United News of Bangladesh

Although the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded only weeks ago with Spain lifting the trophy, several Southeast Asian nations have already shifted their focus toward qualifying for the 2030 tournament. The ASEAN Cup is currently underway in Phnom Penh, where host nation Cambodia suffered defeats in its opening Group A fixtures, losing 2-1 to Singapore before being beaten 5-1 by Indonesia. The biennial competition features 10 national teams from across Southeast Asia, a region with a population of around 650 million. While the championship title will be decided in late August, many participating teams are using the tournament as an opportunity to build momentum ahead of the next World Cup qualifying campaign, which begins next year. Regional football powers Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are aiming to use the event to strengthen their squads before the Asian qualifiers. Indonesia remains the only Southeast Asian nation to have appeared at the World Cup, having competed as the Dutch East Indies in 1938. ASEAN Football Federation President Khiev Sameth expressed confidence that a Southeast Asian team can soon secure a place on football's biggest stage. He said the long-held ambition of seeing an ASEAN nation qualify for the FIFA World Cup is becoming increasingly realistic and believes the achievement would be a milestone shared by the entire regional football community. Indonesia came closest among Southeast Asian teams to reaching the 2026 World Cup but is still searching for its first ASEAN Cup title despite finishing as runner-up six times in the tournament's history. Earlier this year, Indonesia appointed English coach John Herdman, who guided Canada to its first World Cup appearance in 36 years at the 2022 tournament, to lead the national side. Following its commanding victory over Cambodia, Indonesia is scheduled to play Timor-Leste on Friday before taking on Vietnam and Singapore next week. Herdman said his primary objective is to help Indonesia qualify for the World Cup, adding that he wants to be part of the team's journey when it reaches that historic milestone. Indonesia has also accelerated its player naturalization program by bringing in overseas-born footballers eligible to represent the country. In July, Australian-born players Mitch Baker and Luke Vickery officially became Indonesian citizens during separate ceremonies in Jakarta. Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir, who also serves as president of the Indonesian Football Association, attended Baker's citizenship ceremony. The 19-year-old midfielder marked his ASEAN Cup debut with a hat-trick and earned player-of-the-match honors. Thohir said Indonesia has set ambitious goals across major international competitions, including the SEA Games, Asian Games, Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, emphasizing that the country welcomes players committed to representing Indonesia with pride. Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik is also targeting future World Cup qualification. The former South Korean international, who played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, said watching the recent tournament inspired both him and his players to dream of competing on the global stage. Thailand, the most successful nation in ASEAN Cup history with seven titles, begins its campaign in Group B alongside Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines and Myanmar. Thai head coach Anthony Hudson acknowledged the expectations surrounding his team, saying the pressure reflects the quality of the squad and the passionate support of the country's fans, who are eager to see sustained success. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the winners meeting in a two-legged final scheduled for Aug. 22 and Aug. 26. Once the ASEAN Cup concludes, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will shift their attention to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which is set to begin on Jan. 7 in Saudi Arabia.    

