United News of Bangladesh

Pakistan has omitted Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from its squad for an upcoming triangular series and the Asia Cup, naming a 17-member team for the two T20 tournaments in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. Neither Babar nor Rizwan has played a T20 international since facing South Africa in December 2024. In their absence, Pakistan has opted for aggressive batters Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, and Fakhar Zaman. Head coach Mike Hesson said Babar was advised to work on certain aspects, including his strike rate and handling of spin bowling. Babar is scheduled to play for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League later this year, and Hesson expressed confidence that the batter will be in contention for next year’s T20 World Cup. Under Hesson’s guidance, Pakistan has won two bilateral T20 series against Bangladesh and the West Indies but also lost one to Bangladesh 2-1. The West Indies also claimed their first bilateral ODI series win against Pakistan in 34 years, with Babar scoring 47, 0, and 9. Bangladesh A down Nepal for first win in Darwin “Currently, our players like Farhan, Ayub, and Zaman have performed exceptionally,” Hesson said. “Babar, however, remains an important player and can prove himself in the BBL to earn a spot in future T20s.” The triangular series featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and UAE will take place in Sharjah from Aug. 29 to Sept. 7, followed by the Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from Sept. 9 to 28. Hesson praised Pakistan’s preparations, noting six wins in nine T20s under his tenure, and highlighted new fast bowler Salman Mirza’s impressive performances in Bangladesh. Mirza, along with Mohammad Wasim, is included in both tournament squads. “From a T20 perspective, this team is progressing well,” Hesson added. “Providing opportunities to different players helps build depth, which is essential for major events like the Asia Cup.” Squad: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed.

Bangladesh A finally got on the board in the Top End T20 League, beating Nepal by 32 runs in Darwin on Saturday. After slipping to the Pakistan Shaheens in their opening game, the second-string Bangladesh side looked sharper this time. Jisan Alam provided the spark at the top, smashing 73 from 46 balls with four boundaries and five sixes. He and Mohammad Naim put on 62 for the first wicket before Naim went for 25, and though the middle order couldn’t quite keep the tempo, the innings stayed on course. Afif Hossain finished things off with a fluent 48 not out from 23 deliveries, peppering the boundary nine times. Thanks to his late push, Bangladesh closed at 186 for six. Nepal never really got going in reply. Hasan Mahmud struck in the second over and left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan tightened the grip soon after, returning figures of three for 18. He almost claimed a hat-trick in the 10th over, trapping Dipendra Singh Airee and Gulshan Jha in back-to-back balls. Kushal Malla stood firm for Nepal with an unbeaten 59 off 47, but with little support at the other end, the chase petered out at 154 for seven. The win gave Bangladesh A their first points of the campaign. They will take on the Perth Scorchers Academy in their next outing on Sunday afternoon, Bangladesh time.    

Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten half-century guided Australia to a thrilling two-wicket win over South Africa in the final T20 on Saturday, sealing the series 2-1. Needing four runs off the last two balls, Maxwell reverse-swiped Lungi Ngidi to third man and remained unbeaten on 62 off 36 deliveries as Australia chased down 173-8, denying South Africa a maiden T20 series triumph on Australian soil. Earlier, young batting star Dewald Brevis struck a blistering 53 off 26 balls, including four consecutive sixes off Aaron Hardie, before Australia pulled things back to restrict the Proteas to 172-7. The match began with both teams observing a minute’s silence in tribute to former Australia captain and coach Bob Simpson, who died at the age of 89. Captain Mitchell Marsh (54) won the toss and opted to field, combining with Travis Head for a strong 66-1 in the first eight overs. But South Africa clawed back with four wickets in as many overs. Head, dropped earlier by skipper Aiden Markram off his own bowling, soon fell cheaply with a mistimed shot to short fine leg. Josh Inglis, returning after illness, was bowled first ball by Corbin Bosch, while young pacer Kwena Maphaka dismissed both Marsh and Cameron Green in the deep as Australia stumbled to 88-4 in the 11th over. Kagiso Rabada then struck twice in one over, removing Tim David and Hardie to reduce Australia to 122-6. But Maxwell held firm, farming the strike and shielding Ben Dwarshuis, who scored just 1 off six balls in a 41-run stand that kept Australia in the hunt. Former Australia captain and cricket coach Bob Simpson dies at 89 Bosch almost turned the game again in the penultimate over, dismissing Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis with successive deliveries. However, Maxwell held his nerve and finished the job with two late boundaries. “It was a little bit nerve wracking,” Maxwell said after smashing eight fours and two sixes in his match-winning knock. “When we lost a couple of wickets in a row, Corbin Bosch bowled a brilliant over to sort of keep the run rate near 9 or 10 … and I probably had to do the majority of the striking, but it was nice to get a couple out of the middle (of the bat) right near the end.” South Africa’s hopes faded with Brevis’ dismissal in the 12th over when Maxwell pulled off a stunning diving catch at wide mid-on. The 22-year-old had earlier raced to a half-century off just 22 balls but the Proteas managed only 62 off the final 50 deliveries. Ellis finished with 3-31 while Adam Zampa (2-24) kept the middle overs tight, and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with 2-30.   Source: Agency

