United News of Bangladesh

Former Indian batter Shikhar Dhawan believes India’s success was ensured with the decision to include an extra spinner in the middle of the ICC Champions Trophy. India marched to the final without suffering any defeat. In the final, they are taking on New Zealand who they beat in the group-stage game.  Dhawan pointed to their group-stage clash against New Zealand as a key moment when the team’s strategy clicked into place. That was the game where leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, playing just his second ODI, delivered a stunning five-wicket haul (5 for 42), cementing his place in the squad. “India have played great cricket throughout … but a key moment came in a change of personnel midway through the competition,” Dhawan told the ICC. The spinner’s impact has convinced Dhawan that India will lift the trophy on Sunday, especially given the spin-friendly conditions in Dubai. Santner confident as New Zealand ready for Champions Trophy final against India “I believe India’s spinners will be too strong for New Zealand’s batters, who will find it hard to get hold of Varun Chakaravarthy – he will play a major role,” he said. “Our batting unit is doing very well, the whole team is playing good cricket, and I think – and hope – that will continue.” Beyond Chakaravarthy, Dhawan also praised the contributions of Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami. Kohli has been India’s batting anchor, while Shami has played a crucial role despite Dubai’s spin-friendly surfaces. Shami’s performance has been especially crucial in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who is recovering from injury. “To win the Champions Trophy, you have to have the whole team performing well,” Dhawan said. “One player can win you a game but not a trophy. India have done that throughout.”

A storied cricket rivalry will add a new chapter when India and Australia square off in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy on Tuesday. And it comes with controversy. While Pakistan is hosting the tournament, India has not gone near Pakistan, refusing to go there. Instead, India has played all of its games in Dubai amid security concerns. This has caused debate about India's advantage from playing in one venue that has marred the buildup to the knockout rounds. The Indian government denied permission for the cricket team to travel to its neighbour. The latest refusal came on the heels of viable security threats – tensions on the border, particularly in the northern region of Jammu and Kashmir. India stumble to 249 as Matt Henry’s five-for puts New Zealand on top While Pakistan went to India for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the last time either team toured the other was 12 years ago. Because the tournament couldn't be played without India's financial muscle, all of its games are in Dubai, including the semifinal and the final on Sunday, if it qualifies. If not, the final will be in Lahore. It has caused scheduling and travel headaches for the Champions Trophy. Bizarrely, Pakistan had to give up hosting rights and go to Dubai to face India, and lost. South Africa and Australia flew to Dubai last Saturday because it wasn’t clear which team would take on India in the semifinals. Only after India beat New Zealand on Sunday in the last group game did South Africa return to Pakistan late Sunday with New Zealand to prepare for their semifinal on Wednesday in Lahore. The preferential treatment has put India in an advantageous position to many eyes. "If you can stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage,” South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen said on Thursday. But India captain Rohit Sharma shrugged off talk of any advantage. “We are very much aware of the conditions here, but we don’t know which pitch is going to be played," Sharma said. "This is not our home, this is Dubai. We don’t play so many matches here. This is new for us, too.” Anushka to attend Virat Kohli’s 300th ODI in Champions Trophy Dubai was chosen because its the largest of the UAE’s three cricket grounds; it seats up to 30,000 fans compared to Abu Dhabi (20,000) and Sharjah (16,000). India played its three group games at Dubai International Cricket Stadium — on different pitches — and won them all. “They are in Dubai for a reason," Pakistan coach Aqib Javed said. "If you play on the same pitch or ground, you will have an advantage. But we didn’t lose because they stayed in the same hotel or played on the same pitch. Neither did they play 10 matches there.” Depleted Australia has defied the odds The India-Australia semifinal is a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad where Australia upset India and sent the country into mourning. This time, Australia isn't at full strength. It is missing its front-line pace attack and opening batter Matt Short has been sidelined by a quad injury, and replaced by left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly. Connolly's selection pays respect to Dubai's spin-friendly pitches. But Australia doesn't normally bank heavy on spin, and has defied the odds to reach the semifinals under Steve Smith. India, however, unleashed a fourth extra spinner on New Zealand, and they shared nine wickets as they defended 249 with ease. Whether India stays with four spinners or goes back to three is its main question. “Even if we want to play four spinners, how can we squeeze (them in)," Sharma said. “If we don’t, then we don’t.”

