United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh bowler Taskin Ahmed admitted to missing the team bus before a crucial T20 World Cup match against India. However, he denied that this incident was the reason he was not selected to play in the match. Earlier this week, a private TV station reported that Taskin was late to wake up and missed the team bus, indicating that this was the reason behind the team management leaving him out of the match against India. The Bangladesh team management included Jaker Ali in that match to replace Taskin. The fact that Jaker is not a pace bowler like Taskin indicates that the team planned to include an extra batter to strengthen the batting line. Taskin's post “I would like everyone to know that most of the news and information being spread are nothing more than rumors, and I would hope that the fans treat it as such,” Taskin wrote in a statement on his social media handle. He also said that he reached the venue at 9:40 am local time, 20 minutes before the toss. He then sang the national anthem with the team before the match, which began at 10:30 am local time. “It’s quite unfortunate that these so-called sports journalists are printing news based on rumors and without verification, trying to tarnish my image as a player of the national cricket team,” Taskin’s statement further reads. “I know I made an honest mistake by not getting on the team bus on time, but I was at the stadium before the toss,” it adds. Taskin also said he would take legal action to address such “frivolous issues like this” in the future “to ensure no one tries to malign my reputation or integrity as a sportsman or a human being”. However, an earlier statement by Shakib Al Hasan painted a different picture. The Bangladesh allrounder said Taskin reached the venue just 10 minutes before the match, indicating that this was the reason behind leaving Taskin out of the playing XI. Bangladesh won three matches, their most in a single edition of a T20 World Cup, out of the seven they played. However, they failed to win a crucial match against Afghanistan, which could have secured their first-ever semifinal berth. That defeat nearly erased all the good that the Bangladesh team has done in the World Cup.

Daniel Muñoz scored the tying goal in the first-half stoppage time, and Colombia won its first-round group at the Copa America with a 1-1 draw against Brazil on Tuesday night that extended its unbeaten streak to 26 games. Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas saved Brazil's final chance on a shot by Andreas Pereira in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. Colombia plays Panama in a quarterfinal on Saturday at Glendale, Arizona, while Brazil fell into what appears to be a more difficult game against Uruguay later that night at Las Vegas. Los Cafeteros, who finished with seven points to Brazil's five, had back-to-back scoring chances in the 84th minute but couldn't capitalize. Brazil went ahead in the 12th minute when Raphinha launched a left-footed free kick into the upper right corner of the net just above the outstretched hand of Vargas. The Brazilian winger jumped and pumped his fist as the seasoned Seleção struck first on a blazing-hot night at Levi's Stadium, home of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. US eliminated from Copa America with 1-0 loss to Uruguay, increasing pressure to fire Berhalter Players put on an entertaining show in the Group D finale, with Brazil’s Bruno Guimarães calling Colombia “a stone in our shoe” in the lead up to Tuesday. What was expected to be a tense, physical, foul-filled match more than lived up to that hype featuring five yellow cards as a sea of jerseys the same color representing both countries packed the seats — once the fans finally got inside, that is. Some scanning equipment became very hot and slowed down the process. The Bay Area is facing an excessive heat warning and the temperature at kickoff was 98 degrees — though about half the field on one sideline was shaded. In the eighth minute, James Rodríguez had Colombia's best early chance when he hit the bar on a left-footed shot on a direct free kick from outside the penalty area He had another shot in the 16th that sailed high. The midfielder has three assists this tournament for Los Cafeteros. He turns 33 on July 12. Brazil, a team so accustomed to chasing championships in this event, faces a tougher road without a win against Colombia. The Seleção have captured Copa titles nine times and were runner-up in the 2021 tournament. Colombia already had secured its spot in the quarterfinal round and has a 26-match unbeaten streak — including a 5-1 victory against the U.S. in a pre-tournament friendly, while Brazil then settled for a 1-1 draw with the Americans four days later in another tuneup. Colombia beat Brazil 2-1 last year in the South American qualifiers and their first meeting since three matchups in 2021, when Brazil topped Colombia 2-1 in the Copa America.  

