United News of Bangladesh

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a show-cause notice to fast bowler Naseem Shah after a post from his social media account mocked Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's heavily guarded arrival at the Pakistan Super League opener. The controversy began Friday when Naseem’s X account shared a PCB video showing Nawaz arriving at Gaddafi Stadium with a massive security convoy to meet players.  The shared post included the comment: "Why is she being treated like the Queen of Lord's?" The match was notably being played without spectators as part of a PCB initiative to conserve fuel amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Sarfaraz Ahmed announces retirement from international cricket The post was deleted minutes later, and Naseem subsequently claimed his account had been hacked. The PCB rejected the explanation, issuing a statement on Saturday that accused the bowler of breaching his central contract and violating the board's media and disciplinary guidelines. While the PCB did not specify a deadline for Naseem’s formal response, officials indicated the post likely violated Article 2.23 of the code of conduct. The clause strictly prohibits players from making critical or offensive public remarks regarding board policies, sponsors, or officials. The PCB has a history of penalizing players for politically adjacent actions. Last year, the board fined all-rounder Aamer Jamal 1 million Pakistani rupees after he wrote "804" — the prisoner number of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan — on his practice cap during a series against England. Naseem, who plays for the Rawalpindi franchise, is scheduled to take the field against Peshawar Zalmi today.

NBA legend LeBron James made history Friday night by recording the league’s first-ever father-son assist, passing to his son Bronny James for a 3-pointer during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Bronny, playing alongside his father for nearly four and a half minutes in the second quarter, described the moment as “special for us two, and a lot more to come down the road.” Both generations contributed to the scoring during their shared on-court time, with LeBron first making a layup before assisting Bronny, who sank a three from just behind the arc. LeBron called the milestone “a cool moment for us, and also for the family,” highlighting the significance of playing meaningful minutes together in back-to-back games. Bronny, now in his second season with the Lakers, has mainly seen limited playing time but earned rotation minutes this week due to an injury to starting guard Marcus Smart. He has also continued to refine his offensive game in the G League. “My shot has gotten more comfortable just by getting reps and keeping at it,” Bronny said. LeBron added that Bronny’s shooting is returning to the level it had before a cardiac arrest incident in 2023, praising his confidence, rhythm, and recovery. LeBron and Bronny are the first father-son duo to ever play in the NBA simultaneously, and the historic assist adds to LeBron’s already record-breaking career. “I’ve been wanting to play basketball my whole life,” Bronny said. “It’s a dream come true to play professionally and alongside my dad. I love every second of it.”

Lionel Messi will have a stadium stand named after him by his current club Inter Miami CF at their new home ground, the 26,700-seat Nu Stadium. The 38-year-old forward, widely considered one of football’s greatest players, joined the MLS side in 2023 after a successful career in Europe with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Since arriving in Florida, Messi has become Inter Miami’s all-time top scorer with 82 goals and leading assist provider with 53. The club’s decision to name a stand after an active player is seen as unusual. In a statement, Inter Miami said such honours are usually reserved for the past, but this recognition reflects what Messi is achieving now and the impact he continues to make on the pitch. The club is set to play its first match at the new stadium against Austin FC on April 4. This marks the second time a stand has been named after Messi. In June 2025, his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys also honoured him in a similar way. Messi, who led Argentina national football team to World Cup victory in 2022, is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and became the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back MVP awards last season. His move to Inter Miami, co-owned by former England captain David Beckham, has boosted the club’s profile and popularity of the league, along with bringing titles such as the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. Source : BBC

