United News of Bangladesh

Sri Lanka’s white-ball captain Charith Asalanka and pacer Asitha Fernando have been sidelined from the T20 tri-series in Pakistan due to illness. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced on Monday that Dasun Shanaka will lead the team in the tournament, which also features Zimbabwe. Top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake, who made his ODI debut in Sunday’s third and final match against Pakistan, has been added to the T20 squad. In that game, Pakistan completed a 3-0 ODI series sweep over Sri Lanka, with Rathnayake scoring 32 runs off 37 balls. The tri-series begins on Tuesday with host Pakistan facing Zimbabwe. Each team will play the others twice, with the top two sides advancing to the final on Nov. 29. All seven matches will be held in Rawalpindi. SLC confirmed that Asalanka and Fernando will return home to “receive proper care and adequate time to recover ahead of upcoming assignments.” The tri-series also serves as preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup, for which Zimbabwe has qualified after missing the 2024 edition. Sri Lanka’s white-ball tour had faced uncertainty following a suicide bombing in Islamabad last week that killed 12 people, hours before the first ODI in nearby Rawalpindi. However, the team continued after the Pakistan Cricket Board assured SLC of adequate security measures.

Pakistan wrapped up a dominant 3-0 ODI series win over Sri Lanka with a composed six-wicket victory in the final match on Sunday, finishing the chase with 32 balls to spare. Mohammad Rizwan (an unbeaten 61) and Fakhar Zaman (55) hit their second straight half centuries, guiding Pakistan to 215-4 in 44.4 overs. Earlier, Sri Lanka squandered a quick start and were dismissed for 211 in 45.2 overs after captain Shaheen Shah Afridi opted to field first. Pakistan had edged the opening game by six runs, before Babar Azam’s first international hundred in more than two years powered a commanding eight-wicket win in the second ODI at Pindi Cricket Stadium. Afridi, who sat out that match due to fever, returned to lead the side in the finale. “Winning 3-0 is always satisfying,” Afridi said. “Senior guys like Babar and Rizwan are the backbone of our team, and they stepped up throughout the series.” Pakistan cruises in the chase Haseebullah Khan, one of four changes, departed for a 12-ball duck on his series debut, but Zaman picked up where he left off after his 78 in the previous game. He and Babar (34) steadied the innings with a 76-run partnership as Sri Lanka’s pacers struggled to grip the ball due to heavy dew. Sri Lanka’s stand-in seam attack — Eshan Malinga and Pramod Madushan — went wicketless and leaked 100 runs in 18 overs after regular quicks Dushmantha Chameera and Asitha Fernando were rested. Zaman reached his fifty off 39 balls with seven boundaries before leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay (3-42) struck in the middle overs. He removed Zaman with a sharp catch by Kamindu Mendis at deep mid-wicket, bowled Babar, and trapped Salman Ali Agha (6) LBW on review to reduce Pakistan to 115-4 in the 25th over. Sri Lanka warns players, staff of leaving Pakistan amid security concern But Rizwan, marking his 100th ODI, and Hussain Talat (42 not out) calmly sealed the win with an unbroken century stand. Sri Lanka slump after positive start Debutant Kamil Mishra (29) and Pathum Nissanka (24) put on 55 for the opening stand, but Pakistan’s quicks soon regained control. Nissanka chopped a short ball from Haris Rauf (2-38) onto his stumps, and Mohammad Wasim (3-47) removed Mishra behind the wicket. Acting skipper Kusal Mendis, leading in place of the ill Charith Asalanka, was bowled for 34. Sadeera Samarawickrama top-scored with 48 before falling to wrist-spinner Faisal Akram (2-42), playing his first ODI in a year as Pakistan rotated its squad and rested Abrar Ahmed. Newcomer Pavan Rathnayake offered some late resistance with 32 off 37 but was run out as the final wicket, leaving Sri Lanka with their lowest total of the series. “Five of our top order got starts but couldn’t carry on, and that hurt us,” Mendis said. “Vandersay bowled superbly though — he gave everything.” T20 tri-series up next Sri Lanka and Pakistan will now be joined by Zimbabwe for a T20 tri-series in Rawalpindi as part of preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup. Pakistan face Zimbabwe in the opening match on Tuesday. The tour had briefly been in doubt after a suicide bombing near a court in Islamabad killed 12 people on Tuesday, hours before the first ODI. But Sri Lanka Cricket instructed the team to continue following security assurances from the Pakistan Cricket Board. Source: AP

