United News of Bangladesh

Indian great Virat Kohli once again proved why he is regarded as the king of the chase, playing yet another crucial knock to guide India to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy defeating Australia. Chasing 265 is never easy on the tricky Dubai surface, but when Kohli plays like he usually does, it becomes easy. His innings featured just five boundaries, but it was his ability to rotate the strike and build partnerships that stood out. “I was not feeling desperate, and I was pretty happy knocking ones around,” Kohli said after the match. “And when, as a batter, you start taking pride in hitting those singles into the gaps, that is when you know you are playing good cricket and know you are in for a big partnership. It settles down the nerves. That was the most pleasing factor for me today,” as he quoted by the ICC. While chasing 265, India suffered early setbacks losing the openers cheaply. They were reeling at 43 for two. But that was the point when Kohli stood strong, and stretched important partnerships with Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and KL Rahul to guide India to the track. Ravindra, Williamson centuries power New Zealand to 362 in Champions Trophy semifinal The Dubai pitch has made life difficult for batters throughout the tournament, forcing teams to rely heavily on spinners. India’s bowling unit, led by their spin trio, kept Australia in check, bowling them out for 264 in the final over.  “For me it is about understanding the conditions, preparing my game accordingly, rotating strike,” Kohli said. “Big partnerships on this pitch are the most important thing and my effort today was to string enough partnerships [together]. The pitch tells me how the cricket needs to be played and then I just switch on and play accordingly.”  While Kohli missed out on a century, he insisted milestones were never his focus. “For me, it is all about taking pride and doing the job for the team. If I get to the three-figure mark then great. If not, on nights like these, you win, it is a happy dressing room,” he said after the match. India will now face winners of the second semifinal— either New Zealand or South Africa— in the final aiming to lift their third Champions Trophy title.

Centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson propelled New Zealand to a big total of 362 for 6 in their Champions Trophy semifinal against South Africa at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, New Zealand made a steady start despite losing opener Will Young for 21. Ravindra and Williamson then took charge, adding 164 runs for the second wicket. Ravindra led the way with a 108 off 101 balls, hitting 13 fours and a six. Williamson matched his partner’s brilliance, scoring 102 off 94 deliveries, with 10 boundaries and two sixes. Ravindra reached his century off 93 balls, while Williamson completed his hundred off 91 balls, giving New Zealand a strong platform to push for a big total. Even after both set batters departed, Daryl Mitchell’s quickfire 49 from 37 balls and Glenn Phillips’ explosive unbeaten 49 off just 27 deliveries ensured New Zealand did not lose momentum in the final overs. Steve Smith retires from ODI cricket after Champions Trophy South Africa’s bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs, with Lungi Ngidi taking 3 for 72. Kagiso Rabada claimed two wickets but was also expensive, conceding 70 runs in his 10 overs. Marco Jansen, who opened the bowling, went wicketless while giving away 79 runs. With 362 on the board, New Zealand put themselves in a strong position to reach the final, where India is already waiting after defeating Australia in the first semifinal.

Steve Smith has retired from one-day international cricket in the wake of Australia’s Champions Trophy semifinal loss to India. Cricket Australia issued a statement Wednesday to confirm the former skipper’s retirement from the 50-over version of the game. Smith will continue to play test cricket for Australia and remains available for selection in the Twenty20 format. The decision means the 35-year-old batter won’t be available for Australia’s World Cup defense in 2027 despite standing in for Pat Cummins as captain for the Champions Trophy hosted by Pakistan. In his last ODI innings, Smith top-scored for Australia with 76 runs from 96 deliveries but his team lost by four wickets to India at Dubai on Tuesday night and narrowly missed out on reaching the tournament final. Smith was part of victorious ODI World Cup campaigns in 2015 and 2023, and said those were career highlights in the format. “It has been a great ride and I have loved every minute of it,” Smith said in a statement. “Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup, so it feels like the right time to make way.” Kohli keeps his cool in tense contest as India overcome Australia to march to Champions Trophy final In the test format, where matches are played across five days, Smith has scored 10,271 runs in 116 tests, including 36 centuries and 41 half-centuries, and averages 56.74 per innings. His next assignment will be in Australia's attempt to defend the World Test Championship in June's final against South Africa at Lord's and in the subsequent test tour to the Caribbean. Australia hosts the Ashes against England starting in November. “Test cricket remains a priority and I am really looking forward to the World Test Championship Final, the West Indies (tour) and then England at home," Smith said. "I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage.” After making his international debut against the West Indies in 2010 as a leg-spinning allrounder, Smith played 170 ODIs and tallied 5,800 runs at an average of 43.28, including 12 centuries. Smith was Australia's ODI player of the year in 2015 and 2021 and was part of the International Cricket Council's ODI team of the year in 2015. Australia's selection committee chairman George Bailey said Smith remained "fully committed to test cricket and is an integral member of and leader within that team.” “Steve has said on many occasions he is approaching the remainder of his playing career on a series-by-series basis, a position which hasn’t changed and one Cricket Australia supports," Bailey said. “To leave the format as a two-time World Cup winner cements his legacy as one of the great Australian ODI players.”

