United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and debutant Jaker Ali propelled the Tigers to 252 for seven in the second ODI against Afghanistan on Saturday in Sharjah. Najmul hit the only fifty for Bangladesh. He made 76 with six fours and one six before getting dismissed by Nangeyalia Kharote. Jaker scored 37 off 27 with one four and three sixes. He got a place in the team in the absence of Mushfiqur Rahim, who suffered a blow on his finger in the first match in which Bangladesh lost 92 runs. Nasum Ahmed, who replaced Rishad Hossain in the playing XI, scored 25. For Afghanistan, Nangeyalia Kharote scalped three wickets, while Rashid Khan and AM Ghazanfar took two wickets each. Afghanistan need to score 253 to win this match, which will eventually seal the series for them. Bangladesh played six ODIs in Sharjah but never won a match in this venue.

Sanju Samson became only the fourth batter to score consecutive hundreds in Twenty20 international cricket when he backstopped India's 61-run win over South Africa on Friday. Samson scored 107 runs off 50 balls and led India to 202-8. Wrist spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi then shared six wickets as South Africa crashed to 141 all out in 17.5 overs. India maintained its unbeaten record at Kingsmead against South Africa since 2007. The second match of four is on Sunday at Gqeberha. Samson hit his first T20 hundred less than a month ago, 111 against Bangladesh in Hyderabad. On Friday, he smacked 10 massive sixes and seven boundaries. The previous batters to score consecutive centuries were France's Gustav Mckeon (2022), South Africa's Rilee Rossouw (2022), and England's Phil Salt (2023). Samson shrugged off losing opening partner Abhishek Sharma for 7 by powering to 50 off 27 balls, including three fours and five sixes. India scored 56-1 in the powerplay as Samson put on 66 off 37 balls with skipper Suryakumar Yadav (21). Samson added another 77 off 34 with Tilak Varma, who scored 33 off 18 balls. Samson stole the show as he hit another five sixes to reach 100 off only 47 balls. Samson became only the fourth Indian batter score two or more T20 hundreds after Rohit Sharma (5), skipper Yadav (4), and Lokesh Rahul (2). His 10 sixes were the joint highest for an India T20 batter, beside Sharma against Sri Lanka in 2017. Samson was finally out caught in the 16th over and India lost steam in the death overs. Hardik Pandya fell cheaply but Rinku Singh (11) just managed to push the total past 200. Chasing a par-plus total, South Africa faltered at the start. Skipper Aiden Markram was out for 8, caught behind off Arshdeep Singh. Avesh Khan sent back Tristan Stubb on 11 and the Proteas were down to 30-2 in 3.3 overs. Ryan Rickelton scored 21 off 11 but he fell in the final powerplay over, caught off Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy also ended a rescue attempt between Heinrich Klaasen (25) and David Miller (18), who partnered for 42 off 37. Klaasen was caught in the 12th over and South Africa folded. Four wickets fell for seven runs across just nine deliveries – the Proteast went from 86-3 to 93-7. Gerald Coetzee blazed three sixes in a consolation 23 off 11. Chakravarthy picked 3-25 in four overs, and Bishnoi took 3-28.

Dhaka, Nov 9 (UNB) —Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss in the second ODI against Afghanistan and opted to bat first in Sharjah on Saturday.  Afghanistan are leading the series 0-1, winning the first match by 92 runs after Bangladesh’s batting suffered a dramatic collapse. Bangladesh made two changes in their playing XI, which lost in the first match.  Jaker Ali, and Nasum Ahmed are in to replace Mushfiqur Rahim and Rishad Hossain. With this match, Jaker is making his ODI debut.  Afghanistan fielded an unchanged playing XI. Bangladesh XI: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman Afghanistan XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Nangeyalia Kharote, Fazalhaq Farooqi.        

