Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) – The Maldives League champions New Radiant SC will play Bangladesh Premier League’s newcomer Bashundhara Kings in a FIFA International Friendly Football match in Nilphamari on Friday.

The match will be held in the Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari, which hosted the first international football match involving Bangladesh National team and touring Sri Lanka National football team recently.

New Radiant Club coach Saba Muhammad and Bashundhara Kings Coach Oscar at a press conference at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari Thursday evening expressed their optimism to win the match.
 

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) – Bangladesh need 256 runs for a win against Afghanistan in a dead rubber of the 14th Asia Cup at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan played full 50 overs for 255/7 where Rashid Khan hit an half century of 57* runs and shared a partnership of 95 in 9.1 overs in the unbeaten 8th wicket stand with Gulbadin Naib [42*] after number-four batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi’s top-scoring innings of 58 runs.

Debutant left-handed pacer of Bangladesh Abu Hider endangered Afghanistan innings early, removing two top-order batsmen -- Ihsanullah and Rahmat Shah within the 6th over, keeping the opponent score at 28/2 in 5.5 overs.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan got opener Mohammad Shahzad [37 off 47b; 4x4] before Afghanistan reached the 100-run mark as Shahzad was caught by Hider on 79/3 in 19.3 overs.

But, Shahidi continued to score run up to150/6 in 37.1 overs for his individual innings off 92 balls featuring three boundaries before being caught behind by keeper Liton Kumar Das off pacer Rubel Hossain.

In the middle, Shakib bowled out skipper Asghar Afghan and Samiullah Shenwari [18 off 31b; 1x4] at 101in 25.1 overs and 139 in 33.2 overs before trapping experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabi [10] at 160/7 in 40.5 overs from where Rashid and Gulbadin started their unbeaten composure. 

Rashid threshed Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in the last over of the match, taking 19 off six balls, in an innings of 32 balls, including eight boundaries and one six.

Another unbeaten hitter Gulbadin faced 38 balls and hit five boundaries for Afghanistan.

Shakib got four wickets for 42 runs while Abu Hider two for 50 and Rubel the rest one conceding 32 runs for Bangladesh.

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB)– BAF Base Bashar clinched Bangladesh Air Force Inter-Base Squash Competition beating Air Headquarters Unit team by 3-1 sets in the final at the Bangladesh Air Force Base Bangabandhu on Thursday.

Wing Commander Sheikh Sazzad Hossain of Bangladesh Air Force Base Bashar team was adjudged the best player in the competition.

Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Plans) Air Vice Marshal Ehsanul Gani Choudhury witnessed the day’s final match as the chief guest and later he distributed prizes among the winners. 

Seven teams of Bangladesh Air Force participated in the three-daylong competition  concluded on Thursday.
 

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) – Scholastica Uttara made a flying start in the Polar Ice Cream 25th School Handball Tournament (Boys and Girls) crushing Motijheel Govt Girls High School by 8-0 goals in the official opening match of the girls group at Shaheed Capt (retd) M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium here on Thursday. 

The winners led the first half by 5-0 goals.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr Biren Sikder inaugurated the meet at noon at a simple ceremony. Shah Masud Imam, CEO of the meet’s sponsor Dhaka Ice Cream Industries Ltd (Polar Ice Cream), was also present as special guest.

In the day’s other girls competitions, Viqarunnisa Noon School & College thrashed South Points School by 17-0 goals, Kadamtala Purba Basabo School & College beat Shaheed Ramizuddin Cantonment School & College 3-1, Scholastica Uttara defeated Scholastica Mirpur 5-1, Motijheel Govt High School beat Bangladesh International School & College 2-1, Shaheed Anwar Girls College outplayed Siddheswari Girls School 6-0, Sunnydale crushed Dhanmondi Tutorials 11-0, Shaheed Police Smriti College beat Heed Internationals 6-3, Viqarunnisa Noon School & College again crushed Kadamtala Purba Basabo School & College 11-0, Shaheed Ramizuddin Cantonment School& College beat South Points School 7-0 while Heed International beat Dhanmondi Tutorials 3-2. 

A total of 36 schools -- 20 teams in the boys group and 16 teams in the girls group -- are competing in the meet.
 

Dhaka, Sep 20 (UNB) – Bangladesh’s left-handed pacer bowler Abu Hider endangered Afghanistan innings, removing two top-order batsmen for a 15-run in his 2.5 overs in the 14th Asia Cup  match in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Opener Mohammad Shahzad [16 off 28b; 1x4] and Hashmatullah Shahidi [9* off 23b;] were on batting in the third wicket, till filing this report, with scorecard showing a 43/2 * after 12th over for Afghanistan, the side opted bat after winning the toss.
 
The 22-year old Abu Hider did this on his ODI debut in the Group ‘B’ dead-rubber of the six-nation tournament, sending off Afghanistan opening batsman Ihsanullah, was caught by Mohammad Mithun, on 10/1 in 1.4 overs and clean bowled Rahmat Shah on 28/2 in 5.5 overs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.