Sports
Argentina beats Brazil 1-0 in World Cup qualifying after crowd violence delays start
Many fans came to the Maracana Stadium on Tuesday to watch Lionel Messi in his likely last match in Brazil, a superclasico in World Cup qualifying against the hosts. Instead, they saw Nicolás Otamendi score the only goal in a 1-0 win for Argentina after a brawl between fans that delayed the start of the game.
The World Cup champions inflicted the first home defeat on Brazil ever in World Cup qualifying. It was Brazil’s third consecutive loss in the round-robin tournament — another negative mark for new coach Fernando Diniz.
Messi left the pitch in the 78th minute amid a mixture of jeers and applause from Brazil fans. Dozens of children arrived at the Maracana wearing the shirts of Barcelona, the star’s previous club, and Inter Miami.
The Argentine star wasn’t able to end one of his last barriers in the sport at the Maracana, though, to score against the Brazilians in a World Cup qualifier.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Shekh Morsalin guides Bangladesh to draw with Lebanon
Argentina will return home not only atop the South American qualifying standings but also having given its fans one more chance to celebrate a victory at the historic stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Two years ago, Ángel di Maria scored the only goal in an empty Maracana to give his team the Copa America title.
The violent pre-match incident, starting shortly after the national anthems, stalled the start for 27 minutes. Argentina, led by Messi, headed to the locker rooms for 22 minutes. At least one fan left the stadium bleeding from his head. Rio police said they had arrested eight people due to the brawl.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Bangladesh to play Lebanon on Tuesday
The aggression between fans was reflected on the field in the first 20 minutes of the encounter; the referee gave fouls against Brazil during that time. The tension eased and allowed Argentina to avoid direct confrontation.
Brazil wasted opportunities, with Raphinha’s free kick in the 38th minute and Cristian Romero saving Argentina near the goal line six minutes later after a crossed shot by Gabriel Martinelli.
Brazil suggested they would keep the pressure after the break. Rodrygo forced goalkeeper Dibu Martinez to a close-range save in the 54th.
But Argentina’s goal in the 63rd with a header by Otamendi, who jumped above the Brazilian defenders to meet a corner kick, was one of the few chances the team created.
Teenager Endrick, one of Brazil’s big hopes up front, didn’t make much difference after he went on in the 72nd.
In the 81st, midfielder Joelinton, who had just stepped in as a substitute for Brazil, was sent off after pushing Rodrigo de Paul. Brazil fans ended the match chanting “ole” for every touch of the Argentinians, while the visiting supporters waved their shirts as some of their players celebrated on the pitch.
Argentina leads the 10-team South American qualifying competition with 15 points from six matches, followed by Uruguay on 13 and Colombia. Brazil could end the year in sixth position, with seven points.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will include 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the top six teams from South America. The seventh-place team can earn a berth in an intercontinental playoff.
Also on Tuesday, Colombia won 1-0 at Paraguay; Uruguay beat Bolivia 3-0 in Montevideo; and Ecuador topped Chile 1-0.
Peru and Venezuela were still playing at the time the Brazil vs. Argentina match ended.
The seventh and eighth rounds of South American qualifying will take place in September after the next edition of Copa America in the United States.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Shekh Morsalin guides Bangladesh to draw with Lebanon
Promising striker Shekh Morsalin guided hosts Bangladesh to a 1-1 draw with the superior Arabian rivals Lebanon in their home match of the four-team Group I of the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualfiers at the housefull floodlight Bashundhara Kings Arena here Tuesday evening.
This was the first draw between 183rd-ranked Bangladesh and 104th-ranked Lebanon in their fourth meeting since 2011.
Lebanon had the upper hand in three previous meetings, beating Bangladesh twice against one defeat.
After a barren first half in the day's keenly contested match, substitute forward Majed Osman put Lebanon ahead in the 68th minute with an easy angular shot from a handshake distance, utilising blander mistakes by Bangladesh defender and substitute cusdodian Srabon (1-0).
Morsalin, who returned to the national squad after facing suspension, levelled the margin for Bangladesh just four minutes later (72nd minute) by a powerful shot amid huge jubilations from house-full local fans (1-1).
Bangladesh partly dominated over their superior rivals, Lebanon, except for the first ten minutes of the goalless first half, where they managed three good chances that were spoiled by Bishwanath Ghosh and Shekh Morsalin.
Bishwanath Ghosh managed the first chance in the 24th minute off a Jamal Bhuyan corner, but his poor header nicely saved the opponent goalkeeper.
