United News of Bangladesh

The International Cricket Council (ICC) warned Indian cricket team captain Suryakumar Yadav for making political comments, after Pakistan issued complaints against him.    It was expected that Suryakumar would be imposed a fine, but that was not the reality. He was warned after a hearing in Dubai during the Asia Cup, overseen by the match referee Richi Richardson.    He was advised to keep his comments on cricket only.    The controversy began after India’s win over Pakistan on September 14. Suryakumar, in a TV interview, used the phrase “Operation Sindoor” — a term Pakistan argued was tied to military operations in Kashmir.   Bangladesh crash out after batting collapse hands Pakistan Asia Cup final spot   The Pakistan board complained formally, saying the remark dragged politics into the game.   The issue has fed into a tournament already loaded with tension.   Earlier, Pakistan had accused referee Andy Pycroft of telling the captains not to shake hands at the toss. That incident almost led to a boycott threat before Pycroft apologized for what he called a misunderstanding.   India, meanwhile, has hit back with complaints of its own. The BCCI wrote to the ICC about gestures made by Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan during the September 21 Super Four match.   Farhan’s half-century was followed by a mock rifle salute, while Rauf was seen making a hand signal that Indian fans said mimicked the downing of a plane.   Whether those cases are pursued remains unclear.   For now, the ICC insists its officials act fairly and its players avoid politics. But with India and Pakistan, every word and gesture seems to carry extra weight.   India and Pakistan, not-so-friendly neighbours, are all set to take on each other in the Asia Cup final on Sunday in Dubai.   

For a while, it felt like Bangladesh were about to write a different story. Pakistan had been reduced to 49 for 5, the Dubai stands were roaring with red-and-green flags, and a fourth Asia Cup final seemed within reach. By the end of the night, the noise had gone quiet. Pakistan scraped to 135 for 8, and Bangladesh, chasing a modest 169, folded for 124, losing by 11 runs. It was not the target that beat them so much as the manner of the chase. Parvez Hossain lasted two balls. Towhid Hridoy scratched to 5 off 10. Mahedi Hasan and Nurul Hasan never shifted gears. Even stand-in captain Jaker Ali, spoken as a power hitter and trusted with finisher’s role, managed only 5 off nine balls before nicking off. Across six games, he did not clear the rope once — a telling stat for a player once labeled Bangladesh’s “big hitter in waiting.” Asia Cup: Bangladesh need 136 runs in must-win clash against Pakistan The only real resistance came from Shamim Hossain, who made 30 off 25, and Saif Hassan’s earlier 25. But wickets kept falling, and when Shamim departed, the match was gone. The frustration was sharper because the bowlers had given Bangladesh a chance. Taskin Ahmed struck twice up front, Mahedi and Rishad chipped in, and the seamers strung together 55 dot balls. Yet catches went down, and Pakistan clawed past 130, a total that proved just enough. So Pakistan march into Sunday’s final, where they will meet India in the first-ever Asia Cup title clash between the two rivals. India secure Asia Cup final; Bangladesh face must-win clash against Pakistan For Bangladesh, it was another night of ifs and buts — chances created but squandered, and a campaign that ended one step short of the finish line.