Australia reached the Champions Trophy semifinals after its last group game against Afghanistan was abandoned because of rain and a wet outfield on Friday. Australia, which achieved a record chase of 352 against England in the opening game, finished the group stage with four points after its last two games were washed out in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Afghanistan had three points and was on the verge of an exit. To advance, it needs South Africa to lose by an improbable margin of more than 200 runs against already eliminated England in Saturday’s Group B game. Afghanistan was bowled out for 273 on the final ball and Australia cruised to 109-1 in 12.5 overs when the rain returned. The outfield became too sodden to continue. “The first objective was obviously to get to the semifinals, (and) we are there now,” Australia captain Steve Smith said. “The guys did a really good job to restrict them to 270 and then we were in a pretty good position when the game got called off.” Travis Head’s 34-ball half-century gave Australia a rollicking start against some scratchy Afghanistan fielding and poor fast bowling. Rashid Khan couldn’t hold onto a regulation catch when Head was on 6. Head cut loose and motored Australia to 90-1 in the batting powerplay. Substitute fielder Nangeyalia Kharote dropped Matthew Short off Azmatullah Omarzai but Short was dismissed two balls later when Gulbadin Naib took a smart catch over his shoulder at mid-on while running backwards. Fast bowling allrounder Omarzai, who grabbed his maiden five-wicket haul in Afghanistan’s stunning eight-run win over England at the same venue, was smacked for 43 off his five overs while Fazalhaq Farooqi also erred a lot in his lengths and went for 32 off his three overs. Atal and Omarzai strike half-centuriesLeft-handed batter Sediqullah Atal (85) missed out on a century but Omarzai held one end up with a 67-ball 63 that included five sixes. Spencer Johnson (2-49) and Ben Dwarshuis (3-47) struggled to control the swing with the new ball but both fast bowlers came back strongly with the old ball. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell early for the third consecutive time when Johnson yorkered him without scoring off his fifth legitimate ball. Ibrahim Zadran, who recorded the tournament’s highest score of 177 against England at the same venue on Wednesday, made 22 and was gutted when he was caught at point in Adam Zampa’s (2-48) first over. Captain Steve Smith squeezed Afghanistan in the middle overs with his spinners as Matthew Short (0-21) conceded just one six in his tidy seven overs and Glenn Maxwell bowled a maiden while finding the edge of Rahmat Shah’s bat (12). Atal tried to accelerate after captain Hashmatullah Shahidi struggled to keep the scoreboard moving, but Atal was caught by Smith at short cover in Johnson’s return spell. Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib went cheaply and Afghanistan slipped to 199-7. Omarzai farmed the strike and completed his half-century off 54 balls and boosted Afghanistan’s morale. “We should have scored 300 plus, but they bowled really well, especially in the middle overs,” Shahidi said. “We didn’t started well (with the ball), and gave too many hitting options to them, hopefully we learn from this.”

Ibrahim Zadran smashed 177, the highest-ever ODI innings by an Afghan batter, and guided his team to a record total of 325 against England on Wednesday in the ICC Champions Trophy in Lahore. The right-handed batter hit 12 fours and 6 sixes to surpass his previous highest of 162 and set a new record. Riding on his ton, Afghanistan set a challenging total for England, who won two of the previous three ODIs of these two teams. Bangladeshi cricketers slip in rankings amid Champions Trophy struggles Before this match, Afghanistan never passed the 300-run mark in an ODI against England. Afghanistan won the toss in this match and opted to bat first, but they lost quick wickets early in the innings. Jofra Archer sent back three of Afghanistan's top four batters in just 37 runs. In the fourth wicket stand, Ibrahim and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi forged a 103-run stand to recover from the early setback. Hashmatullah fell prey to Adil Rashid for 40, but Ibrahim was firm at one end of the wicket and kept the scoreboard afloat. Bangladesh in talks to host Pakistan for white-ball series Azmatullah Omarzai, and Mohammad Nabi supported him well with 41 off 31, and 40 off 24 balls, respectively. Before falling in the last over, Ibrahim reached 177 off 146 balls. It was only the third 150-plus innings in an ODI by an Afghan batter. For England, Jofra bagged three wickets, and Liam Livingstone took two. Before coming to this match, both Afghanistan and England lost their first matches to South Africa and Australia, respectively.