Haris Rauf took five wickets for 29 runs with his relentless pace as Australia was bowled out for 163 in the second one-day international against Pakistan on Friday. Rauf, who nearly pulled off victory for Pakistan in the first game at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday, found the outside edges of the bat by consistently by hitting the right lengths. Captain Mohammad Rizwan took five catches — four off Rauf's bowling — and could have had a sixth had he not dropped a top-edge off Adam Zampa (18) before Australia was dismissed in 35 overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26) provided the Pakistan breakthrough inside the first power play after Rizwan won the toss and elected to field. Jake Fraser-McGurk hit three crisp boundaries on the off side in Naseem Shah’s first over and provided Australia a rollicking start before Afridi’s twin strike pushed back Australia. Afridi dropped Matt Short at deep fine leg when the ball burst through his hands to the boundary but the left-arm fast bowler made amends when he had Short caught at covers after trapping Fraser-McGurk plumb leg before wicket. Afridi ended Australia's below-par innings when Zampa played a full ball back onto his stumps. Zampa flicked Naseem Shah for a six and a four in an over which enabled the home team to cross the 150-run mark. Rauf, who took 3-67 in the first match before Australia emerged with a two-wicket win, then sliced through the middle-order with only Steve Smith scoring 35 off 48 balls before he too chased a wide short ball of Mohammad Hasnain and edged behind the wicket. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood replaced Sean Abbott in the only change Australia made from the team which edged Pakistan in the first game. Mitchell Starc, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cummins and Hazlewood all will be rested for the final game of the series on Sunday at Perth ahead of five-test series against India, starting Nov. 22 in Perth. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis was named interim captain for the last ODI at Perth. He will also lead the side in next week’s three T20s against Pakistan with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head away on paternity leave.

Manchester United secured its first win in Europe for more than a year by beating PAOK 2-0 in the Europa League on Thursday. Two second-half goals from Amad Diallo sealed the victory at Old Trafford and boosted United's hopes of progressing in the competition, while Tottenham's 100% start was ended by a 3-2 loss at Galatasaray. United's last win in Europe was against Copenhagen in the Champions League on Oct. 24 last year. “We addressed that in the dressing room and it was time to change that, so we did,” United interim head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy said. Diallo's looping header beat PAOK goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski in the 50th minute and he followed that up with a deflected shot from outside the area that nestled into the bottom corner in the 77th. It's two wins from three games for United under Van Nistelrooy, who has one more match — against Leicester on Sunday — before handing over to Ruben Amorim. It is not clear if there will be a role for the Dutchman after his temporary reign, but he is doing what he can to ensure that United is in the best possible position for when Amorim takes charge. Erik ten Hag was fired last week after a woeful start to the campaign left the team in 14th place in the Premier League and without a win in Europe's secondary competition the Europa League. Amorim was quickly hired in his place, but it has been left to Van Nistelrooy to fill the gap while the Portuguese serves a notice period at Sporting Lisbon. He has delivered wins in the English League Cup and the Europa League either side of a draw with Chelsea in the league. Osimhen double Earlier, Victor Osimhen scored twice in eight minutes to help Galatasaray beat Tottenham 3-2 in Turkey. Osimhen scored his first goal in Europe for Galatasaray after his transfer from Napoli with a precise low shot inside the right post to give the host a 2-1 lead in the 31st minute and added his second eight minutes later by heading home a curled cross from the right by Dries Mertens. It was Tottenham's first loss in the competition after three wins. Galatasaray