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Lionel Messi Receives United States' Highest Civilian Honor
Rtv News
04 Jan 2025, 19:12
Photo: AFP
Football icon Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in history, has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honour. This prestigious accolade comes as Messi nears the twilight of his career, following his recent move to the U.S. to play for Inter Miami, where he has already achieved remarkable success.
The award ceremony took place on Saturday, January 4, at the White House, with U.S. President Joe Biden personally presenting the medal to Messi. The Presidential Medal of Freedom recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions across fields such as culture, sports, politics, and humanitarian efforts.
Messi's recognition highlights his impact beyond the football pitch. While his record-breaking achievements on the field are unmatched, his influence extends into philanthropy, community initiatives, and global inspiration, solidifying his legacy as a transformative figure in sports and society.
Celebrating Excellence: Other Medal Recipients
Messi was among 20 distinguished individuals honoured at the ceremony. The list included leaders, innovators, and cultural icons from diverse backgrounds. Notable recipients included:
Hillary Clinton – Former U.S. Secretary of State
George Soros – Philanthropist and Investor
Jane Goodall – Renowned Primatologist and Conservationist
Magic Johnson – Legendary Basketball Player
Denzel Washington – Acclaimed Actor and Film Icon
Ralph Lauren – Celebrated Fashion Designer
Anna Wintour – Media Mogul and Editor-in-Chief of Vogue
Bill Nye – Science Educator and Advocate ("Bill Nye the Science Guy")
Bono – Musician and Humanitarian for AIDS Awareness
Michael J. Fox – Actor and Advocate for Parkinson's Disease Research
Additionally, posthumous honours were presented to luminaries such as Robert F. Kennedy, Ashton Carter, and Fannie Lou Hamer, recognizing their enduring legacies.
Messi's receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom cements his status not only as a football legend but also as a global ambassador for unity, excellence, and positive change.
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Tarique Rahman Congratulates Bangladesh U-19 Cricket Team
Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) congratulated Bangladesh U-19 cricket team for their deserving victory in the final of the U19 Asia Cup against India.
Tarique Rahman wrote these words in a status on social media (X and Facebook) on Sunday (December 8).
Heartfelt congratulations to the Bangladesh U-19 cricket team for their deserving victory in the final of the U19 Asia Cup against India!Your hard work, determination, and teamwork have made the nation proud. This victory is a testament to the bright future of Bangladesh… pic.twitter.com/XhGHHnFbeP— Tarique Rahman (@trahmanbnp) December 8, 2024
He wrote, "Heartfelt congratulations to the Bangladesh U-19 cricket team for their deserving victory in the final of the U19 Asia Cup against India!
Your hard work, determination, and teamwork have made the nation proud. This victory is a testament to the bright future of Bangladesh cricket."
Bangladesh vs West Indies / First Match of 3-Match ODI Series Starts Today
After completing the two-match Test series against the West Indies, Bangladesh is now set to embark on a three-match ODI series. The two teams are facing off in the first match today.
Bangladesh skipper Mehedi Hasan Miraz won the toss and chose to bat first in the opener of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies at Warner Park in St Kitts on Sunday (December 08).
Playing XI
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Afif Hossain, Mahmadullah, Mehedi Hasan Miraz (c), Jaker Ali (wk), Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana
West Indies: Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (c, wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Romario Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph
Bangladesh Suffer 5-Wicket Defeat to West Indies
Bangladesh's 11-match winning streak against West Indies ended when the hosts thrashed them by five wickets in the three-match ODI series-opening game, thanks to a maiden ton of Sherfane Rutherford at Warner Park in St Kitts today.
Rutherford smashed 80 ball-113 as West Indies gunned down Bangladesh's 294-6 effortlessly by amassing 295-5 in 47.4 overs.
It was Rutherford's sixth fifty-plus knock in his only 10-match career. He clubbed seven fours and eight towering sixes in a brutal knock that left Bangladesh in a shocked state.
Skipper Shai Hope blasted 88 ball-86 with three fours and four sixes. He and Rutherford shared a 99-run for the fourth wicket to bring the side back into the contest after Bangladesh bowlers ruled West Indies batters to raise the prospect of a 12th consecutive victory against them.
With Bangladesh bowlers keeping a nagging line and length, the top order of the West Indies was stifled. A big hitter like Brandon King played 16 balls for 9 runs before being trapped leg-before by Tanzim Hasan Sakib and new pace sensation Nahid Rana removed another big hitter Evin Lewis, also via leg-before. Lewis made 16 off 31.
And when Rishad Hossain got the better of Keacy Carty after he scored 21 off 37, West Indies were left with 94-3 in 22 overs, giving Bangladesh hope of winning the game.
