United News of Bangladesh

Bangladeshi leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has secured a lucrative deal in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 player draft, being signed by Rawalpindi Express for a staggering 3 crore Pakistani Rupees (PKR) on Wednesday. The 23-year-old all-rounder, who delivered an impressive performance for Lahore Qalandars in the previous season, sparked a bidding war between Karachi and Rawalpindi Express after his former franchise decided not to retain or bid for him. Rashed of Gono Odhikar Parishad joins BNP to contest polls The auction, which began at 12:30 PM Bangladesh time, featured 903 registered cricketers, including 53 from Bangladesh. While all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the first Bangladeshi name to be called, he failed to attract a buyer. Rishad was picked from the category of players with a base price of PKR 1.1 crore—a list that included 22 Bangladeshi cricketers. His price eventually escalated to PKR 3 crore during the bidding process. Three Bangladeshi veterans—Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Zakir Hasan—were listed in the highest base price category of PKR 2.2 crore.  

Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has issued a public apology after his comments about fellow PSL teammates Daryl Mitchell and Tom Curran sparked confusion and controversy. Rishad, who returned to Dhaka on Saturday after the suspension of the Pakistan Super League due to India-Pakistan tensions, had given a brief interview at Dubai airport. In it, he claimed that several overseas players, including Mitchell and Curran, were visibly frightened. He quoted Mitchell as saying he wouldn’t return to Pakistan, and described Curran as “crying like a child” during tense moments following nearby explosions in Rawalpindi. The remarks quickly circulated online, prompting criticism and concern. Late Sunday, Rishad took to social media to clarify the situation. He wrote: “I’m aware that a recent comment I made has caused confusion and has unfortunately been misrepresented in the media creating a false perception. The comment was made during a brief interview with Bangladeshi journalists while I was in transit at Dubai airport. It lacked full context and unintentionally overstated the emotions involved. I sincerely regret any misunderstanding it may have caused. I’ve offered an unconditional apology to Daryl Mitchell and Tom Curran. I hold deep respect for my fellow teammates and truly value the Qalandars brotherhood — where we always stand by one another, no matter what. Rishad, Rana return home after 'war-like' experience in Pakistan I look forward to rejoining my team when the Pakistan Super League resumes.” Rishad, 22, had a successful debut PSL season with Lahore Qalandars, taking nine wickets in five matches. The PSL is expected to resume within a week following reports of a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.