In a calm and control chase, Virat Kohli starred as India beat Australia to march to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai. Kohli hit 84 to guide India to a chase down the 265 with 11 balls to play. The former captain showed why he is considered one of the best in pressure chases, pacing his innings to perfection and forming crucial partnerships through the middle overs. Australia, after opting to bat first, posted 264 in 49.3 overs. They started briskly, with Travis Head playing his natural attacking game, scoring 39 off 33 balls before falling to Varun Chakravarthy. But, the top order faltered against a disciplined Indian attack, with Mohammed Shami dismissing both Cooper Connolly and Steven Smith. Smith’s 73 was the backbone of Australia’s innings, but the lack of support from others left them short of a truly imposing total. India stumble to 249 as Matt Henry’s five-for puts New Zealand on top Alex Carey injected life into Australia’s innings with a lively 61 off 57 balls, but regular wickets at the death ensured they couldn’t accelerate as much as they wanted. Shami ended with 3 for 48, while Jadeja and Varun took two wickets each. India’s chase got off to a shaky start when both openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, departed inside eight overs. At 43 for 2, the pressure was on, but Kohli, calm as ever, rebuilt the innings alongside Shreyas Iyer. The pair added 91 runs, balancing caution with timely boundaries. Iyer fell for 45, but Kohli carried on, guiding the chase with help from Axar Patel and KL Rahul. Kohli’s innings was a masterclass in control — rotating the strike, finding the gaps, and keeping the required rate in check without unnecessary risks. His 84 off 98 balls contained just five boundaries, but it was the singles and twos that kept the scoreboard moving. Kohli eventually fell to Adam Zampa in the 43rd over, but by then India were firmly in control. Rahul’s unbeaten 42 off 34 and Pandya’s quick 28 ensured there were no late stumbles, and India reached 267 for 6 with ease. “It was pretty similar to the other day against Pakistan,” Kohli said after the match. “Understanding conditions, rotating the strike and building partnerships was the key.” This win puts India in the second consecutive final of the ICC Champion Trophy. In the last final in 2017, they lost to Pakistan. This time, they have got another chance to lift the Champions Trophy title.

The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPDCL) saw an eventful day on Tuesday, with Nurul Hasan Sohan guiding Dhanmondi Sports Club to a four-wicket win over Brothers Union, while Shinepukur Cricket Club eased past Partex Sporting Club by 77 runs, and Legends of Rupganj cruised to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Gazi Group. Nurul's unbeaten half-century helped Dhanmondi chase down a target of 263 with eight balls to spare at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Brothers Union's top order had earlier set the stage with half-centuries from Mahfizul Islam (84), Imtiaz Hossain (50), and Mizanur Rahman (73). The opening pair Mahfizul and Imtiaz added 99 runs, but their slow scoring rate of 148 balls put pressure on the innings. Mizanur tried to accelerate the scoring, but a late-innings injury forced him to retire hurt. In response, Dhanmondi's Ashiqur Rahman and Habibhur Rahman provided a solid start, putting on 56 runs for the opening wicket. Fazle Mahmud then contributed a vital 55, and Yasir Ali Chowdhury chipped in with 41. However, quick wickets in the middle overs left Dhanmondi needing a steady hand to guide them home. Sohan, the captain, stepped up to the occasion. His composed knock of 58 not out from 53 balls, including four boundaries, steered Dhanmondi to victory. He was well-supported by Ziaur Rahman, who remained unbeaten on 19. Abahani, Mohammedan suffer defeats in Dhaka League Meanwhile, in another match, Shinepukur Cricket Club secured a comfortable 77-run win over Partex Sporting Club, after some good batting up the order, coupled with Rafuzzaman Rafi's miserly bowling. Anik Sarkar (77) and Ryan Rafsan Rahman (87) starred with the bat for Shinepukur. Rafi then strangled the Partex innings with his left-arm spin, conceding just 14 runs and taking 3 wickets in his 10 overs. Al Fahad also chipped in with 3 wickets. Partex Sporting Club was never really in the chase, with Jawad Rowen top-scoring with 46. But, the Shinepukur bowlers kept the pressure on, ensuring a comfortable victory. Rafuzzaman Rafi's economical spell was the standout performance, earning him the Man of the Match award. In another match of the day, Legends of Rupganj dominated Gazi Group, securing a 10-wicket victory. Gazi Group collapsed to just 93 runs, losing six wickets for four runs, with Shoriful Islam claiming 4-14. Rupganj openers Saif Hassan (27*) and Tanzid Hasan (65*) then chased down the total in 13.5 overs. Shoriful's performance earned him Player of the Match.

