United News of Bangladesh

Liverpool expects to set an attendance record for a Merseyside derby at Anfield for Wednesday's Premier League match against Everton. The record crowd for a match between the rivals at the famous stadium was 56,060 for a 0-0 draw in 1963. Wednesday will be the first time the teams have faced each other at Anfield since expansion work was completed at the stadium last year, with attendances now rising above 60,000. The renovated stadium's official capacity is 61,276, which is below its all-time record attendance of 61,905 set in 1952 for an FA Cup match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Liverpool manager Arne Slot predicts the home crowd will be an advantage to his players after February's 2-2 draw with Everton in a bad tempered match when Slot was one of four people sent off. Delhi Capitals climb to 2nd after comfortable victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL Slot said Tuesday he expected another difficult game. “I expect the same,” he said. “But with one difference: that every time the Everton players do something well, they don’t get the cheers and the reactions from 50,000 people. ... Our players will get that reaction after every tackle they make, after every pass they do and that is a different emotion.” Liverpool is on course to win a record-equaling 20th English league title this season. It leads the standings by 12 points over second-placed Arsenal. If it lifts the title, it would equal with Manchester United's record.

Novak Djokovic had some company for another Miami Open victory. With Lionel Messi watching, Djokovic cruised into the Miami Open final by routing 14th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium. The fourth-seeded Djokovic will try for a seventh Miami Open title on Sunday against unseeded 19-year-old upstart Jakub Mensik, who won a thriller decided by a third-set tiebreaker over No. 3 seed Taylor Fritz in Friday's other semifinal, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (7-4). The 37-year-old Djokovic, who won six times at the tournament’s previous venue at Key Biscayne, also is going for his 100th professional title. He has been out of form this year, starting with an injury retirement at the Australian Open in January. Earlier this month, he lost his first match at Indian Wells to Botic van de Zandschulp. In his on-court interview, Djokovic acknowledged the presence of Messi, who plays for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, calling him “King Leo." Djokovic said Messi visited the locker room with his wife and children and they “exchanged gifts." Djokovic has seen Messi play live before but this was the first time the soccer great watched him. “Obviously, it’s a thrill to have his whole family,’’ Djokovic said. “It’s a huge honor. He’s such a great athlete, not just a football player. His impact on the world of sports in the last 20 years has been immense. “To have him watch me live brings me great joy and excitement and also a little pressure. It’s definitely different when he brings his family. I was touched by that." The match was disrupted during the third game when a fan was removed by security. The chair umpire came down to the court and called for security as he walked toward the stands. Dimitrov had jawed with the fan and came over to the sideline to point out the heckler to the umpire. “It’s just heckling, it’s fine,’’ Dimitrov said. “I’m a very calm guy overall. I don’t pick any fights but don’t trigger me.’’ Dimitrov eliminated Francisco Cerundulo in the quarters. He stayed on the court for 25 minutes after the victory, sitting in a wheelchair because of dizziness. He was helped off by tournament medical personnel and canceled his post-match news conference. Dimitrov said he was given lots of water and ice but added “I don’t have a recollection of exactly what happened. We’re putting our bodies through so much. It’s one of those matches where you have to carry me out of the court somehow.’’ Djokovic was broken by Dimitrov in the first game, but he quickly settled down and closed out the first set in 32 minutes. The men’s leader with 24 Grand Slam titles made 87% of his first serves, missing just six all match on a breezy day. He also committed only five unforced errors in the 70-minute match. “Now I know how it feels to be (John) Isner and (Reilly) Opelka,’’ Djokovic said of two serving behemoths. “Maybe my serve has been a bit underrated." The Serbian improved to 13-1 against Dimitrov in his career. The Bulgarian pulled out the ultimate superlative. “He wears confidence like a stain on your shirt,’’ Dimitrov said. “It’s beautiful to see. Only a few athletes on Earth possess that quality.’’ Mensik hasn’t been to an ATP 1,000-point final and came in to the Miami Open ranked 54th. He showed nerves of steel against Fritz at 4-4 in the deciding tiebreaker, winning the last three points. Mensik, who didn’t post a service break all match, blasted a backhand winner down the line for 5-4. Fritz hit a forehand long off a 20-shot rally and punched a forehand in the net on double match point to end the two hour and 25-minute nightcard. Mensik shook hands with Messi before the match. “I didn’t wash my hands before I stepped on the court," Mensik said. Mensik credits Djokovic as the reason he picked up tennis. He lost to Djokovic in Shanghai Masters in a three-setter last October. Djokovic will have 18 years on his opponent. “It feels incredible, unbelievable (to play him),’’ Mensik said. “It was a dream to play against him in Shanghai. I’m a better player now than I was in Shanghai.’’