Poor performance of Bangladeshi cricketers in the ongoing edition of the ICC Champions Trophy reflected on the newly published ICC Rankings, where they slip from their position. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, despite scoring 77 against New Zealand, has fallen two spots to 27th in the ODI batting rankings. Shanto has endured a tough run with the bat in recent months. His poor form in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) saw him dropped from Fortune Barishal’s squad, and he failed to score in the Champions Trophy opener against India. His half-century against New Zealand provided some relief, but it was not enough to prevent a further fall in the rankings. Meanwhile, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad have also suffered notable drops. Mushfiqur, who managed just two runs in the Champions Trophy, has fallen nine places to 42nd, his first time outside the top 40 since February 2014. ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Shanto stands by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah amid Bangladesh’s early exit   Mahmudullah, who scored just four against New Zealand after missing the India match due to injury, has slipped seven places to 43rd. On a positive note, Towhid Hridoy has climbed 18 places to 64th, boosted by his century against India. The young batter has been one of the few bright spots for Bangladesh in an otherwise disappointing campaign. Taskin Ahmed, who bowled well despite Bangladesh’s struggles, has climbed six places to 30th, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz has dropped four places to 31st. Elsewhere, India’s Virat Kohli moved up to fifth in the ODI batting rankings after scoring a century against Pakistan, overtaking New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell. Shubman Gill continues to hold the top spot. ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Dazzling Ravindra leads New Zealand to comfortable win as Tigers come up short once again Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana remains the No. 1 ODI bowler despite his team missing the Champions Trophy. Bangladesh’s early exit from the tournament has intensified discussions about the team’s future, particularly regarding senior players. With a packed schedule ahead, including series against Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India, Bangladesh will need to find solutions to their recurring batting struggles if they are to regain lost ground in the rankings.

A disciplined Indian bowling attack kept Pakistan in check, restricting them to 241 in 49.4 overs in their ICC Champions Trophy group-stage match at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals. They struggled to forge effective partnerships when they needed it most. In contrast, the Indian bowlers managed breakthroughs in crucial moments that restricted Pakistan to a moderate total. Shakib’s return to Dhaka League uncertain as Rupganj change stance After electing to bat first, Pakistan got off to a cautious start but lost Babar Azam early for 23, caught behind off Hardik Pandya. Imam-ul-Haq followed soon after, run out for 10, leaving Pakistan at 47 for 2 inside 10 overs. Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan steadied the innings with a 104-run partnership for the third wicket. Shakeel looked fluent, scoring 62 off 76 balls with five fours, while Rizwan posted a slow 46 off 77 with three fours. However, just as Pakistan seemed to be gaining momentum, India struck back. Kuldeep Yadav dismissed both Salman Agha (19) and Naseem Shah (14), while Ravindra Jadeja removed Tayyab Tahir for 4, breaking Pakistan’s middle-order resistance. Champions Trophy: Pakistan win toss and bat against India Pakistan’s lower order failed to accelerate in the death overs. Khushdil Shah provided some late runs with a 39-ball 38, including two sixes, but wickets tumbled at regular intervals. The final five wickets fell for just 41 runs as India wrapped up the innings with two balls to spare. Kuldeep was the best bowler for India, finishing with 3 for 40, while Pandya (2 for 31) and Harshit Rana (1 for 30) provided important breakthroughs. Passion, politics and patriotism meld as Pakistan and India clash in cricket's fiercest rivalry