Bangladesh have been set a target of 136 runs by Pakistan in a must-win Asia Cup Super Four clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday. Opting to bat first, Pakistan were restricted to a modest total, thanks to a disciplined and strategic bowling performance by Bangladesh. The bowlers kept a tight line, applying pressure throughout the innings. Young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain played a key role, removing Fakhar Zaman for 13 off 20 balls right after the Powerplay, before striking again in his next over to dismiss Hussain Talat for 3. At the 10-over mark, Pakistan were struggling at 46 for 4. Pakistan captain Salman Agha remained unbeaten on 18 off 21 balls, while Mohammad Haris finished not out on 8 off 5 deliveries, helping Pakistan limp to a competitive but chaseable total. This match is crucial for both sides, with a place in the final hanging in the balance. A loss for either team would effectively end their Asia Cup campaign. Bangladesh Playing XI: Saif Hassan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali (capt & wk), Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman Pakistan Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (capt), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India walked into the Asia Cup final on Wednesday night with a 41-run victory over Bangladesh in Dubai, a result shaped by Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 75 and a clinical display of spin bowling that left their opponents short of answers. Asked to bat first, India looked in no mood to settle in. Abhishek, timing everything sweetly, and Shubman Gill gave them 72 in the powerplay. Abhishek’s 37-ball knock, laced with six fours and five sixes, set the early pace. Gill chipped in with 29 before Bangladesh managed to apply some brakes. Rishad Hossain, with his leg-spin, picked up two wickets, and Mustafizur Rahman dismissed India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav. Hardik Pandya, though, ensured the finish was strong, making 38 from 29 balls to lift India to 168 for six — a total that always felt above par. The reply from Bangladesh never carried conviction. Tanzid Hasan was bowled by Bumrah for one, and from there the innings lurched. Only Saif Hassan held his ground, carving a defiant 69 off 51 deliveries with five towering sixes. Emon’s 21 was the next best contribution. Beyond them, the line-up collapsed: Shamim Hossain fell for a duck, captain Jaker Ali ran himself out, and the lower order never stitched together resistance. From 65 for three at the halfway point, Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for just 62 runs. India’s bowlers were relentless. Bumrah’s opening burst — four overs for just 18 runs and two wickets — set the tone. Kuldeep Yadav (three for 18) and Varun Chakravarthy (two for 29) suffocated the middle overs, while Tilak Varma chipped in with the final wicket to seal it with three balls left unused. For India, it was another night of balance and control, despite some sloppy fielding late on. “We wanted to bat first in a big game and see how we go,” Suryakumar said afterwards. Abhishek, named Player of the Match, played down his fireworks: “I just try to keep it simple. Look at the field, back the shots I work on.” For Bangladesh, it was a familiar tale of one man fighting a lone battle. Saif’s innings kept the scoreboard respectable, but there was little support around him. Jaker admitted as much: “After ten overs we bowled well, but chasing we never really got going. We’ll take the positives and move on quickly.” There was at least one record to note: Mustafizur’s wicket made him Bangladesh’s leading bowler in T20 internationals, moving to 150 career wickets, ahead of Shakib Al Hasan. But that milestone offered little comfort. India, unbeaten in the tournament, can now plan for Sunday’s final. Bangladesh, by contrast, have no time to dwell. They meet Pakistan less than 24 hours later in what amounts to a semifinal for them. Win, and the dream of a final stays alive. Lose, and the campaign ends with regrets.

Bangladesh will walk into the Dubai International Stadium tonight knowing exactly what stands in front of them: an Indian side that has yet to lose a game in this Asia Cup and carries three No. 1 ranked players in T20 cricket. Suryakumar Yadav’s team brushed aside Pakistan in their last outing, chasing down 172 with more than an over to spare. Before that, they eased past Oman and Sri Lanka, powered by the heavy scoring of opener Abhishek Sharma and the control of spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. India have been clinical — and the numbers tell the story. Since the start of 2024 they have lost just three of 35 T20 internationals. But Bangladesh come into the contest with their own momentum. Liton Das’s side beat Sri Lanka in their first Super Four match, a chase that went deep into the final over and showed a steel not always associated with Bangladesh in this format. Saif Hassan’s fifty and Towhid Hridoy’s return to form have given them reason to believe. The question is how to transfer that belief into a result against a team that, on paper, has very few weak points. The blueprint may lie in the small margins. India’s top order — Sharma and Shubman Gill — tends to explode in the powerplay. Getting Sharma early will be crucial; his strike rate of nearly 200 means even a 30-ball stay can be match-defining. Offspinner Mahedi Hasan and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed are options Bangladesh might lean on with the new ball. Gill, too, has vulnerabilities. He has been prone to lbw when trapped by fuller deliveries on the stumps, and there are questions about his judgment outside off.  Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, familiar with Indian batters through IPL, will need to find those lines quickly. For Bangladesh’s batters, the challenge is to keep the scoreboard moving against India’s spinners. Kuldeep and Varun rarely offer loose deliveries, so strike rotation will be key. Liton, if fit after a recent training injury, and Tanzid Hasan must take advantage of the fielding restrictions. A strong platform is non-negotiable if Bangladesh are to dream of 180-plus. The toss could play its part. Dew in Dubai has made defending totals tricky, with bowlers struggling to grip the ball under lights. India, confident chasers throughout this tournament, have thrived on it. Bangladesh will have to weigh the benefits of batting first — and perhaps forcing India into an uncomfortable chase — against the risk of bowling second with a wet ball. Bangladesh not playing their brand of cricket, says Mukund Beyond tactics, there is history. Bangladesh have beaten India only once in 17 T20 meetings, in Delhi in 2019. The venue then, a sluggish pitch aiding spinners, bears some resemblance to Dubai. That sliver of precedent may be what Liton and his team cling to. Nobody is under illusions. India start as overwhelming favorites. Yet Bangladesh have shown enough resilience this tournament to believe they can at least stretch the contest. As Mustafizur said after the win against Sri Lanka, “On the day, one spell or one partnership can change everything.” For Bangladesh, that day needs to be today.    

