United News of Bangladesh

Ishan Kishan smashed an unbeaten 106 off 47 deliveries as Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched a 44-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in their opening match of the 2025 Indian Premier League on Sunday. Kishan’s explosive innings, featuring 11 fours and six sixes, marked his maiden IPL century on debut for his new team, which recorded its second-highest total in tournament history. Travis Head contributed 67 off 31 balls, as Hyderabad carried forward its 2024 momentum to post a formidable 286-6 in 20 overs. New Zealand beat Pakistan by 115 runs in 4th T20I The team’s previous highest total was 287-3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru last season, the highest-ever IPL score. In the later match, Chennai Super Kings triumphed over Mumbai Indians by four wickets with five balls to spare in a high-stakes showdown. Afghanistan’s left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad returned exceptional figures of 4-18 in four overs, helping Chennai restrict Mumbai to 155-9 after opting to bowl first. Tilak Varma top-scored with 31 off 25 balls. Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 65 off 45 balls, coupled with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s rapid 53 off 26, powered Chennai to 158-6 in 19.1 overs. Rajasthan’s Brave Chase Falls Short at 242-6 Despite putting up a strong fight, Rajasthan Royals could only manage 242-6 in response to Hyderabad’s massive target. Dhruv Jurel led the charge with 70 off 35 balls, while Sanju Samson struck 66 off 37. Sent in to bat first, Hyderabad got off to a flying start with Head and Abhishek Sharma (24) putting together a blistering 45-run stand in just 19 balls. Kishan shifted gears, reaching his half-century in just 25 balls. Having been acquired at the season’s auction, he proved to be an instant success, smashing his way to a dominant hundred on his first outing for Hyderabad. He shared an 85-run stand off 39 balls with Head, who also struck nine fours and three sixes before falling just before the halfway mark. Kishan, alongside Hyderabad, kept the scoring rate high. He found able support in Nitish Reddy (30 off 15) and Heinrich Klaasen (34 off 14). His second fifty came off just 22 deliveries, propelling Hyderabad to a commanding total in their opening game. Heather Knight steps down as England Women’s Cricket captain after nine years A Forgettable Outing for England’s Jofra Archer England fast bowler Jofra Archer endured a torrid spell, conceding 76 runs in his four overs—the most expensive figures in IPL history. Rajasthan’s chase got off to a shaky start, with Yashasvi Jaiswal departing for just one and Riyan Parag falling for four—both in the second over. Nitish Rana followed soon after, dismissed for 11, leaving Rajasthan at 50-3. Samson, introduced as an impact substitute, made an instant impression. He raced to 50 in 26 balls and put together a 111-run partnership off 60 deliveries with Jurel, keeping Rajasthan in the contest on a batting-friendly surface. Jurel reached his half-century off 28 balls, striking six sixes and five fours to anchor the chase. However, Adam Zampa removed him in the 15th over, while Samson fell in the previous over. With the required rate soaring, Rajasthan struggled to pull off the mammoth chase despite late cameos from Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 23) and Shubham Dubey (34* off 11). Mumbai Struggles Against Spin in Chennai Ahmad starred with the ball after left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed claimed 3-29, including the prized wicket of Rohit Sharma for a four-ball duck. On a sluggish Chepauk pitch, Mumbai failed to gain momentum in their season opener. They also missed the services of captain Hardik Pandya, who was serving a slow over-rate suspension from last season. Stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav managed 29 off 26 before falling to Ahmad, who was assisted by a sharp stumping from Indian legend MS Dhoni, making his IPL return for Chennai at 43. Mumbai slumped to 96-6 in 13 overs and further to 118-7 in 16.1 overs. Deepak Chahar, making his Mumbai debut against his former team, chipped in with an unbeaten 28 off 15 balls, including two sixes, to push the total beyond 150. Chasing 156, Chennai was boosted by a 67-run second-wicket partnership off just 37 deliveries between Gaikwad and Ravindra. Gaikwad’s 50 came in just 22 balls, featuring three sixes and six fours. Mumbai fought back through 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur (3-32). Chennai kept losing wickets to Puthur and Will Jacks, but Ravindra ensured his side got across the line in the final over. Dhoni remained unbeaten on 0 off two deliveries.

