United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh will walk into Abu Jayed Stadium on Tuesday knowing the math is brutally simple. Beat Afghanistan or pack the bags. Even then, their fate will hang on other results. Spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed did not sugarcoat what worries him most. “Their spinners in the middle overs — that’s the biggest threat,” he told reporters on Monday. “Rashid, Nabi, Noor, the young lad Ghazanfar… they’re very good in these conditions. If we don’t handle that phase, we’ll be in trouble.” Bangladesh’s batting has been fragile in this tournament, especially after the powerplay. Quick wickets have left the middle order exposed. Mushtaq admitted those collapses weigh on the team. “It’s natural to doubt when you lose four or five early. But we can’t carry that into the next game. Our duty as coaches is to keep the boys believing, not to let them crawl into a shell,” he said. He also had a word for leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, who has looked raw. Tensions off the field: No handshakes between India, Pakistan players “Young spinners often try too much. I told him today — land your first three balls in good areas, settle down, then think of variations. Good balls make good overs,” he also said. “Good overs build confidence. That’s the process.” Afghanistan, for their part, sound fresh and ready. Coach Jonathan Trott said the break after their opening win over Hong Kong came at the right time. “We’d played six games in 12 days before the tournament. A pause was needed,” Trott said. “Bangladesh have match-winners, but we’re looking forward to it. If we play well tomorrow, the schedule will feel like it’s worked in our favour.” The recent record gives Bangladesh a glimmer — they’ve won two of the last three against Afghanistan. But Tuesday is not about history. It is about survival.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has said Shakib Al Hasan will only be able to resume his national career if he comes back to the country and faces the legal cases pending against him. Speaking on a cricket podcast this week, Tamim — who is preparing to contest the upcoming Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election — was asked about Shakib’s chances of returning to the national side. The two men, once close teammates, have been seen on opposite ends of the country’s cricket and political landscape. Shakib confirms move to US Minor League, joins Atlanta Fire Shakib, who was an MP of the Awami League government toppled in last year’s July uprising, has been living abroad since and faces multiple cases, including a murder charge. “He’s an active cricketer, he’s a Bangladeshi cricketer,” Tamim said. “If he is fit, training, and the selectors feel he deserves a place, of course he can return. But bringing him back isn’t in my hands — there are legal matters involved.” Tamim stressed that the board cannot intervene in court case. “To play for Bangladesh, he must first come back, train with the team, and fight his cases in court. That’s the reality. I won’t hide it. This is his country and his career. What he chooses to do is up to him,” Tamim added.  Shakib, now 38, has not played for Bangladesh since 2024. His uncertain future continues to hang over the team at a time of political upheaval and transition in cricket administration.

Pakistan are in trouble in the first T20I of the three-match series against Bangladesh. After being put to bat first, losing the toss, half of their batters went back to the dressing room just for 46 runs on Sunday evening in Dhaka.  Taskin Ahmed missed an easy catch in the first over of the match. But when he came to bowl, he bagged first wicket, removing Saim Ayub for six. Mustafizur Rahman took a catch at the boundary.  In the third over of the match, Mahedi Hasan removed Mohammad Haris for four.  It was a soft dismissal. Haris tried for a big shot towards the cow corner area, but failed to execute it well. Shamim Hossain took the catch.  Pakistan lost two more wickets inside the powerplay when Mustfizur, and Tanzim Hasan removed captain Salman Agha and Hasan Nawaz. Salman scored three, but Hasan suffered a duck.  Mohammad Nawaz fell as the fifth wicket for just three. He was trapped run out.    

Steve Smith is on track to return to Australia’s playing XI for the second Test of the ongoing series against the West Indies. To make way for him, Australia may rest Josh Inglish, who failed to impress in the first Test. Smith missed the first Test in Barbados due to a finger injury sustained during the World Test Championship Final earlier this month. Pakistan appoints its former pacer Azhar Mahmood as head coach With the stitches now removed and movement improving, the veteran batter joined the squad in Grenada and is expected to take part in full practice on Tuesday. “It's not too bad,” Smith said, as reported by ICC. “I’ve got a lot of movement now, and hitting the ball feels completely fine. The only adjustment will be fielding — I won’t be at slip but likely at mid-on or fine leg.” Australia won the opening Test by 159 runs, but their top order looked shaky. Inglis, filling in at No.4, managed just 5 and 12 in the two innings. With Smith returning to the middle order, Inglis is the most likely to make room. The second Test begins Thursday in Grenada as Australia look to seal the three-match series.

