United News of Bangladesh

Alyssa Healy smashed a brilliant 142 to guide Australia to a thrilling three-wicket win over India, completing the highest successful run chase in women’s one-day international cricket history. Chasing 331 under lights in dewy conditions, the defending champions reached 331-7 with one over to spare. Ellyse Perry sealed the victory in style, hitting a six off the final ball of the 49th over to lift Australia to the top of the Women’s Cricket World Cup standings after wins over New Zealand, Pakistan and India. Healy’s 107-ball knock included 21 fours and three sixes — her sixth ODI century, second against India, and third in World Cup matches. She was named player of the match.“I’m really proud of the group today,” said the Australian captain. “We’ve been talking about our batting depth, and this chase proves it. Full credit to our bowlers for pulling it back — we could have been chasing 360.” India posts strong total but falters lateOpting to bat first, India posted 330 in 48.5 overs but lost momentum after a dominant opening stand. Smriti Mandhana led the charge with 80 off 66 balls, hitting nine fours and three sixes, and sharing a 155-run partnership with Pratika Rawal (75 off 96). Mandhana crossed 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year — a first in women’s cricket — and also reached 5,000 career runs in just 112 innings, the fastest by an Indian woman.However, India collapsed late, losing its last six wickets for just 36 runs. Annabel Sutherland starred with the ball for Australia, taking 5-40 — her first five-wicket haul. She dismissed Rawal in the 31st over and triggered the lower-order slide.Sophie Molineux picked up 3-75, including the key wicket of Mandhana. Harleen Deol added 38 off 42, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur hit 22 off 17, and Richa Ghosh finished with a quickfire 32 off 22. Afghanistan crush Bangladesh to seal ODI series in Abu Dhabi Healy anchors record chaseAustralia’s reply began confidently, with Healy and Phoebe Litchfield putting on 85 for the first wicket. Litchfield made 40 off 39 balls before falling to left-arm spinner Shree Charani.Perry (47 not out) shared a crucial 69-run stand with Healy before briefly retiring hurt with a hamstring issue, then returning later to finish the chase. Healy reached her century off 84 balls and added 95 off 70 deliveries with Ashleigh Gardner (45). Despite a late double strike from Amanjot Kaur, Perry and Kim Garth kept their composure to complete a famous win. The seven-time world champions have now extended their unbeaten World Cup run to 12 matches, dating back to 2022. Australia will face Bangladesh next on Thursday, while India, who lost to South Africa in their previous match, will meet England in Indore after a week’s break. Source: AP 

Afghanistan crushed Bangladesh in all departments in the second ODI of the three-match contest and sealed the series.  The hosts bounced back strongly after the 3-0 defeat in the T20I series just before the ODIs.  They won the toss and opted to bat first, and posted a below-par total of 190 all out. They lost quick wickets, but Ibrahim Zadran was firm at one end of the wicket, scoring 95 runs.  He fell to Mehidy Hasan Miraz while playing a big shot down the wicket. Rishad Hossain took a brilliant catch to send him back with five runs to go for a century.  While replying, Bangladesh crumbled to 109 all out in just 28.3 overs, undone largely by Rashid Khan’s stunning spell of five for 17. Azmatullah Omarzai struck early, removing both openers inside the first two overs, before Rashid spun through the middle and lower order to complete the rout. Rashid Khan bagged five wickets for only 17 runs in 8.3 overs. It was his third-best bowling in an ODI.  Bangladesh left to regret lost partnerships as Afghanistan take opening ODI Earlier, Ibrahim held the innings together amid regular wickets, as Bangladesh’s spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz (3-42) and Rishad Hossain (2-37) kept the pressure on. For Bangladesh, Saif Hassan (22) and Towhid Hridoy (24) showed brief resistance, but no partnership lasted long enough to challenge the hosts. Skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz fell lbw for 4, and the tail folded quickly under Rashid’s relentless turn. The win gave Afghanistan an unassailable 2–0 lead in the series, their disciplined bowling and sharper batting once again exposing Bangladesh’s frailties in foreign conditions. The final ODI will be played at the same venue on Monday.

Nadine de Klerk’s blistering 84 not out off 54 balls powered South Africa to a thrilling three-wicket victory over hosts India in the Women’s Cricket World Cup on Thursday. De Klerk smashed five sixes and eight fours, steering the Proteas to 252-7 in 48.5 overs after skipper Laura Wolvaardt’s steady 70 off 111 balls. Earlier, South Africa bowled out India for 251 in 49.5 overs, with Chloe Tryon taking 3-32 and de Klerk 2-52. India’s Richa Ghosh hit a valiant 94 off 77 balls, lifting her side from 102-6 to a competitive total. However, de Klerk’s late heroics sealed South Africa’s second consecutive win, placing them fourth in the standings. Knight digs deep as England edge Bangladesh in a hard-fought win “I just wanted to finish the game and give ourselves the best chance,” said Player of the Match de Klerk. “I love World Cups — there’s no bigger stage than playing India at home.” India, now third with two wins from three matches, faces defending champions Australia on Sunday, while South Africa meets Bangladesh on Monday. Source: AP 