remains unbeaten with three wins and a draw. Every game on Thursday was preceded by a moment of silence to honor the victims of the devastating flooding in Spain. In Istanbul, Yunus Akgün put Galatasary ahead in the sixth minute when Spurs failed to properly clear a free kick by Mertens and the midfielder volleyed home from outside the area past goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Tottenham equalized in the 19th minute through Will Lankshear, who made only his second senior appearance for the London club and netted from close range after a cross from Brennan Johnson. However, Lankshear was later sent off for a second yellow card on the hour mark. Substitute Dominic Solanke pulled a goal back for Tottenham with a backheel finish in the 69th. Lazio perfect Lazio is the only team to maintain a perfect record with four wins after Pedro Rodríguez scored in injury time to secure a 2-1 victory over Porto. Ajax had five different goal scorers in a 5-0 rout of Maccabi Tel-Aviv while three substitutes netted for Alkmaar in its 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce, the first loss of the competition for Jose Mourinho’s team. Latvia’s RFS salvaged a 1-1 draw with Anderlecht with a stoppage-time equalizer as the Belgian side dropped points for the first time. Earlier, Eintracht Frankfurt beat Slavia Prague 1-0 thanks to Omar Marmoush's second-half goal, while Roma was held to a 1-1 draw at Union Saint-Gilloise, another disappointing result after a 3-2 loss to Hellas Verona in Serie A over the weekend. Rangers held last year’s Conference League champion Olympiacos to a 1-1 draw in Greece. Athletic Bilbao beat Ludogorets 2-1 to stay unbeaten with three wins and a draw, while Qarabag upset Bodø/Glimt 3-1 in Norway to earn its first points. Nice drew 2-2 with Twente with both teams finishing the game reduced to 10 men. Conference League Chelsea demolished Armenian club Noah 8-0 to set a record for the biggest victory in the third-tier Conference League. Chelsea took a 6-0 lead in the first half on two goals from João Félix, and one a piece from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Axel Disasi and Mykhailo Mudryk. Christopher Nkunku added two more in the second half, the second from the spot. Nordsjaelland had the previous record, beating Ludogorets 7-1 last season. Chelsea is one of six teams with three wins after three games. Vitória beat Mladá Boleslav 2-1, Jagellonia defeated Molde 3-0 and Heidenheim won 2-0 at Hearts. Earlier, Legia Warsaw routed Dinamo Minsk 4-0 and SK Rapid eased past Petrocub 3-0.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has been suspended for two matches by Cricket West Indies over his very public disagreement with captain Shai Hope over field placements during a one-day international against England. While West Indies was bowling during the match Wednesday which the Caribbean side won by eight wickets to clinch the three-match series, Joseph left the field in a remarkable protest over the field set by Hope during one of the fast bowler's overs. Joseph and Hope engaged in a lengthy argument before the fourth over which was bowled by Joseph and had to be urged by the umpires to resume play. After a ball was played away on the off side during the over, Joseph remonstrated angrily with Hope and when the over ended he walked from the field, returning after a short break. On Thursday, Cricket West Indies said in a statement Joseph's conduct fell short of CWI's “standards of professionalism.” "Alzarri’s behavior did not align with the core values that Cricket West Indies upholds. Such conduct cannot be overlooked, and we have taken decisive action to ensure the gravity of the situation is fully acknowledged," said CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe. Joseph also issued an apology. “I recognize that my passion got the best of me,” Joseph was quoted as saying in the CWI statement. "I have personally apologized to captain Shai Hope and my teammates and management. I also extend my sincerest apologies to the West Indies fans — understand that even a brief lapse in judgment can have a far-reaching impact, and I deeply regret any disappointment caused.” With the one-day series concluded, England and the West Indies meet in a five-match Twenty20 series beginning Saturday at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.

