United News of Bangladesh

Kane Williamson announced his retirement from T20Is, aiming to focus more on the longer formats of the game. He has played T20Is for 14 years.  New Zealand recently beat England in an ODI series. After the series, Williamson confirmed his decision.  “It feels like the right time — for myself and for the team,” Williamson said in a statement. “I’ve loved every bit of playing T20 cricket for New Zealand, but it’s time to give the next group the clarity and opportunity they deserve.” Babar’s half-century powers Pakistan to series-clinching win over South Africa Williamson, 35, retires as New Zealand’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, with 2,575 runs in 93 matches at an average of 33.44. He led the side in 75 of those games, including two World Cup semi-finals and the 2021 final against Australia, where his 85 remains one of the most memorable innings by a Kiwi batter in the format. “Performance is one thing, but his leadership, humility, and calmness have shaped the team’s culture for years,” New Zealand coach Rob Walter said. “He’s the kind of player you build a team around — on and off the field.” Williamson, who handed over the T20 captaincy to Mitchell Santner earlier this year, said he’s confident about the next generation. “Mitch is doing a wonderful job. It’s their time now, and I’ll be cheering from the sidelines,” Williamson said.  

Babar Azam marked his return to T20 cricket with a composed half-century, steering Pakistan to a four-wicket victory over South Africa and securing the three-match series 2-1 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Chasing 140, Pakistan reached the target with an over to spare, thanks to Babar’s 68 off 46 balls. Earlier, South Africa managed 139-9 after being sent in to bat for the third straight time in the series. The Proteas had won the opener by 55 runs in Rawalpindi, but Pakistan bounced back strongly with two convincing wins in Lahore to take the series. Returning to the side after nearly a year, Babar had been dismissed for a duck in the first match but surpassed Rohit Sharma’s T20 run record in the second. On Saturday, he played a captain’s knock—steady at first against George Linde’s spin before accelerating once the dew made conditions tougher for bowlers. Partnering with skipper Salman Ali Agha (33), Babar built a crucial 76-run stand that anchored Pakistan’s chase. He brought up his fifty with three consecutive fours off Ottneil Baartman, delighting the home crowd of more than 32,000. Pakistan faced a brief wobble when they lost four wickets for 14 runs, including Babar and Agha, but the outcome was never in doubt. Lizaad Williams (2-26) and Andile Simelane (1-23) took late wickets, though Babar’s innings had already sealed the result. India awaits Asia Cup trophy, BCCI threatens ICC escalation “This innings was long due,” Babar said after the match. “I backed myself, the team believed in me. It’s about absorbing pressure and playing according to the situation.” Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26), rattled South Africa early. Afridi, back after being rested, removed Quinton de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius in the first over. Debutant Usman Tariq (2-26) impressed, while Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf also struck key blows as the Proteas stumbled to 76-6 by the 12th over. Reeza Hendricks (34) and Dewald Brevis (21) were the only notable scorers before Bosch’s unbeaten 30 helped South Africa reach a modest total. Pakistan and South Africa will now face off in a three-match ODI series starting Tuesday in Faisalabad. Source: AP

India’s wait for the 2025 Asia Cup trophy continues more than a month after their victory over Pakistan in Dubai, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) setting a two-day deadline for its handover. The BCCI said it expects the trophy to reach its Mumbai headquarters “within the next two days.” If that does not happen, the issue will be raised at the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in Dubai next Tuesday. India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final on September 28, but the post-match ceremony took an unusual turn when the Indian players refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The team declined the handover because Naqvi also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister — a position that, according to Indian officials, makes him politically linked to last April’s conflict in Pahalgam. Following the refusal, the trophy was removed from the presentation area and reportedly taken to the ACC headquarters in Dubai, before being moved again to an undisclosed location in Abu Dhabi. Naqvi has since stated that India must collect the trophy directly from the ACC office. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told reporters the board remains “unhappy but patient”. “We have written to the ACC chairman ten days ago but have not received a response. We still hope the trophy will reach Mumbai within a day or two,” he said recently. Saikia added that if the standoff continues, India will raise the matter formally at the ICC meeting, which could see tensions between the two boards spill into the global forum.