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election has turned into a political slugfest, with both sides hurling serious accusations just weeks before the vote. On Saturday, former national captain Tamim Iqbal told reporters in Dhaka that “powerful quarters in government” were trying to interfere with the October 6 election. He didn’t mention names, but his words were taken as a direct swipe at Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud.  By Sunday night, Asif hit back on live television. He denied any government meddling, insisting that routine communication from ministries was being twisted as “interference.” But then he dropped a bombshell, accusing Tamim’s backers of using his name as cover for strong-arm tactics. “People in Tamim bhai’s name are abducting others to grab club councilorships,” Asif said on a tv interview. “One senior official was even called and told to quit the race in exchange for being made CEO. What do you call that if not terrorism? These activities are happening with Tamim’s banner in front. I don’t know how much he realises,” he added.  Tamim, who is contesting as a councilor from Old DOHS, had stood alongside BNP politicians at Saturday’s press conference, where his group alleged that the Cabinet Division, Sports Ministry and National Sports Council were all trying to stack the list of councilors with government loyalists. “If you keep changing names through ad hoc committees, this isn’t an election anymore — it becomes a selection,” Tamim said. Former star Australian umpire to join BCB in September The clash has laid bare the political divide now running through cricket’s governing body. Tamim is being openly backed by BNP figures, while Asif and current BCB chief Aminul Islam are seen as aligned with the ruling Awami League. Asif insisted he wanted a fair contest. “If Tamim Iqbal were simply running as one of Bangladesh’s greatest cricketers, I’d be happy,” he said. “But not as a candidate of a political party.”    

India rode on a blistering opening stand from Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill to ease past Pakistan by six wickets in their Asia Cup Super Four encounter on Sunday night, wrapping up the chase with seven balls to spare at the Dubai International Stadium. Set 172, India came out swinging. Abhishek, the left-hander who has been growing in stature over the past year, produced a career-defining knock of 74 off just 39 balls, striking six fours and five sixes. Gill, equally fluent, cracked 47 off 28.  Together they put on 105 for the first wicket in under 10 overs, effectively taking the game away from Pakistan before the halfway stage. Pakistan had no answers during that onslaught. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s pace was blunted, his final over disappearing for 10 runs. Haris Rauf fought back admirably, picking up two wickets and giving little away in his four overs, but the damage was already done. After Gill’s dismissal, Suryakumar Yadav fell cheaply, and Abhishek followed soon after, caught at long-off against the run of play. For a moment, Pakistan sniffed a chance when Sanju Samson departed for 13, leaving India at 148 for 4. But Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya ensured there would be no collapse. Tilak sealed the win with a six and a four off Shaheen in the 19th over, finishing unbeaten on 30 off 19. Earlier, Pakistan had posted 171 for 5. Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 58, while captain Salman Agha chipped in with 17 not out. Faheem Ashraf’s late cameo of 20 from eight balls gave the innings a lift after Farhan and Saim Ayub (21) had set up a promising platform. But Pakistan could not accelerate as much as they hoped; Shivam Dube removed two batters, and Kuldeep Yadav struck in the middle overs to peg them back. Dasun Shanaka’s unbeaten 64 the previous night against Bangladesh had shown how decisive late hitting can be in Dubai, but Pakistan managed only 80 in their last 10 overs. That left them at least 15 runs short, a fact acknowledged by their camp afterwards. The contest had its edge: Haris Rauf and Abhishek exchanged words during a fiery spell, and Shaheen was animated after dismissing Gill.  But India’s dressing room stayed calm, knowing the game had been set up by their openers. “This was the only way to give them the medicine,” Abhishek said afterward, reflecting on his aggressive intent. For India, it was as close to a perfect chase as it gets — a commanding win that strengthens their bid for the final, while Pakistan are left to regroup quickly ahead of tough assignments against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Hours before their Asia Cup Super Four meeting with India, Pakistan again walked away from the microphones. The team cancelled its scheduled press conference in Dubai on Saturday, with no explanation offered. The move came as the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Andy Pycroft would stay on as match referee. The Zimbabwean official was at the centre of Pakistan’s complaint over the handshake row in last week’s India game. An internal inquiry cleared him. The ICC has since refused to bow to pressure. “The integrity of a match official should not be questioned once he has been cleared,” an ICC source in Dubai said. It is not the first time Pakistan have bristled. Before their fixture against the UAE, the team also skipped a media briefing after learning Pycroft would officiate. That match started an hour late, with both sides giving different versions of what was said in a behind-closed-doors meeting. Why the silence now? Officials have not said. What complicates matters is that the PCB itself released a video earlier this week claiming Pycroft had expressed regret. Yet it continues to push for his removal. For the ICC, the line is simple. Pycroft will oversee all games in Dubai. Richie Richardson of the West Indies will take charge in Abu Dhabi. Appointments for the September 28 final will be announced later. Pycroft is hardly new to the job. He has stood in more than 530 international matches, including over 100 featuring Pakistan. Critics in Lahore point to his long record with India, but the numbers show he has been equally present in England and Pakistan games too. As India and Pakistan prepare for another high-stakes contest, the off-field row is once again in the headlines. For Pakistan, missing another press call only fuels the perception of a team still unsettled. For the ICC, it is a test of authority. And for the thousands heading into the Dubai stadium tonight, it is yet another reminder that this rivalry is never just about bat and ball.