Barcelona and Inter Milan won again in the Champions League on Wednesday though both former title holders are looking up in the standings toward upstart newcomer Brest. Aston Villa started the week atop the 36-team table but its winning run ended after a bizarre penalty was awarded when defender Tyrone Mings picked up the ball in the area at Club Brugge, resulting in a 1-0 loss that sent the English club plummeting to eighth place. Paris Saint-Germain, in its first season without Kylian Mbappé, trails far behind in 25th after Atletico Madrid scored in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win for the Spanish team at Parc des Princes. Barcelona’s blistering scoring form continued in a 5-2 win at Red Star Belgrade — a seventh straight win since the start of October at a rate of four goals per game. Robert Lewandowski scored twice and has 21 this season. Inter Milan stifled Arsenal in a 1-0 win at San Siro sealed by Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s penalty in first-half stoppage time. Inter is unbeaten on 10 points and in fifth place, one below Brest which won 2-1 at Sparta Prague. The French debutant looks sure to advance to the knockout phase starting in February. Atalanta won 2-0 at Stuttgart to stay unbeaten on eight points and Salzburg got its first goals and points in a 3-1 win at Feyenoord. Bayern Munich won 1-0 at home to Benfica in a game that was delayed 15 minutes by crowd congestion and then was played in a muted atmosphere because of a medical incident for a fan. Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Heorhiy Sudakov had a fine assist and an even better goal in a 2-1 win for the Ukrainian champion against Young Boys. Shakhtar’s No. 10 showed why he is expected to be the club’s next big-money sale. Liverpool, which on Tuesday routed Bayer Leverkusen 4-0, leads the standings at the midway point of the eight-round program. Liverpool is the only team with four straight wins, while five teams have four losses. They are Leipzig, Sturm Graz, Young Boys, Red Star and Slovan Bratislava. Two Italian teams – Inter Milan and Atalanta – have yet to concede a goal in four games. Another Italian side, Bologna, is the only team with no goals scored. Villa slides Villa had led the standings in the new league-phase format after three straight wins without conceding a goal — and it took a bizarre incident before goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was eventually beaten. Mings was punished for picking up the ball when Martínez seemed to restart play with a goal kick passed forward to his teammate. Mings walked a couple steps to gather the ball with his left hand and returned to place it in the six-yard box. "It’s the biggest mistake I witnessed in my career,” Villa coach Unai Emery said. “It has only happened one time in all my life. Today.” Brugge captain Hans Vanaken placed the 52nd-minute spot-kick to Martínez's left as the World Cup-winning Argentina goalkeeper dived to his right. Bayern and Dinamo It was the standout result of the inaugural week of the new Champions League in September: Bayern Munich 9, Dinamo Zagreb 2. It was the first time a team had scored nine times in a game in the 32-year Champions League era, and Dinamo fired its coach two days later. Since then? Bayern lost twice, including a 4-1 rout at Barcelona, and Dinamo won twice. At the end of play Wednesday, Bayern was 17th on six points, one place below Dinamo on seven. If those placings hold until January, they meet again twice more in the knockout playoffs round. Next up The fifth round in three weeks' time has perhaps the stellar attraction of 144 games in the league phase: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid. That game on Nov. 27 is a rematch of the 2022 and 2018 finals, both won by Madrid, and the 1981 European Cup title match that Liverpool won. There is another final rematch: Bayern Munich hosts PSG on Nov. 26 in a repeat of the pandemic-season final played in August 2020 without fans in Lisbon. Also, sixth-place Barcelona hosts Brest, a fixture which might have been overlooked when the draw was made in August yet the French team is currently fourth. Only the top eight teams in January advance directly to the round of 16 in March.

The Max Group 33rd National Swimming, Diving and Waterpolo Championship’2024 , organized by Bangladesh Swimming Federation (BSF) and sponsored by Max Group, begins on Saturday (November 9) at the Syed Nazmul Islam National Swimming Complex in Mirpur. BSF Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Max Group Engineer Golam Mohammad Alamgir will inaugurate the four-day meet on Saturday afternoon. Tournament’s sponsor Max Group will bear the entire expenses of the meet. Some 550 athletes and 185 officials from 52 teams including, different divisions, district, Army, Navy, Air Force, BKSP, BGB, Police, Ansar and swimming clubs will participate in 38 swimming (19 each for the male and female), three diving and one waterpolo event of the meet. The details of the meet disclosed by acting general secretary of the Swimming Federation M. Salim Miah at a press conference at the Dutch Bangla auditorium of the Bangladesh Olympic Association here on Thursday. Representative of the Max Group Ibrahim Khalil Palash was also present of the occasion. BSF president and Chief of Bangladesh Navy Admiral M Nazmul Hasan will be the chief guest at the closing and prize distribution ceremony on Tuesday (November 12). The champions, runners-up teams, the best male and female athletes of the meet will be awarded with trophies.