Jayden Seales took five wickets as West Indies defeated Pakistan by 90 runs in the first cricket Test on Tuesday, despite an unbeaten 58 from Pakistan captain Babar Azam and a late 49-run stand with No. 11 Mohammad Abbas. Chasing 211 after West Indies were bowled out for 181 in their second innings, Pakistan collapsed to 71-9 before Babar and Abbas delayed the inevitable with a stubborn partnership. Seales finished with 5-20 as Pakistan struggled against accurate bowling. Abbas was the last batter dismissed, scoring 23 shortly after the tea interval on Day 4, with Pakistan on 120. Babar’s 32nd Test half-century was a rare bright spot in Pakistan’s otherwise poor batting display. He reached his 50 off 81 balls with Pakistan at 88-9, while the rest of the batters had contributed only 38 runs. “We played good cricket in the last few days but today we were not up to the mark as a batting unit,” Babar said. “We lost back-to-back wickets. We will look to make sure it doesn't happen in the next matches.” The second and final Test of the series begins Sunday. Pakistan’s second-innings collapse followed a similar pattern to its first innings. After reaching 244-4, including a century from Shan Masood, Pakistan lost its final six wickets for just 38 runs and was bowled out for 282, giving West Indies a 29-run first-innings lead. West Indies had scored 311 in their first innings. Masood’s century was Pakistan’s only hundred in the match. Imam-ul-Haq scored 63 in the first innings, while Babar made a half-century in the second. Apart from them, only six Pakistan batters managed to reach double figures. Abbas’ 23 was joint-fourth highest among Pakistan’s batters. Masood suffered a hand injury while batting in the first innings and was moved from No. 3 to No. 8 in the batting order Tuesday, further weakening Pakistan’s lineup. West Indies resumed the fourth day at 126-7, holding a 155-run lead. Shamar Joseph increased his score from 22 to 38, while Kemar Roach moved from 5 to 18 as the hosts pushed their advantage beyond 200. That proved sufficient as Pakistan lost Imam-ul-Haq for three in the third over, beginning another major batting collapse. Babar held one end together, but among Pakistan’s top six batters, only Mohammad Rizwan, with 11, managed to reach double figures. Excluding Babar and Abbas, Pakistan’s scores were 3, 3, 0, 11, 0, 2, 3, 4 and 0. Seales led the attack with his early wickets, while Roach took 2-27 and Justin Greaves 2-12. Seales returned to claim the final wicket, trapping Abbas lbw in the 41st over to complete his fifth five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Greaves, who took 5-27 in Pakistan’s first innings, was named player of the match. “We came in and tried to be just as disciplined as possible,” Greaves said. “I mimicked Mohammad Abbas' fuller lengths when he bowled against us in the first and second innings and it pretty much worked out for us.” Abbas took 3-63 and 5-22 for Pakistan in the match.

Roberto Mancini has been appointed for a second spell as Italy head coach, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Giovanni Malago announced on Tuesday. The 61-year-old succeeds Gennaro Gattuso, who stepped down earlier this year after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, extending the country's absence from football's biggest tournament to three straight editions. Mancini previously coached Italy from 2018 to 2023, leading the Azzurri to the UEFA Euro 2020 title before resigning to take charge of Saudi Arabia's national team. Malago also confirmed former Roma coach Claudio Ranieri as the federation's new technical director. Italy's latest overhaul followed a 2-1 defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup playoff in March. The loss prompted the resignations of both former FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and Gattuso. The search for a new coach proved difficult after Malago was elected FIGC president in June. He appointed former AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini as technical director and former Brazil international Leonardo as an adviser to oversee the recruitment process. Italian media linked Antonio Conte, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Mancini with the role, while Andrea Pirlo was reportedly close to being appointed before being removed from contention amid controversy over his ties to a Russian betting company. Maldini and Leonardo subsequently resigned just 16 days after taking up their positions. Mancini's first competitive matches in his second stint will come in the UEFA Nations League in September, with Italy drawn alongside France, Belgium and Türkiye.

Zinedine Zidane has been appointed France coach, the French Football Federation announced on Tuesday, taking over from Didier Deschamps after a 14-year run that included a World Cup title and two major tournament final appearances. Zidane, 54, had long been considered the leading candidate to replace Deschamps. He has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid in May 2021, where he won three consecutive Champions League titles and two LaLiga trophies. Deschamps, a former France teammate of Zidane, stepped down after this summer’s World Cup. He took charge in 2012 and guided France to the 2018 World Cup title, while also leading the team to the 2022 World Cup final and the Euro 2016 final. Zidane’s first matches as France coach will come in the UEFA Nations League this autumn. France are scheduled to face Türkiye, Belgium and Italy in the group stage, beginning with a match against Türkiye on Sept. 25. One of France’s greatest players, Zidane was the key figure in the country’s first World Cup triumph in 1998, scoring twice in the final against Brazil in Paris. He also helped France win Euro 2000 and was named the best player at the 2006 World Cup, where France lost the final to Italy. After retiring from playing in 2006, Zidane moved into coaching and quickly established himself among the game’s most successful managers. His Real Madrid team won three straight Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018, a feat no other coach had achieved in the competition’s modern era. France were among the favourites at this year’s World Cup but were eliminated by Spain in the semifinals before losing 6-4 to England in the third-place playoff.  