Lahore Qalandars began their Pakistan Super League title defence with a convincing 69-run win over debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen on Thursday, but the season opener was played in an empty stadium as fans stayed away due to soaring fuel costs. The match at Gaddafi Stadium was held without spectators after authorities urged people to limit travel and work from home amid rising fuel prices linked to the ongoing Iran conflict. Mohsin Naqvi said it would be inappropriate to allow thousands of fans to attend matches while the government is advising citizens to stay home. As part of cost-cutting measures, the Pakistan Cricket Board reduced the number of venues from six to two and barred spectators from matches in Lahore and Karachi. Only a small number of officials and franchise representatives were present at the opening game of the 39-day tournament. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended briefly as a guest of the PCB. To compensate for the lack of crowd presence, artificial crowd noise was added to the live broadcast as Lahore posted 199 for 6 after being put in to bat. Opener Fakhar Zaman scored 53 off 39 balls and became only the second player in PSL history to reach 3,000 runs. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi had earlier chosen to bat after winning the toss. In reply, Hyderabad, led by Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, were restricted to 130 for 9. Lahore’s pace attack dominated, with Haris Rauf and Ubaid Shah taking two wickets each, while Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman and Afridi chipped in with one apiece.

A recent statement by the state minister for sports and youth affairs, Aminul Haque, regarding Zaima Rahman’s early involvement in football, has drawn widespread public attention, prompting further clarification and renewed discussion about youth sports development. The former goalkeeper of the national football team claimed that Zaima Rahman, who is the only daughter of current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, once had the opportunity to play for the Chelsea Football Club in the United Kingdom. According to the state minister, she was a very talented athlete, and described her as a promising goalkeeper during her early years, noting her height and athletic aptitude for the position. The comments generated considerable discussion online, with many questioning the claim in the context of Bangladesh’s limited historical representation in top-tier English football. But as the debate online continued, a voice from the past came forward to provide the context. A former coach, Mohammad Hakim, who trained Zaima during her time at the International School Dhaka (ISD), shared recollections and archival photographs of her participation in school-level football.

Six Bangladesh national team cricketers will begin competing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Thursday, though their participation in the franchise tournament will be curtailed by an upcoming home series against New Zealand. The Bangladesh Cricket Board cleared the players to join three different franchises in the newly expanded eight-team tournament, which runs from March 26 to May 3. Mustafizur Rahman and Parvez Hossain Emon will represent the Lahore Qalandars. Fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, along with batter Tanzid Hasan, joined Peshawar Zalmi. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain signed with the newly formed Rawalpindi franchise. None of the Bangladeshi players received No Objection Certificates for the full duration of the PSL. New Zealand is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on April 13 for three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 matches. The BCB is prioritizing the ODI matches, scheduled for April 17, 20, and 23, to field a full-strength squad ahead of World Cup qualification efforts. Mustafizur received a split clearance, allowing him to play in Pakistan from March 26 to April 12 before returning to Bangladesh for the ODI series. He is cleared to rejoin the PSL on April 24.//

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has announced he will leave the club at the end of the season, bringing an early end to a nine-year spell at Anfield for one of the club’s all-time great scorers. The 33-year-old Egyptian star, who has scored 255 goals in 435 appearances for Liverpool, agreed to depart a year before his contract was set to expire, the Premier League champions confirmed. Salah’s ninth season at Anfield has seen a dip in form, leading to periods out of the starting lineup. In December, he publicly criticized the club, saying it “threw me under the bus” after being left on the bench. “I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people would become part of my life,” Salah said in an Instagram post. “Liverpool is not just a football club. It’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit… Leaving is never easy.” Liverpool described Salah as “one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history,” noting his remarkable contribution, including eight titles: two Premier Leagues, a Champions League, and multiple domestic trophies. He ranks third on Liverpool’s all-time scorers’ list, behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt, and has won the Premier League Golden Boot four times. Despite signing a two-year contract extension last year, Salah’s relationship with manager Arne Slot became strained this season, which some say affected his legacy. Nevertheless, the club emphasized that he remains focused on finishing the season strongly. There is no word yet on Salah’s next club. Leaving as a free agent would mean Liverpool will not receive a transfer fee. He had previously attracted interest from Saudi club Al-Ittihad, which was turned down in 2023. Liverpool will bid farewell to Salah later this year, after the Premier League season concludes against Brentford on May 24 and the Champions League final the following weekend in Budapest. Teammates have lauded Salah’s professionalism and leadership. Defender Andrew Robertson called him “second to none,” praising his relentless drive on and off the pitch and wishing him a send-off befitting “the greatest.” Salah is currently sidelined with a muscle injury sustained against Galatasaray in the Champions League last week.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cleared six national team players to compete in the upcoming Pakistan Super League on Monday, issuing No Objection Certificates after the government concluded there were no visible security threats in the host country. The board said it consulted extensively with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Bangladesh mission in Islamabad before authorizing the travel. Officials prioritised the personal safety of the players amid ongoing regional instability. Following the clearance, fast bowlers Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Nahid Rana, along with top-order batter Parvez Hossain Emon, departed for Pakistan on Monday. Rana shared a photograph of the group on social media from their flight, captioned "Eid ends." Batter Tanzid Hasan Tamim and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain complete the contingent of cleared players. Mustafizur and Parvez will join the Lahore Qalandars. Shoriful, Nahid, and Tanzim signed with Peshawar Zalmi, while Rishad will play for the Rawalpindi Pindis. The franchise tournament, scheduled from March 26 to May 3, will operate under severe logistical constraints this year. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Saturday that matches will be restricted to two venues and played in empty stadiums, citing a domestic fuel crisis exacerbated by the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East.

