United News of Bangladesh

Pakistan squared the three-match ODI series on Friday with a 128-run victory over Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, a match defined by a contentious run-out and lengthy weather delays. Chasing a rain-adjusted target of 243 from 32 overs after a two-hour interruption, Bangladesh collapsed for 114 in 23.3 overs. The total mirrored Pakistan’s score from the series opener, though the hosts reached it with far less resistance. Outside of a brief 58-run stand between Litton Das, who scored 41 off 33 balls, and Towhid Hridoy, the Bangladesh middle order offered little defiance. The contest’s defining moment occurred during the Pakistan innings when Salman Agha was run out in a manner that sparked visible on-field tension. Salman was dismissed after a Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivery deflected off the bat back toward the non-striker. While the laws of the game supported the dismissal, Salman expressed his frustration by discarding his equipment as he departed, while the Bangladesh camp defended the tactical appeal. The dismissal proved a turning point. Pakistan had reached a formidable 231 for 3, fueled by an aggressive 75 from opener Maz Sadaqat and a 109-run partnership between Salman (64) and Mohammad Rizwan. Following the run-out, the Pakistan lower order collapsed, losing seven wickets for 43 runs to finish at 274. Rishad Hussain spearheaded the comeback, taking 3 for 56. However, Bangladesh’s response faltered immediately. Opening bowlers reduced the hosts to 15 for 3 before a severe thunderstorm halted play. When the match resumed under a revised DLS target, the momentum remained firmly with Pakistan. Sadaqat capped a standout performance by taking 3 for 23 with the ball, while Haris Rauf, returning to the lineup, claimed 3 for 26. The series concludes with the final match on Sunday, with both teams level at 1-1.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Thursday that the final contingents of the South African and West Indies squads have departed India, ending a weeklong logistical deadlock that left international stars stranded by airspace closures across West Asia. The ICC announced that 29 members of the South African party—including players, staff, and family—along with 16 West Indies representatives boarded flights within the last 24 hours. The departures resolve a mounting PR crisis for cricket’s governing body, which faced accusations of mismanagement and favoritism as players remained stuck in hotels days after their tournament exits. The West Indies, two-time T20 World Cup champions, saw their campaign end in the Super Eight stage against India on March 1. South Africa’s tournament concluded following a semifinal loss to New Zealand on March 4. While both teams were initially scheduled for swift exits, the ICC’s attempts to secure chartered flights were repeatedly thwarted by shifting geopolitical tensions that restricted regional flight paths. The delay became a flashpoint for controversy after England, who were eliminated in the semifinals by India on March 5, managed to secure a chartered flight and depart by March 7. The disparity in treatment prompted sharp rebukes from high-profile figures. West Indies head coach Daren Sammy aired his frustrations on X, while South African veterans Quinton de Kock and David Miller took to Instagram to allege biased treatment by the ICC. In a statement released Thursday, the ICC rejected claims of partiality, attributing the staggered departures to the volatile nature of international logistics during the ongoing regional crisis. "Throughout this period, ICC operations and logistics teams worked continuously with governments, airlines, charter providers, and member boards," the ICC stated. "Our objective was to navigate the evolving constraints posed by the shifting situation. The priority remained the safe return of all remaining players and staff, requiring frequent adjustments to flight plans as conditions changed." The logistical resolution comes four days after India's victory over New Zealand in the final on March 8, a tournament finish that was increasingly overshadowed by the stranded squads' public discontent.

Iran will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes, Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said Wednesday, according to the German press agency dpa. The 2026 World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19, will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Iran had been drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt, with all group-stage matches set to take place in the United States. Iran was also absent from last week’s planning summit for World Cup participants held in Atlanta. Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that U.S. President Donald Trump had assured Iran that its national team would be welcome to compete in the tournament.