By the numbers, Anamul Haque has built a stunning domestic career. But the same career feels faded whenever he is tested at a higher level of cricket. With over 9,000 first-class runs, 24 centuries, and a recent Dhaka Premier League season where he piled up 874 runs with four hundreds, it was impossible for the selectors to ignore him for the just-concluded Test series in Sri Lanka. But he fails again.  The contrasting performance of Anamul in domestic and international cricket produces similar disappointments— repeated promise and failure. This isn't just about one player; it points to a fundamental flaw in Bangladesh cricket’s structure. Anamul’s latest Test opportunity came off the back of undeniable domestic form. His call-up mid-DPL, his spot in the Zimbabwe Test, and later the Sri Lanka series all seemed perfectly reasonable on paper. The results, though, were predictably frustrating. Scores of 0, 4, 0, 19 across four innings in Sri Lanka did little to reassure observers, and his technique, particularly against spin, looked hesitant and behind the times, despite years in the game. His exclusion from the Sri Lanka ODI series, so soon after his return, shows how risky it is to pick players based only on domestic performance. Hitting a century after century at the domestic circuit was once considered the main reason to include a player in the national team, but in recent times, domestic runs don’t hold true value for international cricket.  Anamul's career perfectly shows how domestic stats can mislead national team selectors if he's not facing high-quality bowling. Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain and panel member Abdur Razzak have both acknowledged the issue. “It’s disappointing,” Razzak said in the press briefing. “But we can’t completely discard domestic performers because of one failure. If we stop valuing domestic cricket, what benchmark do we have?” The selectors maintain that players like Anamul, Zakir Hasan, and Mahmudul Hasan Joy will remain part of the setup. But the crucial question persists: does Bangladesh’s domestic circuit genuinely prepare players for the tactical, mental, and technical rigours of international cricket? But the selection of Mohammad Naim for the upcoming ODIs against Sri Lanka brings up a different story. Over the past two years, he has reshaped his game to meet the demands of modern cricket.  He posted 618 runs in this year’s Premier League at a strong strike rate and was praised for showing the kind of intent and intensity the selectors reportedly want. In contrast, Anamul’s game seems to be stuck in the past. He only focuses on scoring runs at the domestic level, but fails to adapt to different conditions or different quality of bowling, which makes him unlikely to perform at the international level.  Overall, Anamul’s different kind of performance at the domestic and international level puts Bangladesh’s domestic cricket system under a serious question.  

In the fast-paced world of international cricket, few rises have been as rapid and transformative as that of Ben Duckett. The left-handed opener has become a linchpin for England across formats, epitomising the fearless “Bazball” philosophy that has revitalised the team under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. From his early days as a schoolboy prodigy to his current status as one of the world’s most dynamic batters, Duckett’s journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and unrelenting ambition. His performances in 2025 – including a record-shattering 165 against Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy – have cemented his reputation as a global star, while a supportive sporting family and newfound perspective as a father keep him grounded and driven. Dominating 2025 with Bazball Aggression Duckett’s 2025 has been a year of milestones, showcasing his ability to thrive under pressure in all formats. In February, he made history in the Champions Trophy by blasting 165 off 143 balls (with 17 fours and 3 sixes) against Australia. It was the highest individual score in the tournament’s history at the time and stands as the fifth-highest one-day score ever by an England batter. Duckett’s aggressive yet controlled innings dismantled a world-class Australian bowling attack, drawing praise from fans and pundits alike. England great Jonathan Agnew noted that Duckett “would have been infuriating to bowl at” and is establishing himself as “one of the most versatile and destructive batters across all formats”. Even in Test cricket, Duckett continued to shine: he struck a brisk 62 in the first innings and a match-winning 149 in the second innings of England’s thrilling chase against India at Headingley, Leeds. Former captain Michael Vaughan was so impressed that he hailed Duckett as arguably the top all-format opener in the world, ahead