United News of Bangladesh

Japan’s 17-year-old Shin Ohashi set a world record in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke at the Asian Games on Thursday, clocking 2 minutes, 4.83 seconds. Ohashi broke the previous record of 2:05.48, set by China’s Qin Haiyang at the 2023 world swimming championships in Fukuoka, Japan. “I wasn’t expecting to post a time like that,” Ohashi said. “So I was really happy. At the same time, I felt a huge sense of relief.” Kyrgyzstan’s Denis Petrashov finished second in 2:08.67, while South Korea’s Cho Sung-jae took bronze in 2:08.76. Ohashi, who already held the fastest time in the event this year at 2:06.59, has emerged as the swimmer to beat in the breaststroke this season. “I may be the world-record holder now, but the level of competition around the world will keep rising,” he said. “I don’t want to be left behind. Instead, I want to be the one who sets the pace, so I’ll keep working hard in training.” Ohashi’s record briefly shifted attention away from China’s 13-year-old swimming sensation Yu Zidi, who has won three gold medals at the Games in the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley and 400-meter individual medley. She will not compete in any more individual events. Ohashi also won the men’s 400-meter individual medley earlier this week, finishing in 4:07.02. The world record in the event is 4:02.50, held by France’s Leon Marchand, who won four gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ohashi said his strongest performance on Thursday came in the final 50 meters, when he managed to maintain his pace instead of slowing down. “I think my biggest strength is my ability to keep my swimming compact and maintain a good tempo,” he said. “Ultimately, I think my biggest goal is to win an Olympic gold medal.” Marchand has been among the presenters handing out medals during the Games. Swimming events are being held at the Olympic pool in Tokyo. At 1.69 meters tall, Ohashi is not physically imposing compared with many elite swimmers. Earlier this year, he also broke Japan’s national record in the 100-meter breaststroke, a mark previously held by four-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion Kosuke Kitajima. China continues gold rush in poolChina remained dominant in the swimming events despite Ohashi’s world record, winning four of the seven gold medals contested Thursday. After five days of competition, with swimming scheduled to conclude Friday, China has won 25 gold medals from 34 events. China’s Thursday winners were Wu Qingfeng in the women’s 50-meter freestyle in 23.98 seconds, Zhang Zhanshuo in the men’s 800-meter freestyle in 7:42.49, the men’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay team in 3:10.60 and the women’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay team in 7:49.37. Japan also won gold through Kotomi Kato, who took the women’s 200-meter breaststroke in 2:22.57. The other gold medal went to Bahrain’s Mikhail Arkhangelskiy, who won the men’s 50-meter butterfly in 22.91 seconds. Born in Russia, Arkhangelskiy has competed for Florida State University.

Farhan Ali Wahed is expected to make his Bangladesh debut in the ASEAN Cup, and the 19-year-old English-born winger is hoping to make an impact alongside Hamza Chowdhury. Farhan is one of three foreign-born players in coach Thomas Duli’s squad for the tournament. Bangladesh are currently in Jakarta preparing for their opening match. Speaking after a training session, Farhan said he had received a warm welcome from his new teammates. “So far, the experience has been really good. This is my first experience with Bangladesh. Everyone in the team has welcomed me really well, made me feel at home, helped me and supported me,” he said in a video posted on the Bangladesh Football Federation’s official Facebook page. “I feel like we can go a long way from here. I’m really proud to be part of this team. I really want to do well for the national team. I feel like we can really do something and build something from here as a team.” Born and raised in England, Farhan comes from a Bengali family. He said his family had been happy with his decision to play for Bangladesh. “My whole family is Bengali. I made the decision and they were really happy with it. I just want to continue making them proud in the future,” he said. Hamza, who made his Bangladesh debut last year, also played a role in inspiring Farhan to represent the country. “Hamza is a role model for South Asian footballers. Hopefully, I can build a connection with him on the pitch and help Bangladesh win,” he said. Farhan has also recently taken a step toward regular senior football in England. He joined fifth-tier side Boreham Wood on loan from Premier League club Fulham for the 2026-27 season. He has already made four appearances for Boreham Wood. With regular first-team football in mind, Farhan chose the loan move rather than waiting for an opportunity with Fulham’s senior side. Now he will look to make his first appearances for Bangladesh count in Jakarta.

