United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh lost the openers inside the powerplay of the third and final T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand on Saturday in Dhaka. In the fifth over, Nathan Smith struck twice to send Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon back. Tanzid scored six but Emon fell off the first ball he faced. Before them, Saif Hassan fell for 16 off 10 balls. He hit two fours. Bangladesh won the first T20I in Chattogram, and the second match was washed away due to heavy rain at the same venue. Before the T20I series, Bangladesh won the three-match ODI series against the visitors.

The second T20I between Bangladesh and New Zealand was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Wednesday due to persistent rain. The third and final match of the series is on May 2 in Dhaka. The match was called off at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium after continuous downpours prevented the players from taking the field. Board officials confirmed that spectators who purchased tickets online for the fixture will receive refunds in accordance with the applicable ticketing policy. Bangladesh currently leads the three-match series 1-0 following a six-wicket victory in the opening game on Monday.

Bangladeshi left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman has earned a spot in Wisden's Men's T20 Team of the Year for 2025. His stellar performances across international and franchise cricket over the past year helped them earned it. The cricket-focused website's editorial team compiled the XI based on performances in all recognized T20 matches throughout the calendar year, a period packed with international fixtures and franchise leagues leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Read more: Snubbed by IPL, Mustafizur Rahman snapped up by PSL Wisden highlighted Mustafizur's exceptional discipline, noting that among bowlers who delivered at least 150 overs in 2025, no other bowler came close to his bowling average of 18.03. The publication praised him as the most economical pacer of the year, consistently restricting runs while taking regular wickets. In 2025, Mustafizur claimed 59 wickets in 43 innings with an impressive economy rate of 6.78 and a strike rate of 15.9. He bowled a total of 156.5 overs during the period, with his best figures being 3 for 11. In terms of strike rate, only Caribbean all-rounder Jason Holder (15.4) performed better than Mustafizur among comparable bowlers. The Team of the Year is balanced with two specialist spinners, two pacers, and two pace-bowling all-rounders. Joining Mustafizur in the pace attack is New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy, while Jason Holder and England’s Sam Curran occupy the all-rounder slots. The spin department features the mystery duo of Sunil Narine and India’s Varun Chakravarthy. The batting lineup is headlined by India’s Abhishek Sharma, who struck three centuries and maintained a staggering strike rate of 202.01, becoming the first cricketer to score over 1,000 runs in a calendar year at a rate of two runs per ball. Read more: “Days of slavery are over”: Bangladesh’s sports adviser reacts strongly to Mustafizur’s IPL exit He is partnered by England’s Phil Salt, who scored 1,575 runs at a strike rate of 153.35. The middle order includes hard-hitters Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, and Tim David.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, with wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das named as captain and Saif Hassan as his deputy. The squad announcement, made via a press release on Sunday (January 04, 2026), includes notable exclusions. Najmul Hossain Shanto, despite showing good form in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), has been left out, as has wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali. In total, six players from the 2024 World Cup campaign have been omitted. Read more: BCB eyes ICC intervention for World Cup security following Mustafizur’s IPL exit Veterans Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad are absent, alongside Soumya Sarkar and Tanvir Islam. Nine players have retained their spots from the previous edition, including pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who was recently the center of a diplomatic row after being excluded from the IPL. The squad has a balance of seven batters, three spinners, and five pacers. New inclusions to the setup are Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Saifuddin, Saif Hassan, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, and Nasum Ahmed. The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on February 7. Bangladesh is scheduled to face the West Indies in their opening match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Drawn in Group C, Bangladesh will also compete against defending champions England, Italy, and Nepal. Read more: “Days of slavery are over”: Bangladesh’s sports adviser reacts strongly to Mustafizur’s IPL exit While the schedule currently lists three group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, the BCB has recently discussed a venue change to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. Bangladesh squad: Litton Das (Captain), Saif Hassan (Vice-Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, and Shoriful Islam.

