United News of Bangladesh

A top-order display by Cooper Connolly and a lower-order partnership between Matt Renshaw and Nikhil Chaudhary guided Australia to a hard-fought four-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first T20I at Chattogram on Wednesday. With this victory, the visitors have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, tracking down a modest target of 132 with 10 balls to spare. Chasing 132 for win, Australia’s chase began with immediate drama. Left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam struck in his second over, bowling Josh Inglis for 5 as the batsman missed a cheeky reverse ramp scoop. However, Cooper Connolly walked in at number three and immediately shifted the pressure back onto the hosts. Connolly launched a brutal counter-attack against Shoriful, smashing two boundaries and a six in consecutive deliveries to jump-start the innings. Mustafizur Rahman provided a crucial breakthrough by removing Australian captain Mitchell Marsh for 13, who chipped a regulation catch to short third man. Despite losing his partner, Connolly continued his aggressive approach, lifting Australia to 47 for 2 by the end of the Powerplay. Connolly accumulated 47 off just 27 deliveries, featuring four boundaries and three sixes, before holing out to long-on off debutant Abdul Gaffar Saqlain. Tim David sustained the momentum by clobbering two massive sixes, including a 98-metre strike off Mahedi Hasan. Mahedi, however, exacted immediate revenge on the very next ball when David miscued a big shot to long-on, departing for 20. At 89 for 4, the match hung briefly in the balance. Matt Renshaw and Nikhil Chaudhary combined for a 24-run partnership to pull Australia within touching distance of the target. Bangladesh managed to trigger a late panic when leg-spinner Rishad Hossain dismissed Chaudhary for 18 via a successful glove-nick review. Saqlain then claimed his second wicket by removing Renshaw for 18 in the 19th over. However, Xavier Bartlett ended any lingering hopes for the home crowd by driving Saqlain through the covers for a boundary to wrap up the chase in 18.2 overs. Saqlain finished with figures of 2 for 32 on his international debut. Earlier in the afternoon, Bangladesh elected to bat first but struggled to find momentum on a changing Chattogram deck. Opening batsmen Saif Hassan (20) and Tanzid Hasan (10) provided a brisk 26-run opening stand inside three overs before Spencer Johnson dismissed Tanzid. Spinners Adam Zampa and debutant Joel Davies then tore through the batting order, taking three wickets apiece. Zampa finished with outstanding figures of 3 for 18, picking up his 150th T20I wicket in the process, while Davies claimed an impressive 3 for 17. A late cameo from Mahedi Hasan, who hit an unbeaten 29 off 22 balls, dragged Bangladesh past the 130-mark before the team was bowled out in 19 overs.  