A senior Democratic lawmaker has asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to testify before the US House Judiciary Committee as questions mount over the governing body's relationship with President Donald Trump before and during the 2026 World Cup. Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the committee, has requested that FIFA submit records of its contacts with Trump, his administration and the Trump Organization by August 9. He also wants Infantino to sit for a transcribed interview. In a letter sent Sunday, Raskin asked FIFA to provide details of any money, gifts, awards or other benefits given to Trump, members of his administration, their relatives or businesses linked to them. He also requested visitor logs for FIFA's offices in Miami and New York and called on the organization to preserve all communications with administration officials, including messages sent through encrypted apps. The inquiry follows criticism of Infantino's close relationship with Trump in the lead-up to the World Cup, which was jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Among the issues raised is Trump's intervention during the tournament after he urged Infantino to review the suspension of US forward Folarin Balogun. FIFA later cleared Balogun to play, saying the decision had been made independently. Raskin also questioned FIFA's ticketing practices, including its use of dynamic pricing and the sharp rise in prices for the World Cup final, and sought records of any communication with US authorities on those matters. The White House rejected the criticism, saying Trump's leadership helped deliver one of the most successful World Cups in history, generating billions of dollars in economic activity while ensuring a safe and smooth tournament.  

Bangladesh fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Taskin Ahmed left for Australia ahead of the rest of the national squad, with both set to consult specialists before the upcoming two-Test series. Nahid, who has already been ruled out of the series after suffering a Grade 2 side strain during the T20I series in Zimbabwe, is scheduled to fly out on Sunday night. But the main purpose of his trip is to seek treatment for a long-standing shinbone problem rather than the side injury that forced him out of the Australia tour. The pacer has been managing discomfort in his shin for some time and will undergo specialist assessment in Australia. Taskin is also travelling early to have his shoulder examined by a specialist before linking up with the Bangladesh squad. The senior fast bowler is expected to spearhead Bangladesh's pace attack in Nahid's absence. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said earlier this week that Nahid is expected to need six to eight weeks to recover from his side strain, which effectively ruled him out of both Tests. Bangladesh begin the series against Australia in Darwin on August 13, with the second Test scheduled for August 22 in Mackay.

West Indies held a 155-run lead over Pakistan with three wickets remaining in their second innings at the end of the third day of the first Test on Monday, after a day dominated by the bowlers. Justin Greaves claimed his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, taking 5-27, as Pakistan lost six wickets for just 38 runs after Shan Masood completed his seventh Test century. Pakistan, who resumed the day at 199-3, were 244-4 when Masood reached 109, but collapsed to 282 all out, giving West Indies a 29-run first-innings lead after the hosts had made 311. Mohammad Abbas then produced another impressive spell with the new ball, taking 3-14 in 13 overs as West Indies slipped to 126-7 at stumps. Kemar Roach was unbeaten on five, while Shamar Joseph struck a quick 22 off 13 balls as the hosts sought to build their lead toward 200, which would present Pakistan with a challenging fourth-innings chase. Masood reached his century from 163 balls after resuming on 88. He and Salman Agha initially made steady progress as Pakistan looked well placed to match or surpass West Indies' first-innings total. But Shamar Joseph changed the momentum when he bowled Agha for 20 with a delivery that seamed past the outside edge, leaving Pakistan at 244-4. Greaves then removed Masood, who was bowled after an inside edge sent the ball onto the stumps. Aamir Jamal was dismissed for three after missing a straight delivery from Greaves. Ali Usman was then trapped lbw for a duck, while Mohammad Rizwan was caught behind for 12, leaving Pakistan at 259-8 before lunch. Greaves completed his five-wicket haul when Abbas was caught behind, and Pakistan were soon bowled out when Roach dismissed Khurram Shahzad for 19. Abbas continued his impressive form in West Indies' second innings, dismissing Brandon King for five and Kavem Hodge for a duck to reduce the hosts to 7-2 in the fifth over. Mohammad Ali then caught Amir Jangoo for four off his own bowling before Khurram Shahzad bowled Shai Hope for 10, leaving West Indies at 43-4. Tagenarine Chanderpaul offered some resistance with 35 before Aamir Jamal dismissed him. Abbas returned to remove Greaves for 20, while Shahzad claimed the wicket of West Indies captain Roston Chase for eight. Roach and Joseph then steadied the innings, with Joseph attacking Pakistan's bowlers in an effort to extend the lead before the close. Pakistan had entered the third day in a strong position at 199-3 after Masood's unbeaten 88 helped them recover from early setbacks. The first Test is being played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chief Selector Habibul Bashar on Monday said Nahid Rana's appearance in the T20I series against Zimbabwe was part of a workload management plan designed to keep the fast bowler match-ready ahead of the Australia Tests, describing his injury as "unfortunate" rather than avoidable. Nahid suffered a side strain during the second T20I in Bulawayo and has since been ruled out of the two-Test series in Australia, raising questions over whether he should have played in Zimbabwe. Bashar said Bangladesh's medical and performance staff monitored the workload of all fast bowlers through GPS data rather than relying on subjective assessments. "Workload management is not just something we talk about anymore," he told reporters. "Every movement is tracked through GPS, and that data helps determine how many matches a player should play. The same process applies to Nahid, Taskin and all our fast bowlers." He said Bangladesh had already managed Nahid's workload during the home series against Australia by resting him from the Test matches after he featured in two One-Day Internationals and two T20Is. "According to the workload data and the physio's assessment, he was fit to play Test cricket," Bashar said. "But because the Australia series is important, we took extra precautions and did not play him in those Tests." He said keeping a fast bowler out of matches for too long can also increase the risk of injury. "We classify bowlers into red, yellow and green zones," the chief selector said. "Bowling too much can push a player into the red zone, but bowling too little also creates risk. To stay in the green zone, a fast bowler needs to maintain a certain workload."    