of the likes of Aiden Markram and Travis Head. “Pound for pound, I reckon he is the best all-format batsman in international cricket right now,” Vaughan wrote, noting that while others excel in one format, none match Duckett’s impact across all three. Duckett’s versatility extends to the shortest format as well. He was part of England’s squad at the 2024 T20 World Cup and remains a force in white-ball cricket. Domestically, he stars for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred and has honed his game in franchise leagues like Australia’s Big Bash and Pakistan’s PSL. His ability to adapt and dominate in any arena underlines his global appeal. As BBC’s Agnew put it, Duckett is “one of the best all-format batters in the world” – a bowler’s nightmare who can make good deliveries vanish to the boundary. Read more: Najmul steps down as Bangladesh Test captain after Colombo defeat A Journey of Resilience and Redemption Duckett’s path to international stardom began in Farnborough, Kent, where he was born in 1994. Raised in a sports-loving family – his mother, Jayne, represented Britain in lacrosse – he grew up immersed in competition. He attended Stowe School on a sports scholarship, excelling in cricket, hockey, and football. His school coach James Knott credits Duckett’s hockey background for his mastery of the reverse sweep, an audacious shot that has become a hallmark of his batting. Indeed, by the time Duckett arrived at Stowe, he “could already play the reverse sweep and switch hit” thanks to those hockey-honed skills. At age 17, Duckett debuted for Northamptonshire in 2012 while still studying for his A-levels. He soon blossomed into a domestic run machine. In 2015 he amassed 1,002 County Championship runs at an average of 52.73, and in 2016 he exploded with a career-best 282* and over 1,300 first-class runs. That year he swept the Cricket Writers’ and PCA Young Player of the Year awards, earning a call-up to England’s Test and ODI squads. However, early international success proved elusive. He struggled against quality spin in India in late 2016 and was dropped after a few low scores. Then, in 2017, a moment of poor judgement on an Ashes tour – pouring a drink over teammate James Anderson in a Perth bar – led to a suspension and stalled his England hopes. These setbacks could have derailed Duckett, but instead they became fuel for his comeback. His redemption arc began in 2022 when the new Bazball ethos created an opening for his aggressive style. Recalled for the tour of Pakistan, Duckett immediately justified the faith: he struck a blazing maiden Test century (107 off 110 balls) in his first match back and piled up 357 runs in that 3-0 series sweep at an average over 70. He even weathered a painful blow to the thumb to score 85 in England’s record-breaking innings of 823/7 declared in Multan. Since re-establishing himself, Duckett has not looked back. He notched his highest Test score, 182, against Ireland in 2023, and by 2024 he had become the fastest batsman in history to reach 2,000 Test runs in terms of balls faced – a testament to his brisk scoring rate. Forming a formidable opening partnership with fellow Bazballer Zak Crawley, Duckett has consistently given England rapid starts. In one 2024 home Test, he smashed a 32-ball half-century on his way to 71 off 59 against the West Indies, a knock made all the more memorable as he raced the clock with his first child’s birth imminent. Such an innings, full of intent and imagination, has firmly entrenched him in England’s plans. Read more: Devon Conway left out of New Zealand squad for T20 tri-series against Zimbabwe, South Africa Family, Fatherhood and Fearless Motivation Behind Duckett’s success is a close-knit family and a fresh outlook on life. His father, Graham, a financial adviser and Marylebone Cricket Club member, doubles as his agent and has been a steady guiding figure. Duckett also has two sisters, Meg and Emma, who stay out of the limelight but remain part of his support system. In December 2023, he got engaged to his long-time girlfriend, model Paige Ogborne, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Margot, in July 2024. Becoming a father has given Duckett a new sense of perspective. “It’s been different for so many reasons,” he said of balancing cricket with parenthood, “but I’ve found it really switches me off between games. I don’t spend as long... dwelling on what’s happened.” Whether he has a good day or a bad day on the field, the simple duty of changing diapers at home keeps him grounded. “Suddenly, there’s something more important than cricket and scoring runs,” Duckett reflected, noting that fatherhood has helped him move past failures faster. This mental freedom has arguably made him an even more dangerous player, allowing him to play with the uninhibited joy that Bazball encourages.

Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped, and injured star Steve Smith has been ruled out of Australia’s squad for the opening match of their upcoming three-Test series against the West Indies, Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday. Smith will miss the first Test due to a finger injury sustained during Australia’s World Test Championship (WTC) final defeat to South Africa last weekend at Lord’s. While his recovery is progressing, he has not yet healed enough to return. Cricket Australia expects him to be fit in time for the second Test, set to begin on July 3. Chief selector George Bailey announced that teenager Sam Konstas and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis would replace Smith and Labuschagne in the squad. Bailey explained that Smith required another week for his wound to heal and would be reassessed afterward. Galle Test: Nissanka's epic ton propels Sri Lanka's solid reply to Bangladesh “We have made the decision to give Josh and Sam the opportunity to replace Steve and Marnus,” said Bailey. “We are excited to see them get the chance to further their fledgling Test careers.” Nineteen-year-old Konstas has only two Test caps to his name but made a strong impression with a brisk 60 off nearly as many balls during last December’s Boxing Day Test against India in Melbourne. Josh Inglis, 30, has primarily represented Australia in limited-overs formats but impressed in his only Test series to date — against Sri Lanka in February — scoring a century on debut and showing promise. “In his only opportunity in Test cricket to date, Josh was outstanding in Sri Lanka, showing great intent and ability to put pressure on the opposition,” Bailey noted. Labuschagne, who averages 46.19 across 104 Test innings with 11 centuries and 23 fifties, has been out of form in recent series. He has not reached a hundred since the 2023 Ashes Test in Manchester and has failed to score above 26 in his last four Test innings. Promoted to open in the WTC final against South Africa, he made modest starts but was dismissed for 17 and 22. Injured Steve Smith going with Australia to West Indies “Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team,” said Bailey. “He understands his output hasn’t been at the level we, or he, expects. We will continue working with him on the areas of his game we feel he needs to rediscover.” The final playing XI and batting lineup for the first Test will be confirmed closer to the match, which begins next Wednesday.

Australia’s star batter Steve Smith will travel with the team to the Caribbean for their upcoming three-match Test series against the West Indies, despite suffering a serious finger injury during the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Captain Pat Cummins confirmed on Saturday that Smith won’t require surgery for the compound dislocation to his right pinkie, sustained during the final at Lord’s. However, his availability for the first Test, scheduled to begin on June 25 in Barbados, remains uncertain. “I’d say the first Test is probably unlikely, and we’ll assess from there,” Cummins said, adding that it’s still too early to make a definitive call. Smith sustained the injury while fielding at first slip during a key moment in the final against South Africa. Positioned closer to the stumps than usual, he was struck on the finger by an edge off the bat of South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma. Smith dropped the catch, allowing Bavuma — then on 2 — to go on and score 66 runs, forming a match-winning partnership with Aiden Markram, who made 136. ICC Women's World Cup 2025 fixtures announced Although Smith is expected to recover from the injury in about two weeks, he will have to wear a splint for up to eight weeks — the duration of the Test series — meaning his participation depends on how well he can manage with it on. The upcoming series marks the beginning of Australia’s 2025-27 WTC campaign. Following the disappointing five-wicket defeat to South Africa inside four days, Cummins said the team is eager to bounce back. “It’s good we get to dust ourselves off and turn around in a couple of weeks and start focusing on the next challenge,” Cummins said. “That’s one of the good aspects of the WTC — every series, every Test, holds weight.” Cummins emphasized the need to strike a balance between introducing fresh talent and maintaining a winning team, especially with an Ashes home series approaching in November. He hinted that some senior players may consider retirement afterward. “This feels like a bit of a fresh start,” he noted. “We’re already thinking a couple of years ahead — if we make the next final, who will be part of the team? Should we start giving game time to new players now? Or stick with the current squad?” Despite a strong personal performance — taking seven wickets and reaching 300 career Test wickets — Cummins admitted the team missed a golden chance to win back-to-back WTC titles. He pointed to Australia’s 74-run first-innings lead as a missed opportunity to build a bigger advantage. Mathews set for farewell as Bangladesh begin WTC campaign “There were plenty of turning points,” Cummins said. “We had a lead, but we should have batted South Africa out of the game with a score well above 300. Unfortunately, we gave them a chance to come back, and now we’re left with a sense of missed opportunity.”