A disciplined Australian bowling performance, led by Adam Zampa and debutant Joel Davies, bundled Bangladesh out for a modest 131 in 19 overs in the first T20I at Chattogram on Wednesday. Opting to bat first, Bangladesh made a brisk start as Saif Hassan (20) and Tanzid Hasan put on 18 runs in the first two overs. However, the introduction of spin quickly derailed the hosts' momentum after Spencer Johnson provided the initial breakthrough by removing Tanzid for 10. Matt Renshaw then dismissed Saif to leave the hosts at 45 for 2. Later, he also got the wicket of Shamim Hossain. Zampa then ripped through the middle order, taking 3 for 18 from his four overs. He trapped stand-in captain Towhid Hridoy for 8 with a sharp googly and later removed a struggling Soumya Sarkar for 17. Zampa completed his spell by claiming his 150th T20I wicket when Shoriful Islam holed out to long-off. Left-arm orthodox debutant Joel Davies enjoyed a dream introduction to international cricket, finishing with match-turning figures of 3 for 17. Davies struck twice in quick succession to remove wicketkeeper Parvez Hossain Emon (10) and debutant Abdul Gaffar Saqlain (10). Fellow debutant Nikhil Chaudhary also joined the party, picking up the wicket of Rishad Hossain. With Bangladesh reeling at 108 for 9, Mahedi Hasan provided a crucial late flourish, scoring a quickfire 29 off 22 balls. Mahedi took toll of Davies in the 19th over, striking three consecutive boundaries via a reverse sweep, an inside-out cover drive, and a paddle sweep.Davies had the last laugh, trapping Mustafizur Rahman lbw for 7 on review to end the innings with an over to spare. Australia will require 132 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first against Australia in the T20I series opener at Chattogram on Wednesday. The hosts face a reshuffled leadership as captain Litton Das misses out after suffering a calf muscle tear during the final ODI in Dhaka. In his absence, middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy takes over as stand-in captain, while Parvez Hossain Emon assumes the wicketkeeping duties. Bangladesh handed a T20I debut to Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, who joins a red-hot pace unit featuring Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur Rahman. This match also marks the return of all-rounder Soumya Sarkar, playing his first T20I since December 2024. For Australia, the team management handed international debuts to both Joel Davies and Nikhil Chaudhary under the leadership of captain Mitchell Marsh. Bangladesh XI: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain Emon (wk), Towhid Hridoy (capt), Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman. Australia XI: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Josh Inglis (wk), Cooper Connolly, Matt Renshaw, Tim David, Nikhil Chaudhary, Joel Davies, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.

Bangladesh fans have spent more than two decades waiting for isolated ODI victories against Australia. To secure two wins in a single week and lock down a historic series victory felt entirely surreal. Yet, on Sunday at Mirpur, the hosts stood on the precipice of an even greater feat: a clean sweep. Australia, however, managed to claw their way out of trouble, escaping with a nerve-shredding one-wicket victory with only three balls left. Chasing a target of 275, Australia’s chase concluded in high drama. With 35 runs needed off the final 42 deliveries, Cooper Connolly spearheaded the charge alongside young Oliver Peake. Even when Shoriful Islam returned to trigger a late collapse, Australia’s lower order kept their composure. In the final over, tasked with defending just three runs, Taskin Ahmed bowled a wide fuller delivery outside off stump. Adam Zampa met it cleanly, driving it through the covers for a boundary to seal a consolation win for the visitors. The grandstand finish was set up by a bowling masterclass from left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam, who finished with magnificent figures of 6 for 48. Stepping into the side for the rested Nahid Rana, Shoriful tore the heart out of the Australian order. He struck twice in his opening over, removing Josh Inglis and Matt Renshaw off consecutive deliveries. He later returned to dismiss a well-set Marnus Labuschagne (29), before collecting three more lower-order wickets—including a double-strike in the 46th over to remove Peake and Xavier Bartlett—to claim a memorable six-wicket haul. Despite Shoriful's heroics, a single over from Taskin Ahmed shifted the momentum back to Australia. In the 45th over, with the visitors needing 30 runs off 36 balls, Connolly launched an extraordinary assault against Taskin, hitting three consecutive sixes over midwicket, fine leg, and the sight screen. The 21-run over broke the pressure and ultimately cost Bangladesh the match. Earlier in the day, Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat, posting a competitive 274 for 5. The innings was built on excellent half-centuries from Towhid Hridoy (83 off 88 balls) and Mosaddek Hossain (56* off 51 balls), who put together a crucial middle-order partnership. Litton Das also fought through calf cramps to contribute a gritty 58 before retiring hurt. For Australia, Matt Renshaw was the pick of the regular bowlers with 2 for 7, while Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis chipped in with a wicket each to keep the target within reach. Australia’s response got off to a flyer despite a revamped opening pair. Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis added 30 runs inside three overs before Shoriful's spectacular introduction reduced them to 38 for 2. Taskin then removed Alex Carey for 8, courtesy of a brilliant diving catch by Soumya Sarkar, leaving Australia at 71 for 3. Connolly anchored the remainder of the chase beautifully, registering a magnificent maiden ODI century. He anchored a 53-run stand with Labuschagne and later found an able ally in Peake (27). Connolly was eventually dragged on by a Mustafizur Rahman cutter for a magnificent 149 off 134 balls, featuring 13 boundaries and 6 sixes. His dismissal left Australia’s tail to navigate a tense final two overs, which Zampa safely negotiated to deny Bangladesh a 3-0 whitewash.    

Stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat first as Bangladesh sought a clean sweep in the third and final One-Day International against Australia at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday. Bangladesh were forced to make changes after regular captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz was ruled out following a head injury sustained from a Nathan Ellis bouncer during the second ODI. Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan replaced fast bowler Nahid Rana, who was rested for the match. Speaking at the toss, Shanto said Mehidy was recovering well but remained under medical observation. Bangladesh have already secured their first-ever ODI series victory over Australia, winning the opening match by 86 runs and the second by five wickets, with both results determined under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method due to weather interruptions. Australia, meanwhile, made two changes as they looked to avoid a series whitewash. Fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis and all-rounder Oliver Peake were included in the side, replacing opener Matthew Short and pacer Nathan Ellis. A victory would complete a landmark 3-0 series sweep for Bangladesh against the five-time world champions. Line Ups: Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam. Australia: Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (captain), Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Oliver Peake, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, Riley Meredith.

Skipper Shubman Gill scored 84 not out off 66 balls for India to beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in a rain-affected one-day international on Saturday. Rain delayed the toss for more than four hours and reduced the match to 25 overs per side. India won with 13 balls to spare at 193-5 in reply to Afghanistan's 194 all out. Gill hit 11 fours and two sixes with help from Lokesh Rahul, 39 not out off 19 balls. Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 102 off 51 balls went in vain, though he helped Afghanistan recover from 54-7. India debutants did well; pacer Gurnoor Brar took 3-27 and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey 3-47. India leads the first bilateral ODI cricket series between the teams 1-0. Lucknow hosts the second ODI on Wednesday and Chennai hosts the third and last match on June 20. Put into bat, Afghanistan was cut down to 26-3 in 4.3 overs when Gurbaz counterattacked. He hit four sixes and four boundaries en route to 50 off only 25 balls. The next 50 came off 23 balls with another four sixes and four fours — the ninth century for Gurbaz and the first for an Afghanistan batter against India. It was also the second quickest ODI century against India after Shahid Afridi took 45 balls in 2005 for Pakistan. Gurbaz was eventually bowled in the 16th over — off Nitish Reddy — after putting on 116 off 66 balls with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (27). Afghanistan slipped again. Dubey dismissed Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai (26). The last five batters didn’t reach double digits, out for 22 runs in 26 balls. In reply, Rohit Sharma was run out on 16. Gill, though, carried his form over from the Indian Premier League in scoring his 18th ODI half-century off 37 balls. Ishan Kishan added 34 runs and Shreyas Iyer 12, but Gill and Rahul hung tough. They put on 53 unbeaten together off 32 balls and Rahul cleaned up with three sixes and four boundaries in only 19 balls.

India won the toss and chose to field first against Afghanistan in the opening match of their three-match ODI series after persistent rain reduced the contest to 25 overs per side in Dharamshala on Saturday. The toss was delayed by more than four hours due to adverse weather conditions before officials confirmed a shortened match. The series marks the first-ever bilateral ODI series between India and Afghanistan. The second match is scheduled to be played in Lucknow on June 18, while the third and final ODI will take place in Chennai on June 20. The two sides have previously met only in ICC World Cups and Asia Cups in the 50-over format, with India winning three of their four encounters and the remaining match ending in a tie. India enter the series after losing three of their last five ODIs, while Afghanistan arrived in strong form, having won their previous four one-day internationals. Earlier this month, India secured an innings-and-300-run victory over Afghanistan in a one-off Test that ended inside three days. India handed ODI debuts to left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey and fast bowler Gurnoor Brar. Veteran opener Rohit Sharma returned to international action, while star batter Virat Kohli was unavailable due to a hamstring injury. All-rounder Hardik Pandya also missed the match because of injury, while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was rested. With overcast conditions and the possibility of further rain, the pitch was expected to assist pace bowlers and potentially favor the team batting second. Lineups: Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Saleem Safi, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna    

