United News of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to resume on Friday (January 16, 2026) after a successful late-night negotiation between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the players, ending the boycott that stalled the tournament on Thursday. The breakthrough was announced by BPL Governing Council Member Secretary Iftekhar Rahman and CWAB President Mohammad Mithun following a meeting at the BCB office in Gulshan. Read more: BCB removes Nazmul from finance chair in bid to end player boycott Cricketers joined the discussions with board officials and franchise representatives around 10:30 PM to finalize the agreement. To accommodate the lost day, the tournament schedule has been revised. Thursday’s abandoned matches—Noakhali Express vs. Chattogram Royals and Rajshahi Warriors vs. Sylhet Titans—will now be played on Friday at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM respectively. Consequently, Friday’s originally scheduled games have been shifted to Saturday, while Saturday’s fixtures move to January 18. The Eliminator and Qualifier-1 have also been pushed back to January 20, though the date for the final remains unchanged. The standoff was triggered by offensive remarks from BCB Director M Nazmul Islam regarding player funding. While the players initially demanded his resignation and a public apology, the resumption follows the board’s decision to strip him of his Finance Committee chairmanship. Read more: BPL halted as players boycott match despite BCB’s show-cause notice

In a frantic effort to salvage the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and quell a full-scale player mutiny, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has removed Director M Nazmul Islam from his post as Chairman of the Finance Committee with immediate effect. The decision, announced in a media release on Thursday evening (January 15, 2026), comes hours after cricketers followed through on their threat to boycott the day's BPL fixtures. The first match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express was abandoned after players refused to take the field, adhering to an ultimatum issued by the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB). Read More: BCB to continue ‘constructive engagement’ with ICC for T20 World Cup solution The BCB President exercised his authority under Article 31 of the constitution to strip Nazmul of his committee responsibilities, assuming the role of Acting Chairman himself. “The BCB reiterates that the interests of the cricketers remain its highest priority,” the board stated, adding that the move was aimed at ensuring the “smooth and effective functioning” of affairs. The release explicitly appealed to players to return to the field, hoping they would “display the highest standards of professionalism” to ensure the continuation of the BPL during this “challenging period”. The crisis erupted after Nazmul made a series of remarks, that cricketers found inflammatory, first labeling former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” and later mocking players by asking if the board should demand a refund of their salaries if they failed to perform at the World Cup. While the players demanded his resignation as a board director, it remains to be seen if his removal solely from the Finance Committee chairmanship will be enough to bring them back to the stadium. Read more: BPL halted as players boycott match despite BCB’s show-cause notice

