United News of Bangladesh

Uganda has announced its final squad for the upcoming ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, scheduled to take place in Tanzania from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5. The eight-team qualifier will be hosted at the TCA Cricket Arena at the University of Dar es Salaam, with nations competing for the single available spot at next year's global tournament. Brian Masaba, head coach of Uganda's Baby Victoria Pearls, told media on Wednesday that the management had named a strong squad following several months of rigorous preparation. "We are going to compete strongly because our target is to qualify and play at the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup," said Masaba. Uganda will open its campaign against Nigeria on Aug. 30. Highlighting the team's focused mindset, Masaba added, "We are going to treat every match like a final because our target is qualification". The eight participating teams competing for the qualifier's sole ticket are Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Nigeria and host Tanzania. The ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal next year.

A group of 21 former international cricket captains has appealed to Pakistan’s prime minister to ensure jailed former premier Imran Khan receives proper medical treatment and basic facilities, saying the authorities must comply with a Supreme Court order. The letter, sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marks the second such appeal from former captains in six months. It follows concerns that Imran’s treatment in custody and access to his family have not met the court’s instructions. The Supreme Court had ordered that Imran be examined by a medical board and allowed weekly meetings with family members. He was recently taken to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, but remained there for only a few hours before being returned to Adiala prison after an examination by a state-appointed team. Former England captain Michael Atherton said the appeal was motivated not only by concern over Khan’s health but also by what he described as an effort by the Pakistani state to erase the former cricketer from public life. “Yesterday, 21 former captains sent another letter, which was a humanitarian appeal to ensure that Imran Khan receives the medical care he needs,” Atherton said on a Sky Sports Cricket podcast. “But I think the main concern was the way the state is trying to erase Imran Khan.” India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, who signed the letter, said the former Pakistani leader deserved the same basic rights as any prisoner. “We want him to get the best medical treatment. We are not asking for anything else, nor are we seeking a response,” Kapil said. “We are simply making a request.” The signatories include prominent former captains such as Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border, Clive Lloyd, Steve Waugh, Alastair Cook, Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara and Nasser Hussain, along with former women’s captains Belinda Clark and Alex Blackwell. Imran, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022, has been imprisoned since 2023 after convictions in several cases.  

Bangladesh’s historic Test win in Australia has pushed them to No. 6 in the ICC rankings, their highest position since becoming a Test-playing nation. The three-place rise came despite a heavy defeat in Mackay, where Australia won the second Test by an innings and 51 runs inside two days to level the series 1-1. Bangladesh now have 1,878 points from 24 Tests and a rating of 78. They moved above Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies and Zimbabwe. Their previous best was seventh, reached after their 2-0 series win in Pakistan in 2024. The ranking rise was secured by a series of results that included Bangladesh’s nine-wicket victory over Australia in Darwin, their first Test win on Australian soil. That performance was driven by their bowlers and several individual contributions, giving Bangladesh one of the most significant Test results in their history. The Mackay defeat was a sharp contrast. Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 and 95, becoming the first team in 21 years to be bowled out for fewer than 100 in both innings of a Test. Shoriful Islam’s seven-wicket haul was one of the few bright spots. Yet the overall result of the Australian tour — a 1-1 draw against the No. 1-ranked team — was enough to lift Bangladesh to a new high. “Reaching No. 6 in Test cricket for the first time is a big achievement,” captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said after the Mackay Test. “The news would have been even better if we had played good cricket in this Test.” Australia remain No. 1 with a rating of 126, followed by South Africa, New Zealand, India and England.

Bangladesh’s nine-wicket win in Darwin was followed by a crushing defeat in Mackay, where Australia bowled them out for 95 in the 2nd innings on Sunday to win the second Test by an innings and 51 runs. The result levelled the two-match series 1-1. The Test lasted only 667 deliveries, making it the second-shortest in Australian history and the fourth-shortest ever. For Bangladesh, the batting collapse was the defining feature. They were dismissed for 64 in the first innings and 95 in the second — the first time they have been bowled out for fewer than 100 in both innings of a Test. Mitchell Starc was at the centre of it. After taking 6 for 12 in the first innings, he added 4 for 39 in the second to finish with 10 wickets in the match. He was named player of the match and player of the series, having taken 12 wickets across the two Tests. Bangladesh gave themselves a chance with the ball. Shoriful Islam took 7 for 48, the first seven-wicket haul by a Bangladesh pacer in Tests, as Australia were dismissed for 210. That left Bangladesh 146 runs behind, but they could not make Australia bat again. Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 31 before Nathan Lyon had him caught by Starc. Mushfiqur Rahim resisted for 80 balls and was unbeaten on 29 when the innings ended. Lyon finished with 3 for 25, while Starc took four wickets. Taskin Ahmed was Lyon’s third victim, caught by Steven Smith at first slip for 8 at 87 for 9. Shoriful came out swinging at the next over, but sliced Lyon to backward point, where Starc took the catch to end the match. Australia also struggled with the bat, with Cameron Green making 67 and Steven Smith 42. But their bowlers made far better use of the conditions. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said the extra bounce and movement made batting difficult but accepted that his team needs to improve. “We did not play our best this Test match,” he said, calling for Bangladesh to play in Australia more often rather than wait years between tours. For Australia, the win was a sharp response to their performance in Darwin. “A much better week,” Starc said. “What we expected from ourselves this week is what we got.”

