United News of Bangladesh

After 18 long years, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally laid their hands on the IPL trophy — and no player embodied that long-awaited moment more than Virat Kohli. For the Indian superstar, this was more than a title. It marked the culmination of a personal journey that began with RCB’s very first season back in 2008. “His cricketing career was nearly born at RCB,” reflected former Australia coach Tom Moody. “That’s why you saw him so emotional. He came here as a young player, and this franchise helped shape him into the cricketer he is today,” Moody said. Now 36, Kohli has spent his entire IPL career wearing RCB colours. In 259 innings, he has scored 8,661 runs at an average of 39.54 — more than anyone else in IPL history. Virat Kohli retires from Test, ends glorious 14-year career Between 2011 and 2023, he led RCB in 143 matches, steering them to the 2016 final — a season in which he amassed a record 973 runs, a mark that still stands. Former RCB pacer Varun Aaron summed up Kohli’s stature within the team. “He’s been the king of the castle at RCB for 18 years. And if the team didn’t win, everyone looked at Virat. But he’s a guy who lives to win — second place is never an option for him,” Aaron said. “The biggest Indian player after Tendulkar, and someone who’s barely missed a match, always giving everything on the field. The fans know that. They know he deserves this success,” he added. RCB fans — among the most loyal in the league — have waited years for this moment. This first title felt like a triumph shared between the fans, the franchise, and its longest-serving player. “There’s a special bond there,” Moody said. “When you saw him celebrating, it was like the young Virat coming out again — full of emotion.” With the IPL title finally in the bag, talk will now turn to what lies ahead for Kohli. But for now, both player and franchise can savour a dream realised at last.

England needed just 30 of 40 available overs to beat the West Indies by seven wickets and achieve a 3-0 clean sweep of their one-day international series at the Oval on Tuesday. Jamie Smith's maiden ODI fifty, 64 of the 93-run opening stand in seven overs, launched England's successful assault on the rain-revised target of 246. The game was delayed twice, first because a traffic lights outage trapped the West Indies bus long enough so the team wasn't even at the ground at the scheduled toss, and secondly for a 90-minute rain break. Without a warmup in the nets, and forced to bat in gloomy bowler-friendly conditions, the West Indies slumped to 28-3 before the rain and 154-7 soon afterward. That it eventually racked up 251-9 was impressive. Sherfane Rutherford kept the innings alive with 70 off 71 balls, then teammates Gudakesh Motie and Alzarri Joseph, the Nos. 8 and 9 batters, gave their side a fighting chance with a partnership of 91 in 11.2 overs. Kane Williamson again turns down a central contract with New Zealand Cricket In the highest ever eighth-wicket ODI stand by the West Indies against England, Motie and Joseph clobbered the host with five sixes and 10 boundaries. Joseph was out to a skier on 41 off 29, and Motie was bowled on the last ball on 63 off 54. Spinner Adil Rashid was the pick of the bowlers with 3-40. England players adapted to the pre-game traffic problems near the Oval by exiting their bus and hiring bicycles to get to the ground. Smith used more of that dynamic thinking on the fly to deflate West Indies hopes again on his home ground. Smith blasted 10 boundaries and three sixes before his off stump was bowled by Motie in the seventh over after scoring 64 from 28 deliveries. Smith scored at such a rate that England's 100 in the eight-over powerplay was the fourth fastest in ODIs, and its 121-1 after 10 overs was England's best-ever 10-over total. Ben Duckett propelled England further with 58 from 46, falling at 155-2 with the chase more than half over. Joe Root hits 166 not out to lead England to series win against West Indies The mopping up was left to Joe Root with a casual 44, and Jos Buttler's unbeaten 41. The teams play three Twenty20s from Friday, starting at Chester-le-Street.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru earned their first Indian Premier League title by beating Punjab Kings by six runs on Tuesday. Bengaluru finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but finally won at the Narendra Modi Stadium — thanks largely to Krunal Pandya’s sensational spell of 2-17 in four overs. Virat Kohli shed a tear as Bengaluru clinched victory, reports AP. Kohli top-scored for Bengaluru with 43 runs off 35 balls to help put up 190-9 in 20 overs. Pacers Arshdeep Singh (3-40) and Kyle Jamieson (3-48) shared six wickets between them. Punjab’s reply stuttered after a good start and despite a consolation half-century from Shashank Singh, it fell short and finished with 184-7 (20 overs).

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has approved the disbursement of prize money and ticket sale revenue to the seven franchises that took part in the 2025 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20. The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the Board held on May 31, following a detailed review of each franchise’s financial status. Pakistan complete series sweep with dominant win over Bangladesh The BCB stated that outstanding franchise fees will be deducted prior to releasing the funds, with an emphasis on ensuring timely payments to players, particularly those selected through the BPL draft.

Ex-captain Kane Williamson has again rejected a central contract with New Zealand Cricket and likely will miss the Black Caps two test tour to Zimbabwe next month. Williamson also decided not to accept a central contract last year, to leave himself free to play in Twenty20 and other leagues around the world. He instead signed a casual contract last year and still played in nine of New Zealand’s 13 tests in 2024, scoring more than 1,000 runs.  Kane Williamson makes 156 as New Zealand sets England 658 to win the 3rd test Williamson was absent from the list of 20 contracted players released by New Zealand Cricket on Tuesday, along with Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Lockie Ferguson who also are playing in T20 leagues overseas. He is expected again to sign a casual contract. Allrounders Muhammad Abbas and Zak Foulkes, wicketkeeper Mitch Hay and spinner Adi Ashok are contracted for the first time in the absence of Tim Southee, who has retired, Ish Sodhi, Ajaz Patel and Josh Clarkson. Williamson currently is playing for Middlesex in the English County Championship and T20 Blast and for the London Spirit in The Hundred. He is expected to have county commitments while New Zealand plays Zimbabwe in late July and early August. In a news conference in London last month, Williamson said that his future on a casual contract is “just a work in progress and New Zealand Cricket have been great with working with that and I’ve been fortunate throughout.” The 20 contracted players were ranked on domestic and international performances over the past year. “The contracts with Mitch, Muhammad, Adi and Zak reflect the incredible talent coming through our system,” New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink said. Williamson, Sodhi give New Zealand 81-run lead over Pakistan “These players have shown they can compete at the highest level and their hunger to represent the Black Caps is exciting. We’re thrilled to see this group drive our team forward.”  

Joe Root hit a stunning 166 not out as England beat West Indies by three wickets at Sophia Gardens in the second ODI on Sunday to clinch the series. England scored 312-7 with seven balls remaining in reply to West Indies’ 308 all out in 47.4 overs — led by Keacy Carty’s 103. After winning the toss and putting on a ragged display in the field with four dropped catches and two missed runouts, England was reeling in its chase on 2-2 and 133-5. But Root thumped two sixes and 21 fours, putting on 143 in 121 balls alongside Will Jacks, who made a vital 49, to lift England into an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Root leapfrogged Eoin Morgan to become England’s all-time leading ODI run-scorer during his 139-ball innings. Root has 7,082 runs, passing Morgan’s tally of 6,957. “I want to give as much as I can for England for as long as I can,” Root said. “I’ve still got a lot to give and a lot more runs in there and, hopefully, an innings like that shows that." England's Harry Brook, who scored 47, enjoyed his first series win since becoming full-time white-ball captain. England opt to bowl first against West Indies with chance to clinch ODI series Three ducks Brandon King (59) and Shai Hope (78) backed up Carty but England fought back thanks to 4-63 from Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood’s 3-37 as the Windies lost its last eight wickets for 103. It seemed that total would be enough to set up a decider at the Oval on Tuesday but Root’s 18th ODI hundred and his highest score in the format got England over the line. His efforts were all the more remarkable after England lost three of its top five for ducks, including both openers as Jamie Smith pushed hard and nicked off and Ben Duckett flashed to deep third. Jos Buttler also failed to score any runs. Alzarri Joseph took 4-31 in 10 overs.

