Chittagong Kings recorded a 111-run victory over Durbar Rajshahi in their Bangladesh Premier League clash at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday. Naeem Islam hit a fifty and then took two wickets to guide the Kings to a comfortable victory. Chittagong batted first and scored 191 runs for eight wickets in 20 overs. Naeem led with 56 off 41 balls. He hit five fours and three sixes. They were also boosted by Graham Clark’s 45 off just 28 balls, and Mohammad Mithun, the captain of Chittagong King, hit 32 off just 20 balls. For Rajshahi, Taskin Ahmed continued to impress. He bagged two for 23 runs, while Mohor Sheikh took 2 for 46 runs. Rajshahi failed to contain the runs in the death overs and also failed to take wickets when they needed them most. BPL: Rajshahi beat Sylhet as Sunzamul takes three wickets Rajshahi collapsed under pressure while replying. They were bowled out for only 80 runs in 14.2 overs. They started poorly, losing three wickets inside the first three overs of the match. Anamul Haque, who scored a ton in the previous match, scored 21. Akbar Ali scored 10. None of their other batters were able to reach a double-digit total. Naeem took two wickets just for six runs in three overs, while Shoriful Islam took two for 10 runs. With this win, Chittagong now have 10 points in five wins from eight matches. They are currently in second place in the points table right after Rangpur Riders, who have secured 16 points from eight wins in eight matches.

Dhaka Capitals secured a narrow six-run win against Sylhet Strikers in a high-scoring match in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday. It was Dhaka’s second win in nine matches, and Sylhet suffered the sixth defeat in eight matches so far. These are at the bottom of the points table with only four points each.  Dhaka batted first and posted 196 for six wickets in 20 overs, with Litton Das hitting 70 off 48 balls. The right-handed batter hit four fours and as many as sixes.  Khan masterminds Pakistan's emphatic 127-run win against West Indies in 1st test Thisara Perera added a quickfire 37 off 17 balls, including three sixes, to provide a late boost. For the Strikers, Tipu Sultan bagged two wickets for 26 runs, while Samiullah Shinwari took two for 27 runs. In reply, Sylhet fell just short, finishing at 190 for 7 despite a notable effort of 68 off 44 balls from Rony Talukdar. At one point, Strikers were going close with 127 runs for four wickets in 16 overs. But Dhaka’s bowler kept their plan well in the difficult times.  Barishal clinch fifth win defeating Chittagong by six wickets Perera bagged two wickets for 31 runs with the important wicket of Rony, and Mustafizur Rahman scalped two wickets for 46 runs.  At the end, Ajker Ali hit 28 off 13 balls while Ariful Haque scored 29 off 13 balls to keep Sylhet alive in the contest, but losing wickets at the crucial moments cost them the match.  In the last over, the Strikers needed 26 runs off six balls. Mustafizur conceded 16 and bagged two wickets to defend it. 