Shekh Morsalin spoiled the remaining two chances in the 34th and 44th minutes as he failed to connect the ball home from close.
The match was also keenly contested in the second half, when both teams scored one goal each and left the field sharing one point each.
The Bangladesh team played the day's vital match without two key players, forward Rakib Hossain and defender Saaduddin, who missed the match against Lebanon for receiving the second yellow card in the last match against Australia.
Earlier, in the FIFA World Cup Qualification in 2011, Bangladesh conceded a 0-4 goal defeat against Lebanon in the away match, but Bangladesh returned brilliantly, beating Lebanon by 2-0 goals in their home match 12 years ago.
In the last SAFF Championship held in the Indian city of Bengaluru in June this year, Lebanon played as an invitee team and beat Bangladesh by 2-0 goals, both scored in the last ten minutes of the match.In their opening 2nd round Group I match of the going FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifers, Bangladesh made a frustrating start after conceding their 2nd worst 0-7 goals defeat against much stronger Australia in Melbourne last Thursday (Nov 16), featuring a hattrick by Maclaren.
Nafis Iqbal Returns as Bangladesh Team Manager
Former Bangladesh opener Nafis Iqbal is set to make a comeback as the national team manager during the home series against New Zealand later this month.
He previously served as the team manager leading up to the World Cup.
However, for reasons undisclosed, he was sidelined during the tournament.
Read: ICC World Cup: Champions to get $4 million in prize money besides trophy
Sources from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have confirmed Nafis's return to his former position.
The first match of the two-match Test series will commence in Sylhet on November 28th.
BCB has already announced a 15-member team for this series.
In the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, the regular captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the Bangladesh team.
Read: World Cup 2023 Final: India stumble, lose 3 wickets before reaching 100
Bangladesh squad for New Zealand Test series: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Naeem Hasan, Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Hasan Morad.
ICC World Cup 2023: Top Performers in Batting, Bowling and Fielding At a Glance
The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup wrapped up with Australia beating India in the much awaited final, securing their sixth World Cup title with a six-wicket win. Across the tournament, numerous players showcased their skills and made their mark on the pitch. Let’s take a look at the top performers of ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023.
Top Batters in ICC World Cup 2023
Table: Best 5 batters in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup Tournament
Player
Matches
Innings
Runs
High Score
Average
Strike Rate
100s
50s
Virat Kohli (IND)
11
11
765
117
95.62
90.31
3
6
Rohit Sharma (IND)
11
11
597
131
54.27
125.94
1
3
Quinton de Kock (SA)
10
10
594
174
59.40
107.02
4
-
Rachin Ravindra (NZ)
10
10
578
123*
64.22
106.44
3
2
Daryl Mitchell (NZ)
10
9
552
134
69.00
111.06
2
2
Virat Kohli (IND)
Virat Kohli’s performance in the World Cup 2023 was nothing short of extraordinary. He scored six 50s and three centuries, setting a new tournament record with an aggregate of 765 runs. This surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s previous record of 673 by an impressive margin of 92 runs. Kohli’s crucial innings, particularly his 85 against Australia in India’s tournament opener when they were 2 for 3, established the tone for his outstanding run.
While much attention was given to his personal milestones, such as his 49th and 50th ODI centuries, Kohli ensured that his brisk run-scoring consistently contributed to the team’s success. Virat Kohli was honored with the Player of the Tournament award for his exceptional performance.
Read more: Bangladesh Women’s Cricket Showing Light of Hope
Rohit Sharma (IND)
In nine out of 11 innings, Rohit Sharma consistently scored at least 40 runs, showcasing amazing consistency. In eight of these innings, he maintained a scoring rate of over a run per ball, achieving a strike rate exceeding 150 on four occasions.
Balancing both run-scoring and quick-scoring is often challenging, but Rohit successfully managed it throughout the entire tournament. He secured the position of the second-highest run-scorer and among the 13 batsmen with at least 400 runs. Rohit’s 401 runs in the first powerplay were an impressive 54% better than the next-best (David Warner’s 260), and he contributed to 58% of India’s total runs while at the crease.
Quinton de Kock (SA)
In his farewell appearance in the 50-over World Cup format, South Africa’s Quinton de Kock ensured he departed with cherished memories, delivering an impressive performance. The left-hander scored 594 runs in ten games at an average of 59.40 with a 107.02 strike rate.