Mithun Manhas, the former Delhi captain and one of the most consistent performers in India’s domestic cricket, is all but certain to become the next president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Manhas, 45, has emerged as the lone nominee for the post, which has been vacant since Roger Binny stepped down in August. Vice-president Rajeev Shukla has been filling in on an interim basis. Unless there’s a late twist before the nomination deadline closes on Sunday, Manhas will formally take charge when the BCCI holds its annual general meeting in Mumbai on September 28. Raghuram Bhat, the former Karnataka and India left-arm spinner who now heads the Karnataka State Cricket Association, is expected to take over as treasurer. His name, along with Manhas’, was discussed in a meeting in Delhi on Saturday attended by several senior figures, including ICC chairman Jay Shah and Shukla. For Manhas, the new role marks a remarkable journey. Born in Jammu, he went on to become a pillar of Delhi’s batting in the Ranji Trophy, scoring more than 9,700 first-class runs between 1997 and 2017. Toward the end of his career he moved to Jammu & Kashmir, later serving as a coach with IPL sides Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans, as well as with Bangladesh’s Under-19 team. The rest of the BCCI leadership is expected to remain largely unchanged, with Shukla staying on as vice-president and Devajit Saikia continuing as secretary. For now, barring a surprise nomination, Manhas is set to join the small club of former players to head the world’s most powerful cricket board.  

For years she carried Bangladesh on her shoulders with bat and ball. Now, Salma Khatun has broken another barrier — stepping into history as the first woman to join the national women’s selection panel. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the move on Saturday, calling it a “revolutionary decision.” Salma, who captained Bangladesh from 2008 to 2015 and played 46 ODIs and 95 T20Is, will now sit alongside chief selector Sazzad Ahmed and Sojol Chowdhury, who works mainly with the age-group squads. “She was once ranked the world’s best bowler and top all-rounder. Having her in the panel will not only strengthen our selection process but also inspire the next generation of cricketers,” said BCB media committee chairman Iftekhar Rahman Mithu. Salma’s appointment is being seen as long overdue recognition for a player who was central to Bangladesh’s early success on the world stage. She remains one of the most respected figures in the country’s women’s game, and her new role ensures that players’ voices will be represented in a way they weren’t before. The BCB also moved to strengthen the men’s set-up, bringing in former pacer Hasibul Hossain Shanto to the three-member national selection panel. He replaces Hannan Sarkar, who stepped down to focus on coaching. Shanto will now work alongside chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain and former left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak. “It was a natural choice,” Iftekhar said. “Shanto’s experience at the top level makes him the right man for the job.” With these changes, the BCB says it is trying to blend experience, fresh thinking and representation in the selection process — a small shake-up that could mean a lot for Bangladesh cricket.