Ravindra Jadeja returned figures of 4-29 as South Africa collapsed to 93-7 in 35 overs by stumps on the second day of the opening Test, leaving India firmly on top after a frenetic day in which 15 wickets fell. India earlier managed 189 in their first innings, taking a narrow 30-run lead after dismissing the visitors for 159. Despite the advantage being slim, the hosts dominated the evening session to dismantle the Proteas’ top and middle order. South Africa now hold an overall lead of 63 runs on a pitch offering unpredictable bounce and turn. At close, captain Temba Bavuma was battling on 29 off 78 balls, with Corbin Bosch unbeaten on 1. Bad light forced an early end to play for the second straight day. India opened the second innings with spin from both ends, and Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav immediately found purchase. Yadav trapped Ryan Rickelton lbw for 11 at tea to make it 18-1, triggering a steady slide. Jadeja then tore through the Proteas with a disciplined spell. Aiden Markram fell for four at short leg, Wiaan Mulder nicked behind for 11, and Toni de Zorzi (2) became his second victim of the 17th over. Tristan Stubbs was bowled for five, failing to read a straight one. Axar Patel removed Kyle Verreynne for nine with a delivery that sneaked through, reducing South Africa to 75-6. Marco Jansen swung his way to 13 before Yadav picked him off, though Bavuma held up one end to push the match into Day 3. Earlier, India’s batting also faltered. Off-spinner Simon Harmer led South Africa’s attack with 4-30, while Jansen took 3-35. Starting the day at 37-1, Lokesh Rahul and Washington Sundar put on 38 runs in the opening hour. But South Africa struck three times in the next hour despite India adding 63 runs. Sundar edged Harmer for 29, and captain Shubman Gill retired hurt after feeling discomfort in his neck while hitting a boundary. He did not resume his innings and is believed to have a neck spasm, leaving vice-captain Rishabh Pant in charge. Mark Wood leaves Ashes warm-up match due to hamstring stiffness Rahul made 39 before falling to Keshav Maharaj. Pant lifted the scoring rate with a brisk 27 off 24 balls, featuring two sixes, before Bosch bounced him out just before lunch. After the interval, Dhruv Jurel chipped a simple return catch to Harmer. Jadeja contributed 27 off 45 and crossed 4,000 Test runs, becoming only the fourth all-rounder—after Kapil Dev, Ian Botham and Daniel Vettori—to pair 4,000 runs with 300 wickets. Jansen then swept aside the Indian tail, with Axar offering brief resistance for 16 before becoming Harmer’s final wicket. Despite their modest total, India tightened their grip by the close. “Batting positively is the only way here,” Axar Patel said. “You can’t just defend because you’re never fully in. You have to put away the loose balls. Patience is key. If we can keep them under 125, the chase should be manageable tomorrow.” South Africa last won a Test in India 15 years ago. The second Test begins Nov. 22 at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium, which will host a men’s Test for the first time after staging several matches in the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup. India swept West Indies 2-0 in their most recent series, while South Africa drew 1-1 in Pakistan. Source: AP

Bangladesh A opener Habibur Rahman stormed his way into the record books on Friday, hitting a 35-ball century against Hong Kong China in Doha to register the fastest T20 hundred by a Bangladeshi cricketer. The previous national record belonged to Parvez Hossain Emon, who reached his century off 42 balls in the 2020 Bangabandhu T20 Cup. Habibur erased that mark with a display of power-hitting in the Rising Stars Asia Cup, helping Bangladesh A beat Hong Kong by eight wickets with 54 balls to spare. Chasing 168, Habibur set the tone in the very first over, smashing three sixes. He followed up with another over of three boundaries and a six, hitting 10 sixes overall — all inside the powerplay — as Bangladesh A amassed 107 runs in the first six overs. Habibur alone scored 88 off 25 balls during the powerplay, while other opener Zishan Alam played a supporting role with 16. Their stand of 111 off 39 balls gave Akbar Ali’s side complete control. Zishan eventually fell for 20 off 14 deliveries in the seventh over. With 88 off his first 24 balls, Habibur briefly threatened the all-time T20 record — Uganda’s Sahil Chauhan holds the world mark with a 27-ball hundred — but he slowed in the final stretch, taking 11 balls to gather his last 12 runs. Captain Akbar Ali then finished the chase in style with a blistering 41 not-out off 13 balls, including five consecutive sixes off Kinchit Shah. His late batting ensured Bangladesh A reached the target in just 11 overs.