Federico Valverde scored a first-half hat-trick to guide Real Madrid to a commanding 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. The Uruguayan midfielder opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after controlling a long pass from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Valverde moved past Nico O’Reilly before beating goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with a clinical finish. He doubled Real Madrid’s lead just five minutes later when a deflected pass fell to him inside the City penalty area. Valverde took a touch before firing a left-footed shot across Donnarumma. Valverde completed his hat-trick in the 42nd minute, latching onto a pass from Brahim Diaz. He flicked the ball past Marc Guehi and finished from close range to give the hosts a comfortable lead before halftime. Manchester City had started brightly, with Jeremy Doku causing problems down the left flank and Bernardo Silva narrowly missing the target. However, Valverde’s opening goal shifted the momentum in Real Madrid’s favour. City coach Pep Guardiola made changes after the break, introducing Tijjani Reijnders for Savinho, while Fran Garcia replaced the injured Ferland Mendy for Real Madrid. Both sides created chances in the second half, but neither could add to the scoreline. Vinicius Jr missed a good opportunity for Madrid, while Courtois denied O’Reilly and Antonio Rudiger made a crucial intervention to stop Erling Haaland. Real Madrid now head into the return leg with a strong advantage after a dominant first-leg performance.

Iran will not be able to participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup due to the ongoing conflict involving Israel and the United States, the country’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said. Speaking on Iranian state television, Donyamali said the current situation makes participation impossible. It remains unclear what impact Iran’s absence would have on the tournament. Sources- Al Jazeera Iraq coach urges FIFA to postpone world cup playoff amid Iran war

Bangladesh secured a historic 8-wicket victory against Pakistan on Wednesday, chasing down a meagre 114-run target before the Iftar break at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. It was Bangladesh's largest margin of victory over Pakistan in terms of balls remaining, as they reached the target in just 15.1 overs. The host nation had previously beaten Pakistan by 8 wickets, but never this quickly. Chasing 114, Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain formed an 82-run partnership for the second wicket, turning the ODI into a rapid chase. Hossain contributed 27 runs off 33 balls before his dismissal. Tanzid remained unbeaten with an explosive 67 off 42 balls, striking five sixes and seven boundaries. Litton Das joined Tanzid to finish the match, with the winning run arriving via a wide delivery from Mohammad Wasim just moments before the Iftar fast-breaking meal. The chase was set up by a devastating opening spell from fast bowler Nahid Rana. After Pakistan openers Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat survived the first nine overs without loss, scoring 35 runs against Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz introduced Rana in the 10th over. Rana immediately dismantled the Pakistani top order, taking five wickets in his first five overs. He removed Farhan, debutant Shamil Hussain, Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan, and Salman Agha, completing his maiden ODI five-wicket haul.

Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana delivered a devastating spell of fast bowling on Wednesday, claiming his first career five-wicket haul to tear through Pakistan's inexperienced batting lineup in the first ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Riding on his record-making bowling, Bangladesh wrapped up Pakistan for 114 in 30.4 overs in the first ODI. Nahid Rana bags maiden ODI five-wicket haul to dismantle Pakistan Rana, who entered the match with only five wickets in his previous five ODI appearances, took five wickets in his first five overs, also the first five wickets of the Pakistan innings, as the visiting side slid from 41/0 to 69/5. Pakistan, fielding four ODI debutants for the first time since 2008, clearly struggled to handle Rana's pace, as he made hay with the short delivery, after Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the toss and elected to field. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat adopted a cautious approach against new-ball bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, playing 24 dot balls in the first six overs. However, Rana's introduction in the 10th over immediately changed the game. He removed Farhan (27) with the final ball of his opening over, caught by Afif Hossain at point. In his next over, Rana dismissed debutant Shamil Hussain (4) with a short delivery that Hussain skied to wicketkeeper Litton Das. Rana continued his barrage of short-pitched bowling, removing Sadaqat (18) in the 14th over and veteran Mohammad Rizwan (10) in the 17th over, caught again by Das. He completed his maiden five-wicket haul by dismissing Salman Agha for 5 runs, caught by Tanzid Hasan at short square leg. Bangladesh captain Miraz bagged three wickets for 29 runs in 10 overs, while Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman took one wicket each. For Pakistan, Faheem Ashraf was the highest runs scorer with 37 off 47 balls with six fours and one six.

Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana delivered a devastating spell of fast bowling Tuesday, claiming his first career five-wicket haul to tear through Pakistan's inexperienced batting lineup in the first ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Rana, who entered the match with only five wickets in his previous five ODI appearances, took five wickets in his first five overs, single-handedly reducing the visiting side to a vulnerable position. Pakistan, fielding four ODI debutants for the first time since 2008, struggled against the pace attack after Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the toss and elected to field. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat adopted a cautious approach against new-ball bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, playing 24 dot balls in the first six overs. However, Rana's introduction in the 10th over immediately changed the game. He removed Farhan (27) with the final ball of his opening over, caught by Afif Hossain at point. In his next over, Rana dismissed debutant Shamil Hussain (4) with a short delivery that Hussain skied to wicketkeeper Litton Das. Rana continued his barrage of short-pitched bowling, removing Sadaqat (18) in the 14th over and veteran Mohammad Rizwan (10) in the 17th over, caught again by Das. He completed his maiden five-wicket haul by dismissing Salman Agha for 5 runs, caught by Tanzid Hasan at short square leg.

Most of Iran's women's soccer team left Australia on Tuesday, with only seven players having accepted offers of permanent asylum. Tense scenes unfolded at Sydney Airport as Australian officials held last-minute private meetings with each player, explaining through interpreters that they could choose not to return to Iran. Earlier, seven players had received humanitarian visas to stay in Australia permanently. Despite emotional appeals and tearful protests from the departing players, no additional team members chose to remain. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke described the airport meetings as "emotional," adding that one of the seven women who initially stayed behind later decided to return to Iran. The episode drew national attention after the team’s first Asian Cup match, where some players remained silent during Iran's national anthem. Their silence was widely interpreted as a protest or act of defiance, while others viewed it as a form of mourning. Burke said the gesture had “been heard as a roar all around the world” and noted that Australia offered the players a safe choice. The team arrived in Australia before the outbreak of the Iran war on Feb. 28. Following Iran’s exit from the tournament over the weekend, players faced the prospect of returning to a country under conflict. Iranian-Australian groups warned the players could face serious consequences for their actions, even as the players themselves did not publicly explain their silence. U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Australia for not offering asylum, although Australian officials confirmed private discussions with the players had already been ongoing. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities insisted the players were safe and that the government would protect them. Burke said Australian officials had made every effort to allow players to decide freely, arranging last-minute discussions, private phone calls, and separation from team minders to ensure decisions were made with dignity. The six players remaining in Australia were relocated for security, guaranteed permanent residency, and provided health, housing, and support. The Asian Football Confederation confirmed the squad had moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where it would continue to receive support until further travel arrangements.

FIFA expects that Iran’s national football team will be able to travel to the United States and take part in the upcoming World Cup, despite the ongoing conflict between the two countries. FIFA President ‘Gianni Infantino’ said on Tuesday that he spoke with US President Donald Trump about preparations for the tournament and received assurances that the Iranian team would be allowed to enter the United States to compete. The ‘2026 FIFA World Cup’, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, is set to begin in about three months. Iran is scheduled to play its group matches in the US, starting against New Zealand in Inglewood, California on June 15. The team will then face Belgium on June 21 before concluding its group stage campaign against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Iranian officials had recently indicated that their participation in the tournament might be uncertain due to the ongoing war. Infantino said he discussed the situation with Trump during a meeting Tuesday night. “We also talked about the current situation in Iran and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026,” he said, adding that Trump confirmed the team would be welcome to take part in the tournament in the United States. Infantino and Trump maintain a close relationship. Trump was previously awarded FIFA’s inaugural peace prize, an honour many observers believe was created with him in mind. However, Iranian fans had already faced restrictions earlier, as they were included in the initial version of a travel ban introduced by the Trump administration. Infantino said global events like the World Cup are important for bringing people together, particularly during times of conflict, and thanked Trump for his support. Earlier this week, FIFA World Cup chief operating officer ‘Heimo Schirgi’ said the tournament is too significant to be postponed because of the global tensions linked to the ongoing US and Israeli war against Iran. Schirgi said FIFA is closely monitoring developments in the conflict but remains confident that the tournament will proceed as planned. “We are taking it day by day and hope there will be a resolution,” he said. “The World Cup is too big, and we hope all teams that have qualified will be able to participate.”