Bangladesh vs India
Play On Day 3 Called Off Despite Bright Sunlight
After three inspections on Day 3, the umpires called play off due to a wet outfield.
A second consecutive day was washed out in the second Test match (Kanpur Test) between India and Bangladesh at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
Despite three separate inspections, the umpires decided to call off play due to the wet outfield. The lack of sunshine in the morning left several soggy and wet patches on the pitch, making it a safety concern for the players.
Despite bright sunshine in the afternoon, no play could take place.
Action could be expected on Day 4 and Day 5, with no more rain expected.
Source: NDTV
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BPL Kicks Off with a Music Fest, Mirpur Gets a New Look
The 11th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will hit the field on December 30. However, the festivities begin a week earlier, with the BPL Music Fest 2025 set to take place on Monday (December 23) in Mirpur. Excitement is at its peak as the "Home of Cricket" has been transformed with a fresh new look for the occasion.
The highlight of this glamorous night is the performance by legendary singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. This evening of melodies and excitement marks the official inauguration of the newly revamped Bangladesh Premier League. It is more than just a fusion of music and cricket; it is a heartfelt event that resonates with millions of people across the nation.
The audience eagerly awaits the soulful voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, whose performance has cost the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) approximately 34 million BDT, approved in the BCB's board meeting last Saturday.
Additionally, renowned Bangladeshi artists such as Miles, Jefar, AvoidRafa, and Muza will also perform on stage. The BPL theme song, "Elo BPL", co-produced by Muza and AvoidRafa, will blend local and international music, further amplifying the audience's enthusiasm for the league.
Following the Mirpur event, music fests will also be held in Chattogram and Sylhet. However, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's performance will be exclusive to the Mirpur stage, adding a unique touch to this event. The stadium gates will open at 2:30 PM, allowing fans to enjoy the entire program.
In preparation for the BPL's inauguration, Mirpur Stadium has been redecorated, with old structures repainted and banners placed at the gates.
Sponsorship and Tickets
The festival is sponsored by Madhumati Bank, which is contributing nearly 50 million BDT. Tickets for the event are available online, with pricing designed to be more affordable for fans. Platinum tickets cost 8,000 BDT, Gold 6,000 BDT, Silver 4,000 BDT, Grandstand 1,500 BDT, and Clubhouse tickets 500 BDT.
Modern Technology and Special Features
This year’s BPL will showcase advanced technologies such as upgraded DRS, Hawk-Eye, and spy cameras. There are also various arrangements for fans, including the unveiling of the BPL mascot. Many aspects of the 11th BPL will also pay tribute to the student-people movement of July-August.
To honor the memory of Shaheed Mir Mugdha, free drinking water will be available for fans in the gallery. A portion of the gallery will also serve as a "Zero Waste Zone." Additionally, e-ticketing facilities will be in place for the convenience of spectators.
BPL Fever Kicks Off: Full Schedule Announced
The 11th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to begin on December 30 at Mirpur. However, the excitement has already started a week earlier with the Dhaka leg of the BPL Music Fest held on Monday, December 23, marking the official kickoff of the tournament festivities.
BCB President Faruk Ahmed and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud graced the stage, with the latter inaugurating the tournament under the theme "A New BPL for a New Bangladesh," recalling the transformation after the July revolution.
The event featured electrifying performances by artists like Jafar, Muza, and Sanjay, followed by renowned band Miles and a grand finale performance by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The night concluded with a spectacular fireworks display around the stadium.
The Music Fest will continue in Chattogram on December 25 and conclude in Sylhet on December 27. Afterward, the on-field competition begins.
Teams and Matches
This season features seven teams:
Dhaka Capitals
Chittagong Kings
Durbar Rajshahi
Fortune Barishal
Khulna Tigers
Rangpur Riders
Sylhet Strikers
The opening match will see Fortune Barishal face Durbar Rajshahi, followed by a second match between Rangpur Riders and Dhaka Capitals on the same day. The group stage concludes on February 1 with a match between Barishal and Chittagong Kings.
Venues and Schedule:
Mirpur, Dhaka: First 8 matches (Dec 30 - Jan 5)
Sylhet: 12 matches (Jan 6 - Jan 13)
Chattogram: 12 matches (Jan 16 - Jan 23)
Dhaka Final Leg: Eliminator, Qualifiers, and Final (Jan 26 - Feb 7)
Key dates include:
Eliminator & 1st Qualifier: February 3
2nd Qualifier: February 5
Final: February 7
To ease ticketing, the BCB has introduced an e-ticketing system, allowing fans to purchase tickets from the comfort of their homes.
Let the cricketing excitement begin!
Proper Trial of Hasina Depends on Her Repatriation: Tajul
International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam today said if the government can bring Sheikh Hasina back from India, it will be possible to conduct her trial properly.
Replying to a question about his assessment of the government's diplomatic note to India to send back Sheikh Hasina, the ICT chief prosecutor said, “There is no scope to assess this on his part as it is the duty of the state.”
