United News of Bangladesh

Lahore Qalandars batter Fakhar Zaman has been charged over alleged ball tampering before the final over of a Pakistan Super League match against Karachi Kings on Sunday. According to a statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board, Zaman denied the allegation during a disciplinary hearing conducted by match referee Roshan Mahanama. The board said another hearing will be held within 48 hours, after which a decision will be announced. If found guilty, he could face at least a one-match suspension under Level 3 offence rules. The incident occurred late in the match when fast bowler Haris Rauf was preparing to bowl the final over, with Karachi needing 14 runs to win. At that point, Lahore captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zaman and Rauf were seen discussing strategy at the top of the run-up, during which all three handled the ball — a common practice in tense moments. However, on-field umpire Faisal Afridi requested the ball for inspection and consulted with fellow umpire Sharfuddoula. The umpires concluded that the ball had been deliberately altered, awarding five penalty runs to Karachi and replacing the ball. Following the decision, Karachi’s target was reduced to nine runs from the final over. Although Khushdil Shah was dismissed off the first delivery, Rauf bowled a wide before Abbas Afridi struck a boundary and a six to secure a four-wicket victory for Karachi in 19.3 overs.

Mexico and Portugal played to a 0-0 draw Sunday in a World Cup warmup match marking the reopening of Azteca Stadium after nearly two years of renovations. Goncalo Ramos of Portugal came closest to scoring, striking the goalpost in the 26th minute. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre praised his squad’s performance despite some inconsistencies and injuries, noting that 12 key players were unavailable. Portugal also faced absences, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leão. Mexico will face South Africa at the Azteca in the World Cup opener on June 11, and Belgium next Tuesday at Soldier Field in Chicago. Portugal will debut on June 17 against the winner of the intercontinental playoff between Jamaica and Congo and play the U.S. at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium beforehand. Tragedy struck before kickoff when a fan fell from the second level in the VIP section and died. Authorities said the intoxicated fan attempted to climb down and was fatally injured despite medical attention. Protests also occurred outside the stadium by groups of mothers searching for missing relatives, highlighting ongoing criticism over Mexico’s handling of its 130,000 registered missing people. The match marked a historic return for the iconic stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals and will host five games in the upcoming 2026 tournament.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) archer Lance Naik Newaz Ahmed Rakib has brought glory to the country by winning a gold medal on the international stage. Lance Naik Newaz Ahmed Rakib is currently serving in the Naikshongchhari Battalion (11 BGB), and his hometown is Haidhankhali village in Kishoreganj. Rakib achieved this success while representing Bangladesh in the ‘2026 Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament, Stage-1,’ according to a media statement. The Bangladesh team left for Thailand on March 20, 2026, and the competition began in Bangkok on March 21. A total of 42 players from 22 countries, including Bangladesh, participated in the tournament. In the final of the men’s team compound category held on the morning of March 27, 2026, Bangladesh defeated Vietnam by 232–225 points to win the gold medal. This remarkable achievement will inspire the country’s sports arena and pave the way for further success in the future, read the statement.

England captain Ben Stokes will miss the start of the county cricket season as he continues to recover from a broken cheekbone.The 34-year-old Durham all-rounder sustained the injury last month during a training session with academy players and underwent surgery soon after. Stokes has not played since England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia in January.He will miss Durham’s County Championship opener against Kent next week but could return for matches against Worcestershire in early May, Durham coach Ryan Campbell said. England’s first summer Test match is scheduled against New Zealand starting June 4. Naseem Shah issued show-cause notice over social media post mocking Punjab chief ministerLast week, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed it would retain the current leadership following its Ashes review. Managing director Rob Key, head coach Brendon McCullum, and Stokes as captain will continue in their roles after England lost the series in just 11 days with two games to spare.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a show-cause notice to fast bowler Naseem Shah after a post from his social media account mocked Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's heavily guarded arrival at the Pakistan Super League opener. The controversy began Friday when Naseem’s X account shared a PCB video showing Nawaz arriving at Gaddafi Stadium with a massive security convoy to meet players.  The shared post included the comment: "Why is she being treated like the Queen of Lord's?" The match was notably being played without spectators as part of a PCB initiative to conserve fuel amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Sarfaraz Ahmed announces retirement from international cricket The post was deleted minutes later, and Naseem subsequently claimed his account had been hacked. The PCB rejected the explanation, issuing a statement on Saturday that accused the bowler of breaching his central contract and violating the board's media and disciplinary guidelines. While the PCB did not specify a deadline for Naseem’s formal response, officials indicated the post likely violated Article 2.23 of the code of conduct. The clause strictly prohibits players from making critical or offensive public remarks regarding board policies, sponsors, or officials. The PCB has a history of penalizing players for politically adjacent actions. Last year, the board fined all-rounder Aamer Jamal 1 million Pakistani rupees after he wrote "804" — the prisoner number of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan — on his practice cap during a series against England. Naseem, who plays for the Rawalpindi franchise, is scheduled to take the field against Peshawar Zalmi today.