Bob Simpson, former player, captain and coach, and one of Australian cricket’s most influential figures, has died at the age of 89, Cricket Australia confirmed on Saturday. Simpson represented Australia in 62 Test matches and two one-day internationals between 1957 and 1978, scoring 4,869 Test runs, including 10 centuries and 27 half-centuries, and taking 71 wickets. He captained Australia in 39 Tests. Born in Sydney’s Marrickville suburb to Scottish immigrant parents, Simpson made his first-class debut for New South Wales at the age of 16. Shakib Al Hasan joins Atlanta Fire for US Minor League Cricket He coached the Australian team from 1986 to 1996, during which Australia won the 1987 World Cup, four Ashes series, and the 1995 Frank Worrell Trophy, ending a 17-year losing streak against the West Indies. Simpson made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1957 and scored his first century in an Ashes Test at Old Trafford in 1964, eventually recording 311 runs — making him one of only seven Australians to achieve a triple century. He was also renowned as one of Australia’s greatest slip-fielders, taking 110 catches. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to Simpson, saying he “set the highest standards for himself and the champions he led” and would be long remembered. Simpson was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2013. Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird described him as a “mainstay of a strong Australian team in the 1960s” and praised his leadership and coaching for laying the foundation of Australia’s golden era in cricket. On Saturday, the Australian team observed a moment’s silence and wore black armbands before their Twenty20 match against South Africa in Cairns.   Source: Agency

Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has signed with Atlanta Fire as their international wildcard player for the 2025 USA Minor League Cricket season Atlanta Fire officially announced on Friday that Shakib will play in the 2025 Minor League Cricket season scheduled from August 28 to October 2. In a Facebook post, it described him as a "game-changer," "We are thrilled to announce that Shakib Al Hasan, one of the world's premier all-rounders, will be joining the Atlanta Fire Cricket Team as an International Wildcard this 2025 Minor League season! A game-changer with both bat and ball, Shakib brings unmatched experience, skill, and star power to the Fire lineup." Minor League Cricket is widely seen as a feeder competition for the higher-profile Major League Cricket (MLC) which attracts stars from around the globe. Shakib is currently representing the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Shakib has been out of the Bangladesh national set-up since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government, of which he was a member. After Hasina’s ouster in a mass uprising, Shakib was supposed to play in the national team at home against South Africa. But due to the protest from the students who led the protest against Haisna, the allrounder was unable to return home. Since then, he has been living out of the country, mostly in the USA, where his family lives.

Legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne’s legacy continues more than three years after his sudden death from a heart attack at the age of 52. Warne passed away in March 2022 while on holiday on the Thai island of Koh Samui. His unexpected death prompted his family and business team to establish the Shane Warne Legacy, a charity aimed at promoting heart health awareness. As part of the initiative, free heart health checkup machines were installed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the past two Boxing Day Tests. The data from the stadium screenings, along with 311 community pharmacy stations across Australia, were analyzed in a study led by Monash University. Between mid-December 2023 and the end of January 2024, a total of 76,085 people were screened, including 7,740 at the MCG. The research, published Friday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that nearly seven out of 10 participants (68.9%) had at least one uncontrolled risk factor for heart disease. England making Jacob Bethell its youngest ever men's cricket captain at 21 Elevated blood pressure was recorded in 37.2% of participants, high body mass index in 60.5%, and 12.1% were smokers. Cricket spectators, mostly men aged 35 to 64, had higher rates of elevated blood pressure and body mass index compared to those screened at pharmacies. Warne, who rose to prominence in the 1990s, revived the art of leg-spin bowling and played a key role in one of Australia’s most successful cricket eras. He retired in 2007 with 708 Test wickets, a record later surpassed only by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan. “Meeting people where they are, whether at their local pharmacy or the MCG, can make all the difference to health outcomes,” said Dr. Sean Tan, cardiologist and researcher at the Victorian Heart Institute. Helen Nolan, Warne’s long-time personal assistant, said the study results reinforced the Shane Warne Legacy’s mission to use his death as a catalyst for change. “We’re proud to have helped thousands take their heart health seriously, but we know there’s still work to do. Shane would have wanted this to make a massive difference,” she added.

