United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) ad-hoc committee chief Tamim Iqbal announced an upcoming board election timeline, a new domestic cricket tournament, and addressed the status of former captains facing legal issues during his first formal press conference Thursday in Mirpur. The election process for the BCB's board of directors will begin at a board meeting on May 3, with the vote expected within 30 to 45 days. Tamim said the elections should conclude two to three weeks before the ad-hoc committee's tenure officially ends. Addressing the potential return of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim said that former captains Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Naimur Rahman are in the same situation. All three face legal cases filed after the fall of the Awami League government in 2024. He said the board is prepared to provide cricketing support and will welcome the players back if they resolve their legal problems, adding that the sports minister has indicated flexibility on the matter. To develop domestic cricket, the interim board will launch a three-day Second XI tournament to run parallel to the first-class National Cricket League this season. Tamim said the initiative aims to provide a platform for up to 200 players from lower divisions and eliminate the culture of abruptly drafting unregistered players for specific matches. Participating players will receive match fees and standard facilities, and the NCL will reinstate a home-and-away format. The committee also approved infrastructure upgrades for the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The plans include installing a 27,000-square-foot canopy over the currently roofless Eastern gallery and exploring preliminary options to transition the entire stadium to solar power.

The second T20I between Bangladesh and New Zealand was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Wednesday due to persistent rain. The third and final match of the series is on May 2 in Dhaka. The match was called off at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium after continuous downpours prevented the players from taking the field. Board officials confirmed that spectators who purchased tickets online for the fixture will receive refunds in accordance with the applicable ticketing policy. Bangladesh currently leads the three-match series 1-0 following a six-wicket victory in the opening game on Monday.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reversed an earlier decision and granted fast bowler Nahid Rana permission to participate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final on May 3. The board announced Wednesday that it reviewed Rana's No Objection Certificate after receiving clearance from the national team management and medical staff. The BCB said that playing in the franchise final will not negatively impact the bowler's fitness, workload management, or availability for upcoming international fixtures. Officials described the opportunity to compete in the final of a major global T20 tournament as an important step in Rana's continued development as a player. Following the PSL final, Rana is scheduled to return to the national squad. The board confirmed he remains on track and available for selection for Bangladesh's first Test match against Pakistan, which is set to begin May 8 in Dhaka.

Bangladesh are set to take on New Zealand in the second T20 International on Wednesday in Chattogram, with a chance to seal the series. The hosts lead the series after a successful chase in the opening match. Heavy rain on the eve of the game has raised concerns, and further showers are forecast for match day, which could affect the duration—or even the possibility—of play. Both sides are expected to field unchanged XIs. Bangladesh have been a consistent side in the format for more than a year. They recorded their highest number of wins in a calendar year in 2025, a sign of their growing strength in T20 internationals. Another victory against New Zealand would further reinforce that progress. As in the first match, and during the preceding ODI series, Bangladesh are likely to rely heavily on their pace attack.

Tawhid Hridoy scored an unbeaten 51 off 27 balls to lead Bangladesh to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first T20I on Monday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Chasing a target of 183 at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram, Bangladesh reached 183-4 with two overs to spare. The successful run chase was driven by an aggressive middle-order performance that overwhelmed the New Zealand bowling attack. After Bangladesh reached 77-2 in the 10th over, Hridoy and Parvez Hossain Emon shifted the match's momentum. The pair combined for a rapid 57-run partnership off just 28 deliveries. Following Emon’s dismissal for a 14-ball 28, Shamim Hossain joined Hridoy at the crease to secure the win. Shamim contributed an unbeaten 31 off 13 balls, helping close out the match in the 18th over.  Bangladesh captain Litton Das praised the middle order for executing the chase on a surface that became increasingly challenging as the match progressed. "A total of 183 is a big total at this ground because the wicket was not that easy to bat on; it was slow during the change of innings," Litton said. "The way Emon, Hridoy, and Shamim batted made it look easy, but it really wasn't." Earlier, New Zealand posted 182-6 after being asked to bat first. Dane Cleaver and Katene Clarke anchored the visitors' innings, scoring 51 runs each. The pair built an 88-run second-wicket partnership before Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain dismissed both batters. Hossain finished as the team's most successful bowler with figures of 2-32. New Zealand captain Nick Kelly acknowledged his team lost control during the middle overs of the chase, citing Bangladesh's superior boundary-hitting ability as the deciding factor.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first in the first T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand on Monday in Chattogram. Just before the T20I series, Bangladesh defeated New Zealand in the three-match ODI series. Media from Chattogram reported heavy rain during the night and in the morning before the match. However, the sun emerged later, allowing the curators to prepare the field for play on time. Nevertheless, the weather became gloomy right after the toss. For the visitors, captain Tom Latham has been ruled out due to a toe injury. In his place, Nick Kelly is leading the team, becoming the 13th player to captain New Zealand in T20Is. Bangladesh XI: Tanzid Hasan, Saif Hassan, Litton Das (capt & wk), Parvez Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Ripon Mondol New Zealand XI: Tim Robinson, Katene Clarke, Dane Cleaver (wk), Nick Kelly (capt), Bevon Jacobs, Dean Foxcroft, Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Matthew Fisher, Ben Lister