Shoriful Islam produced a record-breaking spell for Bangladesh, but his seven-wicket haul was followed by another batting collapse as the visitors reached 71 for 7 in their second innings at Mackay on Sunday, still 75 runs behind Australia. Shoriful became the first Bangladesh fast bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings, finishing with 7 for 48 as Australia were dismissed for 210. It was a remarkable turnaround after Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 in their first innings. Australia had moved to 186 for 9, with Cameron Green making 67 and Steven Smith 42, before Shoriful finished off the middle and lower order. He removed Green for 67 and then had Josh Hazlewood caught by Shadman Islam for 6. Taijul Islam took the other wicket, ending Australia’s innings and leaving Bangladesh 146 runs behind. Bangladesh needed a solid start to their second innings. Instead, Shadman Islam fell for 1 and Mominul Haque was out first ball, leaving them 5 for 2. Tanzid Hasan made 9 before Pat Cummins dismissed him at 24 for 3. Najmul Hossain Shanto then gave Bangladesh some stability, making 31 from 46 balls with six fours. Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim added 27 for the fourth wicket, Bangladesh’s best partnership of the innings so far. But Nathan Lyon ended it when Shanto was caught by Mitchell Starc for 31. Litton Das was out for a duck soon after, caught by Beau Webster off Starc, leaving Bangladesh 63 for 5. Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 20 from 65 balls while was batting on 1 from 6 balls till filing of this report. Bangladesh have recovered with the ball and then slipped again with the bat. With only three wickets remaining and still 75 runs to make up, Shoriful’s extraordinary effort has left them with a chance — but not much room for another collapse.

Shoriful Islam dragged Bangladesh back into the second Test with a six-wicket burst on Saturday. His six-wicket haul left Australia 151 for 8 after the home side bowled Bangladesh out for 64. Australia led by 87 runs at the end of the third session, but their innings began to unravel late in the day. Shoriful took five of his six wickets after tea, including the key wickets of Steve Smith, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Smith was the first of the late casualties, trapped lbw for 16 at 118 for 4. He reviewed the decision, but ball tracking showed the delivery clipping the outside of off stump. Shoriful then struck twice in the 31st over. Webster was given out lbw for a golden duck after playing down the wrong line, and Cummins fell for a duck two balls later, fending a short delivery onto his glove for Litton Das to catch. Two overs later, Shoriful bowled Starc for 1, finding the top of off stump with a delivery that straightened sharply off the pitch. His first two wickets came earlier, when Travis Head chopped on for 28 and Marnus Labuschagne was bowled for a duck. Shoriful's figures stood at 6 for 34 from 10 overs, his best in Test cricket. Australia looked in control when Head and Labuschagne put together a steady start after Matt Renshaw fell for 13. But Bangladesh kept finding wickets, and Shoriful's spell turned the innings on its head. Cameron Green was unbeaten on 32 at the close, with Alex Carey on 20. Earlier, Bangladesh were dismissed for 64, with Mitchell Starc taking 6 for 12. Four of Bangladesh’s top six made ducks, while Shoriful earlier joined Taijul Islam for a 25-run last-wicket stand – the innings’ best partnership.

Mitchell Starc took 6 for 12 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 in 34 overs on Saturday, giving Australia a commanding start to the second Test in Mackay. Bangladesh lost five wickets for 12 runs after Australia opted to field, with four of their top six batters dismissed without scoring. Shadman Islam was out to the first ball, edging Starc to Cameron Green at gully. Tanzid Hasan followed for a duck in Starc’s second over, and two balls later Najmul Hossain Shanto was trapped lbw. Mominul Haque made 9 before edging Starc to Green, while Litton Das was given out lbw after Australia successfully reviewed the decision. Mushfiqur Rahim, the other batter among the top six to score, made 5 before Pat Cummins bowled him. Bangladesh were 35 for 6 at lunch. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who made 11, and Hasan Mahmud added some resistance before Australia’s attack finished the innings in the afternoon. The only partnership of more than 20 came at the end. Taijul Islam and Shoriful Islam put on 25 for the 10th wicket, the best stand of Bangladesh’s innings. Shoriful made 14 from 19 balls, with three fours, while Taijul was unbeaten on 11. Starc returned to dismiss Shoriful caught behind for his sixth wicket. Cummins took 3 for 25 and Josh Hazlewood 1 for 18. Starc bowled 10 overs, six of them maidens. Hazlewood said there was movement in the air and off the pitch early in the innings, with the breeze helping the swing. He also felt the surface became flatter later in the innings. Australia, beaten by nine wickets in Darwin, now have a chance to take a firm grip on the match and level the two-Test series.

