United News of Bangladesh

Haris Rauf took five wickets for 29 runs with his relentless pace as Australia was bowled out for 163 in the second one-day international against Pakistan on Friday. Rauf, who nearly pulled off victory for Pakistan in the first game at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday, found the outside edges of the bat by consistently by hitting the right lengths. Captain Mohammad Rizwan took five catches — four off Rauf's bowling — and could have had a sixth had he not dropped a top-edge off Adam Zampa (18) before Australia was dismissed in 35 overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26) provided the Pakistan breakthrough inside the first power play after Rizwan won the toss and elected to field. Jake Fraser-McGurk hit three crisp boundaries on the off side in Naseem Shah’s first over and provided Australia a rollicking start before Afridi’s twin strike pushed back Australia. Afridi dropped Matt Short at deep fine leg when the ball burst through his hands to the boundary but the left-arm fast bowler made amends when he had Short caught at covers after trapping Fraser-McGurk plumb leg before wicket. Afridi ended Australia's below-par innings when Zampa played a full ball back onto his stumps. Zampa flicked Naseem Shah for a six and a four in an over which enabled the home team to cross the 150-run mark. Rauf, who took 3-67 in the first match before Australia emerged with a two-wicket win, then sliced through the middle-order with only Steve Smith scoring 35 off 48 balls before he too chased a wide short ball of Mohammad Hasnain and edged behind the wicket. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood replaced Sean Abbott in the only change Australia made from the team which edged Pakistan in the first game. Mitchell Starc, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cummins and Hazlewood all will be rested for the final game of the series on Sunday at Perth ahead of five-test series against India, starting Nov. 22 in Perth. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis was named interim captain for the last ODI at Perth. He will also lead the side in next week’s three T20s against Pakistan with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head away on paternity leave.

Manchester United secured its first win in Europe for more than a year by beating PAOK 2-0 in the Europa League on Thursday. Two second-half goals from Amad Diallo sealed the victory at Old Trafford and boosted United's hopes of progressing in the competition, while Tottenham's 100% start was ended by a 3-2 loss at Galatasaray. United's last win in Europe was against Copenhagen in the Champions League on Oct. 24 last year. “We addressed that in the dressing room and it was time to change that, so we did,” United interim head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy said. Diallo's looping header beat PAOK goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski in the 50th minute and he followed that up with a deflected shot from outside the area that nestled into the bottom corner in the 77th. It's two wins from three games for United under Van Nistelrooy, who has one more match — against Leicester on Sunday — before handing over to Ruben Amorim. It is not clear if there will be a role for the Dutchman after his temporary reign, but he is doing what he can to ensure that United is in the best possible position for when Amorim takes charge. Erik ten Hag was fired last week after a woeful start to the campaign left the team in 14th place in the Premier League and without a win in Europe's secondary competition the Europa League. Amorim was quickly hired in his place, but it has been left to Van Nistelrooy to fill the gap while the Portuguese serves a notice period at Sporting Lisbon. He has delivered wins in the English League Cup and the Europa League either side of a draw with Chelsea in the league. Osimhen double Earlier, Victor Osimhen scored twice in eight minutes to help Galatasaray beat Tottenham 3-2 in Turkey. Osimhen scored his first goal in Europe for Galatasaray after his transfer from Napoli with a precise low shot inside the right post to give the host a 2-1 lead in the 31st minute and added his second eight minutes later by heading home a curled cross from the right by Dries Mertens. It was Tottenham's first loss in the competition after three wins. Galatasaray remains unbeaten with three wins and a draw. Every game on Thursday was preceded by a moment of silence to honor the victims of the devastating flooding in Spain. In Istanbul, Yunus Akgün put Galatasary ahead in the sixth minute when Spurs failed to properly clear a free kick by Mertens and the midfielder volleyed home from outside the area past goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Tottenham equalized in the 19th minute through Will Lankshear, who made only his second senior appearance for the London club and netted from close range after a cross from