Following Bangladesh's disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan met the media, struggling to explain the national team's failures. Initially saying the board was pleased with reaching the second round, he later admitted uncertainty about the team's poor performance. His contradictory remarks underscored the board's own struggles to pinpoint the issues hindering the team and chart a path forward for Bangladesh cricket. Bangladesh won three of seven matches, one against Sri Lanka and two against associate nations—Netherlands and Nepal. Despite a favorable chance to secure a semifinal spot with a win over Afghanistan, their failure sparked widespread criticism and questions about the team's direction. In a chaotic press conference, Nazmul's statements wavered between defending and expressing disappointment in the team. “The wickets against Australia and India were vastly different from those in New York and St. Vincent. It's tough to win against them on such pitches,” he offered, attempting to rationalize the team's poor showing. After a disastrous T20 World Cup, what's next for Bangladesh cricket? “When we needed to defend, I saw them trying to hit. When we needed to hit, I saw them defending,” he remarked, criticizing the team's lack of strategy and execution. Against Afghanistan, Bangladesh needed 116 runs in 12.1 overs to qualify for the semifinals with a better run rate than Afghanistan and Australia. The team fell short. Captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto later said they abandoned their effort to win within 12.1 overs after losing three quick wickets. Nazmul's frustration was evident. “This is unacceptable. As long as I watched, it didn't seem like that. They tried while Tawhid Hridoy was there. Mahmudullah (Riyad) and Rishad (Hossain) also got out trying to hit sixes.” While addressing questions, Nazmul admitted the board had yet to communicate with the players and coaching staff about the team's performance, saying he could have provided more insights had they done so. T20 World Cup: Bangladesh need 116 to advance to semifinal Nazmul also addressed the harsh criticism of the players, often devolving into personal attacks, vowing that the board would not tolerate such behavior in the future. “You want to ask questions, I won't stop you, and I won't ever not answer. Whether it's right or wrong, I've always told you what I think,” he affirmed. However, he stressed the need for boundaries, particularly when criticism becomes personal. BCB announces women's cricket team for ACC Women's Asia Cup 2024

Arambagh Krira Sangha made a flying start in the Bashundhara Group Senior (First) Division Football League 2023-24 outplaying Swadhinata Krira Sangha by 4-0 goals at the Bir  Sherestha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur Tuesday morning. Ripon Miah, Sajol Ahmed, Shafikul Islam and Arafat Mia scored one each for Arambagh KS, which dominated the first half by 3-0 goals. In the day' s another match, East End Club beat Mohakhali Ekadash by 2-0 goals at the same venue Tuesday afternoon. Rabiul Majumder and Parvez Mia scored for East Énd Club, one in each half. The day's other match between Bangladesh Boys Club and Nababpur Krira Chakra ended in a goalless draw at the same venue this afternoon.

Taskin Ahmed, Bangladesh's vice-captain and pace bowler, missed the team's Super Eight match against India in the T20 World Cup as he overslept and missed the team bus. A source from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), who was part of the team management, confirmed the incident to UNB, saying it was the first time in recent memory that a player had missed the team bus on match day. Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh all-rounder who left Dhaka for the USA on Wednesday, also confirmed Taskin's tardiness. He will play in the Major League Cricket in the USA.  “These things (waking someone up from sleep) don't happen in cricket. There are no rules in cricket that say the entire team should wait like this for someone at the hotel. The team never waits,” Shakib stated. “When we were playing age-level cricket, we remember instances where a cricketer was running behind the bus, but the door closed, and the bus left. The whole team doesn't stop for one person,” he added.  As Taskin failed to arrive on time, Jaker Ali replaced him in the match against India, which Bangladesh ultimately lost. Taskin had previously played four matches and taken seven wickets, making his absence against India a significant loss for the team.  “Taskin probably reached the field just around 10 minutes before the match,” Shakib added. “It was tough for the team management to include him in the playing XI.” Shakib also said Taskin offered an apology to the team, and the team accepted that.    

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed this year's European Championship will be the last of his career. The Portugal superstar, who is 39, is playing at the Euros for a record sixth time and has helped his country reach the quarterfinals — where Kylian Mbappé and France await in Hamburg on Friday. Speaking to Portuguese public broadcaster RTP after the penalty-shootout victory over Slovenia on Monday, Ronaldo said: “It is, without doubt, my last European Championship. “But I’m not emotional about that. I’m moved by all that football means — by the enthusiasm I have for the game, the enthusiasm for seeing my supporters, my family, the affection people have for me." Ronaldo, who is one of the most prolific scorers in soccer history and has a record 14 goals at European Championships, said his main motivation now was “making people happy.” He was reduced to tears during the Slovenia game after having a penalty saved in extra time. “It’s not about leaving the world of football," he said. “What else is there for me to do or win? It’s not going to come down to one point more or one point less.”