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan has won the coin toss and opted to bat first against India in their Group A game at the 2025 Champions Trophy on Sunday. The arch rivals meet at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium despite Pakistan hosting the tournament, as India is playing its league games – and potential knockout matches – in the United Arab Emirates. Indian cricket authorities have offered no formal statement about refusing to play in Pakistan, but some officials have suggested that the decision was based on security concerns. Passion, politics and patriotism meld as Pakistan and India clash in cricket's fiercest rivalry Pakistan got off to a poor start in home conditions earlier on – it lost the opening game of the tournament against New Zealand by 60 runs. It faces a must-win situation against India today to stay alive in the tournament. India won its opener against Bangladesh by six wickets in Dubai and will look to carry forward its winning momentum. Another win will confirm its spot in the semi-finals. The last time these two sides met in the Champions Trophy was back in 2017, where Pakistan beat India in the final by 180 runs in London. Pakistan has made one change – Fakhar Zaman is ruled out owing to an injury sustained in the opening game. Imam ul Haq is his replacement and comes into the playing eleven. India has fielded an unchanged eleven. The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is expected to be slow in nature – a dual-paced surface that could aid both pacers and spinners as the game progresses. Evening dew could help the chasing side. Inglis leads Australia to record chase against England in Champions Trophy thriller Line-ups: India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Lokesh Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

The ninth edition of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy tournament kicked off on Wednesday. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are hosting the tournament from February 19 to March 9, 2025. The defending champion is Pakistan.  Fixtures and Schedules of the 2025 Men’s ICC Champions Trophy Table: Full Fixtures of ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Match No Teams Venue Date Time (BDT) 1 Pakistan v New Zealand National Stadium, Karachi 19 Feb 3.0 PM  2 Bangladesh v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 20 Feb 3.0 PM  3 Afghanistan v South Africa National Stadium, Karachi 21 Feb 3.0 PM  4 Australia v England Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 22 Feb 3.0 PM  5 Pakistan v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 23 Feb 3.0 PM  6 Bangladesh v New Zealand Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 24 Feb 3.0 PM  7 Australia v South Africa Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 25 Feb 3.0 PM 8 Afghanistan v England Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 26 Feb 3.0 PM 9 Pakistan v Bangladesh Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 27 Feb 3.0 PM  10 Afghanistan v Australia Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 28 Feb 3.0 PM  11 South Africa v England National Stadium, Karachi 1 Mar 3.0 PM  12 New Zealand v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 2 Mar 3.0 PM  13 Semi-final 1 Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 4 Mar 3.0 PM  14 Semi-final 2 Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 5 Mar 3.0 PM  15 Final Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 9 Mar 3.0 PM  Read more: Big blow for Pakistan as Fakhar out of Champions Trophy ahead of India match Teams and Groups The top eight ranked men's national teams that qualified for the 2023 Cricket World Cup will compete in the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy tournament. Group A - Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh Group B - South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, England Venues of ICC Champions Trophy 2025  India will play in Dubai, while Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi will host the matches. - National Stadium, Karachi.- Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.- Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.- Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Read more: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Bangladesh in trouble  losing 5 wickets quickly  vs India Prize Money The ICC allocated a pool of US$6.9 million in prize money for the tournament, a 53 percent increase from the previous edition. The winners would receive the grand prize of $2.24 million, with each team receiving an additional $125,000 for participating. Table: Prize Money of ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Place Teams Amount Per team Total Champions 1 $2.24 million $2.24 million Runners-up 1 $1.12 million $1.12 million Semi-finalists 2 $560,000 $1.12 million 5th–6th place (Group stage) 2 $350,000 $700,000 7th–8th place (Group stage) 2 $140,000 $280,000 Participants 8 $125,000 $1 million Total 8 $6.9 million Read more: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: New Zealand outclass Pakistan after Young, Latham hit centuries Bangladesh’s schedule for the Men’s ICC 2025 Champions Trophy Here is the full schedule for the Bangladesh cricket team at the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy: Table: Fixtures of Bangla Team ICC in the Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Match No Teams Venue Date Time (BDT) 2 Bangladesh v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 20 Feb 3.0 PM  6 Bangladesh v New Zealand Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 24 Feb 3.0 PM 9 Pakistan v Bangladesh Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 27 Feb 3.0 PM  Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana. Read more: Three-decade wait ends as Pakistan hosts Champions Trophy

