United News of Bangladesh

Real Madrid issued a public apology to the Chinese people on Wednesday over comments by star forward Kylian Mbappé that were viewed as disrespectful towards Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China. The apology came a day after the French striker expressed regret for his remarks amid growing criticism in China. “Real Madrid C.F. wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any discomfort that may have been caused by the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappé,” the club said in a statement. The Spanish club also reaffirmed its respect for China's history, culture and people, as well as the millions of Chinese supporters who follow the team. During an online interview, Mbappé discussed his favourite meme featuring himself and apparently described Mao as a “Chinese dictator”. The comments triggered an immediate backlash, with at least three Chinese companies ending their commercial partnerships with the footballer. Mbappé later acknowledged that his remarks were “ill-judged” and said he understood they had offended many people in China and Chinese communities worldwide. Real Madrid said it joined the player's public apology and reiterated its commitment to respect, peaceful coexistence and understanding between cultures. The club also expressed its desire to strengthen its friendship with China and its people. China Media Group (CMG) had announced the suspension of broadcasts of Spanish league matches and other games featuring Mbappé. It also called on La Liga, the player and Real Madrid to apologise. CMG confirmed that it had received Real Madrid's apology but offered no further comment. The Spanish league has also issued an apology. China's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it took Mbappé's apology “seriously”. However, it remains uncertain whether the apology will help the footballer recover the commercial partnerships and other business opportunities he lost following the controversy.

Bad light stopped play on the first day of the first Test against West Indies on Wednesday with Bangladesh on 207 for three and opener Shadman Islam unbeaten on 96, after Towhid Hridoy was stretchered off the field. Hridoy retired hurt on 42 off 84 balls in the third session. He first lay down beside the crease and received treatment from the physio on the field in the heat. Shortly afterwards, having taken a single off Joshua Bishop, he sat down holding his left leg below the knee and could not continue. He was carried off on a stretcher. Liton Das, who replaced him, was on seven when the umpires took the players off after 70 overs. Hridoy, playing in place of the injured Mushfiqur Rahim, had shared a stand of 80 off 168 balls with Shadman before he was hurt. Bangladesh reached tea on 177 for three after losing only one wicket in the second session, adding 81 runs to their lunch score of 96 for two. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto fell early in that session for 19. He missed a sweep against left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and was given not out, but West Indies captain Roston Chase reviewed and replays showed the ball would have hit middle and leg stump. Bangladesh were 112 for three. Shadman, who took 16 balls to get off the mark, reached his 10th Test fifty in the 34th over. West Indies pacers Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph bowled tightly with the new ball after Shanto won the toss and chose to bat. Seales removed Tanzid Hasan for seven in the seventh over, with Justin Greaves taking the catch at second slip. Shadman and Mominul Haque then put on 59 for the second wicket. Mominul, who passed 11,000 first-class runs during his innings to become the third Bangladeshi to do so, was out for 28 when he charged Warrican and was caught at mid-off by Joseph. Bangladesh went in with two pacers, Shariful Islam and Hasan Mahmud, and three spinners. Taskin Ahmed was left out.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and chose to bat in the first Test against West Indies at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, with Mushfiqur Rahim left out because of a finger injury. Mushfiqur was hit on the right index finger by a bouncer from a net bowler at practice on Tuesday morning. He did not bat again and left the session with the finger taped. An X-ray found no serious damage, but he was not included in the playing XI. Towhid Hridoy replaces him. Hridoy made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in June and played an innings of around 350 for Bangladesh A in South Africa in August. Mushfiqur also missed Bangladesh's last Test on their 2024 tour of West Indies through injury. Bangladesh have picked two pacers, Shariful Islam and Hasan Mahmud, and three spinners: Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nayeem Hasan. Bangladesh are fourth in the World Test Championship standings and West Indies are eighth. Shanto said on Tuesday he was focused only on the Mirpur Test and was not thinking about the championship final. Bangladesh XI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Liton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam, Shariful Islam. West Indies: Jonathan Campbell, Brandon King, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo (wk), Roston Chase (capt), Justin Greaves, Joshua Bishop, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales.