Cristiano Ronaldo said he considered ending his international career after the World Cup, while acknowledging that some critics in Portugal want him to leave the national team. The 41-year-old forward was confirmed by coach Jorge Jesus as a starter for his 234th appearance for Portugal, against Wales on Thursday in the Nations League. Asked at a pre-match news conference whether he had considered retiring from international football after Portugal's round-of-16 defeat to Spain in July, Ronaldo said he had. “Yes, I did. Of course, I'm always thinking about my decisions, my future, the present also,” he said. Ronaldo said he had discussed his future with Portugal's president and Jesus, who previously coached Ronaldo at Saudi club Al-Nassr and led the team to the Saudi league title in May. “I still believe that I'm able to help the national team to reach what they want, and I will finish when I feel like I'm not doing anything here,” he said. Ronaldo, who led Portugal to the Nations League title in 2025, is also closing in on 1,000 career goals. “This is a new young generation,” he said. “But for me, the basic point is to be able on the pitch to score goals and help the team win games.” Ronaldo also acknowledged that he remains a target of criticism in his home country. “I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I do understand that some TV channels want to criticize me,” he said. “They are dying for me not to come to the national team any more, but I can still move away from it.” Ronaldo said he has become accustomed to criticism after more than two decades in the spotlight. “I'm used to it. For over 20 years I have been doing this, but my memories are with people who love me,” he said. He added that he hopes to remain an example for younger generations even after retiring. “I know why young kids love Cristiano, because they see me as an example, and I will continue to do that. Even when I am retired… in 10 years,” Ronaldo said with a smile.

Bangladesh captain Liton Das wants his team to reach the Asian Games cricket final and compete for gold, but he is also thinking beyond the tournament. Cricket will return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, and Liton sees Bangladesh’s Asian Games campaign as part of a bigger opportunity for the sport. Bangladesh are sending their national team to the Asian Games this time, rather than a second-string side. It will also be Liton’s first appearance at the multi-sport event. “It is a big thing to play for the national team, and playing at a place like this is also a big thing,” Liton told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. “You may win a trophy whenever you win elsewhere, but here there is a chance to win gold. It is a big dream. I think all the cricketers are excited.” Bangladesh have traditionally looked to cricket for medals at the Asian Games. The women’s team, however, lost to Pakistan in the bronze-medal match on Tuesday, leaving the men’s team as the country’s main hope of a cricket medal. “There is a lot of interest among our players because this tournament does not come around every time,” Liton said. “You get franchise leagues or national-team tournaments every year. But this is a rare event. Every player is excited, and we will try to fulfil the big dream.” For now, Liton said, the target is simply to get to the final. “We are looking at how we can reach the final,” he said. “Because if you play the final, you have a chance to win gold. In cricket, we always say, match by match. We will go match by match.” The 2028 Olympics will feature six men's cricket teams. The highest-ranked team from each of Asia, Africa, Oceania and Europe will qualify directly. The United States, as host, will also qualify if it is among the top 15 teams in the ICC T20 rankings. The remaining place will be decided through a qualifying tournament. Bangladesh will compete with New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for a place in the Olympics. Liton also hopes success in cricket can help raise the profile of other sports in Bangladesh. “Being able to do something for the country is a big thing,” he said. “And if it is through sport, why not? We are different in cricket. But if something can improve other sports through us, or if opportunities come for other sports, we will try.”