But Rutherford played the blinder as he came down heavily on the Bangladesh bowlers to make them completely disarray. His brutal attack in fact forced the bowlers to lose their line and length.
Captain Hope also complemented him with resolution but in an attacking fashion. Mehidy Hasan Miraz broke the partnership by removing Hope but Rutherford got another support from Justin Greaves with whom he shared 95 runs off just 57 balls to help the side close in on a victory.
Rutherford meantime raised his maiden century off 77 balls when a Bangladesh fielder overthrew to gift him six runs. But he later struck two consecutive sixes off Soumya before falling to the same over, trying to third straight six. West Indies were just seven runs away from the victory when he was dismissed.
Greaves who was unbeaten on 31 ball-41 then completed the inevitable with plenty of balls to spare.
During the toss, Bangladesh stand-in skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz predicted a 280-plus total would be good enough to win the game. But on a day when Rutherford was in a beast mood, it was just not enough.
Three batters hit half-centuries in Bangladesh's total with Miraz leading the way with the highest 74. Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim struck run-a-ball-60 while experienced Mahmudullah Riyad hammered 44 ball-50. Jaker Ali Anik brought up his Test form to the ODI format too, blasting a 40 ball-48 that helped
Bangladesh's edge is closer to 300.
After opting to bat first, Bangladesh made a solid start with Tanzid finding the boundaries at regular intervals. Soumya Sarkar too made a decent start but fell for 18 ball-19 while Liton Das was dismissed for 2 to leave Bangladesh 46-2.
Tanzid and Miraz then combined for a 79-run for the third wicket which set the platform for a big total.
Tanzid hammered six fours and three sixes in his third fifty-plus knock before being removed by pacer Alzarri Joseph who took 2-67 eventually.
Miraz was a little bit slow in his approach but brought up his fifth ODI fifty without any trouble. He looked set for a century before Jayden Seals denied him.
Afif Hossain fell to Romairo Shepherd after scoring 28. Shepherd finished with 3-51 to be the best bowler for West Indies.
Jaker and Mahmudullah then lived up to their reputation of finisher tag by adding 96 off 74 balls to help Bangladesh finish on high. Both of the batters hit three fours and as many sixes with Mahmudullah remaining not out after raising his 30th half-century.
Source: BSS
Bangladesh in Group C with India in Asian Cup Qualifiers
Bangladesh and India have been placed in the same group in the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers. The draw took place today (Monday, December 9) at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Bangladesh was placed in Group C, along with India, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The final stage of the 2027 Asian Cup will be hosted in Saudi Arabia.
Tournament Format
A total of 24 teams will compete in six groups in the Asian Cup qualifiers, with each group comprising four teams. Matches will follow the home-and-away format. After six matches, the champion of each group will qualify for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia next year.
The draw was based on FIFA rankings published on November 28, with the 24 teams divided into four boxes. Bangladesh, being lower-ranked, was placed in Box 4.
Draw Process
Teams were drawn starting from Box 4. As Bangladesh's name was the third to be drawn, they were placed in Group C. Following this, teams from Boxs 3, 2, and 1 were drawn, placing Singapore, Hong Kong (China), and India in Bangladesh's group, respectively.
Match Schedule
The six matches of the Asian Cup qualifiers will take place between March 2025 and March 2026. Bangladesh's first match will be against India, the highest-ranked team in the group. Since India is the group's top seed, Bangladesh will travel to India for the opening match.
Match Dates for Bangladesh
March 25, 2025: India vs Bangladesh
June 10, 2025: Bangladesh vs Singapore
October 9, 2025: Bangladesh vs Hong Kong
October 14, 2025: Hong Kong vs Bangladesh
November 18, 2025: Bangladesh vs India
March 31, 2026: Singapore vs Bangladesh
Historical Context
Bangladesh has participated in the Asian Cup only once, in 1980, and has since failed to progress past the qualifiers. The Asian Cup now features the top 24 teams from Asia.
The first phase of the World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers is held jointly. Eighteen teams advancing to the second phase of the World Cup qualifiers from Asia automatically qualify for the Asian Cup. The remaining six slots are determined through these 24-team qualifiers.
The draw event at AFC headquarters was conducted by Deputy Secretary-General Shin Man Gil, alongside other AFC officials and representatives from host Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh vs West Indies Playing 11 in 2nd ODI Series
Bangladesh will try to bounce back and draw the three-match ODI series against West Indies in the second game at St. Kitts.
The two teams will take to the field today (Tuesday) at 8 pm Bangladesh time.