NBA legend LeBron James made history Friday night by recording the league’s first-ever father-son assist, passing to his son Bronny James for a 3-pointer during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Bronny, playing alongside his father for nearly four and a half minutes in the second quarter, described the moment as “special for us two, and a lot more to come down the road.” Both generations contributed to the scoring during their shared on-court time, with LeBron first making a layup before assisting Bronny, who sank a three from just behind the arc. LeBron called the milestone “a cool moment for us, and also for the family,” highlighting the significance of playing meaningful minutes together in back-to-back games. Bronny, now in his second season with the Lakers, has mainly seen limited playing time but earned rotation minutes this week due to an injury to starting guard Marcus Smart. He has also continued to refine his offensive game in the G League. “My shot has gotten more comfortable just by getting reps and keeping at it,” Bronny said. LeBron added that Bronny’s shooting is returning to the level it had before a cardiac arrest incident in 2023, praising his confidence, rhythm, and recovery. LeBron and Bronny are the first father-son duo to ever play in the NBA simultaneously, and the historic assist adds to LeBron’s already record-breaking career. “I’ve been wanting to play basketball my whole life,” Bronny said. “It’s a dream come true to play professionally and alongside my dad. I love every second of it.”

Lionel Messi will have a stadium stand named after him by his current club Inter Miami CF at their new home ground, the 26,700-seat Nu Stadium. The 38-year-old forward, widely considered one of football’s greatest players, joined the MLS side in 2023 after a successful career in Europe with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Since arriving in Florida, Messi has become Inter Miami’s all-time top scorer with 82 goals and leading assist provider with 53. The club’s decision to name a stand after an active player is seen as unusual. In a statement, Inter Miami said such honours are usually reserved for the past, but this recognition reflects what Messi is achieving now and the impact he continues to make on the pitch. The club is set to play its first match at the new stadium against Austin FC on April 4. This marks the second time a stand has been named after Messi. In June 2025, his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys also honoured him in a similar way. Messi, who led Argentina national football team to World Cup victory in 2022, is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and became the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back MVP awards last season. His move to Inter Miami, co-owned by former England captain David Beckham, has boosted the club’s profile and popularity of the league, along with bringing titles such as the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. Source : BBC

Lahore Qalandars began their Pakistan Super League title defence with a convincing 69-run win over debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen on Thursday, but the season opener was played in an empty stadium as fans stayed away due to soaring fuel costs. The match at Gaddafi Stadium was held without spectators after authorities urged people to limit travel and work from home amid rising fuel prices linked to the ongoing Iran conflict. Mohsin Naqvi said it would be inappropriate to allow thousands of fans to attend matches while the government is advising citizens to stay home. As part of cost-cutting measures, the Pakistan Cricket Board reduced the number of venues from six to two and barred spectators from matches in Lahore and Karachi. Only a small number of officials and franchise representatives were present at the opening game of the 39-day tournament. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended briefly as a guest of the PCB. To compensate for the lack of crowd presence, artificial crowd noise was added to the live broadcast as Lahore posted 199 for 6 after being put in to bat. Opener Fakhar Zaman scored 53 off 39 balls and became only the second player in PSL history to reach 3,000 runs. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi had earlier chosen to bat after winning the toss. In reply, Hyderabad, led by Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, were restricted to 130 for 9. Lahore’s pace attack dominated, with Haris Rauf and Ubaid Shah taking two wickets each, while Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman and Afridi chipped in with one apiece.

A recent statement by the state minister for sports and youth affairs, Aminul Haque, regarding Zaima Rahman’s early involvement in football, has drawn widespread public attention, prompting further clarification and renewed discussion about youth sports development. The former goalkeeper of the national football team claimed that Zaima Rahman, who is the only daughter of current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, once had the opportunity to play for the Chelsea Football Club in the United Kingdom. According to the state minister, she was a very talented athlete, and described her as a promising goalkeeper during her early years, noting her height and athletic aptitude for the position. The comments generated considerable discussion online, with many questioning the claim in the context of Bangladesh’s limited historical representation in top-tier English football. But as the debate online continued, a voice from the past came forward to provide the context. A former coach, Mohammad Hakim, who trained Zaima during her time at the International School Dhaka (ISD), shared recollections and archival photographs of her participation in school-level football.

Six Bangladesh national team cricketers will begin competing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Thursday, though their participation in the franchise tournament will be curtailed by an upcoming home series against New Zealand. The Bangladesh Cricket Board cleared the players to join three different franchises in the newly expanded eight-team tournament, which runs from March 26 to May 3. Mustafizur Rahman and Parvez Hossain Emon will represent the Lahore Qalandars. Fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, along with batter Tanzid Hasan, joined Peshawar Zalmi. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain signed with the newly formed Rawalpindi franchise. None of the Bangladeshi players received No Objection Certificates for the full duration of the PSL. New Zealand is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on April 13 for three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 matches. The BCB is prioritizing the ODI matches, scheduled for April 17, 20, and 23, to field a full-strength squad ahead of World Cup qualification efforts. Mustafizur received a split clearance, allowing him to play in Pakistan from March 26 to April 12 before returning to Bangladesh for the ODI series. He is cleared to rejoin the PSL on April 24.//