“The state is doing its job and I also doing my job for a state organization. The state has sent a note verbal to the Indian government following our request and trying to bring her back through diplomatic channels. If the government can successfully bring Sheikh Hasina back from India, then it would be possible to conduct her trial in a better way,” Tajul said.
Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain on Monday said that Dhaka has sent a note verbal to New Delhi saying that the Bangladesh government wanted Sheikh Hasina back here for the judicial process.
The home adviser said that the former prime minister could be brought back to Bangladesh under the extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India.
The ICT on October 17 issued an arrest warrant against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 45 others on the charge of crimes against humanity committed during the July-August mass uprising.
Ronaldo Criticizes Ballon d'Or Organizers
Real Madrid and Brazilian star Vinicius Junior had been at the centre of discussions ever since the announcement of the 2024 Ballon d'Or. Football experts widely considered him a leading contender. However, just hours before the awards ceremony, it was revealed that he would not be receiving the award. Instead, Spanish footballer Rodri claimed the prestigious prize.
As a result, no representatives from Real Madrid attended the awards ceremony held on October 28 at the 'Theatre du Chatelet' in Paris, where Rodri was presented with the Ballon d’Or. The decision sparked significant controversy, which has now drawn comments from Cristiano Ronaldo.
On Friday, December 27, during the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony held in Dubai, Ronaldo was honoured as the Best Middle Eastern Footballer. While attending the event, the Portuguese star criticized the Ballon d'Or, stating that an injustice had been done to Vinicius. According to Ronaldo, the Real Madrid and Brazilian star was the most deserving of the award.
"Vinicius deserved to win the Ballon d'Or," Ronaldo remarked. "Rodri could have won it too, but Vinicius won the Champions League and scored in the final. Nothing else matters to me. When someone is deserving, they should be rewarded. In my opinion, this is an injustice."
In addition, Ronaldo criticized the French magazine France Football, the organizers of the Ballon d'Or, while praising the Globe Soccer Awards.
The Al-Nassr star said, "These ceremonies are like this. They always do the same thing. That's why I love the Globe Soccer Awards—they are honest."
BPL Begins on Monday: A Glimpse at the Squads of 7 Teams
The 11th season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is just one day away from kicking off. The opening match will feature Fortune Barishal facing Durbar Rajshahi. The match will begin at 1:30 pm Bangladesh time.
The 11th season of BPL will feature 7 teams, including three new ones. This nearly one-and-a-half-month-long tournament will conclude on February 7, next year.
The seven teams competing in this year's BPL are Dhaka Capitals, Chittagong Kings, Durbar Rajshahi, Fortune Barishal, Khulna Tigers, Rangpur Riders, and Sylhet Strikers.
Notably, Comilla Victorians and Chattogram Challengers will not participate this season. Additionally, Dhaka has changed ownership, and Durbar Rajshahi has made a comeback.
Let's take a quick look at the squads of all seven teams:
Dhaka Capitals
Local Players:
Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Habibur Rahman, Mukidul Islam, Abu Jayed, Mushfiq Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Munem Shahriar, Asif Hasan, Shahadat Hossain.
Foreign Players:
Thisara Perera, Johnson Charles, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mir Hamza, Stephen Eskinazi, Saim Ayub, Amir Hamza.
Chittagong Kings
Local Players:
Shakib Al Hasan, Shariful Islam, Shamim Hossain, Parvez Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Aliss Al Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Naeem Islam, Maruf Mridha, Rahatul Ferdous, Sheikh Parvez, Marshal Ayub.
Foreign Players:
Moeen Ali, Usman Khan, Haider Ali, Angelo Mathews, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Binura Fernando, Graham Clark, Thomas O’Connell.
Durbar Rajshahi
Local Players:
Anamul Haque, Taskin Ahmed, Zeeshan Alam, Yasir Ali, Sabbir Hossain, Sanjamul Islam, SM Mehrab Hossain, Akbar Ali, Hasan Murad, Shafiul Islam, Moher Sheikh.
Foreign Players:
Mohammad Haris, Bilal Khan, Saad Nasim, Lahiru Samarakoon.
Khulna Tigers
Local Players:
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mohammad Naim, Imrul Kayes, Mahidul Islam, Abu Hider, Ziaur Rahman, Mahfuzur Rahman, Mahmudul Hasan.
Foreign Players:
Oshane Thomas, Mohammad Hasnain, Lewis Gregory, Mohammad Nawaz.
Rangpur Riders
Local Players:
Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nahid Rana, Saif Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Rakibul Hasan, Rezaur Rahman, Irfan Sukkur, Kamrul Islam, Azizul Haque Tamim, Toufiq Khan.
Foreign Players:
Alex Hales, Khushdil Shah, Allah Ghazanfar, Steven Ryan Taylor, Saurabh Netravalkar, Akif Javed, Curtis Campher.
Sylhet Strikers
Local Players:
Zakir Hasan, Zaker Ali, Tanzim Hasan, Rony Talukdar, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Al Amin Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Ruyel Miah, Ariful Haque, Nihaduzzaman, Nahidul Islam.
Foreign Players:
Paul Stirling, George Munsey, Rahkeem Cornwall, Samiullah Shinwari, Reece Topley.