Opener Soumya Sarkar has earned a recall to Bangladesh's Test squad for the first time in more than five years, with selectors backing his domestic form and experience against pace ahead of next month's series in Australia. Habibul Bashar, the chief selector of Bangladesh, said injuries have complicated the selection process, while the Bangladesh A team's four-day series against South Africa Emerging also influenced several decisions. Soumya, who last played a Test against the West Indies in February 2021, replaced Mahmudul Hasan Joy after scoring 633 runs in seven National Cricket League— Bangladesh’s first-class domestic event— matches last season to finish as the competition's leading run-scorer. "Soumya has played international cricket for a long time," Bashar said on Monday. "The pace and bounce we expect in Australia are conditions he is familiar with." Mahmudul, meanwhile, will join the Bangladesh A squad after a lean run at the top of the order. He has reached fifty once in his last six Test innings, four of which ended in single-digit scores. Towhid Hridoy has also been omitted after making 2 and 9 on his Test debut against Zimbabwe last month. Bashar said Mehidy Hasan Miraz's return left little room for Hridoy in the playing XI, but stressed the selectors still view him as part of Bangladesh's long-term Test plans. "We see Hridoy as a Test player," Bashar said. "The four-day matches against South Africa Emerging will be important for his development." Wicketkeeper-batter Mahidul Islam will also feature for Bangladesh A after missing out on the Australia squad. Jaker Ali returns to the Test squad for the first time since June last year. Bashar said the wicketkeeper-batter had regained form and confidence through the High Performance programme after struggling before his omission. Bangladesh begin the two-Test series against Australia in Darwin on August 13, with the second Test starting in Mackay on August 22. The Bangladesh A side will play South Africa Emerging in four-day matches beginning on Aug. 16 and August 23. Bangladesh squad for Australia series:Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Musfik Hasan.

Ghana will aim to win its first Women's Africa Cup of Nations title when the 2026 tournament begins in Morocco on Saturday. The Black Queens finished third at the previous edition, with the Ghana Football Association and coaching staff confident the team can challenge for the continental crown. Ghana Football Association president Kurt Simeon-Okraku has backed the team to surpass its most recent performance, while head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren said the squad has made significant progress over the past year. "I believe the team is overall in a much better place now compared to one year ago. I'm really looking forward to starting up the WAFCON," the Swedish coach said. Bjorkegren added that many of his players have improved physically and tactically since he took charge of the team last year. Ghana has qualified for every edition of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations and is making its 14th appearance at the tournament. The Black Queens finished as runners-up in 1998, 2002 and 2006 but have yet to lift the trophy. The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations runs from July 26 to August 16 in Morocco. Ghana has been drawn in Group D alongside Cameroon, Mali and Cabo Verde.