Off-spinner Sajid Khan masterminded Pakistan’s emphatic 127-run win against the West Indies with a match haul of nine wickets in the first test on Sunday. Khan followed his four-wicket haul in the first innings with 5-50 as the West Indies were bowled out for 123 runs in the second after being set a target of 251 runs on a spinning pitch. Alick Athanaze, playing in only his 12th test match, made a fighting 55 off 68 balls before he became Khan’s fifth victim with inexperienced West Indies resistance folding in the second session on Day 3. “As long as we get 20 wickets and are able to put in a good performance, we will be happy,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said. “We did not know whether in these conditions the ball would spin as it is cold … but our spinners were clinical.” Khan replicated his first-innings show with the new ball by yet again removing the top four batters as the tourists limped to 54-5 inside the first session that saw 11 of the 12 wickets falling to the spinners. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who shared the new ball with Khan, claimed figures of 4-27 that included the wickets of Kevin Sinclair (10) and Gudakesh Motie (0) off successive balls with both edging to Salman Ali Agha in the slips as the tourists lost their last four wickets without scoring a run. “The batters didn’t play as well as they should have,” West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said. “We just have to be brave ... it is important to be positive on these types of pitches. We should still trust our defence. If we can bring it together batting and bowling wise, we can come out on top.” In a sensational 2-1/2 hour first session, left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican had grabbed a career-best 7-32 as Pakistan batters also struggled on their own engineered wicket for spinners. Warrican featured in all but one dismissal in Pakistan’s second innings as the home team was bowled out for 157 runs inside 1-1/2 hours after resuming on 109-3. Read: Barishal clinch fifth win defeating Chittagong by six wickets It gave Pakistan an overall lead of 250 runs after West Indies conceded a 93-run first innings lead when it was dismissed for 137 inside one session on Day 2 in reply to Pakistan's score of 230. Khan removed Brathwaite (12), Mikyle Louis (13), Keacy Carty (6) and Kavem Hodge (0) for the second successive time in the match as the tourists' ploy to counterattack the off-spinner failed with slow bowlers getting purchase off the sluggish surface. “The team is playing together and it is great,” Khan said. “The wicket had a lot of turn and bounce. The spin bowling coach spoke to me and in the second innings, I bowled a little slower and did not leak too many runs.” Brathwaite holed out at deep mid-wicket while going for an overly ambitious shot; Carty lobbed an easy catch behind the wicket while attempting a sweep, while Hodge and Louis were bowled by Khan’s sharp-turning deliveries. Athanaze delayed the inevitable by sharing a 41-run stand with debutant Tevin Imlach (14) and completed his half century with a cover driven boundary before Ahmed hurried the collapse to finish off the West Indies resistance. Warrican had earlier given West Indies hope when he had Pakistan’s best batter against spin Saud Shakeel (2) caught at short mid-wicket off the first ball of the day. Rizwan and Kamran Ghulam were then outdone by awkward bounce and edged as the left-arm spinner exploited the favorable slow-bowling conditions. Read more: Bumrah's fitness to be tested by India against England before Champions Trophy Warrican capped his brilliant bowling when he ran out Khurram Shahzad with a direct-hit throw. He could have featured in all the dismissals had West Indies gone for a lbw television review against Agha, before Motie wrapped up the innings by having Agha caught at mid-off with Pakistan losing seven wickets for 48 runs. “It is hard out there (for batters),” Masood said. “In the second innings, we folded cheaply. There are improvements to be made. When you win, you can go on a happy ride and be happy, but we can’t do that.” Despite Pakistan’s third successive home win on raked wickets for spinners, it is at No. 8 and West Indies is at No. 9 in the World Test Championship points table after both teams underperformed over the past year in tests. Australia and South Africa have already qualified for the June 11-15 WTC final at Lord’s. The second test, which will be the last for both teams in this WTC cycle, starts at the same venue on Friday.

Khulna Tigers beat Durbar Rajshahi by seven runs in a high-scoring match in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Sunday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Anamul Haque hit a century for Rajshahi but it went in vain as he ended up being on the losing side. Khulna batted first and posted a total of 209 runs for four wickets. Afif Hossain led their batting effort with 56 off 42 balls. William Bosisto contributed with an unbeaten 55 off 37. Mahidul Islam Ankon hit 30 off just 12 balls to guide Khulna past the 200-run mark. Taskin Ahmed took two wickets for Rajshahi but leaked runs on key moments. Chasing a big total, Rajshahi’s captain Anamul Haque led his team hitting a century. But his 57-ball 100 with five sixes and nine fours was not enough for him to guide the team to a win. Jishan Alam, 30 off 15 balls, Ryan Burl, 25 off 16 balls, did their parts but their efforts were not enough to avoid a defeat for Rajshahi. They got close scoring 202 for 4 in in 20 overs, but failed to finish the game in their favour. Hasan Mahmud took two wickets while Abu Hider and Salman Irshad took one wicket each. While it was Khulna’s third win in seven matches, Rajshahi suffered their fifth defeat in eight matches in the event.

