As Dallas hosts several matches of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the city's burgeoning cricket scene remains largely unnoticed by many of its residents, including an Ethiopian cab driver who expressed surprise upon learning about the tournament. The cab driver, who has lived in Dallas for 30 years, was astonished not only to discover that the World Cup was taking place in his city but also that a team from Bangladesh was participating. His reaction is emblematic of a broader unfamiliarity with cricket in the Texan city, despite serving as a key venue for the event. Catherine, a rideshare driver who introduced herself only by her first name, also knew little about the World Cup. She remarked that she had a vague understanding of cricket, likening it to baseball and noting that it involved a “sort of flat bat.” Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Dallas is quickly emerging as a hub for cricket in the USA, driven by a favorable climate and a significant South Asian diaspora passionate about the sport. This positive environment is fostering the sport's growth across the country. However, for many residents like the Ethiopian cab driver and Catherine, cricket remains relatively unknown. Both were unable to pinpoint the exact location of the stadium that is becoming a focal point for cricket in the USA. Amidst this growing but still nascent awareness, the Bangladesh team arrived in Dallas with the aim of regaining some pride after a demoralizing series defeat against the USA. Their World Cup campaign is set to begin on June 8th at 6:30 am (Bangladesh time). On June 5th, the Bangladesh team practiced at a facility adjacent to the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, which can accommodate 7,000 fans. However, the practice area, still seemingly under development, posed challenges for the team's fast bowlers—Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib—who struggled to find sufficient space for their full run-ups. The difficulties faced by Taskin and his fellow pacers highlighted a sense of underpreparedness as their World Cup campaign approached. Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Despite having two warm-up matches scheduled before the main event, the team's preparations were hampered. Their first warm-up match ended in a heavy defeat to India, offering a chance to assess their weaknesses. The second warm-up match against the USA was abandoned due to inclement weather, further disrupting their preparation. Afif Hossain, a left-handed batter traveling with the Bangladesh team as a standby player, hesitated when asked about the quality of the practice facilities. His reluctant “yes” suggested the facilities were less than ideal for preparing for a major tournament. On a positive note, Taskin Ahmed, the team's key pace bowler, resumed bowling at full strength on Wednesday, providing a boost for the team. Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, Bangladesh's chief selector, expressed optimism about the team's prospects in the World Cup. “Injury was a big concern for us even before we came to the USA,” he acknowledged during a media interaction in Dallas. “Now Shoriful (Islam) needed six stitches, which is a new concern. We need more time to assess his recovery. But the good news is that Taskin is expected to play against Sri Lanka on June 7th if there are no further setbacks.” Stars who can be game-changers for Bangladesh in T20 World Cup

A news report said four people died in a Sunday night shooting at a Dallas apartment building. WFAA-TV reported police have confirmed officers were called for a report of a shooting around 7:10 p.m. in the Northwest Dallas area. The station reported police said four people were discovered with gunshot wounds and all of the victims died at the scene. No information on the victims was immediately available. Police said there was no perceived threat to the public, WFAA reported.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC recently held a mobile consular camp in Texas' Dallas with the support of the Bangladesh Association of North Texas and the Bangladeshi Expatriate Society of Texas. During June 10-12, around 897 people received services and the government earned $47,932.50 as revenue. The consular team was led by Counsellor Arifa Rahman Ruma and First Secretary Muhammad Abdul Hye Milton. It was the highest turnout and revenue earning in any mobile consular camp organised this year, according to a media statement. At the mobile consular camps, services like the issuance of no visa required (NVR) for travel to Bangladesh, the execution of the power of attorney and attestation are delivered instantly. Also, the applications for dual nationality certificate (DNC) and birth registration certificate (BRC) are received for further processing.

A 9-year-old Dallas boy has become the youngest person to die from injuries sustained during a crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival in Houston.  Ezra Blount of Dallas died Sunday at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, family attorney Ben Crump said. Ezra was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering serious injuries in the Nov. 5 crush of fans during a performance by the festival’s headliner, rapper Travis Scott. Also read:8 dead, several injured at Astroworld Festival in Houston He is the 10th person who attended the festival to die. “The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son,” Crump said in a news release Sunday night. “This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration.”    Treston Blount, Ezra’s father, described what happened Nov. 5 in a post on a GoFundMe page that he set up to help defray Ezra’s medical expenses. He said Ezra was sitting on his shoulders when a crowd surge crushed them. The father lost consciousness and when he came to, Ezra was missing, Blount said. A frantic search ensued until Ezra was eventually found at the hospital, severely injured. The child incurred severe damage to his brain, kidney, and liver after being “kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death,” according to a lawsuit his family has filed against Scott and the event’s organizer, Live Nation. The Blount family is seeking at least $1 million in damages. The others who died ranged in age from 14 to 27. Some 300 people were treated at the festival site and 13 were hospitalized. Also read: 9 Hindu devotees die in India road crash Houston police and fire department investigators have said they are reviewing surveillance video provided by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips people at the show widely shared on social media. Investigators also planned to speak with Live Nation representatives, Scott and concertgoers. Scott and the event organizers are now the focus of a criminal investigation.