Brennan Johnson. However, Lankshear was later sent off for a second yellow card on the hour mark. Substitute Dominic Solanke pulled a goal back for Tottenham with a backheel finish in the 69th. Lazio perfect Lazio is the only team to maintain a perfect record with four wins after Pedro Rodríguez scored in injury time to secure a 2-1 victory over Porto. Ajax had five different goal scorers in a 5-0 rout of Maccabi Tel-Aviv while three substitutes netted for Alkmaar in its 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce, the first loss of the competition for Jose Mourinho’s team. Latvia’s RFS salvaged a 1-1 draw with Anderlecht with a stoppage-time equalizer as the Belgian side dropped points for the first time. Earlier, Eintracht Frankfurt beat Slavia Prague 1-0 thanks to Omar Marmoush's second-half goal, while Roma was held to a 1-1 draw at Union Saint-Gilloise, another disappointing result after a 3-2 loss to Hellas Verona in Serie A over the weekend. Rangers held last year’s Conference League champion Olympiacos to a 1-1 draw in Greece. Athletic Bilbao beat Ludogorets 2-1 to stay unbeaten with three wins and a draw, while Qarabag upset Bodø/Glimt 3-1 in Norway to earn its first points. Nice drew 2-2 with Twente with both teams finishing the game reduced to 10 men. Conference League Chelsea demolished Armenian club Noah 8-0 to set a record for the biggest victory in the third-tier Conference League. Chelsea took a 6-0 lead in the first half on two goals from João Félix, and one a piece from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Axel Disasi and Mykhailo Mudryk. Christopher Nkunku added two more in the second half, the second from the spot. Nordsjaelland had the previous record, beating Ludogorets 7-1 last season. Chelsea is one of six teams with three wins after three games. Vitória beat Mladá Boleslav 2-1, Jagellonia defeated Molde 3-0 and Heidenheim won 2-0 at Hearts. Earlier, Legia Warsaw routed Dinamo Minsk 4-0 and SK Rapid eased past Petrocub 3-0.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has been suspended for two matches by Cricket West Indies over his very public disagreement with captain Shai Hope over field placements during a one-day international against England. While West Indies was bowling during the match Wednesday which the Caribbean side won by eight wickets to clinch the three-match series, Joseph left the field in a remarkable protest over the field set by Hope during one of the fast bowler's overs. Joseph and Hope engaged in a lengthy argument before the fourth over which was bowled by Joseph and had to be urged by the umpires to resume play. After a ball was played away on the off side during the over, Joseph remonstrated angrily with Hope and when the over ended he walked from the field, returning after a short break. On Thursday, Cricket West Indies said in a statement Joseph's conduct fell short of CWI's “standards of professionalism.” "Alzarri’s behavior did not align with the core values that Cricket West Indies upholds. Such conduct cannot be overlooked, and we have taken decisive action to ensure the gravity of the situation is fully acknowledged," said CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe. Joseph also issued an apology. “I recognize that my passion got the best of me,” Joseph was quoted as saying in the CWI statement. "I have personally apologized to captain Shai Hope and my teammates and management. I also extend my sincerest apologies to the West Indies fans — understand that even a brief lapse in judgment can have a far-reaching impact, and I deeply regret any disappointment caused.” With the one-day series concluded, England and the West Indies meet in a five-match Twenty20 series beginning Saturday at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.

Bangladesh star batter Mushfiqur Rahim has been ruled out of the remaining two matches of the Afghanistan series after sustaining a blow on his finger in the first match on Wednesday, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed. Bangladesh lost the first match by a big margin of 92 runs, triggered by a dramatic batting collapse in pursuit of 236 runs. Bangladesh were all out for 143, from 12 for three, with seven batters failing to reach a double-digit total. AM Ghazanfar, a right-arm spinner, bagged six wickets, conceding only 26 runs to crush the Tigers. In reply to Afghanistan’s 235, Mushfiqur came to bat at late order instead of his regular middle-order place. “Towards the end of Afghanistan’s batting innings, Mushfiqur injured the tip of his left index finger while keeping wickets,” Delowar Hossain, the team physio, said. “An X-ray after the match confirmed a fracture on his left index near the DIP joint. He is under conservative management and unavailable for the second and third ODIs,” he added. Bangladesh never won an ODI in Sharjah, the venue of this series. The last two ODIs of this series will take place on November 9 and 11, respectively.