Fortune Barishal secured their fifth victory in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) beating Chittagong Kings by six wickets in a low-scoring affair on Sunday.  Dawid Malan’s 56 runs and well-planned bowling led Barishal to the win with 19 balls to play. Chittagong batted first and were able to score only 121 runs for eight wickets in 20 overs.  Ripon Mondol and Faheem Ashraf were the main bowlers for Barishal. Both scalped three wickets each. Ripon struck early to remove opener Usman Khan and Graham Clark.  Faheem Ashraf's 3 for 12 included key dismissals of Parvez Hossain Emon and Shamim Hossain. In the power play, Chittagong were reeling at 39 for 5. Skipper Mohammad Mithun provided some resistance with a 34-ball 35, while Arafat Sunny’s unbeaten 27 off 34 offered late support. However, their efforts could not lift Chittagong to a competitive total. Barishal's chase started cautiously, with Tamim Iqbal (8) run out in the fourth over. Towhid Hridoy (1) and Mushfiqur Rahim (11) fell cheaply, but Malan anchored the innings with a composed 56 off 41, supported by Mohammad Nabi's 26. The duo’s unbeaten 69-run stand sealed the win for Barishal. Barishal reached 122 for 4 in 16.5 overs, ensuring a comfortable victory. Khaled Ahmed took two wickets for 27 runs for Chittagong.  With this win, Barishal’s point tally reached 10 in five wins in seven matches. They are now in the second position on the points table right after Rangpur Riders who have 16 points from eight wins. They are the only team who are yet to concede a defeat in this year’s BPL.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was picked for India's Champions Trophy squad on Saturday despite doubts about his fitness. Bumrah suffered back spasms and didn't bowl on the last day of the fifth and final test against Australia in Sydney two weeks ago. He was the leading wicket-taker in the series. India chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar suggested Bumrah may play the third one-day international against England on Feb. 12 in Ahmedabad to test his fitness for the Champions Trophy, which starts for India eight days later in the United Arab Emirates. “Bumrah has been advised to off load from bowling for five weeks and he won't be available for the first two ODIs against England. We are awaiting news on his fitness and will know in early February from the medical team,” Agarkar said. Captain Rohit Sharma added, “We were not sure about his fitness at the moment, and thus picked Arshdeep Singh to perform his roles with the new and old ball.” Opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal was included even though he has yet to play an ODI. Jaiswal takes Suryakumar Yadav’s spot and will be the third opener choice after skipper Sharma and Shubman Gill. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer complete the top-four options. Jaiswal averages 54 in List A cricket and he will compete for the second opener’s slot with Gill, who averages 58.20 in ODIs. There will also be a keen spotlight on the batting form of Sharma and Kohli who both struggled in the five tests against Australia. Missing the cut from the squad which reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup were Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin has retired, and Yadav and Kishan have been dropped. Rishabh Pant and Lokesh Rahul are the wicketkeeper-batter options. Pacer Krishna and allrounder Thakur lost their spots as India bet heavy on spin. Left-arm spin allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel were picked alongside off-spin allrounder Washington Sundar. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav complete India's spin options. Kuldeep Yadav has missed much of the season since October after a groin issue led to hernia surgery. In the pace department, India has opted for Bumrah, Singh and Mohammed Shami. They will be complemented by allrounders Hardik Pandya and Nitish Reddy, who impressed with a maiden test century in Australia. Shami has also been picked for the Twenty20s against England before the ODIs. He took 23 wickets in the 2023 World Cup. India will play its Champions Trophy matches in the UAE after the government refused clearance for the team to travel to Pakistan owing to political tensions. While the rest of the tournament will be in Pakistan, India will play its group matches in Dubai against Bangladesh on Feb. 20, Pakistan on Feb. 23, and New Zealand on March 2. If India qualifies for the semifinals or final, both matches will also be in Dubai. If India doesn't qualify for the final, it will be staged in Lahore on March 9. India won the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni and was runner-up to Pakistan in 2017 under Virat Kohli. Both tournaments were in England.

Bangladesh’s Under-19 women’s team kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign with a win against Nepal, clinching a five-wicket win with 40 balls to spare. In Bangi, Malaysia, Bangladesh bowled first, winning the toss. They dismantled Nepal for a mere 52 runs. Nepal lost five wickets for just 30 runs early on, including their captain, Puja Mahotar, who was run out. Bangladesh fielding coach Nic Pothas steps down Puja was instrumental in bringing Nepal to the World Cup with a 130-run knock in the qualifiers, but could not save her team this time. Jannatul Mawa led Bangladesh’s bowling with two wickets, while Nishita Akter, Fahmida Chhoya, and Mosammat Anisa each bagged one wicket. In reply, Bangladesh lost three wickets in just 11 runs. But they stabilized through contributions from Sadia Islam (16) and captain Sumaiya Akter (12). BCB to launch BPL for women Although neither batter remained unbeaten, Bangladesh comfortably reached their target. This victory continues a streak of strong performances from the Bangladeshi women’s team, who reached the Asia Cup final in December and defeated Sri Lanka and England in World Cup warm-up matches.  