Bangladesh’s top order failed to impress as they managed only 133 runs against Pakistan while batting first after losing the toss on Tuesday in Dhaka.  Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals and never quite recovered from an early collapse. Mohammad Naim fell in the second over for 3, attempting a lap shot off Faheem Ashraf only to edge it to the keeper. The pressure grew further when Litton Das, Bangladesh’s captain, tried to go over midwicket but was caught by Hasan Nawaz off Salman Mirza for 8. In the very next over, Towhid Hridoy was run out for a duck following a sharp direct hit by Pakistan skipper Agha Salman.  Parvez Hossain Emon tried to break the shackles with a six but soon gave away his wicket for 13, skying a simple catch to mid-on off Ahmed Daniyal. Security concerns lead BCB to ban outside food at upcoming matches By the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh were struggling at 28 for 4. Jaker Ali and Mahedi Hasan offered some resistance, forging together a 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Mahedi struck two boundaries and two sixes in a brisk 33 off 25 before falling to Mohammad Nawaz in the 14th over. His dismissal triggered another collapse. Jaker Ali, who top-scored with 55 off 48 balls including five sixes, was the last to fall in the final delivery of the innings. Salman Mirza impressed with the ball, finishing with figures of 2 for 17 from four overs, while Abbas Afridi and Ahmed Daniyal also picked up two wickets each. //

New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl on Sunday in the opening match of the five-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan at Hagley Oval. Salman Ali Agha will lead a revamped Pakistan side, which is recovering from a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign at home and setting its sights on the T20 World Cup, scheduled for next year. Premier Division Cricket: Abahani win big as Mominul shines, Prime Bank stumble against Gazi Group With seasoned players Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam absent, wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz will open the batting. Allrounder Michael Bracewell will captain New Zealand at home for the first time. England pacer Mark Wood to miss India series after knee surgery Tim Seifert and Finn Allen return as openers for New Zealand, who are coming off a Champions Trophy final defeat against India. Zac Foulkes joins Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy in the pace attack, while Ben Sears and Will O'Rourke are unavailable.

Since December 30, 2024, the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025 T20 Cricket Tournament has been spellbinding cricket fans with exciting performances. As the competition progresses towards Phase 4, standout players and teams have begun to shape the narrative. Let’s dive into the brilliance of the standout bowlers, batsmen, and teams leading the race. Bangladesh Premier League 2025 Tournaments Top 5 Batsmen To Date . Table: Top Run-scorers in the 11th Edition of BPL So Far No Batsman Team Most Run Match Highest Score Century Half Century 1 Tanzid Hasan Tamim Dhaka Capitals 420 10 108 1 3 2 Mohammad Anamul Haque Bijoy Durbar Rajshahi 379 10 100 1 2 3 Litton Das Dhaka Capitals 348 9 125 1 2 4 Zakir Hasan Sylhet Strikers 342 9 75 - 3 5 Graham Clark Chittagong Kings 335 8 101 1 1 The T20 cricket action has been a stage for outstanding batting displays, with Tanzid Hasan Tamim from Dhaka Capitals taking the lead. His collection is 420 runs in 10 matches, including a highest score of 108. He has one century and three half-centuries to his name. Mohammad Anamul Haque Bijoy from Durbar Rajshahi follows closely with 379 runs in 10 matches. His highest score of 100 and ability to deliver one century and two half-centuries underline his value. Litton Das, also from Dhaka Capitals, has 348 runs in 9 matches, with a remarkable performance of 125 runs. Apart from the century inning, he has 2 half-centuries in the remaining matches. Zakir Hasan from Sylhet Strikers has scored 342 runs in 9 matches, though without a century. He maintains a steady performance with 3 half-centuries including a top score of 75 runs. Finally, Graham Clark, an English player who played for Chittagong Kings, completes the list with 335 runs in 8 matches. His achievement also includes a half-century and the best batting delivery with a Centurion inning of 101 runs. Read more: BPL Football: 9th round begins Friday with leaders Mohammedan taking on Youngmen’s Club Top 5 Bowlers in the Ongoing BPL 2025 Tournament . Table: Leading Wicket-takers in the 11th edition of BPL Before Phase 4 No Bowler Team Wickets Match Overs Best