United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh lost four wickets before reaching 100 runs in the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.  During the 34th over of the match, rain came in and the match was halted.  Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. But they failed to justify the decision as the opener Anamul Haque Bijoy fell quickly for a duck.  In the first match of the series in Galle, Anamul failed to prove his inclusion in the Test squad. He was expected to make an impact in the second match, but on the first chance, he disappointed.  Mominul Haque was the second to fall. He was dismissed by the Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva off his first delivery of the match.  It was a tossed-up delivery just outside the off-stump. The left-handed batter failed to play it properly. Instead, he pushed an easy catch straight to the fielder.  The onus was on the captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, to steady the ship, but the twin centurion in the first match fell for eight this time. After him, opener Shadman Islam fell for 46.  The first match of the series ended in a draw. Both teams came to Colombo aiming for a win to seal the series.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and decided to bat first in the second and final Test of the Sri Lanka series in Colombo on Wednesday. The first match of the series ended in a draw, with batters showing their skills and determination in Galle. For Bangladesh, Najmul and Mushfiur Rahim hit a century each. For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka smashed 187. In the second match, both teams eyed a win to seal the series. Bangladesh made two changes to the playing XI, with Hasan Mahmud and Jaker Ali dropping to pave the way for Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Ebadot Hossain. Naeem Hasan’s place was in doubt due to the return of Mehidy, but Nayeem kept his place thanks to his five-for in the first match. India scores five centuries but still falls to England in Headingley Test The hosts made only one change, bringing Sonal Dinusha to replace Angelo Mathews, who retired from the format after the Galle Test. Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Nahid Rana, Ebadot Hossain. Sri Lanka playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sonal Dinusha, Tharindu Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando.

India found itself reflecting on both achievements and missed opportunities after losing to England on Tuesday in their first Test without veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin in over a decade. Led by new captain Shubman Gill, the reshaped Indian team put England under pressure at Headingley but failed to capitalize at crucial moments. Despite putting up big totals of 471 and 364, India lost the opening match of the five-Test series by five wickets, as England successfully chased down a daunting target of 371 in the final session. This marks only the second time India has lost a Test while defending a score of over 350. The first occurred in 2022, also against England, when they chased down 378 at Edgbaston under coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes. Both sides will meet again at Edgbaston for the second Test next week. India made history by becoming the first team in first-class cricket — not just in Tests — to score five individual centuries in a match and still lose. Bangladesh face welcome selection dilemma ahead of Colombo Test The visitors had several chances to bat England out of the contest but failed to do so twice. Opting to bat first after losing the toss, India rode on centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Gill, and Rishabh Pant to reach 430-3 but were eventually bowled out for 471. In the second innings, Lokesh Rahul and Pant scored hundreds to push India to 333-4, only for the innings to collapse again to 364. The inability of the middle and lower order to extend India's dominance proved costly. While a target of 371 was substantial, Gill admitted they had hoped to set England a target of around 430. “We spoke about the first-innings collapse,” Gill said. “It happens, we have to rectify that.” Fielding errors compounded India's problems. Dropped catches in the first innings allowed England to add 146 runs they might not have otherwise scored. Ben Duckett, dropped on 15, went on to make 62. Ollie Pope was given a life on 60 and reached 106. Harry Brook, dropped on 46 after being reprieved by a no-ball on 0, scored 99. England's opening pair also benefited from missed chances on Tuesday. Jasprit Bumrah put down a difficult caught-and-bowled chance when Zak Crawley was on 42 — he went on to score 65. Jaiswal, who had already dropped two earlier catches, grassed another when Duckett was on 97. Duckett went on to make 149. Another moment of frustration came when Ben Stokes, on 22, popped a chance off his glove between wicketkeeper Pant and Rahul at leg slip, but neither could react. “We had our chances,” Gill said. “Dropped catches (and the) lower (batting order) not contributing cost us. Chances don't come easy on wickets like this, but we have a young team, a learning one." The result also stung because Jasprit Bumrah, India's top bowler, will be available for only two of the remaining four Tests due to back injury management. Bumrah claimed five wickets in the first innings but went wicketless in the second. Gill couldn't confirm when Bumrah would return. Colombo Test: Both teams eye a series victory “It’s decided game by game,” he said. “Once we’re close to the next game after a long break, we’ll see.”  Source: Agency     

