United News of Bangladesh

Three Bangladeshi players have been picked in the player draft for the 10th season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), set to take place from April 8 to May 19. Fast bowler Nahid Rana, batter Liton Das, and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain have secured contracts with different PSL franchises. PSL: Shakib Al Hasan to join Peshawar Zalmi Peshawar Zalmi roped in Nahid Rana in the Gold category, making him the first Bangladeshi cricketer to be drafted this year. Right-arm pacer Nahid will share the dressing room with stars like Babar Azam and Saim Ayub under the coaching of two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Darren Sammy. Afridi ruled out of PSL due to back injury Karachi Kings picked Liton Das, also in the Gold category. The experienced wicketkeeper-batter, who recently smashed a record-breaking century in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), has previously played in the IPL, LPL, and CPL. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain joined Lahore Qalandars in the Silver category. Rishad gained attention for his performances in the T20 World Cup last year and will now make his first appearance in an overseas franchise tournament if he gets an NOC. Shakib prefers DPL over PSL While several other Bangladeshi players, including Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, were listed in the Platinum category, none were picked up in the PSL draft.

Chittagong Kings recorded their third win in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season, beating Sylhet Strikers by 30 runs on Monday in Sylhet. Graham Clark’s 60 off 33 balls earned him the Player of the Match honor. Usman Khan has also hit a fifty for them. While batting first, the Kings posted a challenging total of 203 for six. Clark hit five sixes and three fours in his innings, Usman hit one six and eight fours. Sylhet’s bowlers struggled to contain the Kings, with Ruyel Miah conceding 48 runs in his four overs. Tanzim Hasan Sakib picked up two wickets but failed to stem the flow of runs. In reply, Sylhet faltered early, losing three wickets within the powerplay, including key batter Zakir Hasan for 25. George Munsey, 52 off 37, and Jaker Ali, 47 not out off 23, tried to revive the innings, adding 50 runs for the fifth wicket. However, they failed to match the asking run rate. Mohammad Wasim of the Kings starred with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for 25 runs in his four overs. It was the fourth defeat of Sylhet in the season.

Matt Short and Aaron Hardie will play at their first ICC tournament after being named Monday in Australia's 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy which begins next month in Pakistan and the UAE. Short, Hardie and Nathan Ellis are the newcomers to the squad which won the 2023 ICC World Cup in India. Opener Jake Fraser-McGurk is the notable omission from the squad which is heavy with allrounders. Australia are two-time winners of the Champions Trophy which was last staged in 2017 and brings together the top eight ODI teams in the world. The call-up of Short, Hardie and Ellis is made possible by the retirement of David Warner, the unavailability of Cameron Green who is recovering from a back injury and the absence of Sean Abbott. Ellis earned his call-up after leading the Hobart Hurricanes into the finals of the Big Bash League. Short has played in nine of Australia's last 11 one-day internationals and returned from a broken toe to score a century for the Adelaide Strikers in the BBL on Saturday. Read: New Zealand names young pacers O'Rourke, Smith and Sears for the Champions Trophy He and Fraser-McGurk were traveling reserves for the Australia squad at last year's T20 World Cup. Pat Cummins will lead the team, though head of selectors George Bailey has revealed the fast bowler carried an ankle injury through the recent Border-Gavaskar test series against India. While squads have to be named five weeks before the tournament begins on Feb. 19, changes can be made if required. Cummins will sit out Australia's test tour of Sri Lanka which begins later this month as will Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Marsh. Australia will play a lone one-dayer at the end of that tour which will be its only Champions Trophy warm-up. Short supplements his batting with off-spin while Hardie bowls pace. Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis also provide allround options. “This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” Bailey said. “It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.” Read more: Pakistan recalls opening batter Imam for two test matches against West Indies Australia is drawn alongside England, South Africa and Afghanistan in Group B at the Champions Trophy.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has clarified its decision to omit cricketer Litton Das from the national squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Gazi Ashraf Hossain, Chairman of the BCB National Selection Panel, cited the talented batsman’s prolonged dip in form as the reason behind the decision. He said Litton struggled to perform in recent one-day internationals (ODIs), failing to score a half-century in his last 13 innings. “The conditions in St Kitts was tailormade for someone of Litton’s undoubted quality. But unfortunately, he could not score runs there on high-scoring pitches and the dip in form has continued. That did not give us the confidence to select him for the Champions Trophy but we will give him all the support to come back even stronger. We have a lot of crickets scheduled this year and we expect him to play a big part in that,” said Gazi Ashraf. “That did not give us the confidence to select him for the Champions Trophy but we will give him all the support to come back even stronger. We have a lot of crickets scheduled this year and we expect him to play a big part in that,” he said. Read more: BCB chief selector explains rationale behind leaving Litton out of Champions Trophy Despite the setback, he said, Litton seems to be taking the omission positively. The right-handed batsman showcased his potential by smashing the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi batsman during a BPL match for Dhaka Capitals against Durdanto Rajshahi. Litton, meanwhile, was taking the omission from the National team in his strides. After hitting the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi batsman in today’s BPL match against Durdanto Rajshahi the Dhaka Capitals opener said, “My job is to find ways to score runs irrespective of whether I am playing for the Bangladesh side or in any domestic competition. I’ll do my preparations and keep doing the work that I feel will bring me success and help me contribute to the team.” The BCB has emphasised that Litton remains an integral part of its plans for the future. With a packed cricketing calendar ahead, the 29-year-old will have ample opportunities to regain his form and return to the national setup. The ICC Champions Trophy is set to commence next month, and Bangladesh will be hoping their selected squad can deliver strong performances on the international stage.