Media rights deals for the Ashes and a limited-overs series against India helped Cricket Australia (CA) record a record revenue of A$601.1 million ($423 million) and a net surplus of A$81.8 million ($57 million). Cricket Australia said on Wednesday that the results for the 2025-26 financial year reflected strong commercial performance, record audiences and the success of its international season. In the previous financial year, 2024-25, Cricket Australia recorded a net loss of A$11.3 million ($7.95 million). The governing body said the men's home Test series against England and the white-ball series against India generated record media, commercial and match-day revenue. However, it forecast losses for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years due to a “cyclical decline in media rights and match revenues in line with the international touring schedule.” Australia's national teams enjoyed considerable success over the past year, with the men's team retaining the Ashes through a 4-1 home series victory, while the women's team won their seventh ICC T20 World Cup, defeating England in the final at Lord's. In October and November last year, Australia won the ODI series against India 2-1, while India claimed the T20 series by the same margin. Cricket Australia also reported several attendance records, with the Ashes attracting 859,580 spectators over 18 days, averaging 47,754 per day. The Australian men's team is currently in South Africa for a Test series. They will face England in a home white-ball series beginning November 13 before hosting New Zealand for four Test matches from December 9 to January 8. The team will then travel to India for a five-Test series starting January 21 in Nagpur.

French football star Kylian Mbappé has apologised for remarks apparently referring to China’s founding leader Mao Zedong as a dictator after facing a backlash and losing endorsement deals with three Chinese companies. “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” Mbappé said in a statement on Tuesday. “I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry,” he added. Chinese beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese producer Milkground announced on Tuesday that they were ending their agreements with the footballer, saying they opposed “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment.” The companies did not specify the reason for their decisions, but their announcements came after a video clip of Mbappé discussing his favourite meme circulated on social media. In the clip, Mbappé refers to a video featuring a man he believes was a Chinese dictator. The video then shows an edited image of the footballer's face on the body of Mao Zedong wearing a blue suit. Football fans frequently use dictator-themed memes to joke about Mbappé's influence over his teammates and the teams he plays for. Images depicting him as Mao and other authoritarian leaders have circulated widely online. Mao led the Chinese Communist Party during its early years, won the civil war against the Nationalist Party and founded the People's Republic of China. While he remains revered by many in the country, his legacy also includes authoritarian rule and policies such as the Great Leap Forward, which contributed to a famine that killed an estimated 30 million people. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that remarks and actions hurting the feelings of the Chinese people would naturally face opposition across Chinese society. Social media platform RedNote also criticised the remarks, saying its content partnership with Mbappé had ended on December 31, 2024, and that it would remove related promotional materials. His account on the platform was barred from accepting new followers on Tuesday. Mbappé has appeared in numerous Chinese advertising campaigns for products ranging from electrolyte drinks to dairy products. In one Dongpeng advertisement, he delivers a slogan in Chinese, while a Mengniu commercial features him alongside Argentine football star Lionel Messi. The controversy also gained traction on Chinese social media, where hashtags related to the termination of the brand partnerships topped Weibo's trending list. Calls to boycott Mbappé also trended, with some users criticising his remarks and urging him not to visit China.