India retained their Asian Games women's cricket title on Tuesday, beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final in Japan. Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat. India made 216 for 3, the highest team total in women's cricket at the Asian Games. Sri Lanka had never chased more than 177 to win a T20 international, and they never came close this time either. They were all out for 69 in 15.4 overs. The margin is India's biggest win by runs in T20 internationals, beating the 142-run win over Malaysia at the 2018 Asia Cup. It is also Sri Lanka's heaviest T20 defeat by runs. Smriti Mandhana top-scored with 79 off 45 balls. Along the way she became the first woman to reach 11,000 runs in international cricket. She needed 13 when she walked out. Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on 99 in the first 10 overs. Shafali made 48 off 29 balls and broke South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt's record for most T20 runs in a calendar year. Wolvaardt set the mark of 824 earlier this year. Shafali now has 863 from the same 24 innings. Richa Ghosh finished the innings with an unbeaten 49 off 22 balls, adding 53 off 19 with Fulmali. Sri Lanka were 41 for 2 after the powerplay but lost four wickets for 11 runs in the next four overs. Captain Chamari Athapaththu made 29. Off-spinner Deepti Sharma took 3 for 6. India have now won both Asian Games women's cricket golds, including Hangzhou 2022. Earlier, Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 31 runs to take bronze.

Bangladesh missed out on a medal in women’s cricket at the Asian Games after losing to Pakistan by 31 runs in the bronze-medal match on Tuesday. Pakistan made 145 for eight after being sent in at Korogi Sports Park, then restricted Bangladesh to 114 for seven in 20 overs. The result left Bangladesh fourth, while Pakistan took the bronze. Bangladesh had won silver at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games after reaching the final in both editions. At the 2022 Games in Hangzhou, they missed the final but beat Pakistan in the third-place playoff to win bronze. There was no medal this time. Bangladesh had been knocked out of the gold-medal race by a 114-run loss to India in the semifinals. Chasing 146, Bangladesh lost three wickets for 20 runs in the first five overs. Dilara Akter made 12, Juwairia Ferdous four and Sobhana Mostary two. They reached 25 for three at the end of the power play and never really recovered. By the halfway mark, Bangladesh were 43 for three and needed 103 from the last 60 balls. Nigar Sultana and Sharmin Akter gave Bangladesh some hope with a 47-run partnership from 56 balls for the fourth wicket. Nigar made 25 from 30 balls before she was dismissed. At that point, Bangladesh needed 79 from 39 balls. Sharmin stayed until the end, making an unbeaten 46 from 45 balls, but Bangladesh managed only 71 runs in the final 10 overs and lost four more wickets. Bangladesh’s batters played out 43 dot balls in the innings. Pakistan offspinner Umme Hani finished with three wickets for 10 runs. Pakistan had also been in trouble after losing five wickets for 67 runs in 11.4 overs. Fatima Sana and Aliya Riaz then put the innings back on course, adding 67 from 43 balls for the sixth wicket. Fatima, who came in at No. 7, top-scored with 45 from 30 balls. Aliya made 25, while opener Gul Feroza scored 31. Nahida Akter, Sorna Akter and Ritu Moni took two wickets each for Bangladesh. The match may also mark the end of Nigar’s tenure as Bangladesh’s T20 captain. She had previously said she would step down after the Asian Games. India will play Sri Lanka in the women’s cricket gold-medal match later Tuesday.  

Saudi Arabia will host the eight-team Arabian Gulf Cup from Wednesday as conflict continues across the Middle East, with the hosts looking to recover from a disappointing World Cup campaign. Yemen is the only team among the eight that has never won the title in the tournament's 26 previous editions. It will open its campaign against the United Arab Emirates in Jeddah on Thursday, only days after Yemen's Houthi rebels said they had targeted the Saudi capital with missiles. The attack was the first on Riyadh since an escalation in fighting with the Tehran-backed rebels opened a new front in the Iran war. On the football field, much of the pressure will be on Saudi Arabia, which was eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup after failing to win any of its matches. Coach Giorgios Donis remains in charge, but preparations for the tournament have been overshadowed by Saturday's announcement that star midfielder Musab Al-Juwayr had been left out of the squad. "Musab Al-Juwayr is one of the most promising talents, but we have regulations and rules, and the player violated them and was punished," Fahad Al-Mufarrij, executive director of the national team, told reporters. Al-Mufarrij dismissed reports that the midfielder had been dropped for ordering food from an outside restaurant while staying at the team hotel. "It is unreasonable to exclude a player because of a meal; this is not true," he said. Al-Juwayr has apologized for his actions. Saudi Arabia will begin its campaign against Kuwait on Wednesday, while Iraq faces Oman in the other Group A match. Australian coach Graham Arnold signed an extension with Iraq last month despite the team losing all three of its World Cup matches. "I want the players to go to the Gulf Cup believing they can win it," Arnold said. "It is a great opportunity to make your country proud." In Group B, Qatar will also seek to recover from a disappointing World Cup, where it failed to win a match and was eliminated early. Julen Lopetegui has remained as Qatar's coach and will face defending champion Bahrain in the tournament. The top two teams in each group will advance to the semifinals, while the final will be held in Jeddah on Oct. 6. The tournament will also serve as preparation for the 2027 Asian Cup, which Saudi Arabia will host beginning in January.