Brandon King and Keacy Carty scored centuries in a 209-run partnership which steered the West Indies to an eight-wicket win over England in the third one-day international Wednesday and a 2-1 win in the series. Earlier, the England innings saw West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph leave the field in a remarkable protest at field placements set by his captain Shai Hope. Carty reached his maiden century from 97 balls, eclipsing his previous best score in 27 ODIs of 88. He finished 128 not out while King fell just before the end for 102, having reached his third century from 113 deliveries. Before Wednesday, King had gone 13 innings without a half century and had not scored a century against a full ICC member nation. His earlier hundreds came against Oman and the United Arab Emirates. King and Carty's partnership was the second-highest for any wicket by the West Indies at home and guided them past England's 263-9 with 42 balls to spare. “I've been getting a fair amount of starts and I just haven't been carrying on so I was just fortunate it came in such a crucial game and with the series still in doubt,” King said. “If you're putting in a lot of work off the field you have to believe it's just a matter of time, keep your processes and intensity and just believe in your ability.” Earlier, Phil Salt and Dan Mousley grafted half centuries which helped England overcome a poor start to reach a competitive total on a pitch which had offered variable bounce. After England lost the toss, Salt made 74 at the top of the order, sharing 70-run partnerships with Sam Curran (40) and Mousley who posted his maiden ODI half century before falling for 57. Jamie Overton made 32 from 21 balls and Jofra Archer an unbeaten 38 from 17 deliveries as England added 100 runs from the last 10 overs. Joseph and Hope engaged in a lengthy argument before the fourth over which was bowled by Joseph and had to be urged by the umpires to resume play. After a ball was played away on the off side during the over, Joseph remonstrated angrily with Hope and, when the over ended he walked from the field, returning after a short break. West Indies coach Daren Sammy had to move down to the boundary rope to attempt to calm the dispute between bowler and captain. England slumped to 24-4 at the end of the 10-over power play in the face of some hostile early bowling from West Indies, especially from Joseph who remained visibly angry. He dismissed Jordan Cox (1) with a brute of a ball which spat from just short of a length at 148 kph and which Cox couldn't avoid and gloved to Hope behind the stumps. Salt reached his fifth ODI half century from 79 balls and went on to 74 when he fell to Matthew Forde after a superb combined catch by Brandon King and Joseph. King reached Salt's towering shot into the deep, took the ball in both hands and flicked it back to Joseph as he balanced before running over the boundary. Salt's dismissal ended his 70-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Mousley who reached his half century from 64 balls.

Bangladesh stumbled to a disappointing 92-run defeat against Afghanistan in the opening ODI of their three-match series in Sharjah on Wednesday. AM Ghazanfar proved to be the wrecker-in-chief for the Bangladeshi side, claiming 6 wickets for a mere 26 runs as the Tigers' batting faltered. In reply to Afghanistan’s 235, Bangladesh started cautiously. But they kept losing wickets on a regular basis. Tanzid Hasan was the first man to fall in the fourth over as the first victim of Ghazanfar. In the second wicket stand, Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar added 53 runs to recover from earlier damage. Azmatullah Omarzai broke the stand, removing Soumya for 33 runs. Bangladesh kept control as Shanto and Mehdiy Hasan Miraz added 55 runs in the next wicket. The stand was broken by Mohammad Nabi, who removed Shanto for 47. Following that, Mehidy’s dismissal by Ghazanfar triggered the final collapse. From 132 for four, Bangladesh stumbled to 143 all out, losing the last six wickets for 11 runs. In the 33rd over, Ghazanfar’s six, the bowler bagged three wickets with two in two consecutive deliveries. He ended up taking six wickets for 26 runs, which is his best in the format so far. Rashid Khan bagged two wickets, conceding 28 runs in eight overs. Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first, and they posted a competitive total of 235 runs with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mohammad Nabi hitting a fifty each. For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman took four wickets a piece— the first time in ODI when two Bangladesh pacers took four wickets each.

Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman took four wickets each and helped Bangladesh restrict Afghanistan to 235 all-out runs in the first ODI on Wednesday in Sharjah. Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first on the tricky Sharjah surface. It’s Bangladesh’s first ODI in Sharjah after 29 years. Mohammad Nabi, the Afghan veteran, posted 84, while captain Hashmatullah Shahidi also scored a fifty. Taskin Ahmed drew the first blood, removing dangerous Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for just five. The delivery was moving away, and Gurbaz tried to drive but only managed to reach the wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim with a thick edge. Mustafizur Rahman took the second wicket for Bangladesh in his first over, to be specific, in his second ball, as Rahman Shah prodded it to the keeper. Mustafizur continued to trouble Afghanistan's batting line. In his fifth over, Mustafizur struck twice to remove debutant Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai consecutively for 21 and a duck. Afghanistan opt to bat first against Bangladesh in Sharjah Atal missed the line while playing a delivery toward the middle and leg stumps and was trapped lbw. Azmatullah fell to a typical Mustafizur delivery that went away from the body of the batter, who tried to defend but only managed an outside edge to the wicketkeeper. When Gulbadin Naib and captain Shahidi were trying to build a partnership to recover from early wickets, Taskin struck again, scalping Naib for 14. In the next partnership, Mohamamd Nabi and Shahidi added 104 runs in a bid to guide Afghanistan to a competitive total. Mustafizur broke the stand to earn a breakthrough for the Tigers. He bowled Shahidi for 52 to reduce Afghanistan to 175 for six in 40.2 overs. Nabi kept the scoreboard afloat until the 48th, when Taskin trapped him. It was a sharp delivery outside off, and Nabi pulled it to the square leg, where Tanzid Hasan Tamim took the catch. Off the next delivery, Taskin bowled Am Ghazanfar for a duck. Taskin finished taking four for 53 in his 10 overs. And Mustafizur ended up taking four for 58. And it was the first time in ODIs that two Bangladeshi pacers took four wickets apiece.

Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first in Sharjah on Wednesday in the first ODI against Bangladesh.  This is the first time in three decades Bangladesh are playing an ODI in Sharjah. Bangladesh lost in the five previous matches, with the last in 1995.  Bangladesh played a total of 16 ODIs against Afghanistan and won 10 of those matches. In the last six meetings, Bangladesh won three, and Afghanistan won the other three. Sediqullah Atal, an opening batter, is making his debut in this match. He has four first-class fifties.  Bangladesh XI: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam Afghanistan XI: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rahmat Shah, Hashamtullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Nangeyalia Kharote, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Excitement is building as the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) prepares for its 2025 season. The player draft for this eleventh edition, held on October 14, 2024, at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Dhaka, saw top talents strategically picked by each team. With squads now taking shape, teams are gearing up for the tournament’s launch on December 27, 2024. Cricket enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the chance to see their favorite stars in action. Here, we dive into the standout changes from this year’s player draft and how they’re set to impact team dynamics and signing deals. BPL 2025 Players Draft Highlights The payout system for cricketers in categories A, B, and C has experienced notable reductions this season. Category A athletes will now earn BDT 6 million, a decrease from BDT 8 million. In Category B, salaries have been trimmed by BDT 1 million, resulting in a new total of BDT 4 million. Meanwhile, Category C players will take home BDT 2.5 million, instead of BDT 3 million. In contrast, the remuneration for categories D, E, and F remains constant at BDT 2 million, BDT 1.5 million, and BDT 1 million, respectively. Leading the charge in Category A are prominent figures such as Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Mahmudullah. Notably, Rishad's ascent from Category E to Category A is significant. This category features a total of 12 players. Section B is also home to 12 players, showcasing talents like Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Tanzim Sakib, Afif Hossain, and Jaker Ali. Meanwhile, Section C comprises 22 players, including esteemed cricketers such as Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Taijul Islam, and Saifuddin. Categories D, E, and F collectively include 28, 51, and 63 players, respectively. Read more: Ireland Women's Cricket