United News of Bangladesh

Right-arm spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz registered a five-for in the Sylhet Test to restrict Zimbabwe to 273 runs in their first innings on Monday. Despite Mehidy’s heroics with the ball, Zimbabwe managed to secure an 82-run first-innings lead. Opener Brian Bennett and Sean Williams hit a fifty each for the visitors. While Mehidy took five, Nahid Rana bagged three wickets. It was the 11th time that Mehidy took a five-for in a Test innings. His last five-wicket haul at home came in 2022. An 82-run lead is not big in Test, but Bangladesh have to bat better than they did in the first innings to take back the control of the match. And for that, the openers and subsequent batters at the top-order have to deliver well this time. Former Bangladesh coach recounts desperate departure from Bangladesh Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and batted first. They posted 191 runs, with Mominul Haque being the top scorer with 56. Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 40, and Jaker Ali was the only other batter to score more than 20 runs. Blessing Muzarabani, and Wellington Masakadza were the best bowlers for Zimbabwe, taking three wickets each.

Former Bangladesh cricket team head coach Chandika Hathurusingha has claimed he feared for his life while hastily leaving Bangladesh during the popular uprising against the previous Sheikh Hasina regime last year, and a storm of controversy surrounding his exit from the national cricket setup. Speaking to Code Sports, Hathurusingha recalled how panic set in when a top Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official subtly advised him to leave without informing others. Hathurusingha wants to complete coaching contract with Bangladesh “That was a warning sign,” said Hathurusingha. “I went straight to the bank, and while I was there, breaking news flashed on TV: ‘Chandika sacked.  Assaulted a player.’” A bank manager urged him to leave immediately, fearing public reaction. Hathurusingha left Dhaka on a midnight flight wearing a cap and hoodie. “They could have stopped the plane. All these thoughts were going through my mind,” he said. “At the x-ray machine, an air force officer told me, ‘I’m sorry, coach. I’m very sorry that you’re going.’ I was fearing for my life.” The controversy stemmed from an allegation that Hathurusingha had slapped bowler Nasum Ahmed during a World Cup match against New Zealand—an accusation he firmly denies. He insists the incident involved a harmless tap on Nasum’s back to get his attention in the dugout. The BCB never asked Hathurusingha for his version, and Nasum has remained silent.  Hathurusingha claims the issue was manipulated by the board’s new leadership to force his exit. “They ruined my career without letting me defend myself,” he said. Chandika’s two former colleagues—assistant coach Nic Pothas and spin coach Rangana Herath—dismissed the allegations, calling them baseless. “Nothing happened,” Herath said. “There has to be evidence.” Hathurusingha, who had not publicly addressed the matter until now, said the ordeal continues to impact his coaching career.        

Dhaka, Apr 21 (UNB) — Nahid Rana sent back both Zimbabwe openers in the morning session of day two of the first Test in Sylhet, as Bangladesh fight back after a below-par total in the first innings.  Brian Bennett and Ben Curran, unbeaten at stumps on the opening day, extended their opening partnership by just two runs on the second morning before their 69-run stand was broken by Nahid.  Ben was first to fall, making 18 off 55 balls. He fell prey to Nahid off a short ball.  At the end of 33 overs, Zimbabwe scored 120 for three. While Nahid took two, Hasan Mahmud scalped the other wicket.  Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. Mominul Haque was the best batter for Bangladesh, scoring 56. Najmul Hossain Shanto made 40.  Batters like Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz failed to impress.  For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani, and Wellington Masakadza bagged three wickets each. Victor Nyauchi, and Wessly Madhevere shared four wickets equally among them.  The second and final Test of the series will be played in Chattogram from April 28.     