Bowling in Innings 1 Taskin Ahmed Durbar Rajshahi 22 10 38.2 7/19 2 Akif Javed Rangpur Riders 15 7 26.5 4/32 3 Abu Hider Rony Khulna Tigers 15 8 30.5 4/44 4 Khushdil Shah Rangpur Riders 14 9 24 3/18 5 Aliss Al Islam Chittagong Kings 12 8 31 3/17 The bowlers have been equally influential in the tournament, with Taskin Ahmed of Durbar Rajshahi dominating the charts. He bowled 38 overs and 2 balls in 10 matches, securing 22 wickets with a personal best of 7 wickets against 19 runs. Akif Javed, Pakistani cricketer on behalf of Rangpur Riders is second with 15 wickets in 7 matches from 26 overs and 5 balls. He boasts a best figure of 4 wickets in 32 runs. Abu Hider Rony from Khulna Tigers also claimed 15 wickets in 30 overs 5 balls of 8 matches. His top spell was 44 runs off 4 wickets. Rangpur Riders' Khushdil Shah, a Pakistani player by origin, takes the fourth spot with 14 wickets in 24 overs across 9 matches. In an innings, he reached a maximum of 18 runs from 3 wickets. Aliss Al Islam of Chittagong Kings rounds off the top five with 12 wickets in 8 matches, bowling 31 overs. His personal best for an innings was 17 runs for 3 wickets. Read more: BPL Football: League leaders Mohammedan SC taste first defeat losing to Youngmen's Club Top 4 Teams in the 11th Edition of Bangladesh Premier League So Far . Table: Points Table Standings - Top 4 Teams Before Phase 4 of BPL 2025 No Team Match Won Lost Points Net Run Rate (NRR) 1 Rangpur Riders 9 8 1 16 1.223 2 Fortune Barishal 8 6 2 12 0.993 3 Chittagong Kings 9 5 4 10 1.045 4 Khulna Tigers 9 4 5 8 -0.148 The tournament is led by Rangpur Riders, who have won all but one of 9 matches, earning 16 points and the season's highest NRR of 1.223. Fortune Barishal holds second place with 6 wins from 8 matches, accumulating 12 points and an NRR of 0.993. Chittagong Kings sit third, with 5 wins and 4 losses from 9 matches, earning 10 points and maintaining an NRR of 1.045. Khulna Tigers round out the top 4, securing 4 wins and 8 points from 9 matches. However, their 5 losses have left them with a negative NRR of -0.148. Read more: 10th Shah Cement AKS Cup Golf Tournament begins Summary The BPL 2025’s best performers to date include batsmen Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mohammad Anamul Haque Bijoy, Litton Das, Zakir Hasan, and Graham Clark. Sitting atop the bowling charts with the highest wickets are Taskin Ahmed, Akif Javed, Abu Hider Rony, Khushdil Shah, and Aliss Al Islam. The teams dominating the competition are the Rangpur Riders, Fortune Barishal, Chittagong Kings, and Khulna Tigers. The 2025 Bangladesh Premier League will end on February 7. It is expected that the T20 Tournament will keep the cricket fans entertained with magical performances and exciting records. Read more: BPL Cricket: Durbar Rajshahi inflict first defeat of the season on leaders Rangpur Riders

A 13-year-old from India’s northern state of Bihar could become the latest T20 batting sensation after Rajasthan Royals bought the youngster for $130,000 during the mega auction of the Indian Premier League. Vaibhav Suryavanshi came to the limelight last month after he scored a century against Australia's Under-19 team off just 58 balls before he got out for 104. At the age of 13 years and 187 days, Suryavanshi broke the record of Bangladesh’s present test captain Najmul Hasan Shanto, who at the age of 14 years and 241 days held the previous record of scoring a century at youth level. Delhi Capitals also showed plenty of interest when the bid for Suryavanshi started at his base price of $35,500 before Rajasthan eventually bought him. “He’s (Suryavanshi) been to our high performance center in Nagpur, he had trials there and really impressed our coaching set-up there,” Rajasthan’s chief executive officer Jake Lush McCrum said after the auction ended in Saudi Arabia on Monday. “He’s an incredible talent and of course you've got to have the confidence so he can step up to the IPL level.” McCrum described Suryavanshi as a “hell of a talent” and hoped lots of work will go into the coming months before the IPL begins on March 14 with former Indian captain Rahul Dravid among the coaching panel of the franchise. Suryavanshi idolizes legendary West Indian batter Brian Lara and often gets tips from former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer, with whom he met during an Under-19 tournament in Bangladesh last year. India rout Australia by 295 runs in 1st test His father Sanjiv Suryavanshi is his coach and has worked with him since an an early age once his son started to show interest in the game. “He is not just my son now, but entire Bihar’s son," the elder Suryavanshi told Press Trust of India. "My son has worked hard.”    