arrives here on Nov 22 to play three-match ODI, T20I series with Bangladesh This season marks the absence of the Comilla Victorians, with Durbar Rajshahi stepping in to fill the void. The Dhaka team will now be competing as Dhaka Capitals under the ownership of film star Shakib Khan’s Remarque Harlan. Joining the league is the rebranded Chittagong Kings, formerly the Chattogram Challengers. According to The Business Standard, 440 overseas players are listed for selection. Among them, 20 elite players in the top A category could earn up to USD 70,000, roughly BDT 8.3 million (USD 1 = BDT 119.56). The highest remuneration for overseas players was USD 80,000 in the 2024 draft. Category B includes 38 players, Category C has 66, Category D features 135, and Category E lists 181 cricketers. The pay structure for these categories is outlined as follows: - USD 50,000 (around BDT 5.9 million) for the B category- USD 30,000 (approximately BDT 3.5 million) for the C category- USD 25,000 (nearly BDT 2.9 million) for the D category- USD 15,000 (BDT 1.7 million) for the E category. Read more: First batch of Bangladesh cricketers in Dubai to play ODI series against Afghanistan BPL 2025 All Teams Full Squad Table: Overview of the list of Bangladeshi and overseas players in BPL 2025 Team Name Bangladeshi Players Foreign Players Dhaka Capitals Direct Signings - Mustafizur Rahman- Tanzid Hasan Tamim From the Draft - Liton Das (C)- Habibur Rahman Sohan- Mukidul Islam- Abu Jayed- Sabbir Rahman- Musfik Hasan- Munim Shahriar- Shahadat Hossain- Asif Hasan- Rahmatullah Direct Signings - Johnson Charles- Stephen Eskinazi- Thisara Perera- Amir Hamza- Shahnawaz Dahani From the Draft - Saim Ayub- Mir Hamza- Farmanullah- Zahoor Khan- Chaturanga de Silva- Riaz Hassan- Shubham Ranjane Chittagong Kings Direct Signings - Shakib Al Hasan (C)- Shoriful Islam From the Draft - Shamim Hossain- Parvez Hossain Emon- Khaled Ahmed- Naeem Islam- Aliss Islam- Mohammad Mithun- Maruf Mridha- Rahatul Ferdous- Sheikh Parvez Jibon- Marshall Ayub Direct Signings - Moeen Ali- Angelo Mathews- Usman Khan- Mohammad Wasim- Haider Ali- Binura Fernando From the Draft - Graham Clark- Tom O'Connell- Khawaja Nafay- Lahiru Milantha- Zubaid Akbari Fortune Barishal Retaining Players - Tamim Iqbal (C)- Mushfiqur Rahim Direct Signings - Towhid Hridoy From the Draft - Nazmul Hossain Shanto- Mahmudullah Riad- Ripon Mondol- Tanvir Islam- Rishad Hossain- Taijul Islam- Ebadot Hossain- Nayeem Hasan- Shohidul Islam- Ariful Islam- Pritom Kumar Direct Signings - Mohammad Nabi- Kyle Mayers- Dawid Malan- Faheem Ashraf- Mohammad Ali- Jahandad Khan From the Draft - James Fuller- Pathum Nissanka- Mohammad Imran Khulna Tigers Retaining Players - Nasum Ahmed- Afif Hossain Direct Signings - Mehidy Hasan Miraz (C) From the Draft - Hasan Mahmud- Naim Sheikh- Imrul Kayes- Mahmudul Hasan Joy- Mahidul Islam Ankon- Abu Hider Rony- Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby- Ziaur Rahman- Rubel Hossain Direct Signings - Oshane Thomas From the Draft - Mohammad Nawaz- Mohammad Hasnain- Lewis Gregory Sylhet Strikers Retaining Players - Tanzim Hasan Sakib- Zakir Hasan Direct Signings - Jaker Ali Anik From the Draft - Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (C)- Rony Talukder- Arafat Sunny- Al-Amin Hossain- Ruyel Miah- Ariful Haque- Nihaduzzaman- Nahidul Islam Direct Signings - Paul Stirling- George Munsey From the Draft - Samiullah Shinwari- Rahkeem Cornwall- Reece Topley Rangpur Riders Retaining Players - Nurul Hasan Sohan (C)- Mahedi Hasan Direct Signings - Mohammad Saifuddin From the Draft - Nahid Rana- Saif Hassan- Soumya Sarkar- Rakibul Hasan- Irfan Sukkur- Tawfique Khan- Kamrul Islam Rabbi- Rejaur Rahman Raja Direct Signings - Khushdil Shah- Allah Ghazanfar- Alex Hales- Saurabh Netravalkar- Steven Taylor From the Draft - Iftikhar Ahmed- Akif Javed- Curtis Campher- Sediqullah Atal Durbar Rajshahi Direct Signings - Anamul Haque Bijoy (C) From the Draft - Akbar Ali- Taskin Ahmed- Jishan Alam- Sunzamul Islam- SM Meherob- Yasir Ali- Hasan Murad- Mohor Sheikh- Sabbir Hossain- Shafiul Islam- Mizanur Rahman- Zahiduzzaman- Asaduzzaman Payel From the Draft - Saad Nasim- Lahiru Samarakoon Read more: BCB meeting: Several lose directorship, resignation of three accepted Signing Amounts of Some Key Players The Dhaka Capitals have brought on Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzid Hasan Tamim with contracts valued at BDT 6 million and BDT 4 million, respectively. Meanwhile, the Chattogram Kings secured Shakib Al Hasan and Shoriful Islam, each for BDT 6 million. Defending champions, Fortune Barishal, retained Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim, and added Towhid Hridoy to their lineup, with all three earning BDT 6 million. The Sylhet Strikers kept local favorites Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Zakir Hasan and signed Jaker Ali directly. Tanzim and Jaker’s contract is settled at BDT 4 million