Dhaka Abahani Limited, Dhaka Mohammedan SC and Gazi Group Cricketers won their respective super league matches of the Dhaka Premier Division  Cricket at the different venues in the capital and adjoining areas on Sunday. Dhaka Abahani Limited maintained their supremacy in the six-team super league of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket beating Gulshan Cricket Club by 50 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. With the day’s feat, Dhaka Abahani Ltd top the list in the league table securing 22 points from 13 matches while Dhaka Mohammedan SC followed the leaders neck and neck collecting 20 points from 13 encounters while Gazi Group Cricketers in the 3rd slot with 10 points from 13 matches..   Sent into bat first, Dhaka Abahani Limited piled up a moderate total of 278 runs for all in 49.5 overs. Opener Parvez Hossain Emon contributed a polished 83 runs off 70 balls with eight hits to the fence and four over the fence. Later, he was adjudged player pf the match. Besides, wicket keeper Mohammed Mithun  (45), Jishan Alam (26), Mrittunjoy Chowdhury (26),  Mahfuzur Rahman Rabbu (22), captain Mosaddek Hossain (20), SM Meherob (16) and Shamsul Alam (14) were the other main contributors for Abahani reaching the double figures. Bangladesh fold for 191 as Zimbabwe seize early control in Sylhet Test  Farhaf Reza and Rayhan Ali Ikram grabbed three wickets conceding 39 and 43 runs respectively while Nihaduzzaman took two for 32 runs. In reply, Gulshan Cricket Club were all out for 228 runs in quota 50 overs despite lower order Nihaduzzaman’s 82 runs off 73 balls with six four and five sixes. SM Meherob, Rakibul Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain  and Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby claimed two wickets each conceding 13, 17, 45 and 59 runs respectively. In the day’s another match at BKSP ground-3, a brilliant century by opener Rony Talukder helped Dhaka Mohammedan SC to return to the winning run crushing Agrani Bank Cricket Club by seven wickets with 35 balls remaining. Sent into bat first, the bankers’ team scored 240 for 9 in a curtailed 43 over-a side match featuring 82 runs in 16.5 overs in the opening stand by Imranuzzaman and Amite Hasan.    Captain Imrul Kayes (41), Amite Hasan (40), Imranuzzaman (38), Marshall Ayub (35), Jahid Javed (21) Robiul Hoque (12) were the main contributors for the Agrani Bank. National all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin captured four wickets for 47 runs, Ebadot Hossain grabbed three wickets for 40 runs while Mustafizur Rahman took two for 53 runs. Chasing a target of 241 runs, Dhaka Mohammedan SC faced no trouble to score the match winning 241 runs for the loss of only three wickets in 36.1 overs. Opener Rony Talukder hammered a ton scoring 122 runs off just 100 balls featuring 10 boundaries and five over boundaries and was adjudged player of the match. Another opener Anisul Islam Emon scored 82-ball 75 runs hitting six fours and one six while two down Tawfique Khan made 22-ball 27 runs hitting three sixes. Arif Ahmed grabbed all the three Mohammedan wickets for 44 runs in 8 overs. In the day’s remaining match at BKSP ground-4, Gazi Group Cricketers beat Legends of Rupganj by seven wickets. Winning the toss, Legends of Rupganj batted first and were all out for 223 runs in 39.2 overs featuring 68 runs by opener Tanzid Hasan and 52 runs by another opener Saif Hasan. Sheikh Parvez Jibon grabbed five wickets for 36 runs.  In reply, Gazi Group Cricketers scored the match-winner 224 runs for the loss of three wickets in 41 overs with national coloured opener Anamul Haque hit a century scoring an unbeaten 110 runs off 105 balls featuring 10 fours and one six. Mahedi Hasan claimed two wickets for 57 runs.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 191 on the opening day of the first Test against Zimbabwe on Sunday, with Mominul Haque being the best batter for the hosts, scoring 56.  In response to Bangladesh’s small total, Zimbabwe posted 67 for none at the end of day one.  After deciding to bat first, Bangladesh lost their openers early with only 32 runs on the board.  Six of the top seven batters reached double figures, but only Mominul Haque stood firm, scoring 56 before falling to a mistimed slog sweep. Bangladesh slide early as Zimbabwe bowlers dominate in first Test in Sylhet Zimbabwe’s bowlers capitalised on a pitch offering bounce and carry. Victor Nyauchi set the tone with two early wickets, removing both openers — Shadman Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Joy — in quick succession. Blessing Muzarabani maintained relentless pressure, dismissing captain Najmul Hossain Shanto with a sharp bouncer before returning later to clean up the tail, finishing with 3 for 50. Wellington Masakadza proved pivotal in the middle overs, claiming three wickets including the key scalps of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul. Off-spinner Wessly Madhevere bagged two wickets.  In response, Zimbabwe ended day one at 67 without any wickets. They are trailing by 124 runs at the end of day one.  Brian Bennett and Ben Curran remained not out for 40 and 17 respectively.  Bangladesh fielded three pacers— Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed— in this match. But they failed to ensure an early advantage on day one.