Bangladesh national cricket team's Fielding Coach, Nic Pothas, has stepped down from his role, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Friday. Nic came to the decision to leave his Bangladesh job with one year to go on his contract with the BCB. He said he is leaving due to family reasons. Pothas, 49, joined the Bangladesh coaching staff in April 2023, initially serving as Assistant Coach before transitioning to the role of Fielding Coach. “We thank Nic for his dedication and valuable contributions to Bangladesh cricket. His efforts and his overall coaching expertise have been greatly appreciated,” Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, the BCB CEO said. “We respect his decision and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.” Before coming to Bangladesh, Nic was the head coach of the West Indies and Sri Lanka. It’s not clear who will replace Nic in the Bangladesh coaching staff setup. Bangladesh’s next international assignment is the ICC Champions Trophy, taking place in the USA and Pakistan next month.

Rangpur Riders continued their impeccable run in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with a 33-run victory over Chittagong Kings, marking their eighth consecutive win in the tournament at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Friday. Khushdil Shah led the Riders with 59 off 28 balls while batting first. Rangpur posted 164 for 7, anchored by Khushdil. He hit seven sixes. This innings rescued Rangpur after a cautious start. Steven Taylor contributed 39 off 32, but the middle-order faltered as Chittagong’s bowlers did well in that phase of the match. For the Kings, Aliss Al Islam took 2 for 28 runs and Mohammad Wasim bagged 2 for 42 runs. Chittagong’s chase never gathered momentum, with opener Usman Khan dismissed for a golden duck by Rakibul Hasan on the first ball of the innings. While Parvez Hossain Emon, 26 off 14, and Shamim Hossain, 38 off 31, showed promise, the Kings struggled against Rangpur’s disciplined bowling attack. Akif Javed scalped 4 wickets for 32 runs, while Khushdil backed up his batting heroics with bowling figures of 2 for 23. Iftikhar Ahmed and Rakibul Hasan also chipped in with crucial wickets to restrict Chittagong to 131 for 8 in their 20 overs. With this win, Chittagong’s points reached 16 in eight matches. They are yet to concede any defeat in this year’s BPL so far.

Durbar Rajshahi delivered an all-around performance to secure a big 65-run win over Sylhet Strikers in the Bangladesh Premier League on Friday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Friday. Sunzamul Islam, the left-arm spinner, led Rajshahi taking three wickets conceding 25 runs in four overs. It was the third win for Rajshahi in the event in seven matches, while Sylhet suffered the fifth defeat in seven matches. Rajshahi posted a challenging 184 for 7 while batting first, thanks to notable contributions from Ryan Burl, 41 off 27, and captain Anamul Haque, 32 off 22. Jishan Alam and Yasir Ali also helped them with 20 and 19, respectively. Sylhet bowlers gave away 20 runs extra that helped Rajshahi’s total pass the 180-run mark. Ruyel Miah was Sylhet’s best bowler taking up 3 for 32. BPL: Clark shines as Chittagong Kings beat Sylhet Strikers by 30 runs In reply, Sylhet never found their rhythm, falling apart in just 119 in 17.3 overs. Zakir Hasan, 39 off 28, and Jaker Ali, 31 off 20, played well with good intention, but no other batter managed to guide them. When Zakir fell with Sylhet having 71 on the board for 3 wickets, they lost the track. Sunzamul took three wickets, while Taksin Ahmed bagged two for 14 runs, and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury also bowled with two wickets for 16 runs. Sylhet lost their final six wickets in just 48 runs. Rangpur Riders are currently leading the points table with 14 points from seven wins. They are the only team so far who are yet to concede a defeat in this season of BPL.