Fortune Barishal
Local Players:
Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Tanvir Islam, Najmul Hossain, Ripon Mondol, Ebadot Hossain, Naeem Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taijul Islam, Shahidul Islam, Ariful Islam, Iqbal Hossain Emon.
Foreign Players:
Dawid Malan, Kyle Mayers, Mohammad Nabi, Faheem Ashraf, Ali Mohammad, Khan Jahandad, James Fuller, Pathum Nissanka, Nandre Burger.
New Zealand Fight Back to Beat Sri Lanka by 8 Runs in First T20
Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell made half-centuries in a 105-run sixth-wicket partnership to help lead New Zealand to an eight-run win over Sri Lanka on Saturday in the first of three T20 internationals.
Outstanding bowling at the death also turned the match in New Zealand's favour as Sri Lanka slumped from 121-0 to 164-8 in reply to New Zealand's 172-8.
Mitchell made 62 and Bracewell 59 in a partnership lasting only 60 balls, after coming together with New Zealand in trouble at 65-5 when Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Hay with consecutive deliveries in the 10th over.
New Zealand's total looked inadequate as Pathum Nissanka made 90 in 60 balls and shared a 121-run opening stand with Kusal Mendis which seemed to have set up Sri Lanka for a comfortable win.
Mendis contributed 46 to Sri Lanka's first-century opening partnership in T20s in 122 innings over eight years.
He was out in the 14th over, an over where Jacob Duffy took three wickets for one run, marking the point at which Sri Lanka's run chase began to unravel. Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Perera were also out in the same over.
“They're class batters, particularly those two at the top,” Duffy said. "We know these conditions well with a bit of bounce and swing up top.”
Nissanka was dismissed with a total of 153-5 in the 19th over and only 20 runs needed for victory.
But Sri Lanka went into the match with a long tail and it wasn't able to finish what Nissanka and Kusal Mendis had started.
“We're really disappointed about the result and we really should have done better,” Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said. “I think Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis batted really well and the rest of us, myself included, should take responsibility for this loss.”
New Zealand was under pressure for most of the match, stumbling to 32-2 at the end of the power play as Binura Fernando bowled superbly at the top of the innings, finishing with 2-22.
Hasaranga then stepped up and took his two important middle-order wickets as New Zealand reached 65-5 by the midpoint of its innings.
Mitchell and Bracewell lifted New Zealand to a solid total which was still made to look reachable under the early onslaught from Nissanka and Mendis.
But after Duffy's three-wicket burst, Sri Lanka lost its way and the next-best score after the opening pair was 8. Matt Henry and Zak Foulkes bowled superbly at the death. UNB News.
Thrill in Melbourne Test as Bumrah Sets World Record
Jasprit Bumrah, India’s recent bowling sensation, has reignited his team with an incredible feat. The right-arm pacer became the fastest Indian to claim 200 Test wickets. Globally, he achieved this milestone in the fourth-lowest number of balls bowled and tied for the tenth-fastest by matches. However, Bumrah made history by claiming 200 Test wickets at the lowest economy rate ever recorded.
He is the only bowler in Test history to achieve 200 wickets with an average under 20 (19.56). Under pressure from Bumrah and Siraj’s fiery bowling, Australia collapsed to 91 for 6 in their second innings, adding to the drama of the fourth Test in Melbourne in the Border-Gavaskar series. Despite their struggles, Australia managed to surpass the 200-run mark, thanks to a 105-run first-innings lead.
On the fourth day of the Boxing Day Test (Sunday), India was bowled out for 369 after adding just 11 runs to their overnight total. This effort was powered by a spectacular maiden Test century by Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored 114 off 189 balls, including 11 fours and one six. Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Nathan Lyon each took three wickets for Australia in the first innings.
In their second innings, Australia lost debutant opener Sam Constance for just 8 runs to a brilliant inswinger from Bumrah, who had previously stared him down in the first innings after his resilient 60-run knock. Mohammed Siraj then dismissed Usman Khawaja for 21 and Steven Smith for 13.
Australia suffered a dramatic collapse, losing four wickets for just 11 runs, three of which were claimed by Bumrah. He reached the milestone of 200 Test wickets by dismissing Travis Head for just 1. Bumrah then sent back Mitchell Marsh (0) and Alex Carey, bringing his tally to 202 wickets in Tests.
Fewest Runs Conceded for 200 Test Wickets
Jasprit Bumrah: 3912 runs (average 19.56)
Joel Garner: 4067 runs (average 20.34)
Shaun Pollock: 4077 runs (average 20.39)
Fewest Balls to 200 Test Wickets
Waqar Younis: 7725 balls
Dale Steyn: 7848 balls
Kagiso Rabada: 8154 balls
Jasprit Bumrah: 8484 balls
Malcolm Marshall: 9234 balls
Fastest to 200 Test Wickets for India
Jasprit Bumrah: 8484 balls
Mohammed Shami: 9896 balls
Ravichandran Ashwin: 10,248 balls
Kapil Dev: 11,066 balls
Ravindra Jadeja: 11,989 balls