US star Christian Pulisic scored his first goal of the season as he made his first start for AC Milan on Sunday, helping the Italian side beat Lecce 3-0 at home. Pulisic opened the scoring in the 14th minute as Milan secured a comfortable victory in the Italian league. The American forward had made two previous appearances for Milan this season in all competitions, coming on as a substitute at halftime in both matches. His previous goal for the club came in December 2025, when he scored in a league victory over Verona. “It hasn’t been an easy year,” Pulisic told DAZN. “I’m happy about the goal today, but right now all that matters is to keep winning.” The victory was important for Milan, which had won only one home match since March. The team had also faced criticism from its fans after losing 2-0 at home to Benfica in the Europa League on Wednesday, when players were booed off the field. Milan will look to build on Sunday’s win as it continues its Italian league campaign.

Ten days ago it was Dubai. Today it was Japan. Same opponent, same result. Bangladesh's women lost to India in the Asian Games cricket semi-final on Sunday, going down by 114 runs after being bowled out for 81 while chasing India's 195 for 4. It is the same story that played out at the Women's Asia Cup on September 10, just with a bigger margin this time. The loss ends Bangladesh's shot at gold. Nigar Sultana's side will instead play Pakistan for bronze on Tuesday. Shafali Verma was the difference again. She made 64 off 40 balls in the Asia Cup meeting to set up India's total there; this time she went past that entirely, finishing 100 not out off 49 balls as India posted 196 for 4 in their 20 overs — more than half the total from her bat alone. Bangladesh's chase was worse than the one in Dubai. There, they at least batted out their overs, reaching 109 for 7 before losing by 40 runs. This time the innings did not survive 16 overs — all out for 81 in 15.4 overs, with more than four overs still unused. Pakistan's tournament ended the same way earlier in the day. Fatima Sana's side put up 177 for 4 in the first semi-final, but Sri Lanka ran it down with two wickets and 14 balls in hand, winning by 8 wickets. Sri Lanka now face India in the gold-medal match on Tuesday – the same day Bangladesh and Pakistan meet for bronze.

Raphinha scored his second hat-trick in two matches as FC Barcelona defeated Sevilla 3-1 on Saturday, maintaining a perfect record with seven wins from their opening seven La Liga matches. Sevilla took the lead in the 19th minute through Youssouf Fofana's header, but Raphinha equalized three minutes later off an Andreas Christensen pass. Lamine Yamal set up Raphinha's 52nd-minute header and assisted his third goal, putting pressure on Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid ahead of Sunday's derby. In other matches, Celta Vigo thrashed Racing Santander 5-0 with goals from Hugo Gonzalez, Ilaix Moriba, Miguel Roman, and a brace from Pablo Duran. Osasuna drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano as Ante Budimir's acrobatic volley was leveled by Sergio Camello. Athletic Bilbao and Alaves played to a 0-0 draw after Alaves goalkeeper Antonio Sivera saved a penalty. On Friday, 10-man Elche earned their first win of the season, beating Espanyol 3-1 despite Federico Redondo's red card, led by Fer Nino's quick double and German Varela's late goal following a Victor Chust own goal.