United News of Bangladesh

Cricket rivals India and Pakistan reached the Asian Games men's cricket final on Thursday after winning their respective semifinals, setting up another high-profile meeting between the neighboring countries. Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-affected match reduced to 13 overs per side because of a wet outfield. India then crushed Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the second semifinal, with four Sri Lankan batters dismissed without scoring. The final, scheduled for Saturday in Japan, is expected to draw attention to the political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Handshakes unlikelyPlayers from India and Pakistan have recently avoided the traditional pre- and post-match handshakes amid strained relations between the countries. Tensions along the India-Pakistan border brought the two countries close to war last year and have also affected their cricket encounters. India's men's team defeated Pakistan three times in the Asia Cup, including the final, but Suryakumar Yadav's side did not shake hands with Pakistani players in any of the matches. The Indian team also declined to receive the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi. India's women's team similarly avoided handshakes with Pakistan during a match at the continental championship and later declined to receive the women's Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi after winning the tournament in the United Arab Emirates. Sri Lanka bowled out for 45Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 80 off 46 balls helped India post 169-7. Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, added 38 runs, hitting six fours and two sixes. Sri Lanka, fielding a second-string team, suffered an early collapse. Sineth Jayawardene, Lasith Croospulle and Sohan de Livera were all dismissed without scoring. Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets in his opening over, while Croospulle was run out. Nuwanidu Fernando was the only Sri Lankan batter to reach double figures, scoring 15. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 45 in 9.5 overs. Bumrah finished with 2-7, while spinners Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Abhishek Sharma shared five wickets. India made a fast start after being sent in to bat, but Sooryavanshi fell shortly after the powerplay. Sri Lanka then slowed India's scoring in the middle overs before Kishan accelerated the innings with five sixes and four boundaries. Samad, Muqim lead PakistanAbdul Samad smashed an unbeaten 30 from 15 balls, while left-arm spinner Sufyan Muqim took 3-28 as Pakistan comfortably defeated Bangladesh. Towhid Hridoy top-scored for Bangladesh with an aggressive 42 off 25 balls, including four sixes, before Muqim dismissed him in the penultimate over. Bangladesh finished on 111-7.

Cricket powerhouses India and Pakistan reached the Asian Games semifinals without playing a match after rain forced the cancellation of their quarterfinal games on Monday. Defending champions India advanced at the expense of Afghanistan, while Pakistan moved on after their match against Hong Kong was also washed out. The results were decided according to the teams’ world rankings. India, led by Shreyas Iyer and featuring fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and 15-year-old batting prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, are yet to play an official match in the tournament. They did, however, beat Japan in a warm-up game last week. India are the back-to-back T20 World Cup champions and play in the Indian Premier League, the richest cricket league in the world. The Asian Games is being played in the Twenty20 format, which will also feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. India will face either Sri Lanka or Nepal in the semifinals, while Pakistan will take on either Bangladesh or Malaysia. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were seeded for the tournament and entered the competition directly at the quarterfinal stage.

Torrential rains have triggered flash floods in India and Pakistan, killing more than 200 people and leaving scores missing over the past 24 hours, officials said Friday. In Indian-controlled Kashmir, at least 60 people died and 80 others went missing after a powerful cloudburst on Thursday swept through Chositi village in Kishtwar district, also injuring over 50. Around 300 people were rescued before operations were halted overnight. Authorities evacuated nearly 4,000 stranded pilgrims and suspended an annual Hindu pilgrimage to a 3,000-meter-high shrine. The floods destroyed a community kitchen serving pilgrims, washed away vehicles and damaged dozens of homes. Cloudbursts, sudden intense downpours over small areas, have become more frequent in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, with experts blaming climate change and unplanned development. Flash floods in Kashmir kill 56, dozens missing after cloudburst In Pakistan, flash floods killed at least 164 people in the past 24 hours, including 78 in northwest Buner district, where a state of emergency was declared. A helicopter carrying relief supplies to Bajaur region crashed in bad weather, killing all five on board, including two pilots. Authorities said at least 35 people remain missing in flood-hit Pakistani regions. Rescuers evacuated nearly 2,000 tourists from northern and northwestern areas after landslides and flooding cut off roads, including parts of the Karakoram Highway. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said over 477 people have died in rain-related incidents since June 26. Fresh alerts have been issued for glacial lake outburst flooding in the north. Leaders in both countries expressed condolences and pledged swift relief efforts.