Pakistan dropped captain Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam for the T20 series against New Zealand and rewarded several domestic performers for the five-match series starting on March 16. Salman Ali Agha will lead the side with all-rounder Shadab Khan as the vice-captain. Salman also led Pakistan to a 2-1 win in the T20 series against Zimbabwe late last year. Rizwan was retained as skipper for the three ODIs against New Zealand starting March 29, and the squad also included Babar. However, selectors have rung in several changes in the ODI squad after Pakistan made an early exit from the Champions Trophy, losing to both New Zealand and India. It finished fourth in its group after its last game was washed out against Bangladesh. Fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi are part of the T20 squad, but were dropped for the ODIs. Top-order batters Kamran Ghulam and Saud Shakeel were also dropped but opener Abdullah Shafique was recalled after selectors ignored him for the Champions Trophy because he had made three successive ducks in South Africa. Openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub are still recovering from injuries and neither left-handed batters was considered for the eight white-ball games in New Zealand. “We need to play fearless and aggressive cricket in the T20 format and that’s why we have brought in new players,” Pakistan interim head coach Aaqib Javed told reporters on Tuesday. “Nowadays teams are scoring over 200 in T20 cricket. We also need batters who could utilize the first six overs of the batting powerplay and play big shots.” Javed's contract initially ran until the Champions Trophy, but will continue as the Pakistan Cricket Board is still searching for a full time head coach. New Zealand “A” cricket team to travel to Bangladesh in May Batters Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz along with fast bowler Mohammad Ali are the three uncapped players in the T20 squad. Samad scored 115 runs at a strike-rate of 166.67 in the domestic T20 Champions Cup while Nawaz scored 312 runs and finished as the second highest run-getter in the tournament. Ali, a right-arm Pakistan test fast bowler, topped the bowling chart in the same tournament with 22 wickets. ___ T20 squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem and Usman Khan. ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Irfan Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem and Tayyab Tahir.

The New Zealand national cricket team toured Bangladesh several times in the past, but for the first time, their “A” team is travelling to Bangladesh in May this year. Before the tour, a two-member representative of New Zealand cricket, is now visiting Bangladesh to inspect the venues and other facilities. The series will feature two four-day and some one-day matches. The number of matches is yet to be finalized. India looks to press ‘advantage’ against Australia in Champions Trophy semifinal The venues and the dates of the matches are yet to be finalized too. Bangladesh “A” team took part in a competitive cricket event more than six months ago. Now with the home series against their New Zealand counterparts, Bangladesh “A” will return to competitive cricket.