Mahmudullah Riyad may not have been the most naturally gifted cricketer of his generation, but he was certainly among those with the best work ethic. The right-handed allrounder, who turns 39 in February, announced his retirement from T20Is on Tuesday. He confirmed that the final match of the ongoing Bangladesh-India series would be his last in the format. He, however, will continue to be available for selection in ODIs. Mahmudullah earned the title of “finisher” in limited-overs cricket for his ability to score quick runs and hit big boundaries in the lower order towards the end of the team's innings. His departure leaves a gap that will not be easy for Bangladesh to fill. At his retirement announcement, Mahmudullah said it was the right time to step down. Cricket analysts seem to agree. Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, veteran cricket coach and a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), told UNB that fans should respect Mahmudullah’s decision. “We have to thank Mahmudullah for his contributions to Bangladesh cricket,” Nazmul Abedeen said. “He did a lot for where Bangladesh cricket stands today. He has performed well, considering the era he played in.” Mohammad Isam, a cricket analyst and Bangladesh correspondent for ESPNcricinfo, echoed the same sentiments. “Mahmudullah's retirement is timely, given his age and dwindling form,” Isam said. “He made his T20I comeback earlier this year after missing 27 matches in 2022. He was almost forgotten in this format after the 2021 World Cup.” Mahmudullah waves goodbye to T20Is Mahmudullah, who has batted in nearly every position, truly earned global respect during the 2015 World Cup with two centuries. No Bangladeshi batter had achieved a World Cup century before him. Despite his versatility, Mahmudullah rarely had a fixed batting position, frequently shifting to suit the team’s needs. Reflecting on his career, Nazmul Abedeen said that Mahmudullah was often the best option at his position. “He never gave others a chance to claim his spot,” Nazmul noted, alluding to Mahmudullah's dedication. Despite primarily batting in the lower order, Mahmudullah is Bangladesh’s second-highest run-scorer in T20Is, with 2,395 runs and eight fifties—just 156 runs shy of Shakib Al Hasan. After his remarkable ODI World Cup run in 2015, Mahmudullah adopted a more aggressive approach, honing his big-hitting skills. His T20I career saw a significant transformation after 2016, as he averaged 26 in 85 matches after that, compared to his career average of 19 in 54 games before that. “Mahmudullah became a transformed cricketer,” Isam added. “His T20 career was stagnating until 2016 when Chandika Hathurusingha assigned him a new role. He raised his game with an emphasis on aerial shots and a positive outlook.” The right-hander also captained Bangladesh in 43 T20Is—more than any other Bangladeshi player—winning 16 of those matches. He was one of Bangladesh’s best T20I captains. Approaching 40, Mahmudullah has stayed fit enough for international cricket while many of his peers have retired. Ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup, he was expected to miss out, yet he proved his fitness to secure a spot. Ups and downs have defined Mahmudullah’s career, but he consistently found ways to fight back and make comebacks against all odds. “It will be hard to replace Mahmudullah’s experience, but his role has become outdated in T20s,” Isam noted. “Bangladesh will need to rethink their T20 batting structure, and replacing Mahmudullah may require a fundamental shift in their setup.”