The Bangla Tigers had a good run, winning 11 straight matches against the West Indies. But they lost the first game by five wickets, even after scoring a solid 294 runs.
Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz played a huge role. Tanzid Hasan added some excitement with a quick 60 runs.
Mahmudullah finished strong with an unbeaten 50, and Jaker Ali hit some sixes late in the game. Sadly, their bowlers didn’t do well.
Sherfane Rutherford smashed a century and led the West Indies to victory. The Bangladesh bowlers had a tough time, although Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Nahid Rana got some early wickets.
Mehidy’s wicket of Shai Hope gave them a bit of hope, but Rutherford took charge with 113 runs off just 80 balls.
For Bangladesh to stay in the series, they need to come together and perform better.
Squads:
Bangladesh Squad: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz(c), Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali(w), Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Nasum Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Parvez Hossain Emon
West Indies Squad: Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope(w/c), Sherfane Rutherford, Justin Greaves, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales, Marquino Mindley, Amir Jangoo, Alick Athanaze, Jediah Blades
West Indies End Decade-Long Wait, Beat Bangladesh in ODI Series
After a decade, Bangladesh faced a crushing defeat against the West Indies, who clinched the ODI series with a dominant seven-wicket victory in the second match. Chasing a target of 228, Shai Hope’s side secured the win with 13.5 overs to spare, claiming the series with one game left. The West Indies last defeated Bangladesh in an ODI series at home in 2014.
On Tuesday (December 10) at Warner Park in St. Kitts, the West Indies ended their long wait for a series victory over Bangladesh. Led by Shai Hope, the hosts chased down the target in just 36.5 overs. Earlier, Bangladesh were bowled out for 227 in 45.5 overs after losing the toss and batting first. In response, the West Indies comfortably reached the target with 13.1 overs remaining.
Opener Brandon King top-scored for the West Indies with 82 runs, while Evin Lewis and Keacy Carty contributed 49 and 45 runs, respectively. For Bangladesh, Rishad Hossain, Nahid Rana, and Afif Hossain each took one wicket.
In the first ODI at the same venue, Bangladesh had scored 294 runs, but in this match, they failed to even surpass 230. Mahmudullah Riyad and Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s record 92-run partnership for the eighth wicket helped Bangladesh avoid an even more disastrous total.
The West Indies dominated from the start of their chase. The opening pair of King and Lewis added 109 runs, putting Bangladesh out of contention. Both openers missed personal milestones, with Lewis dismissed for 49 and King for 82. Despite some resistance from the bowlers, the West Indies cruised to victory, with Hope unbeaten on 17 and Rutherford contributing 24 runs.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s batting collapsed under pressure. Soumya Sarkar departed for just 2 runs, followed by Liton Das (4 runs) and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1 run). Tanzid Tamim’s brisk 46 off 33 balls provided some hope, but wickets fell regularly. Afif Hossain (24 runs) and Mahmudullah Riyad (62 runs) attempted to stabilize the innings, but the lack of support from other batters left Bangladesh struggling.
Riyad and Tanzim’s partnership helped Bangladesh reach 227, but their efforts were not enough to avoid defeat. Riyad scored 62 off 92 balls, while Tanzim missed a half-century, scoring 45 off 62 balls. For the West Indies, Jayden Seales claimed 4 wickets for 22 runs, while Gudakesh Motie picked up 2 wickets.
The third and final ODI will be held on December 12 at the same venue.
Lanka T10 / Shakib to Take Field Tonight: How to Watch Match on Mobile
The Lanka T10's inaugural edition has kicked off with a match between the Hambantota Bangla Tigers and the Jaffna Titans. Tiger all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will represent Galle Marvels in this tournament. His team will take the field on the tournament's opening day.
Match Schedule
On Wednesday (December 11), in the day's final match, Shakib's Galle Marvels will face Colombo Jaguars at 9 pm.
The Galle Marvels squad boasts a star-studded lineup including Alex Hales, Andre Fletcher, Luke Wood, Zahoor Khan, and Kesrick Williams.
Galle Marvels Squad
Maheesh Theekshana (Captain), Alex Hales, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Shakib Al Hasan, Sadisha Rajapaksa, Luke Wood, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Binura Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Andre Fletcher, Kesrick Williams, Zahoor Khan, Prabath Jayasuriya, Chaminindu Wickramasinghe, and Dumindu Sewwimala. Head Coach: Graham Ford.
How to Watch the Match
Good news for Bangladeshi cricket fans. This match will be broadcast live on T-Sports. Additionally, you can watch it via the FanCode app or Sri Lanka Cricket's official YouTube channel on your mobile device.