Left-handed top-order batter Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue leading Bangladesh in Tests, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Saturday. He will lead the team until the conclusion of the ongoing cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (2025–2027). The decision came amid ongoing discussions over who could be Bangladesh’s next Test captain. Alongside Najmul, a few other names were also considered for the role, but in the end, the Board chose to stick with him. Since his debut as captain in 2023, Najmul has led Bangladesh in 14 Tests. BCB President Aminul Islam said the decision reflects the Board’s confidence in the 27-year-old batter’s leadership and his vision for Bangladesh’s red-ball cricket. “Shanto has shown composure, commitment and a deep understanding of Test cricket. Under his leadership, we have seen growth and belief in the team. The Board feels that continuity in leadership will serve us well as we move forward in this new Test Championship cycle,” Aminul said. Najmul expressed his appreciation for the Board’s decision. “I feel truly honoured to continue leading the Bangladesh Test team and I am very grateful to the Board for the faith and trust they have shown in my captaincy,” he said. “Captaining my country in Test cricket is the greatest pride of my life. I will do my utmost to repay the responsibility that has been entrusted to me.” Bangladesh recently concluded a three-match ODI and a three-match T20I series against the West Indies. Their next assignment is a home Test series against Ireland. Najmul said he is looking forward to an exciting new season ahead. “We are looking forward to the upcoming series against Ireland later this month, which marks the start of a busy and important period for Bangladesh Test cricket,” he added.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das has called for a much-needed break for his players after the team were whitewashed 3–0 by West Indies in the T20I series that ended in Chattogram on Friday. After a five-wicket defeat in the last T20I, which was the last match of the series against the West Indies, Litton said the players looked mentally and physically drained after months of continuous cricket.  “Sometimes players go through phases of exhaustion,” he said at the post-match press conference in Chattogram. “You try to give everything, but things just don’t go your way. I think the boys are a little tired. A short break will help them refresh and come back stronger.” Since the start of September, Bangladesh cricketers have barely had time to rest. West Indies complete 3–0 sweep as Bangladesh collapse again in final T20I They spent more than a month in camp before the Asia Cup, then played in the tournament, followed by a back-to-back series against Afghanistan in the UAE. After returning home, most players were back on the field within days for the West Indies matches. Litton suggested that the relentless schedule had taken a toll on both the body and mind of the cricketer.  “All of them have been playing cricket continuously for a long time,” he said. “When you play regularly, many things don’t go in your favour. A ten-day break now will allow everyone to reset before the Ireland series.” The break will be brief. Bangladesh will face Ireland in a two-match Test series beginning on November 11, followed by three T20Is. Soon after that, preparations will begin for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), with the T20 World Cup looming in February next year.    

Bangladesh suffered a thumping 3-0 T20I series defeat to the West Indies, as they lost the third and final match by 5 wickets on Friday at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram. Batting first, Bangladesh once again depended heavily on opener Tanzid Hasan, who made a sparkling 89 off 62 balls. His innings included nine fours and four sixes and carried the hosts to 151 all out after yet another middle-order collapse. Saif Hassan (23) was the only other batter to reach double figures as Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for just 44 runs. Romario Shepherd (3 for 36) continued his fine series with the ball, removing Tanzid in the 19th over to end Bangladesh’s hopes of a bigger total. Jason Holder and Khary Pierre took two wickets each, while Roston Chase and Akeal Hosein kept things tight in the middle overs. In reply, West Indies recovered quickly from a cautious start to cruise home in 16.5 overs. Captain Roston Chase and Ackeem Auguste shared a 91-run stand off just 45 balls, both scoring rapid fifties. Chase hit 50 from 29 balls, while Auguste matched him with 50 off 25, striking five sixes. Earlier, Amir Jangoo had set the tone with 34 from 23 balls. Rishad Hossain claimed 3 for 43 for Bangladesh, but the rest of the attack failed to contain the flow of runs. Mahedi Hasan and Nasum Ahmed took one wicket each. West Indies reached 152 for 5 with 19 balls to spare, sealing a clean sweep after earlier wins by 16 and 14 runs. Chase was named Player of the Match, while Shepherd earned the Player of the Series award for his all-round contributions.      