Jacob Duffy and Zakary Foulkes shared seven wickets as New Zealand bowled out Pakistan for 105 Sunday to win the fourth Twenty20 international by 115 runs and clinch victory in the five-match series with a game remaining. Duffy took 4-20 and Foulkes 3-25 as New Zealand's pacers thrived in responsive conditions under the floodlights at Bay Oval and bowled out Pakistan in 16.2 overs. At 56-8 Pakistan was in danger of falling short of its lowest score in T20 internationals — 74 against Australia in 2012. But Abdul Samad made an unbeaten 44 to steer his team past that total and, at 91, past its lowest total against New Zealand. Earlier, Finn Allen made a half-century from 19 balls and captain Michael Bracewell made an unbeaten 46 as New Zealand posted 220-6 after being sent in. Tim Seifert made 44 from 22 balls to dominate an opening partnership with Allen that produced 59 runs in 4.1 overs. New Zealand went on to 79-1 after six overs, it’s highest power play total against Pakistan. Allen hit six fours and three sixes to accelerate the New Zealand scoring: the home team was 134-2 at the midpoint of its innings. Haris Rauf took 3-27 to curb the New Zealand scoring before Bracewell finished strongly. Heather Knight steps down as England Women’s Cricket captain after nine years “With Tim (Seifert) belting them it makes it tough to get some rhythm sometimes,” said Allen who was Player of the Match. “It's nice for me to sit at the other end and watch him go and then try to take over when he goes.” Pakistan lost three wickets in the first two overs including third match century-maker Hasan Nawaz for 1. O'Rourke and Duffy produced devastating opening spells to upset the Pakistan run chase. O'Rourke cut a ball back from outside off to bowl Mohammad Haris (2) with the second ball of the Pakistan innings. Duffy then removed Nawaz and captain Salman Ali Agha (1), both caught behind by wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay. The New Zealand pacers were able to move the ball around in conditions under floodlights that previously had seemed relatively benign. Even leg spinner Ish Sodhi found the purchase to turn the ball sharply. “We have to give them credit, they bowled really well and they outplayed us,” Ali Agha said. “It was swinging and turning as well. It did a lot in the second innings but we are an international team and we have to do better.” The final match of the series will be played at Wellington on Wednesday.

Heather Knight has stepped down as captain of the England women's cricket team after nine years, following a series of disappointing results. England was eliminated in the group stage of last year’s T20 World Cup and suffered a 16-0 defeat in this year’s multi-format Ashes series against Australia. “Leading my country for the past nine years has been the greatest honor of my life, and I will always take immense pride in my tenure,” Knight said in a statement released by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Saturday. “I have relished the challenge of captaincy, but all good things must come to an end. It’s time for me to step back and focus on being the best batter and teammate I can be.” Her resignation follows the removal of head coach Jon Lewis just a day earlier, signaling significant changes within the team. Kohli’s half-century leads Bengaluru to IPL win over Kolkata The ECB confirmed that Knight, 34, will remain available for selection, with a new captain set to be appointed soon. Since taking over as captain in 2016, Knight has led England in 199 matches, steering the team to a World Cup victory on home soil in 2017 and two other ICC tournament finals. With 134 wins, she is England’s second-most successful women’s captain and oversaw a record-breaking streak of eight consecutive ODI wins. “Heather has been an exceptional leader for England Women,” said Clare Connor, ECB’s deputy chief executive. “She has set an example both on and off the field, serving as an inspiration through her performances and leadership.” Pakistan defeats New Zealand by 9 wickets in the third T20, keeping the series in contention Connor also praised Knight’s role in boosting the popularity of women’s and girls’ cricket, calling her a role model for both professional and recreational players. Source: Wiht input from agency 