Following a five-wicket defeat against Afghanistan in the first ODI in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, Bangladesh’s captain Mehdiy Hasan Miraz said the failure to build partnerships cost them the match.  Bangladesh batted first after winning the toss, but were only able to post 221, a total that Mehdiy said was at least 40 runs short.  The Bangladesh captain admitted that early wickets and the inability to steady the innings once again proved decisive for them.  “We lost too many wickets in the first 15 overs,” he said after the match. “The wicket had a bit of turn, and we struggled during that period. The way Towhid Hridoy batted was really good, but when the crunch moments came, we couldn’t hold our partnerships together.” Tamim slams BCB election, says he would have won “without a doubt” Towhid Hridoy scored 56, and Mehidy posted 60 on their way to lifting Bangladesh briefly to 175 for five. But Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai triggered a collapse.  The last five batters added only 46 runs to the board.  “We are a good bowling side and don’t usually give away many runs, but when you’re 30 or 40 short, it becomes difficult. The main issue is that we’re not finishing our innings well,” Mehidy added. He also said that the team had targeted at least 260, which he felt would have given the bowlers a fighting chance. While replying, Afghanistan rarely looked in trouble. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibarahim Zadran provided a solid foundation.  Rahmanullah ended up hitting a fifty, and Rahmat Shah also scored 50 to guide them to an easy win after losing all the matches of the T20I series.  “We know the mistakes we made. We need to learn quickly and fix them before the next match,” he said. “I’m confident the boys will bounce back.” Bangladesh now need to win the second match on Saturday at the same venue to keep the chance of winning the series alive.

Former Bangladesh captain, who recently pulled himself out of the election of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), said he would have won the election if only he had taken part. He said he didn't take part in the election because it wasn’t a real contest. “Even if those 15 clubs were there or not, do you think people wouldn’t have voted for me? I never needed to chase anyone or make deals. I just wanted a clean election,” Tamim said in a press conference called by the Dhaka Club Cricket Organisers Association Along with Tamim, at least a dozen other candidates pulled out, citing that the election was interfered with by the government. Aminul Haque, a BNP leader, said the sports adviser, Asif Mahmud, intimidated the candidates to do what he wanted, an allegation that the sports adviser never addressed. Before the election, a court had briefly barred 15 newly promoted third-division clubs from voting, then reversed that order just before polling day. By Monday night, Aminul Islam was declared president again, unopposed. Two vice presidents, Shakhawat Hossain and Faruk Ahmed, were also elected without a contest. To Tamim and many organisers, it felt like a performance, not an election. The organisers’ group, which includes some of Dhaka’s biggest clubs, has now said they’ll boycott all league and divisional cricket until further notice. “We don’t accept an illegitimate president,” Mohammedan Sporting Club councillor Masuduzzaman said flatly. “There’s nothing more to discuss.” Tamim nodded to that frustration and went after the voting system, too. “Why e-voting when everyone’s in the room?” he asked. “Thirty-four out of forty-three votes came electronically. Even the candidates had to vote that way. What’s the need for that?” After stepping back from BCB polls, Tamim alleges ‘election fixing’ The standoff leaves domestic cricket hanging. Tamim said he knows the boycott will hurt players — “of course it will,” he admitted — but he put the blame squarely elsewhere. “The organisers should’ve thought about that before holding an election like this,” he said. “Cricketers deserve better. They deserve fairness, not deals made behind closed doors.”      

Aminul Islam, the newly elected president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), said they are planning to bring cricket to the hundreds of thousands of madrasa students.  There was no such organised plan to do so in the past. If it takes shape, it will be a first in the board’s history and one of the earliest initiatives of the newly elected committee. Aminul revealed the plan on Tuesday. However, it’s understood that it’s just an initial thought for now.  Knight digs deep as England edge Bangladesh in a hard-fought win Aminul also said the board aims to take the game beyond schools and colleges to include madrasah students as part of a wider grassroots expansion. “Madrasahs have hundreds of thousands of students,” Aminul said, indicating to the fact that madrasahs can also produce some cricketing talents.  Under previous administrations, those tournaments helped identify a steady stream of young players from urban and semi-urban areas. With the inclusion of madrasah institutions, the BCB hopes to bring out more talents from rural and religious education networks that have so far remained overlooked.    