Struggling to make an impact at Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé has again been left out of the France squad. The captain was not included on Thursday in coach Didier Deschamps' list of players for Nations League matches against Israel and Italy. Mbappé was also absent from the previous gathering because of a minor thigh injury. But this time Mbappé is not injured, and wanted to be selected, Deschamps said. "It’s my responsibility to make decisions. I think it’s better that way," Deschamps said. He would not elaborate on his choice to do without the striker, but said it was not related to recent reports in Swedish media that the former Paris Saint-Germain star was the subject of a rape investigation “I’m not going to argue,” Descamps said. “What I can tell you are these two things. One, that Kylian wanted to come. And two, it’s not the extra sporting problems that come into play since the presumption of innocence exists and must exist. It’s a one-off choice for this gathering.” Mbappé's performances have been below par in recent weeks after he joined Madrid from PSG this summer. His struggles to adapt to his new side's playing style have coincided with a global rough patch of form for the Spanish club. Mbappé was invisible during the 4-0 loss to Barcelona last month in the clasico and wasn't a factor this week in a 3-1 loss to AC Milan in the Champions League. Mbappé hasn't added to his 48 goals for France since June. His absence from Deschamp’s squad last month turned into controversy when he started a Spanish league game for Madrid following his omission, amid sharp criticism from fans. During his time off from club and country, as France beat Israel and Belgium in the Nations League, Mbappé visited Stockholm. Swedish media later reported he was the subject of a rape investigation. His legal team dismissed those reports as false. Swedish prosecutors issued a brief statement on Tuesday saying a rape was reported to police but didn’t name any suspect. France plays Israel on Nov. 14 in Paris then travels to Italy three days later.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are poised to add another entry into their rapidly developing rivalry when the ATP Finals open on Sunday without any of the Big Three for the first time in 23 years. The top-ranked Sinner and No. 3 Alcaraz evenly split the year’s Grand Slam titles between them with two apiece and it would be fitting if the pair meet again in Turin. Sinner and Alcaraz were placed in different groups in Thursday's draw. The Ilie Nastase Group features Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur. The John Newcombe Group features Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev. After the round-robin stage, the top two finishers in each group advance to the semifinals. The big name missing is that of defending champion Novak Djokovic, who withdrew on Tuesday due to an unspecified injury. Djokovic, Federer and Nadal absent Not since 2001 has the finals been held without at least one of Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. This season also was the first since 2002 without at least one Grand Slam title for a member of that trio. Djokovic has won the ATP Finals a record seven times. He beat Sinner in the final last year. Federer, who retired in 2022, won the event six times after making his debut in 2002; Nadal, who is retiring after playing in the Davis Cup the week after finals, was the runner-up twice at the finals but never won it. Sinner withdrew from last week’s Paris Masters due to a virus and showed up early in Turin for training. “This is for me the main event of the end of the year,” Sinner said. Decision on Sinner doping still pending As an Italian, Sinner will be the main focus of attention in Turin. It’s the first time Sinner is playing at home since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive in two separate drug tests this year. A decision to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September and the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport is expected to make a final ruling on the case early next year. Alcaraz is 3-0 vs Sinner this year Sinner opened this year by winning the Australian Open to become the first Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title in nearly a half-century — since Adriano Panatta raised the French Open trophy in 1976. Alcaraz then claimed the French Open and Wimbledon titles to raise his career total to four Grand Slams. Sinner responded by winning the U.S. Open. Alcaraz won all three official meetings with Sinner this year and holds a 6-4 advantage in their career head-to-head rivalry. Last month, Sinner beat Alcaraz in the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia. Zverev seeks third title The only two players in the field to have won the finals are Zverev and Medvedev. Zverev won in London in 2018 and in Turin in 2021; Medvedev triumphed in 2020, the final year the event was held in London. Zverev enters in solid form coming off a title at the Paris Masters and leapfrogged Alcaraz into No. 2 in the rankings this week. Fritz is looking to add another big result after his maiden Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open; Ruud was a finalist in 2022; De Minaur is making his tournament debut; and Rublev is making his fifth straight appearance. Winner gets $4.8 million If a player wins all five of his matches en route to the trophy, he will earn $4.8 million — the largest winner’s prize on the men’s tour. That’s significantly more than what Sinner and Alcaraz earned for their victories at the U.S. Open ($3.6 million) and Wimbledon (2.7 million pounds or $3.45 million) this year.