Bangladesh have named a 15-member squad for the first Test against Pakistan, handing maiden call-ups to opener Tanzid Hasan and middle-order batsman Amite Hasan ahead of the two-match series next month. The first Test begins on 8 May at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, with the second scheduled for 16-20 May at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Both matches count toward the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship cycle. Najmul Hossain Shanto will captain the side, with all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz serving as vice-captain. Tanzid, a 25-year-old left-handed opener already established in Bangladesh’s white-ball setup, brings a strong first-class record of 1,792 runs in 25 matches at an average of 40. Amite, 23, is a right-handed middle-order batsman who has been among the most prolific run-scorers in domestic cricket, averaging 49 across 82 first-class matches since his debut in 2019. “Tanzid has been in our thoughts for Test cricket for some time,” said Kazi Habibul Bashar, chairman of the national selection panel. He praised the opener’s technique and natural ability, adding that the selectors were confident he could perform in the longer format if given the opportunity. Bashar described Amite as one of the most consistent batsmen in Bangladesh’s first-class competition, noting his temperament and discipline as qualities well suited to Test cricket. He said both players had time on their side and could serve the national team for years to come. The squad also features the returns of pace bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, who have not played Test cricket since late 2024, along with off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who has been absent from the Test side for close to a year. Experienced campaigners Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, and Litton Das retain their places in the batting order. Pakistan are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on 3 May. Bangladesh for firstPakistan Test: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan, Amite Hasan.      

Bangladesh captain Litton Das intends to extend the team's batting lineup down to the number nine position, a structural shift designed to give top-order batters the freedom to play aggressively in T20 matches. Speaking ahead of the series against New Zealand in Chattogram, Litton said adopting an attacking mindset at the top of the order inevitably leads to early wickets. To sustain that aggression without triggering batting collapses, he said the team must rely on consistent run production from its tailenders and bowling all-rounders. Litton identified spin bowlers Sheikh Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, and Rishad Hossain as essential to this strategy. He said creating a healthy batting order depends heavily on their ability to contribute lower-order runs. "Large teams have batting depth up to number nine," Litton said. "If we can create that depth, our top batsmen will be able to play games more freely." The captain added that the team's pace bowlers are also expected to contribute at the crease. He noted that alongside established bowling all-rounders like Mohammad Saifuddin and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, the team is grooming newcomer Saklayen Sajib to strengthen the lower-middle order. Litton said if the lower-order bowlers can add even five or six runs each, it resolves a significant vulnerability.  As part of the effort to restructure the batting depth, Litton confirmed that Parvez Hossain Emon will be moved from his usual spot in the top order to play in the middle order during the upcoming matches.  While Litton expects the top order to elevate its overall strike rate during the current World Cup cycle, he said management will not place excessive pressure on the batters during the initial games against New Zealand, allowing them time to adjust to the format.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das said the team has moved past the disappointment of missing the recent T20 World Cup and is now focused on rebuilding for the 2028 tournament in Australia and New Zealand. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday ahead of a T20I series against New Zealand, Litton addressed questions about the team's absence from the recent World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka. "Yes, I think we have moved on," he said. "We played another tournament during the World Cup and the players tried to perform well there." Litton, who recently received a two-year extension as captain, said the team is structuring its long-term plans around non-Asian conditions. He added that the squad intends to maintain the strong team bond and preparation habits developed over the past cycle. The upcoming series against New Zealand marks Bangladesh's first international appearance since the World Cup concluded. For this series, the team rested veteran fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman to manage their workloads. Uncapped players Abdul Gaffar and Ripon Mondol replaced them in the squad. Litton said the decision to rest the senior pacers is a proactive measure to prevent injuries, given the upcoming schedule of test matches and ODI fixtures. "I don't want them playing regularly, getting injured, and ending up exhausted," the Bangladesh captain said. "We are changing some things with that in mind."

Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana sustained a minor injury to his right hand while fielding during the third ODI against New Zealand in Chattogram, but he is expected to resume bowling within days. The incident occurred when Rana scraped his hand on an advertising peg near his bowling mark. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief medical officer Debashis Chowdhury said the wound required a bandage but no stitches, adding that the pacer will be able to bowl again in one or two days. Rana, who was named Player of the Series after taking eight wickets in the three-match contest—including a five-wicket haul in the second ODI—has already returned to Dhaka. Fast bowler Nahid Rana climbs 32 spots in ICC ODI rankings following five-wicket haul The cricket board rested the fast bowler for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, which begins Sunday in Chattogram. The board withheld his clearance to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), directing him instead to prepare for the upcoming two-match test series against Pakistan.