Bangladesh find themselves in a welcome but tricky situation ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, starting Wednesday at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, as the return of Mehidy Hasan Miraz poses a selection dilemma for the team management. Mehidy missed the first Test in Galle due to illness. But now he is back with his all-around values.  However, his replacement in Galle, off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, made a strong case for retention by taking six wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. “It’s a good headache to have,” head coach Phil Simmons said on Tuesday. “Miraz is world-class, contributes with both bat and ball. But Nayeem was brilliant in Galle. It’s never easy to leave someone out after such a performance. We'll take a final call after today’s training.” Should Bangladesh decide to play both off-spinners, a likely casualty could be a specialist batter—possibly wicketkeeper-batter Zakir Ali. But Simmons declined to confirm anything, stating that the final XI would be revealed on match day. Galle Test: Shanto hits back-to-back centuries as Bangladesh set 296 for Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, too, are undergoing changes. With veteran Angelo Mathews having retired after the Galle Test, three young faces—Pavan Rathnayake, Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sonal Dinusha—have been added to the squad. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva hinted that Dinusha, a left-handed batter who also bowls left-arm spin, is in serious consideration. “Sonal is promising, and can be useful given the conditions,” Dhananjaya said. Meanwhile, medium-pacer Milan Rathnayake has been ruled out with a side strain, creating an opening for either Kasun Rajitha or Akila Dananjaya—the latter returning to the Test setup after nearly six years.

The rain-hit draw in the first Test of the two-match series has disappointed both Sri Lanka and touring Bangladesh. In the second Test, starts on Wednesday, both teams eye a win to seal the series.  Bangladesh’s head coach Phil Simmons sounded optimistic ahead of the second Test. He drew inspiration from the performance of the first match, where Bangladesh dictated the match much of the time before the rain ruined the potential result.  “We hit the ground running,” Simmons said. “That gives us a lot of belief going into the second Test.” There are criticisms that Bangladesh had declared earlier, the result would have been possible. Simmons defended the team’s approach, citing the flatness of the pitch and reduced time due to rain. “The wicket was still good. It wasn’t turning much, and the rough wasn’t going to be as effective with only two left-handers in their lineup,” he explained. In the first match, Bangladesh’s stars were Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim. While Najmul hit centuries in each innings, Mushfiqur hit one. And with the ball, Nayeem Hasan bags a five-for.  The return of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, now fully fit after illness ruled him out of the first Test, provides a boost. Sri Lanka suffer a blow ahead of second Test vs Bangladesh But it also poses a selection dilemma, especially after Nayeem’s standout performance in Galle, where he took a five-wicket haul across both innings. “That’s the hard part,” Simmons admitted. “Nayeem had a wonderful game, and it would be tough to leave him out. But we always prioritize what’s best for the team.” Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will be without seamer Milan Rathnayake due to a side strain.  Vishwa Fernando replaces him, while spin-bowling allrounder Dunith Wellalage comes in to fill the void left by Angelo Mathews, who retired from Tests after the first match. Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva is anticipating a high-scoring affair but expects the pitch to offer some turn in the latter stages. “It’s going to be a batting wicket, especially in the first few days,” he said. “But it should start turning later.” While Dhananjaya acknowledged Miraz’s quality, he downplayed any specific threat from the off-spinner. “He’s a good performer, and we respect that. But we’re focused on our own game. It should be a good contest.”

Despite another impressive run in domestic cricket, wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan has once again been overlooked for Bangladesh’s ODI squad. In the recently announced squad for the Sri Lanka series, Nurul did not find a place, and this omission is beginning to weigh heavy on the 30-year-old. “National team selection is always a dream,” Nurul told reporters in Chattogram on Monday. “If that dream no longer exists, I won’t continue playing cricket.” In the last season of the Dhaka Premier League, Nurul struck 512 runs with two centuries and half-centuries, which created high hopes for his national team call-up. He also did well last year when Bangladesh A faced New Zealand A. Shoriful, Sohan star in DPL as Dhanmondi, Rupganj secure win On Sunday, the day the ODI squad was announced, he smashed 97 off 70 balls in a practice match featuring national team players. Still, Litton Das and Jaker Ali have been called to the team, leaving no space for a third wicketkeeper-batter. Nurul admitted frustration over not being able to translate domestic form into a regular national spot. “I might have done better if I had more opportunities,” he said. Chief selector Gazi Ashraf hinted that Nurul remains in consideration and could be called up in future series. Until then, Nurul will prepare to lead Rangpur Riders in the Global Super League, set to begin on July 10 in Guyana.

Sri Lanka pacer Milan Rathnayake has been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh due to a side strain, dealing a blow to the hosts ahead of the Colombo clash starting June 25. Left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando has been named as his replacement. Rathnayake had impressed in the Galle Test, picking up four wickets and contributing 39 runs in a vital 84-run partnership with Kamindu Mendis. The injury that had briefly forced him off the field during the match has now sidelined him completely. Najmul suffers another finger blow ahead of Colombo Test, status unclear In another change, 22-year-old spin-bowling allrounder Dunith Wellalage has also been added to the squad, likely to fill the vacancy left by Angelo Mathews following his retirement from Test cricket. While Wellalage and Sonal Dinusha bring spin options, Sri Lanka may lean toward bolstering their pace attack on the SSC pitch, which typically offers less turn than Galle. Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Pavan Rathnayake, or Oshada Fernando are among the frontrunners to slot into the middle order in Mathews’ absence. Sri Lanka’s next Test after this series isn’t scheduled until 2026, adding weight to selection decisions in Colombo. Sri Lanka squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Rathnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha and Isitha Wijesundara.