A brilliant unbeaten 75 off 46 balls from Zakir Hasan guided Sylhet Strikers to an 8-run victory over Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. It was Strikers’s second win of the season in five matches, while Tigers suffered their second defeat in the four matches so far. Sylhet batted first and were struggling losing two wickets for just 15 runs. Zakir then played the role of the anchor with 75 runs off just 46 balls with three fours and six sixes. With this innings, Zakir topped the list of the batters who scored the most runs in this BPL so far. He now has 226 runs in five innings of five matches. He hit three fifties so far— most by any batter this season. Before he came to the crease, Rony Talukdar laid down a solid foundation for the Strikers, scoring 56 off 44 balls with five boundaries and two sixes. Together, Zakir and Rony built a 106-run partnership for the third wicket. They eventually posted a big total of 182 for five wickets. For Khulna, Abu Hider took two wickets for 25 runs. Chasing 183, Khulna Tigers fell short despite a late surge from Mohammad Nawaz, 33 off 18, and Mahidul Islam Ankon, 28 off 16. William Bosisto top-scored with 43 off 40 balls, but the lack of a big partnership hurt Khulna’s chances.  For the Strikers, Reece Topley and Tanzim Hasan Sakib took two wickets each, while Nahidul Islam and Ruyel Miah contributed with one wicket each.

A prolonged slump in form, featuring a string of similar dismissals resulting in a failure to stay longer at the crease in important moments, were the main reasons behind Litton Das being excluded from the Bangladesh squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday announced the squad with Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Litton being overlooked. While the omission of Shakib and Tamim was anticipated, Litton’s exclusion raised many eyebrows. Despite his poor show in the middle, Litton is perceived as a talented batter who can change the game at any time— it was the main theme to keep Litton in the team for a long time. But in his 14 innings, he failed to score even a single fifty, which proved his prolonged lean display with the bat. “Liton is out of form,” Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the chief selector of Bangladesh, said Sunday after announcing the squad. “His dismissal patterns are quite similar. He isn’t capitalizing on the powerplay in white-ball cricket. He’s not staying at the crease. He has been exposed. Opposition team analysts are becoming very successful against Liton. We still gave him opportunities. But the level of trust is not there at the moment,” Gazi Ashraf added. In his last seven innings for Bangladesh, Litton failed to reach a double-digit figure, which is unusual for a batter of his caliber. Besides his poor form, the chief selector also cited the availability of strong alternatives as a reason for Liton’s exclusion. “Soumya (Sarkar) and (Tanzid Hasan) Tamim are performing well as an opening pair,” Gazi Ashraf explained. “They will probably open the innings. So, there is no place for Litton in the first XI. There is no doubt about his class. If we can work on getting him out of this form slump, we can bring him back strongly. Our experts will have the opportunity to work with him during this time.” In their first match in the Champions Trophy, Bangladesh will take on India, against whom, Litton smashed a ton in the last Asia Cup. But that history is helping little to keep confidence in the batter. “We crossed 300 in two matches (vs West Indies). The wickets were very good there. Even there, he (Liton) failed, making it difficult to maintain confidence in him,” Gazi Ashraf said. “We will play in Pindi. It's a very good batting wicket. New Zealand lost even after scoring 336. The top order scored the runs. That means runs have to come from the top. So, we can’t take anyone who is out of form.” A total of eight teams are participating in this year’s Champions Trophy with four teams in each Group A and B. Group A, Bangladesh will compete against India, Pakistan and New Zealand. In Group B, Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa will lock horns against each other. In their first match, Bangladesh will face India on February 20th in Dubai. In the second match, Bangladesh will face New Zealand in Rawalpindi on February 24, and in the third and final match in the group stage, Bangladesh will lock horns with Pakistan in Rawalpindi on February 27th. Bangladesh squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Somuya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain Emon, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana

Star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das were left behind as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday announced their squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy taking place next month in the UAE and Pakistan. This could mark the end of Shakib’s international career. The allrounder recently faced a big setback too, when the ECB reported his bowling action as illegal. A subsequent bowling test confirmed issues with his action, making him ineligible to bowl. If the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wanted to include him in the team, they would have to take him solely as a batter. However, in recent times, Shakib hasn't delivered anything significant with the bat to justify playing him as just a batter. Along with Shakib and Litton, Bangladesh will also miss Tamim Iqbal's service. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto had expressed his desire to have both Shakib and Tamim in the fold, but due to different circumstances, both are missing out. Tamim recently confirmed his retirement from international cricket and said he is no longer coming back to the Bangladesh team. Bangladesh added Parvez Hossain Emon and Nasum Ahmed to the squad. Parvez, a left-handed top-order batter, has impressed in limited-over cricket over the past few years, while Nasum came to the fore as a left-arm spinner aiming to fill up the void left behind by Shakib’s absence. Bangladesh overlooked Hasan Mahmud. The right-arm pacer has been impressive in the ODIs, taking 31 wickets in 23 matches. But the selectors chose Nahid Rana over him. Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam was also overlooked due to his lean patch recently. Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the chief national selector, said they will have to wait more for Shoriful’s best rhythm. “He suffered a blow in Canada and has since managed to come back. But we have to wait more to get his best,” Gazi Ashraf said. In the absence of Litton, Parvez may open the innings for Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy. He played 7 T20Is but is yet to make his debut in ODIs. Gazi Ashraf said they considered Parvez for his ability to score quickly in the powerplay. Overall, Bangladesh opted for a balanced team mix of experienced and young players. In their first match, Bangladesh will face India on February 20th in Dubai. In the second match, Bangladesh will face New Zealand in Rawalpindi on February 24, and in the third and final match in the group stage, Bangladesh will lock horns with Pakistan in Rawalpindi on February 27th. Bangladesh squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Somuya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain Emon, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.

Fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears were recalled to New Zealand's 15-man squad on Sunday for the Champions Trophy next month in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Ferguson is no longer contracted to New Zealand Cricket and missed the home series against Sri Lanka which finished on Sunday, while playing in Australia's Big Bash League. Sears was a traveling reserve for last year's Twenty20 World Cup but missed New Zealand's test series in India in November and the first half of the domestic season with a knee injury. He returned from injury on Thursday in a T20 match for Wellington province. Sears, Will O'Rourke and Nathan Smith have been named to play at their first ICC tournament but Jacob Duffy, who was outstanding in the T20 and one-day international series against Sri Lanka, has been named as a traveling reserve. “ICC tournaments represent the pinnacle of our game and it’s a huge honor to be picked to represent your country at them,” coach Gary Stead said. “I’d especially like to acknowledge Ben, Nathan and Will, who will be attending their first senior ICC events and I know they’re really excited to do so." The pace attack is led by the experienced Matt Henry and Ferguson, who has played in two T20 and two ODI World Cups. The experience of the squad is also bolstered by captain Mitchell Santner, wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham and former captain Kane Williamson, who played in the last Champions Trophy in 2017. Williamson also played in the 2013 edition. Santner will be leading New Zealand to a major tournament for the first time. He offers a spin bowling option along with Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra. The batting lineup is a strong one with Devon Conway, Will Young, Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell and Williamson providing depth and experience. Read: Pakistan recalls opening batter Imam for two test matches against West Indies “Although the Champions Trophy hasn’t been played for a few years, the team is well aware of the history of the tournament and the fact New Zealand were the first winners of the tournament in 2000 when it was known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy,” Stead said. “We’re currently blessed with a lot of quality players and that certainly made for some challenging selection discussions. Ultimately, we’ve gone with the squad that will offer us the best options to perform well in the expected conditions in Pakistan and the UAE." New Zealand will prepare for the tournament with a warmup tri-series against Pakistan and South Africa in Karachi and Lahore and a warmup match against Afghanistan in Karachi. The Champions Trophy is contested by the top-eight ranked men's ODI teams in world cricket.

Pakistan has recalled opening batter Imam-ul-Haq for the two-test series against the West Indies starting in Multan at next week. Imam played his last test match against Australia in December 2023 before he was not only overlooked for home test series against Bangladesh and England but also missed out on selection for the two test matches in South Africa. Both Pakistan and West Indies are at the bottom of the World Test Championship points table. Pakistan will be aiming to finish a below-par WTC cycle on a high after losing eight of its last 10 test matches since Shan Masood was elevated as captain of red-ball cricket. West Indies is yet to win a test series in this WTC cycle, losing to India, South Africa and England while drawing 1-1 against Australia and Bangladesh. Pakistan started the WTC cycle with a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka in 2023 before Babar Azam stepped down from captaincy in all formats. Under Masood, Pakistan was swept by Australia, Bangladesh and South Africa 3-0, 2-0 and 2-0 respectively. In between those losses, Pakistan beat England 2-1 at home on engineered wickets in Multan and Rawalpindi to suit its spinners. Stars of the win, off-spinner Sajid Khan and Noman Ali are likely to combine again against West Indies after they picked up 39 wickets against England. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed was also named in the squad. Pakistan has mostly retained its batting combination that competed against South Africa with Masood, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan and spin all-rounder Salman Ali Agha all being named in the 15-member squad. However, Pakistan has made wholesale changes in its bowling department and rested the pace quartet of Aamer Jamal, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza and Naseem Shah. Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad was retained in the squad while Mohammad Ali, who last played against Bangladesh, and uncapped Kashif Ali were included. In the absence of injured opening batter Saim Ayub, the selectors named Mohammad Huraira, who is likely to open with Imam. Ayub fractured his right ankle during the opening day of the second test against South Africa at Cape Town earlier this month. Former Pakistan under-19 captain Rohail Nazir will be the backup wicketkeeper. Multan will host both the test matches with the first test starting from Jan. 17 followed by the second test from Jan. 25. The Pakistan Cricket Board has to organize both the test matches in Multan because of ongoing upgrades at the stadiums in Karachi and Lahore for next month’s Champions Trophy.

Asith Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana shared six wickets as Sri Lanka bowled out New Zealand for 150 runs in 29.4 overs to win the third one-day international by 140 runs Saturday. Fernando took 3-26 and Theekshana 3-35 to jointly knock the top off the New Zealand innings as it chased 291 for victory. Eshan Fernando also contributed 3-35 as Sri Lanka completed a comprehensive victory. New Zealand won the three-match series 2-1 in its last matches at home before the ICC Champions Trophy begins in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates next month. Earlier, Pathum Nissanka made 66 in an innings of two parts as Sri Lanka compiled 290-8 after choosing to bat first. New Zealand then slumped to 21-5 inside seven overs as Fernando helped Sri Lanka unpick the New Zealand top order. “It's a huge confidence boost for me and for the team as well because we haven't played well in the first two games. It's a pleasure to play like this,” Fernando said. McSweeney returns to Australia squad for Sri Lanka tour “We identified a few areas to be improved (after the first two games). Now we are going straight back to work to continue improving day by day.” Mark Chapman was the only New Zealand batter to stand against the chaos, making 81 at a run a ball. Chapman's 51-run partnership with Nathan Smith (17) for the eighth wicket was New Zealand's hope of making a game of it. The run rate never got away from New Zealand but it lost too many wickets early to seriously challenge Sri Lanka's total. Nissanka reached 50 from 31 balls but almost immediately fell to the ground in pain from an apparent groin or hip strain. He tried to bat on but was clearly impaired while running between wickets and was 50 not out when he was summoned from the field by Sri Lanka coach Sanith Jayasuriya to receive medical treatment. Matt Henry took 4-55 for New Zealand.