Bangladesh will go into the second Test with fewer selection worries than they appeared to have 24 hours earlier, after both Mushfiqur Rahim and Tanzid Hasan returned to batting practice on Friday. Mushfiqur was struck on the finger during Thursday’s session and had to leave the practice wicket briefly. He returned to bat later that day and again trained Friday, though his workload was reduced. Tanzid’s recovery was more closely watched. The opener, who made a century in Bangladesh’s nine-wicket win in Darwin, sat out batting practice on Thursday because of neck stiffness. He had a scan Friday before returning to the nets. Captain Najmul Hossain said the final call on Tanzid will come on Saturday morning. “Tanzid’s situation today was positive,” he said. “Hopefully, he will be fine. We have all kinds of options, so I do not think there will be much of a problem.” One of those options is Soumya Sarkar. Left out of the XI in Darwin, he spent an extended period batting in the nets Friday, giving Bangladesh a ready alternative should Tanzid not recover fully. The uncertainty over the batting line-up comes against a backdrop of a much bigger shift in the series. Bangladesh arrived in Australia without a Test win in the country and left Darwin with a nine-wicket victory, putting them one win away from a series triumph. Australia have responded by bringing Matt Renshaw into the opening position for Jake Weatherald, while keeping the rest of their squad intact. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have spent two full days preparing for a Test in conditions unlike Darwin. Mackay is cooler and windier, and the team has used the sessions to adjust to the change. Najmul said the Darwin result should not dictate how Bangladesh approach the next five days. “A win will certainly give you confidence,” he said. “But for professional players, it is important to come back from that very quickly.” The second Test begins on Saturday at Great Barrier Reef Arena, with Bangladesh seeking a series victory and Australia trying to force a draw in the two-match series.

India’s tour of Bangladesh remains uncertain with less than two weeks to go before the proposed start of the six-match white-ball series. BCB President Tamim Iqbal on Thursday said the two boards were still discussing the schedule, raising the possibility of another change to the dates. “Both boards remain in discussion about the India series. The dates may be shifted here or there,” he said. Bangladesh are due to host India for three ODIs and three T20Is from September 1 to 13, with the first ODI scheduled for September 3. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to publicly confirm the tour. The BCB’s decision to schedule the Game Development Trophy in Mirpur from August 28 to September 9, overlapping the proposed India series, has further added to the uncertainty. Tamim said the tournament will not stand in the way of the India matches. It could be moved to the Bashundhara ground if the tour is confirmed. The India series was originally scheduled for August 2025 but was postponed by the BCCI amid strained relations between the two countries. The BCB announced the revised schedule in January, but the BCCI has not made a similar announcement. India’s schedule adds another complication. They are currently playing a two-Test series in Sri Lanka before hosting Afghanistan for three matches on September 13, 15 and 17. Relations between the BCB and BCCI have improved since Tamim took over as president. Earlier this month, he visited the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in what was seen as an effort to repair ties between the boards.

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will not be held in the 2026-27 season as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) works to overhaul the tournament after years of financial losses, rule violations and problems with franchises, BCB President Tamim Iqbal said on Thursday. “I do not think so. BPL is not happening this year,” he told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur when asked about the upcoming season. Tamim said the BCB had lost about Tk 40 crore over the past two years while dealing with problems involving franchises. He said the board should be making money from franchise cricket, not losing it. “Until we fix this, doing a tournament at a loss is not important,” he said. The decision, the BCB chief said, was meant to give the board time to fix the competition rather than rush into another season with the same problems, noting that the process could take six to 12 months, if necessary. Tamim, who is also chairman of the ICC’s franchise cricket committee, said Bangladesh needs to run its own franchise tournament properly. “If my own country’s franchise cricket is not running properly, stopping it and rebuilding it will be a big message for my committee,” he said. The BCB president said he can quickly put together five teams but will not do so simply to hold the tournament. “What is important to me is fair cricket and maintaining the dignity of the BCB,” he said, adding that he was prepared to face criticism over the decision. The absence of the BPL will hurt players financially, Tamim acknowledged. He said he will have been disappointed in their position but argued that the tournament needs to be put on a sound footing. The BCB plans to complete the franchise selection and other institutional processes by April-May, with the aim of bringing back the BPL under a long-term model next year.