Sri Lanka crushed Pakistan by eight wickets on Tuesday to eliminate England from contention for the final of the ODI tri-series. Fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka claimed a career-best 5-34 as Pakistan were bowled out for 110 after Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis elected to field after winning the toss. Sri Lanka reached 114-2 in just 18.1 overs, securing a comfortable victory before the floodlights at Gaddafi Stadium were fully switched on for the day-night match. Kamindu Mendis led the chase with an unbeaten 62 off 60 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes. He survived an early chance when the wicketkeeper dropped him before he had scored and later overturned an on-field leg-before-wicket decision on review when he was batting on 44. Mendis completed his half-century with a pull shot for six after substitute fielder Ghazi Ghori touched the boundary with his foot while taking a catch. Sri Lanka had earlier chased down 430 against England in Rawalpindi, the second-highest successful chase in ODI history. Pakistan had already secured a place in the final after defeating England twice, including a dramatic one-wicket victory on Sunday, and beating Sri Lanka by 37 runs in the tournament opener. Pakistan finished the league stage with six points from three wins, while Sri Lanka have four points. Sri Lanka will face England on Thursday ahead of Saturday's final.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said on Tuesday he was thinking only about the first Test against West Indies, as the pitch for Wednesday's match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium remained covered in grass. Bangladesh go into the two-match series having won seven of their 13 Tests since December 2024, with two draws and four defeats. The run includes a win over Australia in Darwin in August and a home whitewash of Pakistan in May. Questions at the pre-series press conference in Mirpur kept returning to the World Test Championship final, but Shanto said he had not looked that far ahead. “Honestly, I haven't thought about it at all,” he said. “I'm only thinking about this Test. Even the second Test of this series isn't on my mind.” The second Test starts in Sylhet on November 5. The day after the series ends, the squad flies to South Africa for two Tests starting on November 15. Bangladesh's last series of the championship cycle is against England in February. “As a team, we always think about how we will play this match or this series,” Shanto said. “If we can win these matches or series, our goals are met on their own. So we always think in small targets. That is how we have moved forward over the last few years.” He would not be drawn on the pitch, saying with a laugh that he did not want the West Indians to hear his answer. West Indies captain Roston Chase expects the surface to change by the morning. “I saw the wicket yesterday, but I don't think it will be the same tomorrow,” Chase said. “Probably some more grass will be cut, or some more work will be done on it.” He said the pitch still looked dry underneath. “When there's grass, you'd naturally think it will help the pacers more. But this is Bangladesh, who are known mainly for spin. So we expect spin to be there too.” Chase said the conditions would be the same for both sides. “Both teams have to play on it. There will be four innings, so whoever adapts best to the pitch and the conditions will win in the end,” he said. West Indies arrived in Dhaka about a week ago and played a two-day warm-up match. Bangladesh trained together as a team for the first time on Monday, as most of the players had been at the tri-nation series in the UAE. Shanto said he was happy with the preparation. “In terms of preparation, we are in a good position. In the time we had, everyone was able to prepare in the areas they needed to. We are not thinking too much about how the opposition prepared,” Shanto said. He said public interest in Test cricket was a big motivation for the team, but the players were not satisfied. “We will try to improve another 20 to 30 percent from where we are now,” he said. Bangladesh had an injury scare on Tuesday when Mushfiqur Rahim was hit on the right index finger by a bouncer from a net bowler at practice. The extent of the injury was not immediately known.

The Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) on Sunday honoured Mustafa Kamal, veteran journalist who led sports coverage at private news agency United News of Bangladesh (UNB) for close to four decades, for his lifetime contribution to sports journalism. Another veteran sports writer, Major (retd) Shahabuddin Chakladar, was also honoured at the programme, held at a city hotel to mark World Sports Journalists Day, alongside the Max-BSPA Journalist Awards 2025. Aminul Haque, former national football team goalkeeper and current State Minister for Youth and Sports, presented the honours and awards. "Kamal bhai is an inspiration for our generation," BSPA President Rejwan uz Zaman told UNB. "UNB was one of the main sources of news when we started our careers, and Kamal bhai worked for UNB for a long time. He is one of the pioneers of sports journalism." Kamal joined UNB in 1988, the year of its birth, and worked there for 37 years straight, till October 2025. During his time at UNB, he covered the Mini World Cup cricket tournament held in Bangladesh in 1998, which was later renamed the ICC Champions Trophy, and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.  

Mushfiqur Rahim was hit on the finger by a bouncer from a net bowler during Bangladesh's practice on Tuesday, a day before the first Test against West Indies begins. The experienced batter sat down beside the net in pain straight after the blow at the Academy ground in Mirpur. He then left the net and was treated in a chair by national team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan. Mushfiqur did not bat again. After about 20 minutes of treatment, he returned to the dressing room with tape on his right index finger. The extent of the injury was not immediately known.   He had been batting in one of three nets alongside Tanzid Hasan and Towhid Hridoy after the squad's warm-up and fielding drills on the main ground. Shortly after Mushfiqur was hurt, Litton Kumer Das kept wicket in the nets behind pacer Shoriful Islam.   Head coach Phil Simmons on Monday said Litton, who missed the tri-nation series in the United Arab Emirates due to injury, was ready to play. Liton also batted at practice on Monday.   The first Test starts at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.  

