United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka Men's Handball team made a good start in the Dhaka- Assam Men's and Women's Handball Series'2024 beating touring Assam Men's team by 47-24 goals in the opening match at the Shaheed Captain (Retd) M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium here on Sunday. The winners led the first half by 23-11 goal. 35th National Women's Handball Championship begins Mohammad Faisal of Dhaka Handball team was adjust the best player of the match. Former Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association, former President of Bangladesh Volleyball Federation and veteran sports organiser Golam Quddus Chowdhury Babu inaugurated the three-day series as chief guest on Sunday afternoon. General Secretary of Bangladesh Handball Federation Asaduzzaman Kohinoor presided over the day's opening ceremony, also attended by General Secretary of Assam Handball Association Amol Narayan Patwari Dhaka- Assam Men's, Women's Handball Series begins on Sunday Touring Assam Men's Handball Team scheduled to play four matches while Assam Women's team due to play four matches against local teams, under a joint initiative of Bangladesh Handball Federation (BHF) and Assam State Handball Association.

Portugal plays Slovenia on Monday in the round of 16 at the European Championship. The game kicks off at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. The winner will advance to face Belgium or France in the quarterfinals on Friday. Here's what to know about the match: Match facts — Portugal starts the group stage with wins over the Czech Republic and Turkey, then rests some starters in the third game and loses 2-0. Sound familiar? Portugal started Euro 2008 just as it has 16 years later. Then, Portugal did not get momentum back and was eliminated in the first knockout round — to a Germany team heading to the final. Slovenia is a different kind of test. — Slovenia will play its first knockout game at a major tournament in 32 years as an independent soccer nation. Slovenia went home after the group stage at Euro 2000, and the World Cups of 2002 and 2010, though only the top two advanced at those tournaments. — Slovenia started Euro 2024 the same way eventual champion Portugal did in 2016: three straight draws, no wins in the group to advance among the best third-place teams. — Portugal already has more wins in 90 minutes at this tournament (2) than in its 2016 title-winning campaign (1). — Frankfurt hosts its fifth and final game and is not a city where favorites thrive. So far here, Belgium lost to Slovakia, England played poorly in a draw against Denmark, and Germany needed a stoppage-time equalizer against Switzerland. Team news — At the 2022 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped to the bench for the round of 16 game that Portugal won 6-1 against Switzerland. His replacement Gonçalo Ramos scored a hat trick. That was by then-coach Fernando Santos. Ronaldo is in better standing with current coach Roberto Martinez and Ramos got just 24 game minutes off the bench so far. — Josip Iličić has not started a game for Slovenia but the 36-year-old’s return to the national team has been a positive story. The former Atalanta player’s career was derailed by depression he suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Iličić came on as a substitute in the 0-0 draw with England on Tuesday. By the numbers — This is the second most lopsided mismatch by FIFA world rankings of the round of 16. There are 51 ranking places between No. 6 Portugal and No. 57 Slovenia but 66 between No. 8 Spain and No. 74 Georgia. — 2-0. The score Slovenia beat Portugal by in March when they played a friendly in Ljubljana. — Slovenia lost just once in 15 games over the past year, a 2-1 defeat in Denmark last November in their qualifying group. — Only Germany had more attempts on goal than Portugal's 54 in the group stage. Only Scotland had fewer than Slovenia's 25. Slovenia star forward Benjamin Šeško had five of those attempts without scoring yet. — Portugal defender Pepe continues to extend his tournament record as the oldest-ever player. He will be aged 41 years and 126 days on Monday. — Cristiano Ronaldo, who turned 39 in February, will set the record as the oldest ever scorer if and when he gets his first goal at Euro 2024. The record is held by Luka Modric, scoring against Italy on Monday at age 38 years and 289 days. What they’re saying — "He’s going to be very good for this knockout phase of the tournament, and I hope — or I’m sure —that he’ll give us a lot of joy.” — Pepe praises Ronaldo — “Two years ago, we played against Serbia and we lost 4-1 in Belgrade. This was a turning point and since then we’ve only grown as a team.” — Slovenia midfielder Adam Gnezda Čerin  

Right up to the Twenty20 World Cup final, there were question marks about whether India should persist with playing Virat Kohli. One of the greatest cricketers India has ever produced just wasn't scoring. He'd tallied 75 runs in seven games, including two ducks. India won every game but Kohli was reduced to a concerning afterthought, saved by the middle order and bowlers. The humbling scores followed a spectacular Indian Premier League for Kohli, who set or extended tournament records in scoring 741 runs at an average of nearly 62. Captain and fellow opener Rohit Sharma, despite their low-scoring partnerships at the World Cup, insisted throughout that he and Kohli were the first names on the team list. His faith was repaid in the final against South Africa on Saturday, when Kohli led India's batting with 76 from 59 balls in a competitive total of 176-7. The bowlers brilliantly defended the total to win a thriller by seven runs and make India a world champion for the first time in 13 years. “None of us doubted him,” Sharma said of Kohli. Virat Kohli latest victim of deepfake? “We know his quality. He has been at the top of his game for 15 years now. Big players will step up in big occasions and he played a crucial knock today. It was a team effort to get to that total but we knew we needed someone to bat time and he did that perfectly, using all his experience.” After being named man of the match, Kohli said it was his last T20 international. “One day you feel like you can't get a run, but one day things just click,” he said. “I am so proud to get the runs for the team on the day it mattered most. The occasion prompted that change for me, I felt like it was now or never. We have wanted to lift a trophy for a long time. The occasion made me put my head down, respect the situation and play the innings that the team needed from me.” Class prevails when it comes to Kohli. He's produced so often when it's mattered. In the 2014 final in Dhaka, he led all scorers with 77 off 58, though India lost to Sri Lanka. In the 2016 semifinal in Mumbai, he hit an unbeaten 89 off 47 in the loss to West Indies. Asia Cup: India overpower Afghanistan as Virat Kohli hits ton after 1,000 days He finished as the T20 captain at the 2021 World Cup, and hit 50 off 40 in the 2022 semifinal loss to England in Adelaide. After six T20 World Cups, he's the highest scorer in tournament history, just ahead of Sharma, but he's decided to finish his 14-year T20 career on a high than stay to the next World Cup in 2026 co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. He'd be 37 by then. “It is time for the new generation to come through for India,” Kohli said. "We have some amazing players coming through and they have to take this team forwards now. Virat Kohli steps down as India's Test skipper “I wasn't feeling myself before today. I wasn't confident. So I am very grateful and humble right now. It has been difficult, so there are a lot of emotions. It hasn't quite sunk in for me yet. It's an amazing day, I am so thankful.”

Lautaro Martínez scored twice and Argentina, playing without the injured Lionel Messi, wrapped up Copa America group play with a 2-0 win over Peru on Saturday night. A nicely placed through ball from Ángel Di María led to Martínez's goal in the 46th minute. Martínez was embraced by teammates afterward, then went to hug Messi, who was standing near Argentina's bench. Martínez doubled Argentina’s lead in the 86th minute and now has a tournament-leading four goals. Messi did not play Saturday as he nurses a leg injury suffered in Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Chile on Tuesday that clinched a quarterfinal berth for the defending champions. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was also absent after being suspended because of his team’s late second-half return to the pitch in its previous two Copa matches. Saturday, the Albiceleste walked out for the second half just a few seconds before Peru. Argentina coach Scaloni suspended from Copa America match vs. Peru for being repeatedly late Playing with nine changes to its starting lineup, Argentina controlled possession (74%) for the third straight match and had six shots on goal, while being held scoreless in the first half for the third straight match. The game was played in front of about 64,000 fans at the Miami Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium, which will also host the final on July 14. Most fans cheered for Argentina while wearing different versions of Messi's No. 10 jersey. Canada played Chile to a scoreless draw in another Group A match on Saturday in Orlando, Florida, to also advance to the quarterfinal round. Lionel Messi to rest for Argentina's final Copa America group match against Peru with leg injury Argentina will learn its knockout stage opponent when Group B finishes on Sunday. Group leader Venezuela plays Jamaica at Austin, Texas, and second-place Ecuador plays Mexico at Glendale, Arizona. Nicolás Tagliafico appeared to score for Argentina in the 55th minute after tapping in the ball at the back post, but the officials ruled that goaltender Pedro Gallese, who made four saves, was blocked and the goal was waived off. Argentina had another chance when the team was awarded a penalty after a handball in the box by Jesús Castillo. Leandro Paredes blasted the ball into the right post, and the score remained 1-0. Goaltender Emiliano Martínez made one save. Lionel Messi hopes leg injury sustained during Argentina's Copa America win over Chile not serious Peru was held without a goal for the third ga.me of the tournament and has no goals in 11 of its last 14 matches. Peru played a scoreless draw against Chile in its Copa America opener, then lost 1-0 to Canada. The team reached the semifinals in 2021 before losing to Brazil.

Defending champion Italy crashed out of the European Championship after losing to Switzerland 2-0 in the last 16 on Saturday. Goals in each half from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas gave the Swiss their first win over their southern neighbor for 31 years and set up a quarterfinal against England or Slovakia in Düsseldorf on July 6. Switzerland dominated in terms of possession, shots, attacks and passes. By the time Italy responded in the second half, the aggressive Swiss defense was able to deal with it. Coach Murat Yakin’s gameplan worked to perfection and he repaid the faith his federation showed him when there were calls for him to go in November. All Italy counterpart Luciano Spalletti could do was put his hands out in exasperation on the sideline. Freuler deservedly broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when he set up Vargas’ cross with his first touch and smashed it in with his next. Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had earlier denied Breel Embolo in a one-on-one, produced a flying save to deflect Fabian Riedler’s free kick onto the post before the break. But the second half had barely started before Vargas curled a shot from the edge of the penalty area inside the top right corner. Italy was immediately more proactive and Switzerland defender Fabian Schär was relieved to see his attempted headed clearance rebound off the post minutes later. Fans tried to get a Mexican wave going through the Olympiastadion but the Italian fans were not in the mood. Their team pushed forward in search of a way back only to find none. Gianluca Scamacca went closest when he hit the post but looked offside in any case. Spalletti spoke of his team’s “ beautiful suits ” before the Spain game, but this time, after substitute Mattia Zaccagni’s last-second equalizer against Croatia, he was unable to pull a rabbit out of Italy’s hat.

India defended 30 runs when South Africa needed it in 30 balls with six wickets in hand, and they won their second T20 World Cup, ending a 13-year drought for an ICC world title. This triumph will be remembered for a long time for Indian captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid, who never won a World Cup as a player.  After the match, Virat Kohli, who led the way hitting 76 in the final, declared that it was his last T20 for India.  The victory was orchestrated by a collective effort, with contributions from Virat Kohli's anchoring fifty, and a clinical bowling display, particularly from Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh. T20 World Cup final: Kohli knuckles down to get runs when needed most, India post 176 Bumrah, the golden-arm-bowler, conceded only 2 runs in the 18th over and took another wicket. He opened the tail of South Africa, and the rest was done in style by Arshdeep Singh and Hardik.  Electing to bat first, India faced early setbacks, losing Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav inside the powerplay. However, Kohli's composed innings, coupled with Axar's aggressive strokeplay, steadied the ship. While Kohli's 76 runs came at a measured pace, his ability to hold the innings together proved invaluable. Axar's 47 off 31 balls provided the much-needed impetus, guiding India to a respectable 176.

Bangladesh Customs clinched the top slot in the country's first-ever International Open Veteran Athletics Championship 2024 securing 78 gold, 52 silver and 30 bronze medals on the 3rd and final day of the meet at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Saturday. The Masters' Games Association of Bengal, India finished 2nd collecting 52 gold, 47 silver and 27 bronze medals while the Masters Athletics team of Sri Lanka became 3rd with 20 gold, 9 silver and 29 bronze medals. Two hundred four events were decided on the three-day meet that concluded here on Saturday. Int'l Open Veteran Athletics: Bangladesh Customs maintain top spot General Secretary of Bangladesh Athletics Federation Advocate Abdur Rakib Montu declared the meet closed at a simple ceremony on Saturday. Some 353 men's and women's athletes from five South Asian countries -- India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and hosts Bangladesh--took part in 204 events of the three-day meet. A total of 253 athletes from 36 different teams and organisations represented Bangladesh in the meet. Country's first Int'l Open Veteran Athletics begins Veteran men's athletes of 35 to 70 years age groups, divided in eight groups and women's athletes of 35 to 65 years age group, split into seven groups, participated in the meet, for the first time in Bangladesh.