each, while Zakir’s remuneration is set at BDT 2.5 million. For Khulna Tigers, Nasum Ahmed and Afif Hossain were brought back at BDT 2.5 million and BDT 4 million, respectively, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz joining the team for BDT 6 million. Former champions Rangpur Riders retained Nurul Hasan Sohan and Mahedi Hasan at BDT 4 million each and secured Mohammad Saifuddin for BDT 2.5 million. Durbar Rajshahi completed their lineup by enlisting Anamul Haque Bijoy for BDT 4 million. Read more: Pre-Draft Signings: Who’s joining each BPL team for 2025? Wrapping Up The BPL 2025 Players Draft significantly impacts both team squads and the players' financial aspects. Local players’ highest salaries drop to BDT 6 million, while foreign players' maximum earnings are set at USD 50,000. The league witnessed the exit of the Comilla Victorians, making way for Durbar Rajshahi. The Dhaka team has been rebranded as the Dhaka Capitals, now under the ownership of Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan. Overall, the draft features 188 local players and 440 overseas players vying for a spot in the tournament. Read more: Series against Afghanistan: Bangladesh back in Sharjah after three decades to restore some pride

After nearly three decades, the Bangladesh team is back in Sharjah to play ODIs—a three-match series against Afghanistan starting on Wednesday. Bangladesh's main aim in this series is to restore some pride after losing miserably in two consecutive series. In recent months, Bangladesh won a two-match Test series against Pakistan in the South Asian country. After that, they suffered five consecutive defeats in a two-match Test and three-match T20I series against India. Following those defeats, Bangladesh took on South Africa at home, aiming to bounce back, but it failed. They lost both the Test matches in Dhaka and Chattogram. Now they are back in Sharjah. They played five matches at the venue, with the last one in 1995, but failed to win any of those matches. Afghanistan, who often host their opponents in the UAE, has also played 28 ODIs in Sharjah and won 18. In the last five years, they played five matches in this venue and won four. Over the past decade, Afghanistan has become a strong opponent of Bangladesh. Not just Bangladesh, they challenged all other teams in ODIs. Bangladesh vs South Africa test: Mominul fights back after Rabada takes five-for The new Afghan players like Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz became real game-changers for them. Both play in the Indian Premier League, contributing enormously to their development as global stars. Bangladesh played a total of 16 ODIs against Afghanistan and won 10 of those matches. In the last six meetings, Bangladesh won three, and Afghanistan won the other three. Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue leading Bangladesh in this series. It was reported that Najmul wanted to quit captaincy, as he informed the board just before the home series against South Africa, but he decided to continue for now. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the right-handed allrounder, will be Najmul’s deputy in this series. Mehidy is expected to take over the captaincy if Najmul eventually pulls himself out of the leadership role. Bangladesh’s success in this series largely depends on young cricketers like Tawhid Hridoy, Tanzim Hasan Tamim, and Shoriful Islam, along with experienced players like Najmul, Mehidy, Taskin Ahmed, and Mustafizur Rahman. While Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad are included in the squad, their recent performances suggest they are at a stage of their careers where consistent contributions are no longer guaranteed. Bangladesh also included young bowlers Rishad Hossain and Nahid Rana. While Rishad proved his mettle in T20Is, he has yet to flourish in ODIs. Nahid made this Test debut and proved that he has potential. But he has yet to get his ODI cap. Soumya Sarkar also made a comeback in this series. Litton Das, the wicketkeeper batter, has been suffering from a fever, which has paved the way for Soumya. The left-hander is expected to partner with Tamim to open the innings. The second, third, and final ODIs of this series will take place on November 9 and 11 at the same venue. Bangladesh squad for Afghanistan series: Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Zakir Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah Riyad, Tawhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hassan Miraz (vc), Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Nahid Rana. Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Abdul Malik, Darwish Rasooli, Ikram Ali Khil, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah (vc), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Nangeyalia Kharote, Rashid Khan, Bilal Sami, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, AM Ghazanfar, Naveed Zadran, and Noor Ahmad.