Pakistan’s 29-year wait to host a major International Cricket Council tournament ended Wednesday when it won the toss and elected to field in the Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand. Pakistan is the defending champion after beating archrival India in the final when the Champions Trophy was last played in 2017. India will be playing all its group matches in the United Arab Emirates, including the marquee game of the group stage on Sunday against Pakistan, because its government didn’t allow the cricketers to travel to Pakistan. The 1996 World Cup, co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka, was the last time Pakistan staged a major ICC event. Bangladesh confident despite underdog status as India clash looms New Zealand is on a high and is quite familiar with the conditions at the newly upgraded Karachi stadium after winning the tri-nation series last week against Pakistan and South Africa. Despite losing two frontline fast bowlers, Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears, due to injuries, New Zealand has shaped up well for the Champions Trophy with all the top-order batters among runs. And the Black Caps spinners, led by Mitchell Santner's left-arm spin, have contained the opposition well in the middle overs. New Zealand also missed opening batter Rachin Ravindra for the opening game as the left-hander is still recovering from a blow on the forehead sustained during the tri-nation series opener at Lahore — one of the three cities hosting the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf, who missed the last two games of the tri-nation series because of a side strain, passed a fitness test and was recalled in place of allrounder Faheem Ashraf. New Zealand, which won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1998, has won all its previous three Champions Trophy games against Pakistan in 2000, 2006 and 2009. Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh and New Zealand are in Group A. Group B comprises England, South Africa, Australia and Afghanistan. Nahid brings pace and promise as Bangladesh ready for Champions Trophy Test The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semifinals. The final is scheduled for March 9. If India qualifies for the final it will be played at Dubai, otherwise Lahore will host the championship decider. Line-ups: New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke. Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was picked for India's Champions Trophy squad on Saturday despite doubts about his fitness. Bumrah suffered back spasms and didn't bowl on the last day of the fifth and final test against Australia in Sydney two weeks ago. He was the leading wicket-taker in the series. India chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar suggested Bumrah may play the third one-day international against England on Feb. 12 in Ahmedabad to test his fitness for the Champions Trophy, which starts for India eight days later in the United Arab Emirates. “Bumrah has been advised to off load from bowling for five weeks and he won't be available for the first two ODIs against England. We are awaiting news on his fitness and will know in early February from the medical team,” Agarkar said. Captain Rohit Sharma added, “We were not sure about his fitness at the moment, and thus picked Arshdeep Singh to perform his roles with the new and old ball.” Opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal was included even though he has yet to play an ODI. Jaiswal takes Suryakumar Yadav’s spot and will be the third opener choice after skipper Sharma and Shubman Gill. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer complete the top-four options. Jaiswal averages 54 in List A cricket and he will compete for the second opener’s slot with Gill, who averages 58.20 in ODIs. There will also be a keen spotlight on the batting form of Sharma and Kohli who both struggled in the five tests against Australia. Missing the cut from the squad which reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup were Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin has retired, and Yadav and Kishan have been dropped. Rishabh Pant and Lokesh Rahul are the wicketkeeper-batter options. Pacer Krishna and allrounder Thakur lost their spots as India bet heavy on spin. Left-arm spin allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel were picked alongside off-spin allrounder Washington Sundar. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav complete India's spin options. Kuldeep Yadav has missed much of the season since October after a groin issue led to hernia surgery. In the pace department, India has opted for Bumrah, Singh and Mohammed Shami. They will be complemented by allrounders Hardik Pandya and Nitish Reddy, who impressed with a maiden test century in Australia. Shami has also been picked for the Twenty20s against England before the ODIs. He took 23 wickets in the 2023 World Cup. India will play its Champions Trophy matches in the UAE after the government refused clearance for the team to travel to Pakistan owing to political tensions. While the rest of the tournament will be in Pakistan, India will play its group matches in Dubai against Bangladesh on Feb. 20, Pakistan on Feb. 23, and New Zealand on March 2. If India qualifies for the semifinals or final, both matches will also be in Dubai. If India doesn't qualify for the final, it will be staged in Lahore on March 9. India won the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni and was runner-up to Pakistan in 2017 under Virat Kohli. Both tournaments were in England.