Virat Kohli made a resounding start to the Indian Premier League Season with a 30-ball half century as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets on Saturday. Kohli anchored Bengaluru’s dominant chase of 177-3 in 16.2 overs with an unbeaten 59 off 36 balls and gave new skipper Rajat Patidar a winning start to the lucrative two-month long T20 tournament. Kolkata couldn’t capitalize on captain Ajinkya Rahana’s swashbuckling 56 off 31 balls at Eden Gardens and was restricted to 174-8 after Patidar won the toss and elected to field. Salt steals powerplay Phil Salt, who was not retained by Kolkata for this season, was ruthless against his former franchise in the powerplay as Bengaluru sped to 80-0 in the first six overs. Salt smashed ace spinner Varun Chakarvarthy (1-43) for 21 runs in one over inside the powerplay and Kohli also showed plenty of aggression, lifting Australian fast bowler Spencer Johnson for two back-to-back straight sixes. Chakarvarthy provided the belated breakthrough when Salt was caught at short third as he attempted another big hit against the spinner in the ninth over. Kohli raised his half century when he flayed Harshit Rana over cover for his fourth boundary as Bengaluru kept scoring at a rapid pace despite losing Salt. Patidar smacked Rana for four boundaries in one over in his breezy knock of 34 off just 16 balls before he holed out to mid-wicket as Liam Livingstone (15 not out) finished off the game quickly with a hooked six off Johnson and a boundary. Krunal squeezes Kolkata Rahane made a confident start to his captaincy stint at Kolkata with an attacking half century, but spinner Krunal Pandya (3-29) squeezed the home team in the second half of the innings. Kolkata eyed a big total as they cruised 107-2 in the first 10 overs when Sunil Narine was dismissed for 44 off 26 balls. However, Pandya’s impeccable bowling allowed Kolkata to score only 67 in the final 10 overs. Pandya got the key wickets of Rahane, Rinku Singh (12) and Venkatesh Iyer (6) while former Kolkata spinner Suyash Kumar had big-hitter Andre Russell clean bowled for only four. Rahane fell in the trap and couldn’t clear the fielder at deep mid-wicket while Singh and Iyer both got clean bowled as Kolkata lost their power-hitters before the final four overs and slipped to 145-5 in 15 overs. Kolkata slipper further when Kumar Russell was undone by Kumar’s perfect googly. Josh Hazlewood (2-22) bowled well up front and allowed Kolkata to score only nine runs in the first three overs before Rahane and Narine exploded with a 103-run stand. Pandya pulled back well for Bengaluru while Hazlewood and Yash Dayal also bowled well in the final overs to restrict Kolkata’s total.

Hasan Nawaz made an unbeaten 105 from 45 balls as Pakistan beat New Zealand by nine wickets in the third Twenty20 international Friday to keep alive the five-match series. Pakistan won the toss and was able to bowl first, reversing the trend of the first two matches which New Zealand won by nine and five wickets. Nawaz was supported in his first century by captain Salman Ali Agha, who made 51 from 31 balls in an unbroken partnership of 133 for the second wicket. Pakistan finished at 207-1, running down the home team's total of 204 with four full overs to spare to inflict New Zealand's heaviest T20 loss in terms of wickets. Nawaz made ducks in both of the first two matches. “I failed in the first two games and I thank the team for backing me,” he said through an interpreter. "When I went out to bat I wanted to score my first international run. “After I scored the first run the pressure was released and I wanted to win the game.” Mark Chapman made 94 from 44 balls before New Zealand was bowled out with one ball remaining in their 20 overs. Chapman hit 11 fours and four sixes but lacked support. Captain Michael Bracewell's 31 was the next-best effort by the Kiwis, who lost wickets regularly. Tim Seifert made 19, including 16 runs from the second over. Haris Rauf took 3-29 in an excellent bowling performance in the middle of the innings. The Pakistan selectors kept Nawaz and Mohammad Haris at the top of the order, giving them time to acclimatize to New Zealand conditions. Their opening partnerships produced only one run in each of the first two matches. But on Friday they put on 75 for the first wicket, within the six-over power play. Haris made 41 from 20 balls with four fours and three sixes to get the Pakistan innings off to the rapid start it needed. He hit two sixes from the first over bowled by Kyle Jamieson as Pakistan rushed to 50 from only four overs. Jamieson, who took 3-8 in the first match, conceded 30 runs from his first two overs. Pakistan was 124-1 at the midpoint of its innings where New Zealand had been 105-3. The 13th over bowled by Jacob Duffy went for 19 runs including two sixes as Pakistan's run rate ticked up over 12 per over. Rotating the strike and taking at least a boundary from each over, Nawaz reached his half century from 26 balls. Salman posted his first T20 international half century from 30 balls.    

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rewarded the Champions Trophy-winning squad with a massive INR 58 crore cash prize. The announcement follows India’s third Champions Trophy victory, secured with a four-wicket win over New Zealand in Dubai on March 9. Shakib cleared to bowl again, eyes return to competitive cricket The announcement of the reward came after India won their third Champions Trophy title, beating New Zealand. The financial incentive from the BCCI comes in addition to the ICC's prize money, which granted India USD 2.24 million as winners of the tournament. The runners-up, New Zealand, received USD 1.12 million, while semi-finalists Australia and South Africa earned USD 560,000 each. The total prize pool of USD 6.9 million was a 53% increase from the 2017 edition of the tournament. BCCI President Roger Binny emphasised that the cash reward was a recognition of the team's sustained excellence. “Winning back-to-back ICC titles is special, and this reward recognises Team India’s dedication and excellence on the global stage,” Binny said. “This was also our second ICC Trophy in 2025, following the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup, and it highlights the strong cricketing ecosystem in place in our country.” Farhad Reza leads Gulshan to win over Brothers Union While the financial rewards serve as recognition for their achievement, India’s challenge now is to sustain this dominance in upcoming tournaments, including the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2027 ODI World Cup.

After a recent successful bowling reassessment in Loughborough, Bangladesh star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has been given the green light to resume bowling in competitive cricket by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).  After this decision, Shakib is now available to resume his bowling in domestic and international cricket, where he has not been available since September last year.    The all-rounder, who had never previously been reported for a suspect action in his two-decade-long career, was first called for an illegal action during a County Championship match while representing Surrey against Somerset. Subsequent tests confirmed the irregularities, and that led to his suspension from all formats under ICC regulations.   Shakib's road to clearance was not straightforward. He initially failed two separate assessments— one in Loughborough last year and another in Chennai this January.  Following these setbacks, he was out of Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy team. Earlier, he had said that he would retire from international cricket after this event.  A statement from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that Shakib had “successfully remedied his action,” paving the way for his return to the bowling crease in domestic and franchise leagues. With the ECB’s clearance, he is now eligible to bowl in the upcoming County Championship season and The Hundred, where his all-round skills have made him a sought-after player. It’s not clear if Shakib wants to extend his career in international cricket. With two years to go ahead of the 2027 World Cup, he may rethink and extend his plan. His availability as a bowler could be a great option for the Bangladesh team.  

A good knock from Farhad Reza guided Gulshan Cricket Club to a two-wicket victory over Brothers Union in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League encounter at Mirpur in Dhaka. Chasing 291, Gulshan reached the target with nine balls to spare, thanks to Reza’s unbeaten 47 off 36 balls. Brothers Union, after electing to bat first, put up 290 for 9 in 50 overs. Bishal Chowdhury (83 off 75) and Aich Mollah (65 off 61) provided the foundation, while Mizanur Rahman contributed 50. Gulshan bowlers, however, struck at crucial moments, with Nihaduzzaman (3 for 40) and Asaduzzaman Payel (3 for 62) limiting their total. New Zealand secures 5-wicket victory over Pakistan, extends T20 series lead to 2-0 Gulshan faced early setbacks, but Naeem Islam (50) and Elias Sunny (53) steadied the innings. Reza then took charge, smashing four boundaries and two sixes in a match-winning stand. Sohag Gazi’s four-wicket haul (4 for 44) was in vain as Brothers Union fell short in a gripping contest.