Rishabh Pant smashed his second century of the Leeds Test at Headingley on Monday, following up his brilliant 134 in the first innings with another crucial hundred when India found themselves under pressure. Coming to the crease with India struggling at 92 for 3, Pant stitched together a massive 195-run stand with KL Rahul, who contributed a superb 137. Pant's knock of 118, laced with 15 boundaries and 3 sixes, helped India set a formidable target of 371 runs for England. With this feat, Pant became the first Indian to register centuries in both innings of a Test in England. He also joined an elite group of Indian players — Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar (who achieved the feat three times), Rahul Dravid (twice), Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma — to have scored tons in both innings of a Test match. Rahul and Pant's centuries set England 371 at Headingley Pant’s four centuries in England, which include his 114 at The Oval in 2018 and 146 at Edgbaston in 2022, have now drawn him level with Indian greats Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar, both of whom have scored four Test hundreds on English soil. Only Rahul Dravid, with six centuries, sits ahead of him. With four more Tests left on India’s current England tour, Pant has a strong chance to surpass Dravid and set a new Indian record. Additionally, Pant became only the second designated wicketkeeper-batter to hit centuries in both innings of a Test, a rare feat first achieved by Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower. Pant's total of 252 runs in the Leeds Test is now the highest match aggregate by an Indian wicketkeeper, surpassing Budhi Kunderan's 230-run effort against England in Chennai in 1964. It also ranks as the fourth-highest match aggregate by any wicketkeeper in Test history, with Andy Flower still holding the top spot. Moreover, Pant has joined an elite club of visiting players with five consecutive fifty-plus scores in England, a list that includes cricket legends Don Bradman, Hansie Cronje, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kumar Sangakkara, and Daryl Mitchell. Only Steve Smith has more, with seven successive fifty-plus scores. Pant dazzles with fearless century at Headingley as India shine against England In addition, the Leeds Test turned out to be historic for India, with four Indian batters — Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Pant — scoring centuries at Headingley. Notably, Pant contributed two of those five centuries, marking a rare and remarkable achievement for Indian cricket. #With inputs from Agencies

Centuries by Lokesh Rahul and Rishabh Pant helped India set England a steep target of 371 to win the series-opening test at Headingley on Monday. India was all out for 364 in its second innings and, in the last half hour of day four, England knocked 21 runs off the target and survived three overs from star pacer Jasprit Bumrah. England needs 350 more runs at less than four an over in the last three sessions on Tuesday, weather permitting. Some rain is forecast. The odds favor India on a fifth-day pitch but England in its ‘Bazball’ era is confident of chasing down the target. If it does, it will be a record for England at Headingley. Rahul hit 137 and Pant 118 — his second ton of the match — in a stand of 195 that turned the match India's way. They played a tight situation perfectly; absorbing intense England pressure in the morning then going on the attack in a stunning afternoon. They had some luck. Rahul was dropped on 58 and Pant edged twice into the vacant slip area. The unlucky bowler each time was Josh Tongue, but he contributed to routing the India tail again with three wickets in four balls. One of the wickets was caught by Joe Root, his 210th catch tying Rahul Dravid's test record.

Bangladesh Women's Football team will fly for Myanmar Wednesday early hours to compete in the Group C matches of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers beginning in Yangon on June 29. Bangladesh has been placed in Group C of the Asian tournament along with hosts Myanmar, Bahrain and Turkmenistan. U-15 National Football: Bogura DSA beat Sirajganj DSA by 3-0 goals In Group C matches, Bangladesh will face Bahrain on June 29, Myanmar on July 2, and Turkmenistan on July 5, all at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon. Ahead of the Myanmar tour, Bangladesh women's team will make their practices at the National Stadium in Dhaka Tuesday morning from 8:30 am. As a part of their preparations for the AFC Women's Asia Cup, Bangladesh women's team made very good practices in Tri-nation Football Tournament in Lebanon playing draw with upper ranked Jordan and Indonesia. Coming from behind twice, touring Bangladesh Women's Football team forced their 69th ranked upper host Jordan to play 2-2 draw in the 2nd match after playing goalless draw with Indonesia in the first match, both at the King Abdullah Stadium in the Jordan capital, Amman in May and June.