Gregg Berhalter gave a single-word answer after the United States was eliminated from the Copa America with a loss to Uruguay when asked whether he was the right man to lead the Americans into the 2026 World Cup. “Yes,” Berhalter said. Plenty of others are sure to have plenty more to say about his future with the national team. After a disastrous loss to Panama put the U.S. in a dire predicament, Berhalter's lineup of players from European clubs created precious few opportunities against Uruguay. And when Mathías Olivera found the back of the net for a questionable second-half goal, La Celeste walked out of Arrowhead Stadium with a 1-0 victory on Monday night and the Americans were left wondering how everything had gone so wrong. “We're all going to do a review of the whole tournament and see where we fell short,” Berhalter said. “It's obvious the Panama game hurt us, put us behind the 8-ball, and I think collectively — the staff, the players, the sporting department — have to look at where do we improve. How do we get better? We know it's a talented team, one with big potential, and we didn't show it.” Berhalter and the U.S. hoped to show the team had advanced since its round-of-16 elimination against the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup. Instead, the U.S. managed only a 2-0 win over lowly Bolivia and were upset 2-1 by the Panamanians. “We had a good start and brought a lot of energy but at the end of the day, just not enough quality,” U.S. captain Christian Pulisic said. “I felt like we gave it everything but we just couldn’t score.” Indeed, the lone goal Monday night came in the 66th minute when Nicolas De La Cruz swung a free kick in front of the American goal. Matt Turner parried a header by Ronald Araújo, who out-jumped defender Tim Ream, but the rebound went right to Olivera and he tapped the ball in with his left foot. Olivera appeared to be offside on the initial header but the goal stood after a video review. Three minutes before Uruguay scored, the U.S. was in position to advance. Bruno Miranda had tied the score for Bolivia against Panama in a game started simultaneously in Orlando, Florida, which meant the U.S. would only need a tie. But Panama went on to a 3-1 victory to claim the second spot in Group C behind Uruguay, and the U.S. was bounced from the group stage for the first time in 20 continental and global tournaments on home soil. “This is still a young team. Still a lot of potential. But potential doesn't really matter if you go out on the pitch and you don't get the job done,” defender Antonee Robinson said. “Everyone needs to try and up the level, myself included.” Berhalter was rehired in June 2023 and given a contract through the upcoming World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico. But despite a lineup that included Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, the U.S. failed to even match its last Copa America appearance, when it lost to Argentina in the 2016 semifinals. During the second half Monday night, the home crowd of 55,460 in less-than-full Arrowhead Stadium began chanting, “Fire Gregg.” The U.S. next plays September friendlies against Canada and New Zealand. “It wasn't only Copa America. It's learning from these high-level games we're playing pre-tournament,” Berhalter said, “and having this collective understanding that the margins are so small, and there is very little separating any of these teams.” Uruguay played without coach Marcelo Bielsa, suspended for sending his team out late for the second half of its first two games. Diego Reyes and Pablo Quiroga were in charge on a mild but humid night in Kansas City. Berhalter and the Americans knew the difficulty of their situation — Pulisic at one point said they would need to play “the best game of our lives” to advance — and they looked like a team with nothing to lose for most of the first half. It was one marked by physical play and questionable calls. Folarin Balogun, who had two goals already in the tournament, bore the brunt of several challenges. He was left calling for help after a collision with Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, then was left rolling on the field after Araújo’s challenge later in the half. Balogun eventually had to leave with a hip pointer and Ricardo Pepi took his place. Uruguay lost Maximiliano Araújo earlier in the half after a scary collision with Ream near the U.S. goal. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher, though he was able to move his arms before heading up the tunnel. In the middle of the chaos was 32-year-old Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega, whose several questionable calls hurt the U.S. The first came when Ortega began to pull a yellow card and stop play, then allowed it to continue — while still holding the card — as Uruguay nearly scored on an attack. The second came when the U.S. had a clear advantage after a hand ball on Uruguay, but the Peruvian referee eventually blew his whistle and called the play back for a free kick. “This referee was awful,” Robinson said. “I've never seen a referee, you know, let a quick free kick go while he's got a yellow card in his hand. And it's literally embarrassing. And I hope something happens to him from that.” Uruguay applied more pressure midway through the second half, then had the Americans in desperation mode after the goal. And while the U.S. had a few good runs and a couple of good opportunities in the box, a team that had such big expectations was unable to find the two goals it needed — or even one. “The U.S. is a very strong team, but if you push us to play tough, we can do that,” Uruguay's Manuel Ugarte said. "And we can play beautiful (attractive) soccer as well. We adapt to the circumstances of the match.”

Cristiano Ronaldo was not dropped by Portugal for the round-of-16 game this time. Ronaldo is captaining Portugal and leading the attack picked by coach Roberto Martinez to face Slovenia on Monday in Frankfurt in the first knockout round of the European Championship. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Ronaldo was benched by then-coach Fernando Santos for the round-of-16 game against Switzerland. His replacement Gonçalo Ramos scored three times in a 6-1 win. Ramos is on the bench on Monday with Ronaldo supported in attack by Rafael Leão and Bernardo Silva. Mbappé and France into Euro 2024 quarterfinals after Muani's late goal beats Belgium 1-0 Martinez looks to have opted for a changed 4-3-3 formation, anchored by holding midfielder João Palhinha. Diogo Dalot had been playing in a three-man central defense. Slovenia's 4-4-2 formation is led in attack by Benjamin Šeško, who was linked with a big-money move to Arsenal before extending his contract at Leipzig days before Euro 2024. Šeško will be up against defender Pepe, 20 years older at age 41, and playing at his fifth Euros. The winner will advance to face Belgium or France in the quarterfinals on Friday in Hamburg. Teams: Portugal: Diogo Costa, João Cancelo, Pepe, Rúben Dias, Nuno Mendes; Bruno Fernandes, João Palhinha, Vitinha; Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leão, Cristiano Ronaldo. Lautaro Martínez scores twice and Argentina playing without Messi beats Peru 2-0 to end group play Slovenia: Jan Oblak, Žan Karničnik, Vanja Drkušić, Jaka Bijol, Jure Balkovec; Petar Stojanović, Adam Gnezda Čerin, Timi Elšnik, Jan Mlakar; Andraž Šporar, Benjamin Šeško.