Bangladesh wrapped up a big victory by an innings and 47 runs over Ireland on the fourth morning of the Sylhet Test, completing a performance built on heavy first-innings runs and sustained pressure from a balanced attack. Ireland, resuming the day on 86 for five and still 215 runs behind, showed greater resistance through the lower order but never seriously threatened to push the match into a fifth day. They were eventually bowled out for 254 shortly after lunch, with the left-arm spin duo of Hasan Murad and Taijul Islam sharing seven wickets. The morning's first breakthrough came when Matthew Humphreys swept Taijul straight to square leg for 16. Andy Balbirnie and Andy McBrine then added 66 runs in the most substantial partnership of the innings, briefly quietening Bangladesh's momentum. Bangladesh close in on innings victory after dominating 3rd day in Sylhet Balbirnie played with composure for 38 before being trapped lbw by Murad, whose persistence paid off with sharp turn from a length. McBrine reached a fighting fifty — the third of his Test career — but his innings ended soon after the interval when he miscued a pull off Nahid Rana and offered a simple catch at midwicket. Ireland's hopes faded from that moment. Barry McCarthy swung gamely for 25, and Graham Hume and Mark Adair chipped away at the deficit, but the outcome had long been clear. Murad completed a four-wicket haul in only his second Test match, finishing with 4 for 60, while Taijul took 3 for 84. Rana ended with two wickets. "He's been doing well in first-class cricket," said Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto of Murad, who had waited long for his opportunity. "Showed what a quality bowler he is, exciting bowler." Bangladesh's victory was forged on the weight of their first-innings total. The hosts had declared at 587 for eight on the third afternoon, securing a 301-run lead — their second-largest in Test history. Sylhet Test: Tigers extend lead to 161 at lunch on day three The scorecard was stacked with contributions across the top order: Mahmudul Hasan Joy's career-best 171, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto's crisp 100, and solid innings from Mominul Haque (82), Shadman Islam (80), and Liton Das (60). Only Matthew Humphreys found a way through with any consistency, returning figures of five for 170. "Opening partnership was tremendous. Hope they'll continue," Shanto said, reflecting on the platform set by Joy and Shadman. Ireland began their second innings in trouble almost immediately. Cade Carmichael was bowled by Rana in the fourth over, and Paul Stirling's fluent 43 ended in a mix-up that produced a sharp run-out engineered by Najmul and finished by Liton. Taijul trapped Harry Tector for 18, and Curtis Campher departed to a flying catch from Shadman at extra cover. By stumps on the third day, Ireland were five down and still far from safety. Bangladesh closed out the job without alarm, completing only their fourth victory by an innings margin in Tests. Mahmudul was named player of the match for an innings he admitted left him "disappointed to not get the double century," though he remained "happy overall" with his contribution. "This track was pretty good to bat on, tried to keep my tactics simple," he said. Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie was frank in his assessment. "Tough cricket for us, they were better in every aspect," he said. "We know how good they are in their own conditions. From a skill point of view, we've to get there. That'll come with more matches." Despite the heavy defeat, Balbirnie found reasons for optimism. "Proud of how we've gone about it the last four days. The more our players are exposed to top-flight international cricket, they'll get better." Shanto, meanwhile, dismissed suggestions that Bangladesh had engineered conditions to suit their spinners. "Not like we want a spin wicket, we want to play on a sporting wicket," he said after the match. "All four days wicket looked pretty good."