Despite the Proteas being eliminated in the semi-final, De Kock’s remarkable contribution included four centuries, the highest in the tournament. These centuries not only delighted South African supporters but also entertained neutral fans, leaving a lasting impression in his last World Cup.
Rachin Ravindra (NZ)
In his debut World Cup appearance, New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra made a significant impact by emerging as the highest-scoring Kiwi batsman at the 2023 edition. With a total of 578 runs and an impressive average of 64.22, Ravindra showcased his talent on the global stage.
The left-hander illuminated the tournament with a brilliant century on the opening day against England. Demonstrating consistency and expertise with the bat, the 24-year-old Kiwi has undoubtedly set the stage for a promising future in international cricket.
Daryl Mitchell (NZ)
With Kane Williamson sidelined for a significant part of the tournament, New Zealand relied on other top-order batsmen to step up, and Daryl Mitchell, along with Rachin Ravindra, delivered splendid performances. Mitchell impressively scored at over a run per ball in seven out of nine innings, displaying crucial intent that disrupted bowlers and allowed New Zealand to score rapidly in the middle overs (11 to 40).
Read more: ODI Batting Rankings: Mahmudullah’s ranking goes up
During this phase, New Zealand’s run rate of 6.47 was the highest among all teams. Mitchell’s middle-order contributions were notable, accumulating 472 runs, second only to Kohli’s 576, at an excellent strike rate of 111.58. A significant factor in his success was his performance against spinners, scoring 234 runs at an average of 78 and a strike rate of 106.84.
Cricket World Cup in India sets all-time tournament attendance record of 1.25 million
The Cricket World Cup attracted a tournament-record 1.25 million spectators during the 6 1-2-week event which ended Sunday with Australia beating India by six wickets for its sixth title.
The ICC said Tuesday that the tournament had 1,250,307 spectators. With six games to go, the spectator figures had already surpassed the one million mark.
Read: 'It Takes One Day': Australia clinch 6th World Cup title stunning India in one-sided final
The India attendance figures surpass the earlier marks of the 2015 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand which attracted 1,016,420 spectators and the 2019 edition in England and Wales which had 752,000 fans.
The 10-team tournament in India saw each team play the others once to advance to the semifinals. There were 48 matches played overall for a total average attendance of about 26,000.
Read: World Cup 2023 Final: Early wickets pose challenge for Australia in pursuit of 241
It was the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup first held in 1975.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Bangladesh to play Lebanon on Tuesday
Hosts Bangladesh National Football Team will play Arabian rivals Lebanon in their home match of the four-team Group I of the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualfiers on Tuesday.
The second round Group I match between two teams will kick off at 5:45 pm Bangladesh time on Tuesday evening at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Maclaren's hattrick helps hosts Australia to crush Bangladesh 7-0 in opener
In their opening second round Group I match, Bangladesh made a frustrating start after conceding their second worst 0-7 goals defeat against much stronger Australia in Melbourne last Thursday (Nov 16), featuring a hattrick by Maclaren.
The ever-worse defeat of the Bangladesh National Football Team was against South Korea by 0-9 goals in 1979.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Bangladesh to play much stronger Australia in Melbourne on Thursday
But Lebanon, in their first appearance in the second round Group I match, played to a goalless draw with Palestine at a neutral venue in the UAE, also on November 16.
Tuesday's match will be the fourth meeting between two teams since 2011, when Lebanon had the upper hand in the previous three meetings, beating Bangladesh twice against one defeat.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Bangladesh team make first practice session in Melbourne
In the FIFA World Cup qualification in 2011, Bangladesh conceded a 0-4 goal defeat against Lebanon in their away match in July, while they beat Lebanon by 2-0 goals in their home match on July 28.
In the last SAFF Championship in India in June this year, Lebanon played as an invitee team and beat Bangladesh by 2-0 goals, scored in the last ten minutes.
Two vital players of the Bangladesh team—forward Rakib Hossain and defender Saaduddin—will miss Tuesday's vital match against Lebanon, as both players received second yellow cards in the last match against Australia.
Lebanon reached Dhaka on November 17 morning, while the Bangladesh team returned Dhaka from Australia at night. Both teams made their final practices on Monday.
Earlier, Bangladesh earned the rights to play in the six-match Group I matches of the FIFA World Cup's Asian qualifiers with Australia, Lebanon, and Palestine, eliminating the Maldives in round 1 last month.
Bangladesh will play their remaining four Group I matches next year.
Bangladesh will play their home match against Palestine on March 21, their away match with Palestine on March 26, their home match against Australia on June 6, and their away match with Lebanon on June 11.