The T20 Cricket World Cup has created a buzz. All cricket enthusiasts are watching the matches and supporting their favorite teams. However, cricket lovers may want to interact more with the tournament. Numerous games are on mobile platforms featuring the twenty20 cricket format. Let’s look at the top 10 high-rated T20 games for Android and iOS. These feature-enriched games offer diverse options for the players. Top 10 Twenty20 Cricket Games for Smartphones in 2024 Real Cricket 24 Real Cricket 24, released in August 2022 by Nautilus Mobile, offers a comprehensive cricket simulation experience on mobile. With a 4.4-star rating, this free-to-download game includes in-app purchases. The game features advanced motion capture for realistic animations, dynamic stadiums, and a variety of tournament formats such as RCPL 2023 and the World Cup 2023. Unique player faces and customizable jerseys enhance the experience. The game includes real-time multiplayer, manual fielding, and shot assist for over 600 batting shots. It requires Android 6.0 and up, with a download size of 659 MB, and offers commentary in English and Hindi from renowned commentators. Read more: Best Animal-related Android, iOS Games to Play During Eid-ul-Azha World Cricket Championship 3 World Cricket Championship 3 (WCC3), released in 2020 by Nextwave Multimedia, holds a 4.3-star rating on app stores. The game features real-time motion-captured actions, professional commentary, and detailed stadiums. Players can engage in T20, ODI, and Test matches, along with a Career Mode offering over 400 matches. It includes the official West Indies Cricket Team and allows advanced customization of players. The game supports English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Urdu commentary. WCC3 is free to download with in-app purchases, with a download size of around 700 MB. Multiplayer options include 1-on-1 and team-based matches against other gamers. World Cricket Championship 2 World Cricket Championship 2 was released in July 2015 by Nextwave Multimedia. This mobile cricket game has achieved a 4.3-star rating. It offers both online and offline multiplayer modes, 150 batting animations, 28 bowling actions, and realistic ball physics. Players can participate in numerous tournaments, including the World Cup and Ashes Test Series. Read more: Esports World Cup 2024: List of Games, Format, Schedule, and Prizes The game features professional English and Hindi commentary, cinematic cameras, and dynamic lighting. WCC2 is free to download with in-app purchases ranging from BDT 5.00 to BDT 5,600.00. The download size is 529 MB, and it requires Android 5.1 or higher. The game includes customizable players, manual field placement, and various gameplay modes. Indian Cricket Premier League 2023 The Indian Cricket Premier League 2023 game was released by Rockit Game Studio on 13th March 2020. It is a popular mobile cricket game with over 5,000,000 downloads and a 4.3-star rating. This offline and online game features teams like Chennai, Delhi Devils, and Mumbai Stars, offering various modes including Quick Play, Challenges, and Tournaments. The game supports Hindi commentary and includes realistic stadiums from around the world. Players can enjoy daily rewards and unlock items as they progress. The game requires Android 5.1 and up, with a download size of 65 MB, providing a comprehensive and engaging cricket experience with advanced AI and multiplayer modes. Read more: June 2024 Video Games Lineup: A Burst of Exciting Releases Across Genres Sachin Saga Cricket Champions Sachin Saga Cricket Champions was released on December 6, 2017. The game was developed by JetSynthesys Inc. It is a 3D mobile cricket game featuring advanced AI and multiplayer modes. Rated 4.2 stars, it allows players to relive Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic matches and participate in various formats like ODIs, Tests, and IPL T20. The game includes unique modes such as Legendary, PvP, and Quick Play. It features 24x7 live events, manual catching, dynamic camera angles, and realistic motion-captured animations. The game is free with in-app purchases ranging from BDT 50.00 to BDT 8,500.00. It requires Android 4.4 and up, with a download size of 243 MB.