Vinícius Júnior scored twice as Real Madrid secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday, keeping their title hopes alive. The Brazilian forward converted a penalty in the 52nd minute to cancel out Ademola Lookman’s first-half opener before netting the winner with a curling strike in the 72nd minute. Midfielder Federico Valverde had earlier put Madrid ahead 2-1, but Atletico responded through Nahuel Molina to level the match before Vinícius struck again. The win keeps second-placed Madrid within four points of league leaders Barcelona with nine matches remaining. Madrid had to endure a tense finish after Valverde was sent off for a late challenge, but they held on despite a late scare when Julián Álvarez hit the post. The match marked Vinícius’ first La Liga goals against Atletico after a series of scoreless derby appearances. “I have worked hard all season for games like this,” Vinícius said. “When this stage of the season arrives, the goals and assists just come.” Coach Álvaro Arbeloa praised the forward’s performance, saying his goal came at a crucial moment and helped secure an important victory. Atletico had taken the lead in the 33rd minute when Lookman scored after a well-worked move involving Giuliano Simeone. Madrid turned the game around early in the second half, but Atletico equalised again before Vinícius delivered the decisive blow. Elsewhere, Barcelona edged Rayo Vallecano 1-0, with Ronald Araújo scoring the only goal, while goalkeeper Joan García impressed. Alavés staged a remarkable comeback from three goals down to beat Celta Vigo 4-3 — the first such away win in La Liga this century. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao defeated Real Betis 2-1.

Chelsea’s poor run of form continued with a 3-0 defeat to Everton, intensifying scrutiny on head coach Liam Rosenior after a series of disappointing results. The loss follows an 8-2 aggregate exit to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and leaves Chelsea without a win in their last four matches across all competitions. Vice-captain Enzo Fernandez said the team has lost “identity, structure and direction” since the departure of former coach Enzo Maresca in January, raising concerns over the club’s current trajectory. Chelsea struggled throughout the match, appearing defensively vulnerable and lacking cohesion, as Everton secured a comfortable victory. Despite the setback, Chelsea remain sixth in the Premier League standings, just one point behind fifth-placed Liverpool, though rivals are closing in with seven matches remaining. Rosenior acknowledged the difficult period but said the team must regroup during the international break and improve performances. Criticism has also focused on frequent squad rotation, with Chelsea making more lineup changes than any other Premier League side this season. The team has failed to score in three consecutive matches and continues to show defensive frailties, conceding the opening goal in multiple recent games. However, Rosenior defended his record, noting the team has collected 17 points from 10 league matches under his tenure and insisting the situation is not as severe as it appears. Qualification for next season’s Champions League remains a key target, with significant financial and sporting implications for the club.   With inputs from BBC