Messi seeks 1st goal against Brazil in World Cup qualifying, hosts try to avert crisis in Rio
Lionel Messi has few barriers yet to break in soccer. One of them will be in reach Tuesday, when Argentina visits Brazil in a South American World Cup qualifying match.
The 36-year-old Messi has scored 31 goals for Argentina in World Cup qualifying encounters, but none of those came against Brazil, home or away. He has five goals against the archrival, all in friendly matches.
Brazil’s soccer confederation said all 69,000 tickets for the clash at the Maracana Stadium are sold. Both teams will play after defeats in the previous round; the locals lost 2-1 at Colombia and the World Cup champion was defeated at home 2-0 by Uruguay.
Many Brazilian fans are keen to watch Messi in a match that could be his last in Rio de Janeiro playing for Argentina. In the same arena, the star lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany, and beat the host in the decider of the 2021 Copa America.
Argentina leads the 10-team South American qualifying group with 12 points from five matches. Uruguay is second with 10 points. Colombia has nine and Venezuela eight. Brazil will host the World Cup champions in fifth position, with seven points.
Read: FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Maclaren's hattrick helps hosts Australia to crush Bangladesh 7-0 in opener
Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile have five points each. Bolivia has three and Peru one.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will include 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the top six teams from South America. The seventh-place team can earn a berth in an intercontinental playoff.
BRAZIL vs. ARGENTINA
Optimism is in short supply in Brazil, which lost its two latest matches and is struggling under new coach Fernando Diniz. A defeat to Argentina could be the team's first ever in a home match of World Cup qualifying, and the hosts will have several absences for that encounter.
Carlos Augusto is likely to start as left-back for the first time, Jesus will take the role of injured Vinicius Júnior up front and teenage sensation Endrick is likely to play in the second half.
The 17-year-old Endrick, who will join Real Madrid next year, spoke in a press conference about his expectations of playing against Messi for the first time.
“For me, Pelé is the king and no one will get near him. Messi is phenomenal, the best in the world again, and I want to enjoy playing against him, a man I only saw in the videogames,” the striker said. “I am more of a Cristiano Ronaldo fan, but it will be wonderful to see Messi up close.”
Read: Bangladesh team to leave for Melbourne to play Australia in FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Argentina will arrive in Brazil late on Monday and have its final training session for the clash in Buenos Aires. Coach Lionel Scaloni did not speak after Sunday's training, and had most of the practice behind closed doors, but gave hints of where his doubts are.
Ángel di Maria, Nicolás González and Leandro Paredes are in contention for a place in the midfield and Lautaro Martínez, who did not score for the national team in his previous 14 matches, could replace Julián Álvarez up front.
Read: Man City, Bayern, Madrid and Barcelona can advance in Champions League by extending perfect starts
Also on Tuesday, Paraguay will host Colombia; Uruguay will take on Bolivia; Ecuador welcomes Chile; and Peru plays host against Venezuela. The seventh and eighth rounds of South American qualifying will take place in September after the next edition of Copa America in the United States.
8th President Bangabandhu Cup Fencing Tournament: Ansar-VDP crowned champions
The closing ceremony and prize distribution program of Bangabandhu 8th President Cup Fencing Tournament 2023 were held in Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in city’s Mirpur 10 area on Sunday.
Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University, Bangabandhu Chair and Bangladesh Bank’s former Governor Dr. Atiur Rahman attended the event as the chief guest.
Dr. Shaikh Shamsuddin Ahmed, Commissioner of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), Khurshid Alam, Executive Director (Grade 1) of Bangladesh Bank, AKM Shameem Chowdhuri, former Press Secretary to the Prime Minister and Ziaul Hasan, Deputy Director General (Training) of Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) joined the event as special guests.
Ansar-VDP became champions in the above tournament while Mirpur Fencing Club became first runners-up and Bengal Sports Academy turned out to be the second runners-up.
AKM Shameem Chowdhury extended compliments to the fencers who contested the tournament.
He spoke very high of the fencing officials including Bangladesh Fencing Federation (BFF) President Shoeb Chowdhury for organizing this contest in the middle of the ongoing political instability across Bangladesh.
Khurshid Alam recollected Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members who were assassinated on 15 August 1975. Khurshid Alam assured Bangladesh Fencing Federation about giving necessary support from the banking sector.
Dr. Shaikh Shamsuddin Ahmed said that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was very fond of playing football. Bangabandhu established Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP), Bangladesh Football Federation and Bangladesh Cricket Board.