As the BCB and the ICC continue talks on whether Bangladesh will play their matches at the 2026 T20 World Cup in India amid security concerns, it is worth recalling other occasions when teams opted out of playing ICC events in host nations. The Bangladesh Cricket Board and the ICC are weighing options regarding Bangladesh’s participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup in India, citing safety issues. Below are five past instances in which teams refused to play ICC tournaments in host countries. 1996 ODI World Cup: Australia, West Indies stay away from Sri Lanka Ahead of the 1996 ODI World Cup, co-host Sri Lanka was facing a civil war, and a bomb blast in Colombo in January—just weeks before the tournament—intensified security fears. Read more: BCB to continue ‘constructive engagement’ with ICC for T20 World Cup solution In a show of support, a combined India-Pakistan XI played a friendly against Sri Lanka in Colombo before the event. Australia and West Indies, however, declined to travel to Colombo for their group matches against Sri Lanka and forfeited points as a result. Sri Lanka progressed comfortably to the quarter-finals, as did Australia and West Indies, and later defeated Australia in the final in Lahore. 2003 ODI World Cup: England avoid Zimbabwe; New Zealand skip Kenya The first Africa-hosted ODI World Cup in 2003—co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya—saw two teams refuse to play in host nations. England did not travel to Harare to play Zimbabwe, citing opposition by the UK government under Tony Blair to Robert Mugabe’s regime. New Zealand declined to play Kenya in Nairobi due to security concerns following a bombing in Mombasa months earlier. Both teams asked for their matches to be relocated, but the ICC rejected the requests and awarded walkovers to Zimbabwe and Kenya. England exited in the first round, while New Zealand advanced to the Super Sixes. Kenya, benefiting from the forfeiture, went on to reach the semi-finals. 2009 T20 World Cup: Zimbabwe withdraw Relations between Zimbabwe and the UK remained strained, raising doubts over whether Zimbabwean players would receive visas to travel to England for the 2009 T20 World Cup. In July 2008, the ICC and Zimbabwe reached what they termed a “win-win” agreement. Zimbabwe withdrew from the tournament “in the larger interest of the game,” saying they did not want to be unwelcome participants, but received their full participation fee. Scotland, an Associate nation, replaced them after qualifying. 2016 Under-19 World Cup: Australia pull out Australia had already withdrawn from a bilateral series in Bangladesh in October 2015 due to security concerns. By the time of the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, their position was unchanged, citing a continued “threat to Australian interests in Bangladesh.” The ICC said it respected Australia’s decision, though it was disappointed. Ireland took Australia’s place in the tournament. 2025 Champions Trophy: India decline to tour Pakistan The 2025 Champions Trophy was set to be Pakistan’s first ICC event in 29 years after being confirmed as hosts in November 2021. Uncertainty persisted over India’s participation, given the strained relations between the two countries and India’s last tour of Pakistan dating back to 2008. Read More: BCB rejects ICC’s plea to reconsider India tour to play T20 World Cup Although Pakistan travelled to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, India eventually announced it would not visit Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, citing a lack of government clearance. After prolonged discussions, a compromise for the 2024–2027 ICC cycle was agreed: matches between India and Pakistan in tournaments hosted by either country would be held at neutral venues. Consequently, India played their 2025 Champions Trophy matches in Dubai and went on to win the tournament. With input from ESPNcricinfo

While the Bangladesh cricket team refuses to set foot in India due to security concerns, a lone Bangladeshi official is currently at the center of the action on Indian soil. Sharfuddoula, the first Bangladeshi umpire on the ICC Elite Panel, officiated as the TV umpire during the first ODI between India and New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially informed the ICC that the national team will not travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, citing “growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent”. This boycott follows the diplomatic fallout triggered by the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad—a move that led the Bangladesh government to ban IPL broadcasts for the first time since the league's inception in 2008. Despite the hostile political climate, Sharfuddoula’s appointment proceeded under standard ICC regulations. According to Clause 2.1.4, the ICC appoints one neutral umpire for ODIs from the Elite or International Panel. Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoula officiating in the Ashes  Since Sharfuddoula is neither Indian nor Kiwi, his role as a neutral official remains valid, even as his home board demands “man-to-man” security guarantees for its players.    

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the 15-member national cricket team for the ensuing three-match T20I series against Bangladesh on Tuesday. Salman Ali Agha has been retained as captain to lead the Pakistan T20I team in Bangladesh tour, said a PCB media release on Tuesday. The three-match T20Is series between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played on July 20, 22 and 24 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. 15-member squad for Bangladesh series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim Tanvir Islam stands tall in his second ODI Team management: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Muhammad Hanif Malik (batting Coach), Shane McDermott (fielding Coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Irtaza Komail (security manager), Dr. Wajid Ali Rafai (doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)end  

India’s scheduled white-ball tour of Bangladesh in August 2025 has been officially deferred to September 2026, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Saturday The BCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made the decision to postpone the three-match ODI and three-match T20I series mutually, citing international calendar constraints and scheduling convenience for both sides. “This decision has been reached following discussions between the two Boards, taking into account the international cricketing commitments and scheduling convenience of both teams,” the BCB said in a statement. Originally slated for August 2025, the series was already under doubt due to political considerations and fixture congestion. BCB announces T20I squad for Sri Lanka series BCB President Aminul Islam had earlier hinted that the series might not go ahead as planned, pending clearance from Indian authorities and availability within a packed calendar. With the postponement now formalized, Bangladesh will have to wait until September 2026 to host their high-profile neighbours in a bilateral white-ball series. The BCB said revised dates and fixtures for the tour will be announced later. Despite the delay, BCB remains upbeat. “The BCB looks forward to welcoming India in September 2026 for this eagerly anticipated series,” the board stated.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 248 in 45.5 overs in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday, with Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy leading the way in a topsy-turvy batting effort. Opting to bat first, Bangladesh got off to a bright start despite losing opener Tanzid Hasan early. Parvez and Najmul Hossain Shanto rebuilt with a 63-run stand, but Najmul’s dismissal to a short ball from Charith Asalanka triggered a period of instability. Quick wickets daunt Bangladesh in 2nd ODI vs Sri Lanka Parvez impressed with his maiden ODI fifty, scoring 67 off 69 balls with six fours and three sixes before being bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga. Towhid kept the innings going with a patient 51 off 69 balls, but he too fell before capitalizing on the platform. The middle and lower order faltered, losing wickets in clusters. Bangladesh went from 204 for six to 218 for nine before a quick cameo from Tanzim Hasan Sakib (33 not out off 21) added late runs. Asitha Fernando was the best bowler for Sri Lanka, finishing with 4 for 35, while Hasaranga chipped in with 3 for 60. Chameera and Asalanka picked up one wicket each. Bangladesh lost the first ODI. Another defeat would send them out of the run for the title of the series.    

Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the toss and opted to bat first in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday. Trailing 0-1 in the three-match series, the visitors are aiming for a strong comeback after their dramatic collapse in the opening match. For this match, Bangladesh added Shamim Hossan and Hasan Mahmud in the places of Litton Das and Taskin Ahmed. The hosts also made two changes to their playing XI— Dunith Wellalage and Dushmantha Chameera in for Milan Rathnayake and Eshan Malinga. BCB announces T20I squad for Sri Lanka series Bangladesh had made a promising start in the first ODI, reaching 100 for 1 before losing seven wickets for just five runs in a stunning batting meltdown. Sri Lanka lead the series 1-0 after their 77-run win in the opening match and will be eyeing a series-clinching victory on Saturday. Bangladesh XI: Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Shamim Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Jaker Ali, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman. Sri Lanka Playing XI: Nishan Madushka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (captain), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando.  

Bangladesh cricket team’s head coach Phil Simmons will miss the second ODI against Sri Lanka on Saturday due to a scheduled medical visit to the United Kingdom. Bangladesh team’s manager Nafis Iqbal confirmed the development to the media. Simmons had originally planned the medical appointment back in February but postponed it due to Bangladesh's Champions Trophy commitments. He is expected to join the team on July 7th. BCB announces T20I squad for Sri Lanka series “This time, the appointment couldn’t be deferred,” Nafis said to the media. “He discussed it with the board before the tour.” In Simmons’ absence, Bangladesh will take the field under Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s leadership and with support from the rest of the coaching staff. Bangladesh trail the three-match series 0-1 after a 77-run defeat in the opener on Wednesday.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has stood by his decision to bat first in the second Test in Colombo but admitted that a poor batting display in the first innings set the tone for the innings-and-78-run defeat to Sri Lanka. Bangladesh collapsed in the second innings of the match as well. They were behind by more than 200 runs after the first innings of each team. Then they failed to surpass the first innings lead of Sri Lanka.  After drawing the opening Test in Galle—where Najmul struck centuries in both innings and Bangladesh dominated for long periods—expectations were high heading into Colombo. However, the visitors faltered with the bat, getting bowled out for 247 in their first innings before conceding 458 to Sri Lanka. The collapse continued in the second innings, with Bangladesh dismissed for just 133. Najmul steps down as Bangladesh Test captain after Colombo defeat “I still believe batting first was the right call. The pitch was a bit slow, but we didn’t bat well,” Najmul said after the match. “The way we lost our wickets, it wasn’t good. We were often looking for the easy way out.” He pointed specifically to the first innings as the turning point of the match. “We had opportunities in this Test too, but we couldn’t make them count. Especially the way we batted in the first innings—it wasn’t what we had hoped for. That’s what cost us the game,” he said. Najmul, who just retired from Test captaincy, acknowledged that most batters threw their wickets away under little pressure. “There were mistakes from the top to the lower order. We didn’t build partnerships or show patience. That hurt us,” he said. Dismal batting hands Bangladesh a heavy defeat in Colombo While praising the bowlers for picking up eight wickets on the third day to bowl Sri Lanka out, Najmul was clear that the game was already beyond reach. “We just didn’t do enough with the bat to stay in the contest,” he said.