England had to fight harder than they would’ve liked.  In the latest match of the ICC Women’s World Cup, Bangladesh gave them a real scare before Heather Knight, cool and stubborn, batted through for an unbeaten 79 to pull off a four-wicket win Tuesday night. Bangladesh’s 178 didn’t look much at first glance, but it came with heart. Sobhana Mostary, all patience and clean timing, made 60 — her first ODI fifty — while Rabeya Khan’s late burst, 43 from 27 balls, added the energy they badly needed. For a side still learning how to play these big games, it wasn’t bad at all. England’s spinners kept it tight. Sophie Ecclestone was, as usual, impossible to get away, finishing with 3 for 24. Capsey and Dean got two each. The Bangladesh batters went 10 overs without a boundary, but they never really gave up. They just didn’t have enough firepower once the top order folded. When England began the chase, Marufa Akter came flying in. The teenager trapped Amy Jones lbw in her first over and got Tammy Beaumont a few minutes later. For a moment, it felt like something might happen. And when Fahima Khatun took three quick wickets — including Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophia Dunkley — England were in deep trouble at 78 for 5. That’s when Knight took over. It wasn’t pretty. She scratched around early, mistimed a few, survived three reviews, and looked short of touch. But she hung in. That’s what she does. She and Charlie Dean, who made 27 off 56 balls, just stayed there, knocking singles, slowly draining the tension out of the game. England wrap up 2–0 T20 series triumph over Ireland By the time Knight reached fifty, England were already back in control. The last few overs were a formality. Dean drove the winning runs through midwicket with 23 balls left. Bangladesh will leave with some regret, maybe, but also pride. They bowled with purpose, fielded hard, and made one of the world’s best sides work for every run. Marufa’s pace and Fahima’s spell were reminders that this team is learning fast. It wasn’t their night — but it felt close enough to be one soon.

Corporate leader and sports organizer Rubaba Dowla has been drafted into the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), replacing Isfak Ahsan, whose nomination was quietly withdrawn hours after Monday’s board election.   The National Sports Council (NSC), which appoints two directors to the 25-member BCB board, made the switch overnight after questions surfaced about Isfak’s political background.   He had previously sought the Awami League’s nomination for a parliamentary seat in Chandpur and later contested as an independent. Once photos of him attending party events began circulating online, the criticism was swift — and by early Tuesday, his name was off the list.   Rubaba, currently the Country Director for Oracle Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, she has built a reputation as one of the country’s leading corporate figures.   Before joining Oracle, she spent over a decade at Grameenphone, where she was a familiar face in cricket circles during the company’s long sponsorship of the national team.   She has also been active in sports beyond cricket.   From 2009 to 2015, she served as President of the Bangladesh Badminton Federation, and she sits on the board of Special Olympics Bangladesh.//    

The National Sports Council has withdrawn Isfak Ahsan from its list of nominees to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), only hours after Monday’s election wrapped up.   The move came after news circulated on social media about Isfak being a member of the Awami League.    By late night, officials decided to pull his name back, saying a new director would be named on Tuesday.   The NSC can nominate two members to the board of directors of the BCB.    Aminul Islam, who has returned as BCB president, now begins his new term with a board already facing questions about how politically neutral it really is.   At the NSC office, there was little effort to hide the unease. Officials admitted the background checks were rushed, saying they wanted to avoid any controversy at a time when the country’s top sports body is under unusual scrutiny.   A replacement is expected within the day.    

As expected, Aminul Islam Bulbul, Bangladesh's first Test centurion, has been installed as president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), after all his opponents dropped out one-by-one by the eve of an election marred by allegations of government influence. Chief Election Commissioner Mohammad Hussain announced the official results around 8:15pm on Monday at a Dhaka hotel, confirming Aminul’s continuation as BCB chief. He has already served in the position for four months after taking over in the wake of Faruque Ahmed's removal. Faruque will now serve as one of two vice presidents who were also elected unopposed - the other being Shakhawat Hossain. The announcement ended a tense election period that drew controversy over alleged government interference, boycotts by several candidates, and last-minute legal reversals that altered the voter list. Despite these disputes, Aminul’s re-election was widely expected after key rivals withdrew or were ruled out amid a divided election process. Aminul, who first assumed the presidency on an interim basis four months ago following Faruque Ahmed’s unexpected removal, will now lead the 25-member board that emerged from the day’s polls. The new committee includes former players, club representatives, and administrators from across the country’s divisions. While the new board takes office under a cloud of skepticism, Aminul promised ahead of the vote to focus on stability and continuity in Bangladesh cricket. Khaled Mashud elected BCB director first time as new board takes shape “My only goal is to work for the betterment of Bangladesh cricket,” he told reporters Sunday. The two vice presidents, Shakhawat and Faruque, are both seen as strong insiders in the cricket establishment. Shakhawat, a former divisional administrator, and Faruque, an ex-national captain as well as recent board president, also bring experience to the board’s leadership team. Monday’s results complete one of the most debated BCB elections in recent years, with Aminul’s camp now firmly in charge and several opposition candidates claiming the process was influenced by “forces beyond cricket.”