Ziaul Hasan paid tribute to the memory of Sheikh Mujib, three million martyrs who were killed during the Liberation War of 1971 and the martyrs of 15 August 1975.
BFF Vice President Borhan Uddin Ahmed conveyed greetings, best wishes and compliments to all participants of the tournament.
He highly praised BFF President Shoeb Chowdhury for promoting the sport of fencing all over Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Fencing Federation President Shoeb Chowdhury admired chief guest Dr. Atiur Rahman saying that Dr. Atiur Rahman was the most successful Governor of Bangladesh Bank during whose tenure Bangladesh obtained a great deal of socio-economic advancement.
Shoeb Chowdhury urged the authorities concerned to lay more emphasis on indoor games with references to archery and fencing.
Dr. Atiur Rahman appreciated the dynamic and proactive role by Bangladesh Fencing Federation President Shoeb Chowdhury.
He congratulated all fencing teams that took part in the contest. Dr. Atiur Rahman thanked BFF officials for naming the tournament after Bangabandhu. “Bangabandhu is the symbol of our existence,” he said.
Dr. Atiur Rahman expressed optimism that the youths of Bangladesh will drive the country forward in days to come.
Bangladesh Fencing Federation General Secretary Selim Omrao Khan said that Bangladesh gained a broad extent of momentum in sports under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s capable daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
'It Takes One Day': Australia clinch 6th World Cup title stunning India in one-sided final
"It Takes One Day"—the theme of this year’s World Cup became a harsh reality for the hosts, India.
India has emerged victorious every time they stepped onto the field in this ICC World Cup in their home backyard. However, the final on Sunday wasn't just another day for them.
On the contrary, for Australia, who began the World Cup with two consecutive defeats, it only took one day to clinch their sixth World Cup title— the most titles held by any country in cricket.
This unfolded in front of more than 130,000 home fans, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his key ally Amit Shah, India’s Home Minister, along with many stars from India’s film industry.
Australia won the toss in the final and opted to have India bat first. Despite glimpses of hard-hitting from Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, India failed to establish a solid foundation.
Read: World Cup 2023 Final: Early wickets pose challenge for Australia in pursuit of 241
Shubman Gill was the first to fall, dismissed by Mitchell Starc, Australia’s standout bowler in the final.
India lost two more wickets before reaching even 100 runs on the board. The partnership between Sharma and Lokesh Rahul steadied the ship, although it didn't last long.
Virat Kohli, the standout batter for India in this World Cup, setting records for the most runs in a single edition and surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most centuries in an ODI career, returned with 56. Rahul contributed 66, yet it wasn't enough to guide India to a formidable total that could mentally pressure Australia.
Starc ended with three wickets for 55 runs, while Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins each took two wickets.
In response, Australia lost their first wicket in the second over when India’s best World Cup bowler, Mohammad Shami, removed David Warner. Following him, Jasprit Bumrah quickly claimed two more wickets, one of which was Steven Smith's, who opted not to review an lbw appeal by Bumrah.
Read: ICC World Cup: Champions to get $4 million in prize money besides trophy
TV replays revealed the ball had pitched outside the off-stump, indicating a missed opportunity for Smith to survive had he chosen a review.
World Cup 2023 Final: Early wickets pose challenge for Australia in pursuit of 241
Australia faced an early setback, losing three wickets within the first 10 overs in their pursuit of 241 against India in the ICC World Cup 2023 final on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
Mohammad Shami, India's most successful bowler in this World Cup, claimed the first wicket in the second over of the innings as David Warner edged, and Virat Kohli took a sharp catch at the slip cordon.
World Cup 2023: Kohli Falls as Australia Take Control
In the fifth over of the innings, Mitchell Marsh fell victim to Jasprit Bumrah. The delivery, positioned outside the off-stumps, saw Marsh making no foot movement, resulting in an edge to the wicketkeeper after scoring 15 off 15 balls.
World Cup 2023 Final: India stumble, lose 3 wickets before reaching 100
Bumrah struck again to dismiss Steven Smith. This time, it was an offcutter outside off stumps. Smith missed, and the ball hit his pad, leading to an lbw appeal. The umpire raised his finger, but TV replays showed that the impact was outside off.
If Smith had opted for a review, he would have been declared not out. But Smith decided to walk off instead of going for a review.
ICC World Cup 2023 Final: Australia sniffing at 6th title after restricting India to 240 in Ahmedabad
After 12 overs, Australia were at 68 for three, with Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head at the crease.