The launch of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which was scheduled for this summer, has been pushed back to 2026. The delay is largely due to three prospective franchise owners shifting their focus to finalizing stake acquisitions in The Hundred, England’s city-based cricket competition. The ETPL, partly owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, was set to feature teams from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, with matches planned between July 15 and August 3 across cities including Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam. Cricket Ireland is leading the project in coordination with its Scottish and Dutch counterparts. Although negotiations for at least half of the six city-based teams are nearing completion, the involved investors have prioritized their interests in The Hundred after the ECB extended its sales deadline in April. This shift has caused a ripple effect, ultimately leading to the ETPL's postponement. A formal announcement is expected within two days. Bachchan, who co-owns the league through Indian firm Rules Sport Tech, had actively promoted the tournament in Ireland earlier this year. Despite the setback, organizers remain optimistic, insisting the ETPL will avoid the fate of the Euro T20 Slam—an earlier attempt at a similar league that was indefinitely postponed after multiple delays since 2019. Cricket boards from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands have declined to comment on the situation.   

Sai Sudharsan delivered a stunning performance on Sunday, scoring an unbeaten 108 off just 61 balls as the Gujarat Titans cruised to a dominant 10-wicket win over the Delhi Capitals, securing their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs. Opening the innings, Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill put together an unbroken 205-run partnership — the third-highest opening stand in IPL history — as Gujarat comfortably chased down the target in 19 overs. Gill contributed a commanding 93 not out from 53 balls. Their effort overshadowed Lokesh Rahul’s impressive 112* from 65 balls — his fifth IPL century — which helped Delhi post 199-3 in their 20 overs. The loss marked Delhi’s fifth defeat in seven matches. With this win, Gujarat Titans moved to the top of the IPL standings with 18 points from 12 games. The result also ensured playoff berths for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (second with 17 points) and Punjab Kings (third with 17 points), as Gujarat's victory over fifth-placed Delhi widened the gap. Delhi has 13 points and is a point behind fourth-placed Mumbai Indians, who occupy the fourth and final playoff spot, with two regular season matches remaining. Lucknow Super Giants is currently seventh with 10 points from only 11 games. Punjab beat Rajasthan Royals by 10 runs earlier Sunday to secure its playoff spot. Rahul’s century in vain Rahul scored his fifth IPL century overall as Delhi rode on a blistering knock to present a challenging score. Mustafiz to leave for IPL after playing first T20I vs UAE He hit 14 fours and four sixes, and put on a vital 90 off 52 balls with Abhishek Porel (30). Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs also had cameos – but there wasn’t a second major contribution alongside Rahul, who reached 100 off 60 balls. In reply, Gujarat relied on its in-form openers to confirm a spot in the knockouts. The duo dominated Delhi’s bowling, hitting 11 sixes and 15 fours altogether. Gill scored 50 off 33 balls, including four sixes, and then added another three. Sudharsan hit 12 fours and four sixes. Three of those sixes came after he scored 50 off 30 balls and helped him gallop to a second IPL century.   Punjab wins Nehal Wadhera scored 70 off 37 balls to lead Punjab Kings to a 10-run win over Rajasthan Royals. Wadhera smashed five sixes and five fours in his second half-century of the season in Punjab’s 219-5 in 20 overs. Shashank Singh’s 59 not out off 30 balls also helped the Kings cross the 200-mark. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar then took 3-22 in four overs as Rajasthan’s chase lost momentum despite half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaisal and Dhruv Jurel. The Royals were restricted to 209-7 for a 10th loss this season. Wadhera took charge of the innings after Punjab was down to 34-3 in 3.1 overs, rebuilding it with a 67-run partnership off 44 balls with skipper Shreyas Iyer, who scored 30 off 25 balls. Wadhera reached 50 off 25 balls, and then added 58 off 33 with Shashank Singh which set up the base for a 200-plus score. Singh hit five fours and three sixes, while also finding an able partner in Azmatullah Omarzai, who scored 21 not out off nine balls. The duo added 60 runs off the last four overs. In reply, Rajasthan made a quick-fire start. Jaiswal took 22 runs off the first over, and added 76 off 29 balls with his teenage opening partner Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The latter scored 40 off 15 balls, with four sixes, before he was caught off Brar in the fifth over. Jaiswal carried on despite the breakthrough, scoring 50 off 25 balls, before he holed out too – again off Brar in the ninth over. Rajasthan started losing steam afterward with Sanju Samson (20) and Riyan Parag (13) unable to keep up the momentum.