Jemimah Rodrigues scored a scintillating century on home soil as India beat defending champion Australia by five wickets to reach the final of the Women’s Cricket World Cup on Thursday. Rodrigues scored 127 not out off 134 balls, hitting 14 fours, to rally the chase home. Co-hosts India thus set up a title clash with first-time finalist South Africa at the same venue Sunday. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur scored 89 off 88 balls as the third-time finalists scored 341-5 in 48.3 overs — a record chase in Cricket World Cup knockouts, men’s or women’s. This was after Australia won the toss and opted to bat, putting up a tall score on the board — 338 runs in 49.5 overs. Phoebe Litchfield scored 119 off 93 balls, but her century went in vain as the seven-time champions were stopped just short of the final. “It was really hard these last four months, not being part of the team setup," said Rodrigues, who was named player of the match. "I didn’t know I was batting at three today, but I was happy to do the job for my team. Today was not about my century, it was all about getting India into the final. It feels like a dream and hasn’t sunk in yet.” The defeat ended Australia’s 16-match unbeaten run in the tournament stretching back to 2022. A new Women’s World Cup champion will be crowned — both India and South Africa are yet to lift the trophy. Rodrigues-Kaur partnership fuels India’s record chase India had never chased a 200-plus total in tournament history previously, and its highest successful chase against Australia was 265 in 2021. It was a tall order from the start, as freshly inducted Shafali Verma fell for 10 runs. It was 59-2 as Smriti Mandhana was out caught for 24 off Kim Garth in the 10th over. Rodrigues and Kaur then came together, and put on a record 167 runs for the third wicket. It was India’s highest partnership against Australia in World Cups — for any wicket. Kaur took her time setting in, scoring 50 off 65 balls, while Rodrigues got 50 off 57 balls. It was a second half-century for Kaur in this tournament, while Rodrigues crossed 50 for the second consecutive innings. Their stand took India past 200 and set it up for the highest chase in Women’s Cricket World Cup history. It was aided by some sloppy fielding from the defending champions. Alyssa Healy dropped Rodrigues in the 33rd over — a simple skier spilled next to the pitch. She survived again, as Tahlia McGrath dropped Rodrigues in the 44th over again. Kaur sped up after her 50, scoring 39 off the next 23 balls. Overall, she hit 10 fours and two sixes, but was caught in the deep. Annabel Sutherland provided the breakthrough in the 36th over, with Ashleigh Gardner taking a fine catch diving forward. Deepti Sharma didn’t let the momentum slip — she scored 24 off 17 balls. At the other end, Rodrigues hit her third ODI century off 115 balls but didn’t celebrate at all. She became only the second batter to score a hundred in a Women’s World Cup knockout. Those celebrations were reserved for the end — she hit 24 runs off the next 19 balls to take pressure off Amanjot Kaur (15 not out off eight balls) as India romped into a home World Cup final. A target of 339 was the tallest chase in tournament history, surpassing Australia’s 331-run chase against India at Visakhapatnam earlier in the league stage. It was also India’s second highest score against Australia, after it scored 369 runs in Delhi past September in the build-up to this tournament. Australia has now lost two out of six semifinals in Women’s Cricket World Cups — both against India. Litchfield sets up Australia’s innings Earlier, Phoebe Litchfield scored her third ODI hundred after Healy was dismissed for five runs. Litchfield put on 155 off 133 balls with Ellyse Perry, who scored 77 off 88 balls. The opener got to 50 off 45 balls. It was a first half-century of the tournament for Perry, while Litchfield rallied on towards a first World Cup hundred off 77 balls. She scored her second 50 off only 32 balls — overall, Litchfield hit 17 fours and three sixes. Australia seemed on course for a near-400 total while the duo was at the crease. Amanjot Kaur got the breakthrough in the 28th over, bowling the centurion. It pulled back momentum for India and it struck at regular intervals to peg back the defending champions. Gardner hit 63 off 45 balls, with four sixes, to prop up the lower-middle order after Radha Yadav had bowled Perry in the 40th over. Left-arm spinner Shree Charani picked 2-49 in 10 overs. “We didn’t finish off well with the bat and dropped all our chances in the field," said Healy, the Australian skipper. “But we still hung in till the penultimate over, so we can take something from that. Ultimately we were outdone in the end.”  