Former Bangladesh cricket captain Tamim Iqbal returned home from hospital on Friday, four days after suffering a heart attack during a domestic cricket match and undergoing emergency medical treatment. Dr Shahabuddin Talukder, who oversaw Tamim’s treatment at a hospital in Dhaka, confirmed that Tamim was discharged. “He will have to maintain a rehabilitation programme,” Dr. Shahabuddin said in a press briefing on Friday. Tamim had fallen ill on March 24 while leading Mohammedan Sporting Club in a Dhaka Premier League match at the BKSP grounds in Savar. After initially experiencing chest pain — which he believed to be gastric discomfort — he was rushed to a nearby hospital. There, doctors detected a blockage in one of his arteries and performed a stenting procedure to restore blood flow. His condition was initially critical, but he improved steadily over the next few days. Before being shifted to the capital, Tamim was able to walk and speak with family members. Hamza leaves to rejoin his EPL club  Tamim, who announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this year, shared a heartfelt message with fans earlier this week, thanking them for their prayers and support. “I offer my heartfelt gratitude and love to all of you. Please keep me and my family in your prayers,” he wrote. Tamim is Bangladesh’s highest run-scorer in international cricket, with over 15,000 runs across all formats.

Former national cricketer and match referee Salim Shaheed has been elected as the convener of the 13-member ad-hoc committee of the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) on Sunday (March 23). He replaced former national captain, BCB director and parliament member Naimur Rahman Durjoy, who resigned from BCB and went underground after the collapse of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League Government. Women's Hockey: BKSP to face Kishoreganj DSA in final Saturday CWAB, which became inactive since long in absence of its president Durjoy, today (Sunday) in a meeting at the Sher-s-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, suspended the Durjoy-led previous committee and formed a 13-member fresh ad-hoc committee with the celebrated cricketers. New convener Salim Shaheed was a top order batsman cum off spinner of the 90’s, a key player Dhaka Mohammedan SC in the Dhaka league and played for Bangladesh in the ICC Trophy in Kenya in 1994. Wadifa Ahmed becomes International Master after winning Asian Zonal Chess Championship The long serving secretary of CWAB Debabroto Paul, two former national captains Minhajul Abedin Nannu and Habibul Bashar Sumon, alongside former national cricketer Niamul Rashid Rahul were included in the convening committee. Apart from above five cricketers, eight representatives of the country’s eight divisions, ARE also included in the 13-member convening committee.

Bangladesh Krira Shikka Protishtan (BKSP) will face Kishoreganj DSA in the final of the Brac Bank Women's Development Cup Hockey tournament on Saturday. The title-deciding match between the National Sports Training Institute team BKSP and Kishoreganj DSA will kick off at 2 pm on Saturday at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium in Dhaka. Kishoreganj DSA crushes Cumilla DSA 18-0 in Women's Hockey Development Cup Earlier, BKSP confidently reached the final, crushing Rajshahi DSA 12-0, while Kishoreganj DSA secured their place in the final by defeating Jashore DSA 2-1 in the semifinals. The third-place deciding match between the two losing semifinalists, Rajshahi and Jashore DSAs, will kick off at 9:30 am on Saturday at the same venue.

Bangladeshi FIDE Master Wadifa Ahmed has achieved the International Master (IM) title after emerging as the champion in the Asian Zonal Chess Championship, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday. With this achievement, Wadifa not only clinched the zonal chess title but also secured the International Master title, as per tournament regulations. Besides, she earned the right to compete in the next Women's World Cup Chess set to begin on July 5 in Georgia. Needing only a draw in the final round to qualify for the Women's World Cup Chess, Wadifa faced Bangladesh IM Rani Hamid and secured a draw, successfully reaching her target. As per tournament bylaws, the champion of the Asian Zonal Chess Championship is directly awarded the International Master title without needing to meet additional norms. Nine-year old prodigy from Bangladesh beats World Number 1 Carlsen in ‘bullet chess’ Wadifa becomes the fourth Women's International Master from Bangladesh, following in the footsteps of Rani Hamid, Shamima Sultana, and Shirin Sultana.