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has expressed serious concern and issued a strong condemnation following the harassment and abuse of national team cricketer Nayeem Hasan reportedly by members of a law enforcement agency. The incident occurred in Chattogram on Friday night, prompting an immediate reaction from the country's cricket governing body. In an official statement released on Saturday, the BCB strongly condemned the behavior directed at the off-spinner, stating that it views the matter with the utmost seriousness. The board described the treatment of a national athlete as deeply regrettable and called for swift, official intervention. “The BCB expects a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and urges the relevant authorities to take appropriate action against those found responsible,” the board said in its release. The BCB also confirmed that it has been in close contact with Nayeem and his family since the incident occurred to ensure their well-being and offer necessary assistance. Additionally, board officials are actively engaging with the local administration and relevant authorities in Chattogram to ensure a proper resolution. Reiterating its commitment to safeguarding the welfare, dignity, and rights of its players, the BCB stated it will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Mohammedan Sporting Club won the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) title on a dramatic final day of complex mathematical equations and weather disruptions, ending a painful 16-year championship drought. The historic victory marks Mohammedan's first league crown since the tournament received official List 'A' status. Heading into the final round, the title race required a specific set of results across two concurrent fixtures at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) grounds. Mohammedan needed to defeat arch-rivals Abahani Limited while relying on a Prime Bank Cricket Club loss. Both results fell perfectly into place. While Dhaka Leopards pulled off a tight nine-run victory over Prime Bank via the DLS method, Mohammedan simultaneously dismantled defending champions Abahani by 63 runs under a separate DLS calculation. Mohammedan finished the campaign atop the table with 18 points from nine victories. Abahani and Prime Bank both finished tied on 16 points, with Abahani claiming the runner-up spot due to a superior head-to-head record. Sent in to bat first, Mohammedan's top order dominated the Abahani attack. Opening batsman Anamul Haque struck a brilliant 141 off 115 balls, moving past Tamim Iqbal to claim the record for the most List 'A' centuries by a Bangladeshi batsman with 25 hundreds. His partner, Parvez Hossain, blasted 150 off 116 balls to propel Mohammedan to a massive 406 for 4—the second-highest team total in DPL history. Chasing the mountain of runs, Abahani struggled before heavy rain halted play in the 25th over at 178 for 4. Anik Sarkar remained stranded on 85, and because persistent downpours prevented a restart, match officials used the DLS method to hand Mohammedan the decisive victory.

New Zealand’s record run-scorer Kane Williamson has retired from international cricket with immediate effect, cutting short his participation in the ongoing three-Test series in England. The 35-year-old batsman made the decision following New Zealand's defeat in the opening Test at Lord's, opting out of the remaining fixtures at The Oval and Trent Bridge. Williamson had already relinquished his central contract in June 2024 to balance franchise commitments, having previously retired from T20Is last November. "Over the last few days it's become clear now is the right time," Williamson said in a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) statement. "I feel fortunate to step away on my own terms." Williamson concludes a legendary 16-year career as New Zealand’s most prolific Test batsman, accumulating 9,515 runs at an average of 54.06 in 110 matches. He also scored 7,256 ODI runs and 2,575 T20I runs. The undisputed pinnacle of his career came in 2021, when he captained New Zealand to victory over India in the inaugural World Test Championship final. Under his leadership, New Zealand also reached the final of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2021 T20 World Cup. Williamson will now transition fully into franchise cricket and backend roles, having already signed as a strategic advisor for the IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants.