United News of Bangladesh

Robin Smith, the former England batter renowned for his fearless stroke play during an era of frequent test defeats, has died at age 62. His family announced through the England and Wales Cricket Board that Smith passed away unexpectedly at his home in Perth, Australia, on Monday. No cause of death was released. Smith represented England in 62 test matches between 1988 and 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at an impressive average of 43.67 and registering nine centuries. Famous for his trademark square cut, he also featured in 71 ODIs and was part of the squad that reached the 1992 World Cup final. His unbeaten 167 against Australia in 1993 stood as England’s highest ODI score until 2016. The family emphasized that his past struggles with alcohol and mental health following his retirement in 2004 “should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death.” Born in Durban, South Africa, to British parents, Robin Arnold Smith — affectionately known as “The Judge” — moved to England as a teenager, following his elder brother Chris, who also played at the international level. Smith made an impactful test debut in 1988 against the West Indies at Headingley, scoring 38 in a century partnership against the fearsome pace attack of Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Winston Benjamin and Courtney Walsh. He produced two Ashes centuries and three against the West Indies, including his career-best 175 at St. John’s, Antigua, in 1994. Tributes poured in from former teammates and cricket figures. Michael Vaughan wrote on X: “RIP Judge ... My hero.”ECB chairman Richard Thompson said Smith “stood up to some of the fastest bowlers in the world with a smile and remarkable resilience,” giving England fans both pride and entertainment. Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports: “He had no fear against the quicks. No grille, no visor — just that helmet. I’ve rarely seen anyone cut the ball better. England fans adored him.”Former captain Michael Atherton added that while Smith appeared tough and unshakable on the field, he was shy off it but immensely popular: “He was someone who would do anything for you.” Smith played over 300 first-class games for Hampshire, where he became a club legend. The county hailed him as a “true titan,” with chairman Rod Bransgrove calling him “one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Hampshire heroes,” deeply cherished by supporters and teammates alike. Source: AP 

Erling Haaland hit his 100th Premier League goal on Tuesday as Manchester City survived a fierce late surge from Fulham to secure a 5-4 victory and move within two points of the league summit. Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute at Craven Cottage, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone, doing so in just 111 matches — surpassing Alan Shearer’s previous mark of 124 games. Despite cruising to a 5-1 lead, City were pushed to the brink as Fulham rallied and nearly equalized in stoppage time when Josh King’s shot was cleared off the line. “It’s not good enough, and we all know that. We have to improve,” Haaland told Sky Sports after the match. Tijani Reijnders and Phil Foden added first-half goals for City, while Emile Smith-Rowe pulled one back for Fulham before the break. Foden struck again early in the second half, and a Sander Berge own goal appeared to put the game beyond doubt — until Fulham stormed back. Alex Iwobi curled in a second, and Samuel Chukwueze netted twice in six minutes, setting up a tense finish. Josko Gvardiol’s last-ditch clearance ultimately preserved the three points. Manager Pep Guardiola said he had no explanation for his team’s defensive lapses. “It’s the Premier League — what can I say?” Romero rescues SpursCristian Romero delivered for Tottenham with a spectacular overhead kick five minutes into stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw at Newcastle. Bruno Guimaraes put Newcastle ahead in the 71st minute after a dominant first half, but Romero equalized shortly after with a near-post header. Anthony Gordon restored Newcastle’s lead from the penalty spot in the 86th minute, only for Romero’s late acrobatics to deny the hosts all three points and halt Spurs’ run of three straight losses. Newcastle manager Eddie Howe called the late goal “heartbreaking,” noting his team’s repeated struggles to protect leads. Liverpool win raises questions over Salah’s future role ElsewhereEverton rebounded from their loss to Newcastle at the weekend with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth, sealed by Jack Grealish’s 78th-minute strike — his second of the season while on loan from Manchester City. Source: AP 

Bangladesh sealed the three-match T20I series against Ireland with a big eight-wicket victory in the final game in Chattogram. It came riding on a composed fifty from opener Tanzid Hasan and a disciplined all-round bowling effort. Set a modest target of 118, Bangladesh reached the finish line in 13.4 overs, losing only two wickets along the way. Tanzid, who struggled in the first two matches of the series, found fluency at last, compiling a brisk half-century off 35 balls—his 11th in T20 cricket. Parvez Hossain finished unbeaten on 33, guiding the chase calmly after the early departures of Saif Hassan and Litton Das. Bangladesh were 79 for two after 10 overs, well ahead of the rate, and required just 39 runs from the final 60 deliveries. Ireland’s innings never fully recovered after early breakthroughs. Opting to bat first, the visitors were bowled out for 117. Bangladesh hold their nerve to beat Ireland, level T20I series Captain Paul Stirling top-scored with 38, but the batting line-up struggled for momentum, going long stretches without boundaries. Bangladesh’s bowlers controlled the innings throughout: Mustafizur Rahman and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain took three wickets each, while left-armer Shoriful Islam added two. Rishad’s spell was the standout, picking up his wickets with flight and variation, including a well-disguised googly to remove Curtis Campher. Tanzid also made history in the field, taking five catches—the most by any fielder from a full-member nation in a single T20I. The win gave Bangladesh the series 2–1 after dropping the opening match. It also offered the hosts a measure of stability ahead of a busy period, with the T20 World Cup looming and several players competing for roles.

The West Indies removed New Zealand opener Devon Conway during a heavily rain-shortened first session Tuesday on day one of the opening Test. Only 10.3 overs were completed before lunch following a long weather delay. New Zealand went to the break at 17–1 when rain returned, with Kane Williamson unbeaten on 13 in his first Test of the year and Tom Latham on 1 after facing 31 deliveries. Conway fell on the third ball of the match, edging a full delivery from 37-year-old Kemar Roach to Justin Greaves at second slip. The ball straightened as Conway stepped toward it, taking the outside edge. West Indies captain Roston Chase opted to bowl first under cloudy skies and on a green Hagley Oval pitch. Roach and Jayden Seales generated movement whenever they pitched the ball up. The touring attack also features Ojay Shield, making his Test debut at age 29. This match marks the first Test between the sides since 2020 and is part of a rare three-match series for both teams. New Zealand is the only Test nation yet to begin its new World Test Championship campaign. Their only other Test series in 2025 was a 2–0 win over Zimbabwe in August. Williamson, who skipped that series to play in England, is appearing in his first Test since December 2024, the longest break of his career from the format.

Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday sparked fresh debate about whether the club is beginning to prepare for life without Mohamed Salah after head coach Arne Slot left the 33-year-old on the bench for a Premier League match for the first time since April 2024. Slot’s decision followed weeks of scrutiny over Salah’s form. The forward, who has been central to Liverpool’s success for nearly a decade, has struggled this season and will soon join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot said Salah still has a strong future at the club but accepted that current performances have made selection decisions more difficult. Liverpool’s reshaped lineup delivered a much-needed result after a long spell of poor form that included nine defeats in 12 matches. Alexander Isak scored his first league goal since his record move from Newcastle, while Florian Wirtz played a key role in midfield. Cody Gakpo assisted Isak’s opener and added a second goal in stoppage time. Slot restored Joe Gomez at right-back, which strengthened Liverpool’s defence after conceding 10 goals in their previous three games and freed Dominik Szoboszlai to return to an attacking role. Salah watched from the bench as Liverpool kept a clean sheet and secured only their second league win since mid-September. Analysts said the decision to leave him out was justified. Former England captain Alan Shearer said Salah “cannot complain” because of his dip in form and called the move a necessary step for a team looking to recover. Despite his recent struggles, Salah’s record remains exceptional. Since joining Liverpool in 2017, he has scored 250 goals in 419 appearances and holds a league win rate of 64 percent. Liverpool have won 263 matches in all competitions with Salah in the team. Slot is expected to decide soon whether Salah returns to the starting lineup when Liverpool host Sunderland on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Isak said the goal ended a frustrating drought and he hopes it will help him build momentum after a slow start to his Liverpool career.   With inputs from BBC

Veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad found teams in the BPL auction after going unsold in the first round on Sunday. Both were listed in the ‘B’ category with a base price of Tk 35 lakh but were not picked initially. Under auction rules, they were supposed to be re-listed from the ‘C’ category with a lower base price of Tk 22 lakh. However, the organisers chose not to downgrade them, citing “respect” for the senior players. Rangpur Riders secured Mahmudullah at his original base price of Tk 35 lakh, while Rajshahi Warriors picked up Mushfiqur for the same amount. Another experienced campaigner, Mominul Haque, was also overlooked in the first call but later signed by Sylhet Titans for Tk 22 lakh, his listed base price.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has expressed deep grief over the death of veteran sports journalist Jahir Uddin Bhuiyan in a road accident in the capital. Jahir Bhuiyan, 51, a long-time sports correspondent who was working for Daily Bhorer Pata, suffered fatal injuries in the afternoon crash, the board said in a condolence message. He had covered cricket and other major sports for more than two decades, travelling extensively with Bangladesh teams and reporting from home and abroad. Colleagues in the press box often described him as a dedicated reporter with a strong presence in domestic cricket circles. In its statement, the BCB conveyed “heartfelt sympathies” to his family. The Bangladesh cricket fraternity observed a minute’s silence in Jahir Uddin Bhuiyan’s memory during Sunday’s BPL auction in Dhaka.

A 20-day short pitch cricket tournament was inaugurated on Saturday at the Dr. Enayet Karim School and College playground in Wazirpur upazila of Barishal district. Dr. Enayet Karim, President of the Global Development Bank and Asian Chapter President of the United Nations World Council for Indigenous Games (UN-WCIG), inaugurated the tournament as the Chief Guest. A total of 22 teams from across the district will participate. Day-night matches will begin on December 10, with the final scheduled for December 30. The tournament aims to curb drug use in society, particularly among youths. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Karim highlighted that sports, through structured programs, serve as an effective tool to prevent drug abuse. He noted that participating in sports builds resilience, improves mental health, and creates a positive environment that discourages substance use. “Team sports foster social connections and communication skills, providing a supportive network and access to positive role models, such as coaches and senior athletes, who can guide young people toward healthy lifestyles,” he added. Local political leaders, teachers, students, cricket players, and sports enthusiasts attended the event. National cricket players are expected to attend the final match to present trophies and prize money to the winning and runner-up teams, said Abdul Halim Khabir Mridha, chairman of the organizing committee.

Bangladesh cricketer Anamul Haque Bijoy has served a legal notice to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the BPL Governing Council and the Ministry of Youth and Sports after his name was left out of the players’ auction list for the upcoming BPL 2026 season. The notice, sent by Supreme Court lawyer Jobayer Mohammad Aourangzeb on Anamul’s behalf, argues that the decision to exclude him is arbitrary, professionally damaging and taken without any explanation or prior communication. It states that Anamul has not been accused of misconduct or any breach of cricketing integrity, yet was removed without being informed of any reason. In the notice, Anamul describes himself as a long-serving national cricketer with consistent performances across domestic and international cricket. He claims the omission has caused him reputational harm as well as emotional and financial loss, particularly because the BPL is considered a major platform ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup. The notice demands that BCB immediately reinstates his name in the auction list, allows him to participate freely, and issues a public clarification. It gives the board three days to respond, warning that failure to do so will lead to further legal action, including possible claims for damages.

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) auction returned in dramatic fashion on Sunday, with early bidding dominated by intense contests for top local players. Mohammad Naim was sold to Chattogram for BDT 1.10 crore.  The auction at a Dhaka hotel opened with BPL chairman Aminul Islam welcoming franchises and outlining expectations for a more transparent tournament. He also reiterated the board’s long-stated promise to introduce a women’s BPL, though past commitments have yet to materialize. Aminul urged teams to strengthen their ties with regional cricket and encouraged efforts to attract spectators across all three venues. Once proceedings shifted to the players, the first major contest erupted for opener Mohammad Naim. Sylhet, Rangpur and Noakhali all entered the bidding, but Chattogram Royals eventually outlasted the competition, securing Naim for Tk 1.10 crore — the day’s highest price so far. Moments later, Rangpur Riders picked up Liton Das for Tk 75 lakh. The auction began with local players, overseen by auctioneer Arman Rafi Nizam, following a lottery to determine whether Naim or Liton would appear first. Naim’s name was drawn, and the bidding escalated quickly. Away from the main floor, the day’s most contentious subplot involved the nine cricketers excluded from the auction after being flagged in fixing-related inquiries.  Earlier in the afternoon, the High Court dismissed a writ petition filed by several of the players seeking reinstatement. Though none have been formally charged, the BCB’s integrity unit recommended keeping them out as a precaution. The excluded cricketers expressed shock, calling the decision reputation-damaging and unfair without evidence. There was also enthusiasm from players already signed through direct contracts. Test captain Najmul Hossain, taken earlier by Rajshahi Warriors, said he was excited for the auction, acknowledging its intensity and the preparation by each franchise.