Jacob Bethell will set a new record as England’s youngest-ever men’s cricket captain at just 21, when he leads the team next month. Bethell will captain England in a three-match Twenty20 series against Ireland in Dublin. The previous record was held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 when he captained England in a Test against South Africa in 1889 after regular skipper Aubrey Smith fell ill. Several senior players, including regular white-ball captain Harry Brook, will miss the Ireland series, as Brook is scheduled to lead England in one-day and T20 matches against South Africa in early September. Maxwell eyes bigger bowling role ahead of T20 World Cup “Jacob Bethell has shown strong leadership qualities throughout his time with the England squads, and the Ireland series will give him a chance to further develop those skills at the international level,” England men’s selector Luke Wright said Friday. The appointment reflects Bethell’s rapid rise, having made his international debuts across all three formats only last year. The Ireland series is set to begin on September 17.

Pakistan Shaheens powered to a commanding 79-run win over Bangladesh A in the opening match of the Top End T20 Series in Darwin on Thursday, with opener Yasir Khan starring in both innings. Put in to bat, the Shaheens posted 227 for 4 in their 20 overs. Khawaja Nafay lit up the early overs with a blistering 61 off 31 balls, before Yasir added 62 from 40 deliveries.  The real late damage came from Abdul Samad, who smashed 56 from just 27 balls to push the total beyond reach. For Bangladesh A, Hasan Mahmud, Rakibul Hasan and Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby picked up a wicket each, but the bowlers leaked boundaries throughout. Chasing 228, Bangladesh A made a promising start after an early loss when Jishan Alam (33 off 17) and Saif Hassan (57 off 32) counterattacked to take the score past 90 inside eight overs. But once Saif fell in the 12th over, the middle and lower order caved under pressure. The last eight wickets fell for just 56 runs, with Bangladesh A bowled out for 148 in 16.5 overs. Left-arm spinner Faisal Akram (3-19) and medium-pacer Saad Masood (3-30) did most of the damage, supported by Mohammad Wasim’s sharp two-wicket burst. The result gives Pakistan Shaheens early momentum in the Australian-based series, while Bangladesh A will need to regroup quickly before their next outing.

Glenn Maxwell is preparing to add more strings to his bow as Australia gear up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the all-rounder working on bowling inside the Powerplay in conditions expected in India and Sri Lanka. Speaking in Cairns before the third T20I against South Africa, Maxwell said the harder new ball could offer spinners early assistance on dry sub-continental pitches. “You might be able to get a little bit more out of it early on. That hard seam can grip,” he said. “It might be something we think about heading forward.” Maxwell has history in the role — most memorably in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, when he removed Rohit Sharma in the Powerplay to spark Australia’s sixth title. In the current series against South Africa, he’s already bowled two Powerplay overs, snaring key wickets including Proteas skipper Aiden Markram. “I’m just as surprised as anyone when I get a wicket,” he joked. “But I’m there to do a job and execute.” The Victorian is also embracing his “floating” spot in the batting order, shifting from No.7 in the first T20I to No.5 in the second, after opening in four of five matches against the West Indies earlier this year. “I’m filling holes at the moment,” he said. “Whether it’s countering a bowler like Akeal Hosein up top or managing the back end, I’m trying to be as adaptable as possible.”

There was barely time to unpack before the Bangladesh U-19 players are back on the road. Fresh from winning back-to-back tri-series titles in Zimbabwe, Azizul Hakim Tamim’s young side is now gearing up for a tour of England next month. The squad returned to Dhaka last week after seeing off both South Africa and the hosts in Harare. In just over two weeks, they’ll be boarding a flight again — August 31 is the departure date — but not before a short training camp at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The tour opens with a warm-up against Ireland U-19s on September 3, followed by the five-match ODI series against England. Matches are set for September 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14, a BCB official confirmed. U-19s back from Africa with confidence and a clear goal For Tamim, the trip offers a different kind of test. “I think it’s going to be a really exciting series,” he said. “We’ll try our best to perform well. The rest is in Allah’s hands.” Beyond the immediate results, the series will give Bangladesh’s youngsters valuable time in English conditions — learning to cope with seam, swing and the cooler weather — all of which could come in handy at next year’s ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.