United News of Bangladesh

Virat Kohli is set to achieve a significant milestone as he becomes only the seventh Indian cricketer to play 300 ODIs. This landmark match will take place against New Zealand in the final group stage fixture of the Champions Trophy on Sunday in Dubai. To mark the occasion, Kohli’s wife, Anushka Sharma, and his elder brother, Vikas Kohli, are expected to arrive in Dubai on Sunday. Sources confirmed their presence, emphasizing the importance of this milestone in the star batter’s career. Kohli’s recent form had been under scrutiny, particularly after a disappointing Test series in Australia. Although he showed signs of regaining his touch during the ODI series against England, it wasn’t enough to quell critics. However, in the Champions Trophy, after a sluggish start against Bangladesh, Kohli bounced back in spectacular fashion against Pakistan in Dubai. His performance evoked memories of his match-winning knock against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne. In that game, he sealed victory with a stunning shot, marking his 51st ODI century and becoming the fastest batsman to reach 14,000 ODI runs. King Kohli becomes fastest batter to reach 14,000 runs in ODI cricket In his 299 ODIs so far, Kohli has amassed 14,085 runs at an average of 58.20 and a strike rate of 93.41. His remarkable record includes 51 centuries, 73 half-centuries, and a highest score of 193. Throughout his illustrious career, Kohli has consistently set new benchmarks, holding the record as the fastest batsman to reach 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, 13,000, and 14,000 runs in ODIs. Source: Agencies 

Poor performance of Bangladeshi cricketers in the ongoing edition of the ICC Champions Trophy reflected on the newly published ICC Rankings, where they slip from their position. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, despite scoring 77 against New Zealand, has fallen two spots to 27th in the ODI batting rankings. Shanto has endured a tough run with the bat in recent months. His poor form in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) saw him dropped from Fortune Barishal’s squad, and he failed to score in the Champions Trophy opener against India. His half-century against New Zealand provided some relief, but it was not enough to prevent a further fall in the rankings. Meanwhile, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad have also suffered notable drops. Mushfiqur, who managed just two runs in the Champions Trophy, has fallen nine places to 42nd, his first time outside the top 40 since February 2014. ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Shanto stands by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah amid Bangladesh’s early exit   Mahmudullah, who scored just four against New Zealand after missing the India match due to injury, has slipped seven places to 43rd. On a positive note, Towhid Hridoy has climbed 18 places to 64th, boosted by his century against India. The young batter has been one of the few bright spots for Bangladesh in an otherwise disappointing campaign. Taskin Ahmed, who bowled well despite Bangladesh’s struggles, has climbed six places to 30th, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz has dropped four places to 31st. Elsewhere, India’s Virat Kohli moved up to fifth in the ODI batting rankings after scoring a century against Pakistan, overtaking New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell. Shubman Gill continues to hold the top spot. ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Dazzling Ravindra leads New Zealand to comfortable win as Tigers come up short once again Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana remains the No. 1 ODI bowler despite his team missing the Champions Trophy. Bangladesh’s early exit from the tournament has intensified discussions about the team’s future, particularly regarding senior players. With a packed schedule ahead, including series against Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India, Bangladesh will need to find solutions to their recurring batting struggles if they are to regain lost ground in the rankings.

Bangladesh are all set to start their ICC Champions Trophy campaign on Thursday with the match against India in Dubai. The match will begin at 3:00 pm (Bangladesh time). Despite entering the event as underdogs, the Bangladesh captain said they were confident they could make the event memorable. Nahid brings pace and promise as Bangladesh ready for Champions Trophy Test While India holds a dominant record in ODIs against Bangladesh—winning 32 of their 41 encounters—the Tigers believe they have the firepower to challenge one of the tournament favourites. India won 32 of the 41 matches they played against Bangladesh. But Bangladesh captain believes they have the firepower to challenge India. The Bangladesh captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, said they were not concerned about their perceived lower standing. He rather said Bangladesh had the firepower to challenge a big team like India. “Our team is quite balanced, and we believe we can beat any team in this tournament,” Shanto said ahead of the match. He also added that he did not like to talk about opposition much. Instead, he said the team is focusing on their own performance. Bangladesh’s recent improvements in pace bowling have given them an added dimension, with Shanto particularly optimistic about the impact of fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana. “We always struggled with our seam attack, but over the last couple of years, we’ve got some quality fast bowlers,” he said. “Nahid and Taskin, the way they are bowling, help us a lot. As a captain, I love to see them bowling fast and delivering for the team.” New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson to miss the Champions Trophy with a foot injury Nahid, Bangladesh’s hero in their maiden Test series over Pakistan last year, can bowl consistently, clocking the speed of 150 km/h. He acknowledged the challenge of playing against India but said he was rather focused on executing his skills. “The team expected me to bowl fast and use me as an attacking option,” Rana said. “I just focus on executing my plan. If I feel good, I know the pace will be right.” India have always been a tough opponent for Bangladesh, particularly due to their strong batting lineup. While Bangladesh had eight ODI wins against India, their task will be formidable on Thursday. The conditions in Dubai could play a crucial role. Under lights, fast bowlers might find assistance, something that Bangladesh will look to capitalise on. Shanto noted that his team has prepared for all scenarios. Bangladesh humbled by Pakistan A ahead of Champions Trophy “We know how the challenge will come tomorrow,” he said. “We’ve had good practice sessions, and we have a plan in place.”

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Faruque Ahmed has left the door open for Shakib Al Hasan’s inclusion in the ICC Champions Trophy squad but admitted to having no updates on the all-rounder’s current status about playing for Bangladesh. Speaking after a board meeting in Mirpur, Faruque acknowledged Shakib’s eligibility for selection but said his participation remains uncertain.  “Shakib’s case is a completely different matter. This isn’t new. During the last series against the West Indies, he wasn’t mentally prepared to play, so he didn’t travel. Now, whether he will play in the BPL is something only he can decide. I don’t have any updates on his situation,” Faruque told reporters.  Despite Shakib’s absence from recent series and his retirement from Tests and T20Is, Faruque reiterated that as long as a player has not retired, they remain available for selection.  However it is doubtful whether Shakib could be minded to officially announce his retirement anymore, after the hostile reaction to his desire to retire from Test cricket by appearing in the home series against South Africa last month. U-19 cricketers get cash bonus from BCB for Asia Cup triumph On Tamim Iqbal, who has been out of the national side for over a year, Faruque said the decision lies with the selectors. “The chief selector has already spoken about Tamim. There’s no special policy yet. If a player hasn’t retired and the selectors feel they are needed, they will engage in discussions with that player,” he explained. In the ongoing inaugural edition of the National Cricket League T20, Tamim showed promising form. But his participation in the Champions Trophy, which will be held next February 2025 in Pakistan, remains uncertain. Tamim had announced his retirement from T20Is in 2022. In 2023, he stunningly announced his retirement from international cricket, but was persuaded to take back that announcement in 24 hours by deposed autocrat Sheikh Hasina.