Tim Seifert's explosive 45 off 22 balls and Finn Allen's rapid 38 from 16 deliveries powered New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the rain-affected second Twenty20 international on Tuesday. With the win, New Zealand took a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. Pakistan, led by captain Salman Ali Agha's 46-run knock, managed to post 135-9 in their allotted 15 overs after a wet outfield caused delays and reduced the game to 15 overs per side. New Zealand's chase started cautiously as Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled a maiden over. However, Seifert and Allen quickly turned the tide, smashing seven sixes in the next 12 balls. Their aggressive approach saw New Zealand comfortably chase down the target with 11 balls to spare. The duo combined for ten sixes—five each—setting the pace for the chase. After a slow opening over, Allen hammered three sixes in the second over, while Seifert cleared the boundary four times in the third over, propelling New Zealand to 44-0. Chasing 136 in 90 balls, the hosts had already reduced the requirement to 70 from 60 balls by the end of the power play. By the seventh over, New Zealand stood at 87-2 after Allen's dismissal, following Seifert's earlier departure. Saudi investment poised to challenge IPL's dominance in global cricket “There’s not too much talking in the middle,” Seifert said after the match. “It’s all about backing our skills and putting pressure on the bowlers when we get the chance.” Mitchell Hay’s unbeaten 21 ensured New Zealand crossed the finish line, while Michael Bracewell sealed the win with a boundary off Jahandad Khan. Earlier, New Zealand, opting to bowl first after winning the toss, took advantage of the fresh pitch at University Oval. Jacob Duffy, who starred in the first match with 4-14, struck early, removing Hasan Nawaz in the first over. Pakistan’s innings saw some early promise at 19-1, but Ben Sears' introduction in the fourth over led to Mohammad Haris' dismissal on the very first ball. Sears, returning from an injury that kept him out of the Champions Trophy, used his height effectively, with Haris slicing the delivery to third man. By the end of the power play, Pakistan was 36-2. Salman tried to accelerate, smashing a 75-meter six off Jimmy Neesham and guiding his team to 48-2. However, spinner Ish Sodhi turned the game in New Zealand's favor, dismissing Irfan Khan (11) and Khushdil Shah (2) in the seventh over, reducing Pakistan to 52-4. Despite Salman’s efforts—taking 10 runs off Sears in the eighth over and 13 off Sodhi in the ninth—he was caught in the next over at deep mid-wicket off Sears’ bowling. Shadab Khan (26) kept the momentum going, hitting a six in the 10th over and adding 14 runs in the 11th over off Bracewell. He struck a six and a four off Duffy in the 12th but was eventually caught at cow corner. Mehidy confident about Bangladesh’s future, eyes 2027 World Cup Pakistan added 25 runs in the final three overs, with Afridi’s 22 off 14 balls providing a late boost. Reflecting on the loss, Agha said, “It was a better performance compared to the last match. We batted better, but we still need to improve our finishing.” Source: With input from agency 

New Zealand won the toss after a delay and opted to bowl in the second Twenty20 cricket international against Pakistan. The match was shortened to 15 overs per innings. The toss was originally set for 1:45 p.m. local time but was postponed by nearly 90 minutes as ground staff attended to damp patches on the University Oval. Thousands welcome football star Hamza Choudhury home to his village in Sylhet New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell was pleased to bowl first on a pitch that appeared fresh after being covered. The home side made two changes, bringing in fast bowler Ben Sears for Kyle Jamieson, who had claimed 3-8 in the first match that New Zealand won by nine wickets, and replacing Tim Robinson with Jimmy Neesham. Pakistan made one change as well, with Haris Rauf coming in for Abrar Ahmed. IOC board approves boxing for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Despite losing the toss, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha remained confident. “When you come to New Zealand, you expect extra bounce,” he said. “We have prepared for that and are ready.”