A storied cricket rivalry will add a new chapter when India and Australia square off in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy on Tuesday. And it comes with controversy. While Pakistan is hosting the tournament, India has not gone near Pakistan, refusing to go there. Instead, India has played all of its games in Dubai amid security concerns. This has caused debate about India's advantage from playing in one venue that has marred the buildup to the knockout rounds. The Indian government denied permission for the cricket team to travel to its neighbour. The latest refusal came on the heels of viable security threats – tensions on the border, particularly in the northern region of Jammu and Kashmir. India stumble to 249 as Matt Henry’s five-for puts New Zealand on top While Pakistan went to India for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the last time either team toured the other was 12 years ago. Because the tournament couldn't be played without India's financial muscle, all of its games are in Dubai, including the semifinal and the final on Sunday, if it qualifies. If not, the final will be in Lahore. It has caused scheduling and travel headaches for the Champions Trophy. Bizarrely, Pakistan had to give up hosting rights and go to Dubai to face India, and lost. South Africa and Australia flew to Dubai last Saturday because it wasn’t clear which team would take on India in the semifinals. Only after India beat New Zealand on Sunday in the last group game did South Africa return to Pakistan late Sunday with New Zealand to prepare for their semifinal on Wednesday in Lahore. The preferential treatment has put India in an advantageous position to many eyes. "If you can stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage,” South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen said on Thursday. But India captain Rohit Sharma shrugged off talk of any advantage. “We are very much aware of the conditions here, but we don’t know which pitch is going to be played," Sharma said. "This is not our home, this is Dubai. We don’t play so many matches here. This is new for us, too.” Anushka to attend Virat Kohli’s 300th ODI in Champions Trophy Dubai was chosen because its the largest of the UAE’s three cricket grounds; it seats up to 30,000 fans compared to Abu Dhabi (20,000) and Sharjah (16,000). India played its three group games at Dubai International Cricket Stadium — on different pitches — and won them all. “They are in Dubai for a reason," Pakistan coach Aqib Javed said. "If you play on the same pitch or ground, you will have an advantage. But we didn’t lose because they stayed in the same hotel or played on the same pitch. Neither did they play 10 matches there.” Depleted Australia has defied the odds The India-Australia semifinal is a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad where Australia upset India and sent the country into mourning. This time, Australia isn't at full strength. It is missing its front-line pace attack and opening batter Matt Short has been sidelined by a quad injury, and replaced by left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly. Connolly's selection pays respect to Dubai's spin-friendly pitches. But Australia doesn't normally bank heavy on spin, and has defied the odds to reach the semifinals under Steve Smith. India, however, unleashed a fourth extra spinner on New Zealand, and they shared nine wickets as they defended 249 with ease. Whether India stays with four spinners or goes back to three is its main question. “Even if we want to play four spinners, how can we squeeze (them in)," Sharma said. “If we don’t, then we don’t.”

In the first round of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPDCL), Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting League suffered defeats on Monday. Imrul Kayes, leading Agrani Bank Cricket Club, fell just short of a century. After setting a target of 235 runs, Imrul was dismissed for 94 runs. Despite the setback, Agrani Bank secured a six-wicket victory over defending champion Abahani Limited. Imrul Kayes secured Man of the Match for his brave 94 runs innings. Another near-century performance came from Shamim Hossain. Shamim led Prime Bank Cricket Club to a remarkable three-wicket victory. The left-handed batter was named Player of the Match, securing 98 runs of 83 balls. Litton Das to play for Gulshan Cricket Club in DPL The biggest surprise of the opening day was Mohammedan Sporting Club's defeat to newcomer Gulshan Cricket Club. Despite boasting a star-studded lineup, the Mohammedan team lost by 107 runs. Iftikhar Hossain was the star of the match. He played an instrumental role in Gulshan Cricket Club securing their first victory on opening day. Iftikhar scored a century after securing 108. His innings coupled with three-wicket haul earned him the Player of the Match. Mohammedan's big names failed to deliver. Tamim Iqbal managed just 22 runs, Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed for seven, and Mahmudullah contributed only 10. Ariful Islam top-scored for Mohammedan with 73.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the renaming of the Sheikh Hasina International Cricket Stadium in Purbachal to the National Cricket Ground (NCG). The decision came during the BCB's 18th board meeting held on Monday. The “Boat”-themed stadium project, financed entirely by the BCB, has faced numerous delays and setbacks since its inception several years ago. Last August, the tender process for the construction work was even cancelled. Bangabandhu National Stadium renamed as “National Stadium, Dhaka” BCB Media Committee Chairman Iftikhar Ahmed Mithu confirmed the name change at a press conference following the meeting. “In today's meeting, we discussed many things and took several decisions,” Iftikhar stated. “As you know, there has been a notification from the government. In response to that, we have changed the name of Sheikh Hasina Stadium... from now on it will be called NCG, National Cricket Ground. This has been done.” However, the stadium's boat-shaped design, the electoral symbol of the previous Sheikh Hasina government, will remain unchanged despite the shifting political climate.//