Harry Kane became the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d’Or on Monday, following a prolific scoring campaign last season, while Spain’s Alexia Putellas claimed her third women’s Ballon d’Or. Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season, finishing as Europe’s leading scorer and setting scoring records in Germany for Bayern Munich and at the World Cup, where he captained England to a third-place finish. The 33-year-old striker said winning the prestigious individual award was the result of more than just his performances on the field, highlighting the importance of hard work, determination and self-belief. “Anything is possible with hard work, when no one else is watching, to go through the ups and downs, to learn through resilience, determination and self-belief,” an emotional Kane told young players in a message after reflecting on the challenges he faced early in his career. “My journey wasn't straightforward. I wasn't the kid who went straight to the top. I had to experience the downs,” he said. “I had to fight my way to be the very best right now. I hope that can give you inspiration as well.” Kane finished ahead of Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, 2024 winner Rodri and record eight-time winner Lionel Messi in the voting. Yamal was named the best young talent for the third consecutive year. The England captain thanked his teammates, coaches, parents, children and wife Kate for their support. “It's past your bedtime,” he joked while thanking his children, before describing his wife as “my best friend”. “We've been through ups and downs for sure. You're my biggest supporter. You always want the best for me,” he said. Kane guided Bayern Munich to a Bundesliga and German Cup double, scoring a hat-trick against Stuttgart in the cup final. The German club also reached the semifinals of the Champions League. At the World Cup, Kane scored six goals to surpass Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading World Cup scorer, placing himself among the tournament's top five scorers in history. England lost to Argentina in the semifinals but defeated Mbappe's France to finish third, securing the country's best World Cup result in 60 years. Kane's achievement marked the first time an Englishman had won the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001. “It's massive for England, for our country. (The ceremony) being here in London was a good omen for me,” Kane said. “It's been too long. Certainly (there have been) incredible English players... To put us back on the map, to put us here with this trophy I'm extremely proud. Playing for England is my biggest honor, the thing I love to do the most.” England coach Thomas Tuchel congratulated Kane, saying the national team was fortunate to have him as its leader. “I ran out of superlatives to describe your performances a long time ago, but I'm delighted to see that you have now been formally recognized by the football world,” Tuchel said. Fans gathered in large numbers near the London Palladium, the venue for the ceremony, with some climbing light poles to catch a glimpse of the arriving footballers. Kane stopped to sign autographs on his way into the venue. Supporters remained outside throughout the ceremony and chanted his name as he left the theatre near Oxford Circus after midnight. Kane planned to celebrate the achievement with family and friends but said the festivities would be limited as Bayern have a cup match on Wednesday. “We have a cup game on Wednesday so it can't get too messy,” he said, adding that he would take an early flight back to Munich on Tuesday to attend team training. The ceremony was held in London for the first time to mark the 70th anniversary of the inaugural Ballon d'Or, won by England's Stanley Matthews in 1956. Putellas claims third women's Ballon d'Or Earlier, Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won her third women's Ballon d'Or, matching the record, after helping her former club Barcelona secure several trophies last season, including the Women's Champions League. Putellas, who joined London City Lionesses during the offseason, also helped Spain win the Women's Nations League last December. The 32-year-old ended the three-year reign of her Spain teammate Aitana Bonmati, who won the award in 2023, 2024 and 2025 but was not included on this year's shortlist after breaking her leg in December. Putellas previously won the award in 2021 and 2022 before tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), an injury that coincided with Bonmati's rise to prominence. The women's Ballon d'Or was first introduced in 2018, with Ada Hegerberg becoming its inaugural winner. Encouraging young players to pursue their ambitions with love and passion, Putellas urged them to believe in themselves. “Believe in yourself, that's the most important thing,” she said. “If you have a dream, go for it, even if at some point you have to start from zero.” Putellas joined Barcelona in 2012 and described her time at the Catalan club as a special experience. “I'm really grateful for having 14 seasons as a player (at Barcelona),” she said. “What I experienced last year was like a perfect story.”