Pakistan wrapped up a 3-0 series sweep against Bangladesh with a big seven-wicket win in the third and final T20I at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday night. Chasing Bangladesh’s highest-ever T20I total against Pakistan — 196 for 6 — the hosts made light work of the target, reaching 197 for 3 with 16 balls to spare. Mohammad Haris was the star of the night, smashing a blistering unbeaten 107 off just 46 balls, studded with eight fours and seven sixes. Bangladesh, after being sent in to bat, posted a competitive 196 for 6, thanks largely to an entertaining 66 off 34 balls from Parvez Hossain Emon and a solid 42 from opener Tanzid Hasan. The pair gave Bangladesh a flying start, adding 110 runs for the first wicket inside 11 overs. Captain Litton Das (22 off 18) and Towhid Hridoy (25 off 18) chipped in, but the middle order faltered in the death overs as Pakistan pulled things back with timely wickets. Hasan Ali (2 for 38) and Abbas Afridi (2 for 26) were the pick of the bowlers. In reply, Pakistan lost Sahibzada Farhan early, but Saim Ayub (45 off 29) provided strong support to Haris as the duo built a 92-run stand for the second wicket. After Ayub and Hasan Nawaz (26 off 13) fell, captain Salman Agha (15 not out) ensured there were no further hiccups.

England chose to bowl first against the West Indies with a chance to clinch their one-day international series at Sophia Gardens on Sunday. England named its team earlier and made an enforced change, bringing in seamer Matthew Potts for Jamie Smith, who broke a finger on Thursday as England won the first ODI by 238 runs at Edgbaston. Jamie Overton ruled out of England's ODI and T20 series vs West Indies with broken finger The West Indies replaced Amir Jangoo with Shimron Hetmyer in the middle order. Lineups: England: Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Adil Rashid, Matthew Potts, Saqib Mahmood West Indies: Brandon King, Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Justin Greaves, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales.

Jamie Overton has been ruled out of England's remaining one-day internationals and T20 matches against the West Indies because of a broken finger sustained in Thursday's ODI series opener. The right-arm fast-bowling all-rounder broke his right little finger while trying to make a return catch early in England's 238-run victory at Edgbaston. Overton had grasped his hand and immediately jogged into the dressing room. After some treatment, he returned and finished with 3-22. Pakistan seal T20I series against listless Tigers with another thumping win “He will now undergo a period of rehabilitation under the supervision of the England medical team,” England Cricket said in a statement on Saturday. “No replacement will be added to the ODI squad.” England can clinch its first ODI bilateral series win since September 2023 on Sunday in Cardiff. The third and last match is on Tuesday at the Oval. A three-match T20 series begins next Friday.

Pakistan clinched the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh with a 57-run victory in the second match at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night. With this result, Pakistan now lead the series 2-0. Opting to bat first, Pakistan posted a total of 201 for 6, thanks to a blistering 74 off 41 balls from opener Sahibzada Farhan. Farhan struck four boundaries and six sixes in an aggressive knock that set the tone for Pakistan’s innings. He shared a 103-run stand with Mohammad Haris (41 off 25), which propelled Pakistan past the 100-run mark inside 10 overs. Later in the innings, Hasan Nawaz kept the momentum going with an unbeaten 51 off just 26 balls, ensuring Pakistan crossed the 200-run mark. For Bangladesh, pacers Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Hasan Mahmud picked up two wickets each, but the bowling unit struggled to contain the flow of runs. In reply, Bangladesh got off to a brisk start with Tanzid Hasan hitting 33 off 19 balls. But regular wickets stalled the chase. Captain Litton Das managed only six runs, while Towhid Hridoy and others failed to contribute meaningfully. Tanzim Hasan Sakib fought a lone battle with an entertaining 50 off 31 balls, which included five sixes. However, the target proved too steep, and Bangladesh were bowled out for 144 in 19 overs. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed starred with the ball for Pakistan, finishing with 3 for 19, while Shadab Khan and Khushdil Shah chipped in with one wicket each. The final match of the series will be played on June 1, with Bangladesh now aiming to avoid a clean sweep.