Kylian Mbappé and France advanced to the European Championship quarterfinals after Randal Kolo Muani's deflected shot secured a 1-0 win over Belgium on Monday. Kolo Muani sent in an effort in the 85th minute that looped up off Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen and over stranded goalkeeper Koen Casteels. France will play Portugal or Slovenia in the quarterfinals on Friday. Mbappé, again wearing a mask to protect his broken nose, had five shots but none were on target in a low-quality match between the teams ranked No. 2 (France) and No. 3 (Belgium) who largely canceled each other out. Euro 2024: Portugal brings title-winning experience to face knockout rounds newcomer Slovenia The French won ugly but, for coach Didier Deschamps, it was “beautiful.” “We played a tough game against a great team, it was close,” he said. "Although I think we had a lot more possession and a lot more chances. Kolo is Kolo! “We have to savor it. We mustn’t underestimate this achievement. We’re in the quarterfinals.” Add a fortunate deflected shot to an own-goal and a penalty — scored by Mbappé — as France's only goals at Euro 2024. That will do little to stop the growing dissent of France's fans who feel more can come from a talented bunch of players headlined by Mbappé, playing on the day he officially became a Real Madrid player. Mbappé will be playing in his first ever quarterfinal at the European Championship, with France having lost on a penalty shootout to Switzerland in the last 16 at the last tournament in 2021. Lautaro Martínez scores twice and Argentina playing without Messi beats Peru 2-0 to end group play It was also a nice moment for Kolo Muani, whose last big moment at a major tournament came when he bore down on goal in the last seconds of extra time in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina. His shot was saved by Emi Martinez, when a goal would surely have won the title for France. “I was lucky enough to get my shot on target,” he said of his decisive intervention against Belgium. “It was blocked but it went in. We’re very, very happy and very, very proud.” Belgium heads home after a fairly miserable Euro 2024, during which the players were jeered loudly by their own fans following a 0-0 draw with Ukraine at the end of the group stage. Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne was deployed as a deep-lying midfielder in a bid to help control the game, with the Belgians intent on not leaving it open for France's quick attackers like Mbappé. The tactic would have been a masterstroke had Belgium won. It didnt, and more criticism is likely heading coach Domenico Tedesco's way.

After lifting the T20 World Cup title after a gap of over a decade, the Indian cricket team is still celebrating. It was the fourth-biggest ICC title for the Indian team overall. Before this, they had won two 50-over World Cups and one T20 World Cup. Hundreds of millions of Indian fans are waiting for the team to return home. But hurricane Beryl has hampered their festivities and delayed their return home. CNN reported that Hurricane Beryl is the first big storm of the 2024 Atlantic season. It has intensified into a Category 4 hurricane, which is considered dangerous. As of Sunday, it had sustained winds of 130 miles per hour and made its way to the Caribbean.  Indian media reports indicate that the Indian team, comprising approximately 70 people— players, family members, and staff, had initially planned to travel from Barbados to New York, and then on to New Delhi.  India clinch second T20 World Cup title in thrilling finale as Proteas' horrors return Unfortunately, the Caribbean island lacks an aircraft capable of accommodating such a large group. As a result, the BCCI is tasked with arranging a flight that can carry all 70 members.  It, as of July 1 afternoon in India, remains unclear when the Indian team will secure a suitable aircraft and subsequently arrive in New Delhi.  Meanwhile, Indian fans have been jubilantly celebrating the elusive World Cup victory, considering it a new era for Indian cricket.  Following the win, star batter Virat Kohli, who played a crucial role in the final, announced his retirement from the format. Shortly after, Rohit Sharma, the Indian T20I captain, also bid farewell to T20I cricket, both citing the desire for fresh talent to get more opportunities.  While this was Virat's second World Cup title, having previously won the 50-over World Cup in 2011, it was Rohit's first. This victory also marked the first World Cup for Rahul Dravid, who coached the Indian team throughout the tournament and concluded his coaching stint with this win.  India defeated South Africa, who had reached the final of an ICC event for the first time, to secure their second T20 World Cup title. Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah were instrumental in the team's triumphant victory.