Bangladesh star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has been given the green light to resume bowling in competitive cricket by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).  After this decision, Shakib is now available to resume his bowling in domestic and international cricket, where he has not been available since September last year.    The all-rounder, who had never previously been reported for a suspect action in his two-decade-long career, was first called for an illegal action during a County Championship match while representing Surrey against Somerset. Subsequent tests confirmed the irregularities, and that led to his suspension from all formats under ICC regulations.   Shakib's road to clearance was not straightforward. He initially failed two separate assessments— one in Loughborough last year and another in Chennai this January.  Following these setbacks, he was out of Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy team. Earlier, he had said that he would retire from international cricket after this event.  A statement from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that Shakib had “successfully remedied his action,” paving the way for his return to the bowling crease in domestic and franchise leagues. With the ECB’s clearance, he is now eligible to bowl in the upcoming County Championship season and The Hundred, where his all-round skills have made him a sought-after player. It’s not clear if Shakib wants to extend his career in international cricket. With two years to go ahead of the 2027 World Cup, he may rethink and extend his plan. His availability as a bowler could be a great option for the Bangladesh team.  

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.