Kishoreganj DSA earned a massive 18-0 goal victory over Cumilla DSA in the 11-team BRAC Bank Women's Development Cup Hockey Tournament at Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here on Tuesday. This decisive win marked Kishoreganj DSA’s second triumph in four matches, propelling them into the 4th position in the league standings with six points. Meanwhile, BKSP remains at the top, dominating the table with a perfect 12 points from four consecutive victories. In the day's another match, Thakurgaon DSA upset Jhenaidah DSA outplaying them by 6-2 goals at the same venue on Tuesday. BKSP Crush Thakurgaon DSA 16-1 in Women’s Development Cup Hockey In the day's 3rd match, Jashore DSA beat Rajshahi DSA by 2-1 goal at the BAF ground here . The day's other match between Chattogram DSA and Patuakhali DSA ended in 1-1 draw also at the BAF ground here on Tuesday. Three more matches will be held on Wednesday.

Boxing is set to remain on the program for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles following years of governance disputes within the sport. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach announced Monday that the executive board had approved boxing’s inclusion in the 2028 Games. The decision still requires formal approval from the full IOC Session, which consists of about 100 members, but this is expected to be a formality later this week. The IOC has been directly overseeing Olympic boxing since 2019, following a breakdown in relations with the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA). It managed the boxing events at both the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympics but insisted a new governing body be in place before 2028. Last month, the IOC formally recognized World Boxing, a breakaway federation established in 2023. “I am very confident that the session will approve it so that all the boxers of the world then have certainty that they can participate in the Olympic Games L.A. 2028 if their national federation is recognized by World Boxing,” Bach said. 19-year-old Utshob taking Bangladesh to the global boxing ring IBA’s Ongoing Feud with the IOCThe IOC suspended the IBA in 2019 due to concerns over its governance, finances, and the integrity of bout judging. In 2023, the committee went further, officially expelling the IBA from the Olympic movement. Despite its removal, the IBA, led by Russian president Umar Kremlev, has continued to challenge the IOC, particularly over rules on female eligibility for the Paris Olympics. Last month, the IBA announced plans to file criminal complaints against the IOC in the United States, France, and Switzerland. World Boxing is now expected to review and update rules on female eligibility before Olympic qualifying events begin, likely next year. “This is a very significant and important decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic program,” World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst said in a statement Monday. “I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world, who understands the critical importance of boxing remaining a part of the Olympic movement.” World Boxing Gains InfluenceAmerican and British boxing officials were among the founders of World Boxing in 2023. The organization has since gained support from key Olympic nations, including India and, most recently, China. The new body now boasts more than 80 national federations as members. However, Russia, Spain, and several African nations have yet to join. The IOC indicated Monday that national boxing bodies still have time to switch allegiance to World Boxing before Olympic qualification begins. Bangladeshi Jinnat wins gold medal in Nelson Mandela Cup International Boxing Russia’s Ongoing IOC SuspensionLike boxing’s IBA, the Russian Olympic Committee remains exiled from the IOC. Russia was suspended in October 2023 after attempting to take control of regional sports councils in eastern Ukraine, a move the IOC deemed a violation of Olympic regulations. “The ball is in the court of the Russian Olympic Committee,” Bach said Monday. However, he noted that working-level contacts between the IOC and Russian officials have continued. The Russian Olympic body has also been cut off from its share of Olympic revenue for nearly 18 months. “They have to follow the rules,” Bach said. “Everybody in the Olympic Movement who is following the rules of the Olympic Charter is welcome, and everybody who is not following the Olympic Charter is not welcome.” Despite its suspension, some Russian athletes were permitted to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics as vetted neutrals in individual sports. A similar system is likely to be used for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games. Source: With input from agency 

Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) continued their dominant run in the BRAC Bank Women’s Development Cup Hockey 2025, securing a massive 16-1 victory over Thakurgaon DSA at the BAF Hockey Ground on Monday. The national sports training institute team BKSP registered 18-0 goal victory over Rangpur DSA in the previous match.  Women's Hockey: BKSP secure a dominant 18-0 victory over Rangpur DSA In the day’s another match, Dinajpur DSA beat Chattogram DSA by 2-0 goal at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here. The day’s other two matches between Patuakhali DSA and Rajshahi DSA at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium, and Rangpur DSA and Cumilla DSA at the BAF Hockey ground ended in goalless. Four more matches will be held on Tuesday (Mar 18) at two venues.

Dhaka, Mar 15 (UNB)- Bangladesh secured the gold medal in the floorball event at the Special Olympics, defeating Ukraine 4-2 in the final held in Italy's Turin on Saturday. Shorna, Fatema, Fabia, and Tamallin each scored a goal in the final to lead the Red and Green Bangladesh to victory. In the semifinals on Friday, Bangladesh advanced to the final by eliminating Trinidad and Tobago, while Ukraine reached the final by defeating India.