Former Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad has been admitted to a hospital in Dhaka with dengue but is now recovering. Mahmudullah’s wife, Jannatul Kawsar Mishti, shared the news on social media Thursday, posting a photo of him lying in a hospital bed with the caption. “When Allah loves someone, He tests them with hardships,” she wrote. The image quickly went viral, prompting widespread concern among fans. Mahmudullah, one of Bangladesh’s most experienced cricketers, retired from international cricket in March this year. He last played for Dhaka Metro in the National Cricket League T20 competition, scoring 47 runs across two matches.

Australia won the toss and chose to bat first against India in the second semifinal of the Women’s Cricket World Cup on Thursday at the DY Patil Stadium. Captain Alyssa Healy returned from a calf injury that had sidelined her for the last two games. The defending champions are eyeing a record-extending eighth Cricket World Cup final. For India, attacking opener Shafali Verma came back into the side after Pratika Rawal was ruled out with an ankle injury sustained while fielding against Bangladesh in the final league match at the same venue. Verma, who has played 29 One-Day Internationals, has scored 774 runs at an average of 23.00 and a strike rate of 83.20. She was not part of India’s original squad or the tournament reserves and has been drafted straight into the playing XI. India made two other changes: wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh returned after being rested for the previous game, while medium-pacer Kranti Goud replaced Harleen Deol. For Australia, Healy came in for Georgia Voll, while left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux replaced wrist spinner Georgia Wareham. Healy had missed the matches against England and South Africa after scoring back-to-back hundreds against India and Bangladesh. Australia had earlier beaten India by three wickets in a high-scoring league-stage game at Visakhapatnam. The team holds an 11–3 World Cup record against India and is on a 16-match unbeaten run in the tournament dating back to 2022. The pitch is expected to favor batters, with some assistance for spinners as the game progresses. There is a chance of rain, but a reserve day has been allocated. Playing XIs India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Radha Yadav, Kranti Goud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur. Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Alyssa Healy (captain), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt.

A 17-year-old cricketer, Ben Austin, has died after being hit in the head during a training session at Ferntree Gully in suburban Melbourne, local cricket officials confirmed on Thursday. Austin was batting in the nets during practice on Tuesday when he was struck by a ball. He was rushed to a hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries. “We are absolutely devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his death will be felt by all in our cricket community,” the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, and all those who knew Ben and the joy that he brought.” Ringwood and District Cricket Association president Michael Finn said Austin was warming up in the nets when the incident occurred. “Medical assistance was provided by people at the ground until the paramedics arrived,” he said. Babar Azam looks to respond to coach’s criticism in T20 series against SA Cricket Australia also released a statement from Ben’s father, Jace Austin, expressing the family’s grief and support for those affected. “This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but we find some comfort that he was doing something he did for so many summers — going down to the nets with mates to play cricket,” the statement read. “We would also like to support his teammate who was bowling in the nets — this accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with him and his family as well.” The incident has drawn comparisons to the death of Australian international cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died in 2014 after being struck near the ear by a ball during a first-class match in Sydney. His death led to new safety regulations for batting helmets in professional cricket. Source: AP