Bangladesh's batting line is struggling against the Zimbabwe bowling attack in the first Test of the two-match series in Sylhet on Sunday.  Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first in Sylhet, where the surface is traditionally helpful for the pace bowlers.  Bangladesh bat first in Sylhet Test vs Zimbabwe Bangladesh lost their openers in just 32 runs. Both of them fell prey to Victor Nyauchi.  In the third wicket, Mominul Haque and Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto formed a 68-run partnership, but they failed to carry on.  They fell to Blessing Muzarabani. Mominul posted 56, and Najmul made 40.  Wellington Masakadza bagged three wickets, including the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, who just posted 4 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also failed to impress with the bat, dismissed for only 1.  Bangladesh lost seven wickets for 146 in 49 overs.  The second Test of the series will be played in Chattogram from April 28.         

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first against Zimbabwe in the Sylhet Test on Sunday. Before this Test, Bangladesh faced Zimbabwe in 18 matches and won eight of those. Four of Bangladesh's eight wins against Zimbabwe came in their last five clashes. The hosts fiddled a five-bowler attack with two spinners and three pace bowlers. In the first Test of the year, both teams aimed to have a good start. Bangladesh to take on Zimbabwe in Sylhet Test Sunday  Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said they are looking forward to having a consistent batting at the top-order, while Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine said they are aiming to Bangladesh playing XI: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain) Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali (wicketkeeper), Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana Zimbabwe playing XI: Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine (captain), Wessly Madhevere, Nyasha Mayavo (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Victor Nyauchi. 

The youngest cricketer to debut in Indian Premier League history at age 14 also made a splash on Saturday. Opening batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi appeared as an impact substitute for Rajasthan Royals and boldly scored 34 runs off 20 balls, including a first-ball six over extra cover. He hit three sixes and two boundaries overall until he was out stumped. His stand of 85 with Yashasvi Jaiswal gave Rajasthan's chase a great start but their team lost to the Lucknow Super Giants by two runs. Suryavanshi replaced Rajasthan's injured skipper Sanju Samson and created a unique record — born in 2011, he became the first IPL cricketer born after the tournament's inception in 2008. Suryavanshi hails from Bihar and made headlines in the player auction; Rajasthan snapped him up for $1.1 million after an intense round of bidding. Punjab hands Bengaluru another home defeat in Indian Premier League The youngster has a triple hundred to his name in under-19 zonal cricket, but his five first-class matches have fetched meager returns. The previous youngest IPL debutant was 16-year-old Prayas Burman in 2019 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Mujeeb ur Rahman is the youngest international cricketer in the IPL, debuting at 17 in 2018 for Punjab Kings.

Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will renew their Test rivalry as they meet in the first match of a two-Test series starting Sunday at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The second Test will follow in Chattogram from April 28. The two teams have faced each other 18 times in Tests, with Bangladesh winning eight — their highest number of Test victories against any single opponent. However, Sylhet holds mixed memories for the hosts, who have won only once in three Tests at this venue. Their last meeting here in 2018 saw Zimbabwe secure a commanding 151-run win. Both teams arrive with questions hanging over their consistency in the longest format. Zimbabwe have played just four Tests in the past two years, losing three. Bangladesh, in contrast, played 13 and won five, but their top-order batting has remained a concern. “We have to be more consistent at the top. I personally got out after scoring 30 or 40 on several occasions last year, which is not acceptable. We’re trying to improve,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said ahead of the match.  “We want to play with the intent to win and post the runs necessary to take 20 wickets. The body language has to reflect that,” he added, expressing the importance of a shift in mindset.  With pace-friendly conditions expected in Sylhet, both teams are likely to lean on their fast bowlers. “There’s grass on the wicket. It looks pace-friendly. We’ve trained here for a couple of days and are confident with our preparations,” Craig Ervine, the Zimbabwe skipper, said.  Ervine also said Zimbabwe are embracing a no-fear attitude and looking at the series as an opportunity for young players to gain vital experience in subcontinental conditions. “We haven’t played a lot in Bangladesh, but that’s part of the learning curve. The players are keen to soak up knowledge and adapt,” he added.  Bangladesh’s young pacer Nahid Rana, who can bowl consistently over 140 km/h, has caught attention ahead of the match. “We’ve told him to keep bowling at that pace,” the Bangladesh captain said.  Bangladesh team: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Jaker Ali, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana. Zimbabwe team: Craig Ervine (capt), Ben Curran, Nyasha Mayavo, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nick Welch, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Wessly Madhevere, Sean Williams, Trevor Gwandu, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Vincent Masekesa.

Bangladesh qualified for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup'2025 by virtue of better net run rate despite losing to hosts Pakistan by seven wickets in their last qualifying round  match at the Lahore City Cricket Association ground on Saturday.  After the six-team qualifying round matches, hosts Pakistan smartly reached the eight -team final round of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup '2025 as the champions with all-win record securing full ten points from all the five matches with net run rate of 1.074. In the day's other match, West Indies earned the 3rd win in their 5th and last qualifying round match beating lowly Thailand by six wickets with 235 balls remaining  at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore Saturday evening. Sent into bat first, Thailand were all out for 166 runs in 46. 1 overs and later West Indies easily reach their target scoring 168 runs for the loss of four wickets in only 10.5 overs, but missed World Cup berth due to run rate. On completion of the qualification round matches on Saturday, both the Bangladesh and West Indies secured six points each from all the five matches, but Bangladesh qualified for the Women's World Cup '2025 as the 2nd best team with net run rate of 0.639 while West Indies eliminated from the meet with net run rate of 0.626. The eight nation ICC Women's World Cup'2025 with two qualified teams and other six direct qualified teams ---hosts India, holders Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka ---will be held in India from September 29 to October 26.. Earlier, Bangladesh’s direct qualification in the ICC Women’s World Cup'2025' was hampered losing to West Indies by eight wickets in the 3rd ODI about three months back in St. Kits and later New Zealand earned the direct qualification in the World Cup by virtue better run rate ahead of Bangladesh. In the day's first match,Bangladesh batted first after winning the toss and folded their innings at 178 runs for 9 in stipulated 50 overs  After the dismissal of  top three batters--reliable opener Fargana Hoque (0), opener Dilara Akter (13) and captain Nigar Sultana (1). ---for just 21 runs in 6.4 overs, one down Sharmin Akter pairing Nahida Akter contributed 44 runs in the 4the wicket stand. Number five Ritu Moni, who guided the Bangladesh  towards victory against Ireland, today (Saturday) also contributed the team highest 48 runs off 76 balls with five fours, number seven Fahima Khatun made an unbeaten 44 runs off 53 ball with four fours, Sharmin Akter scored 47-ball 24 runs including four fours and Nahida Akter made 19 runs for Bangladesh. Sadia Iqbal was the most successful among Pakistani bowlers taking three wickets for 28 runs while Fatima Sana and Daina Baig took two wickets each conceded equal 45 runs. Chasing a target of 179 runs, Pakistan easily reached their target scoring 181 runs for the loss of three wickets with 62 balls remaining in 39.4 overs featuring two half centuries by opener Muneeba Ali and number five Aliya Riaz. Muneeba Ali contributed the match highest 69 runs off 93 balls  hitting eight boundaries,  Aliya Riaz added 52 runs off 65 balls with six fours and one six while one down Sidra Amin made 52-ball 33 runs including four fours. Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter grabbed one Pakistani wicket each conceding 25, 27 and 36 runs respectively.