Virat Kohli's resilient half-century steered India to a competitive 176 against South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup in Kingstown. The match began with a bang, as Rohit Sharma's aggressive intent yielded 15 runs in the first over. However, Keshav Maharaj's double strike in the second, removing Rohit and Rishabh Pant, shifted the momentum towards South Africa. Suryakumar Yadav's early dismissal further compounded India's woes, leaving Kohli and Axar Patel to rebuild the innings. Before their partnership, India also Suryakumar Yadav to Kagiso Rabad. Kohli, adopting an uncharacteristically cautious approach, focused on accumulating runs while Axar played the aggressor. South Africa's disciplined bowling, particularly from Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen, restricted the scoring rate through the middle overs. But Kohli's experience and composure shone through, as he reached a hard-fought fifty. Axar's run-out, courtesy of Quinton de Kock's quick thinking, triggered a mini-collapse, but Kohli's late flourish, along with Shivam Dube, propelled India past 170. Kohli's innings, while not his most fluent, proved crucial in setting a defendable total. The Indian star batter ended up on 76 off 59 balls with six fours and two sixes. Three of India’s top four batters were dismissed for one-digit total. However, Kohli’s innings helped them built a challenging total. For South Africa, Maharaj and Anrich Nortje took two wickets each. If India can defend this total, it would be their second T20 World Cup title, in contrast, if South Africa can chase it down, they will be the first-time winner of a world title. They never played a World Cup final before. 

The Dhaka- Assam Men's and Women's Handball Series'2024, a joint initiative of Bangladesh Handball Federation (BHF) and Assam State Handball Association, begins here on Sunday (June 30) at the Shaheed Captain (Retd) M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium. Former Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association,  former President of Bangladesh Volleyball Federation and veteran sports organiser Golam Quddus Chowdhury Babu will inaugurate the three-day series as  chief guest Sunday afternoon. National Women's Handball: Bangladesh Ansar & VDP to face Bangladesh Police in final Touring Assam Men's Handball team will play four matches--- against Boarder Guard Bangladesh on Sunday at 3 pm, Bangladesh Police Handball Club on Monday also at 3 pm, Bangladesh Junior (U-20) Handball team on Tuesday at 10 am and against Bangladesh Youth (U-18) Handball team also on Tuesday at 4:45 pm. Assam Women's team will play three matches-- against Dhaka Handball team on Sunday at 4:45 pm, Bangladesh Police Handball Club on Monday at 4:45 pm and again against Dhaka Handball Club on Tuesday at 3 pm. 35th National Women's Handball begins Monday Meanwhile, both the Assam Men's and Women's teams already reached Dhaka to play the series.

In their quest for a world title after more than a decade, India lost three key wickets inside the powerplay of the T20 World Cup final against South Africa on Saturday in Kingstown. Winning the toss, India opted to bat first. They started aggressively, scoring 15 runs in the first over thanks to three fours from Virat Kohli. But South Africa quickly turned the tide, taking two wickets in the next over bowled by Keshav Maharaj. Rohit Sharma was first to go, caught at square leg attempting a sweep. Rishabh Pant followed soon after, also falling for a duck while attempting a similar shot. In the fifth over, Kagiso Rabada dismissed Suryakumar Yadav for three, caught at fine leg. India's aggressive approach in the powerplay, which had served them well throughout the tournament, proved costly in the final. After the powerplay, they were batting at 45 for three. While India has previously won a T20 World Cup, this is the first World Cup final appearance for South Africa in their cricketing history.