Bangladesh tightened their grip on the Sylhet Test by ending the third day on the brink of an innings victory, reducing Ireland to 86 for five in their second innings after declaring at a commanding 587 for eight. Ireland trail by 215 runs and must bat out the fourth day to avoid defeat. The hosts had resumed the morning on 338 for one and extended their advantage through steady scoring, despite losing Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim in the opening session. Mahmudul added just two runs to his overnight score before falling for a career-best 171, while Mominul was dismissed for 82. Mushfiqur made 23 before being undone by turn from Matthew Humphreys. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto struck a composed century of 100, supported by Liton Das’s brisk 60, as Bangladesh pushed their total well past 500. Humphreys finished with five for 170, the best figures of his young career. The declaration gave Bangladesh a first-innings lead of 301, their second-largest ever. Ireland’s reply quickly faltered. Debutant pacer Nahid Rana bowled Cade Carmichael for 5, before Paul Stirling and Harry Tector briefly resisted. Stirling looked the most assured batter, reaching 43, but fell to a sharp run-out started by a deflection to slip and finished by Liton Das. Taijul Islam trapped Tector for 18, and Curtis Campher followed for 19 when Shadman Islam dived to his right at extra cover to pull off the catch of the day. The slide continued when Lorcan Tucker was given lbw on review, leaving Ireland at 85 for five. Hasan Murad, the debutant left-arm spinner, ended the day with two for eight, continuing an impressive start to his Test career. Bangladesh will return on the fourth morning sensing a swift finish, while Ireland face a long battle merely to force Bangladesh to bat again.  

Fast bowler Mark Wood experienced “stiffness in his hamstring” on the first day of England’s only warmup match before the Ashes series begins next week in Australia, the team said Thursday. Wood bowled eight overs – a pre-planned amount, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board — before leaving the field at Perth’s Lilac Hill in the tour match against the England Lions. The ECB said Wood “will undergo a precautionary scan" on Friday and is scheduled to bowl again Saturday. The 35-year-old Wood has been out of action for the last nine months following knee surgery. He has been training with heavy strapping on his leg. The first test starts Nov. 21 in Perth.

Bangladesh consolidated their dominance over touring Ireland on the third morning of the Sylhet Test, reaching 447 for four at lunch- a lead of 161 runs in the first innings. The hosts added 111 runs in the session but lost three wickets, including overnight centurion Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque, and Mushfiqur Rahim. Mahmudul, who began the day on 169, extended his career-best innings to 171 before edging Andy McBrine behind after facing 286 balls with 14 fours and four sixes. Mominul, who resumed unbeaten on 80, also fell to McBrine for 82 after adding only a few more runs. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto then steadied the innings with a fluent half-century — his sixth in Tests — while Mushfiqur Rahim made 23 before being deceived by left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys’ turn. At the break, Najmul was batting on 50 alongside Liton Das, who looked positive from the start and remained unbeaten on 19. Bangladesh’s batting has built steadily on the platform laid by the top order, with their first three batters all passing fifty — only the second such instance in the country’s Test history. The pitch has started to show signs of turn, suggesting a difficult task ahead for Ireland when they bat again.  In the first innings of the match, Ireland posted 286.  

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has cautioned its players and support staff after some of them expressed to leave Pakistan following a bombing in Islamabad this week. In a statement late Wednesday, the board said any player or staff member who defies its directive to continue the tour and returns home would face a formal review of their conduct. The SLC insisted it has taken “all necessary measures” in coordination with Pakistani authorities to ensure the team’s safety. The Sri Lankan squad is currently in Islamabad for a three-match ODI series. The explosion, which took place near the team’s hotel, has caused grave concern among players. Bangladesh dominate day 2 as Mahmudul, Mominul pile on runs in Sylhet According to international media reports, at least eight Sri Lankan cricketers had initially desired of leaving Pakistan. Following discussions between players, team management, and officials from both cricket boards, the remaining two ODIs have been pushed back by a day. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that the matches will now be held on November 14 and 16 instead of November 13 and 15. Naqvi is also scheduled to meet the Sri Lankan team to assure them of security issues. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Islamabad has already reviewed the safety measures and expressed satisfaction, according to a PCB statement. Sri Lanka lost the opening match of the series by six runs. The team is also scheduled to take part in a T20 tri-series involving Pakistan and Zimbabwe after the ODIs. Pakistan has hosted international cricket again in recent years after a decade-long hiatus that began following the 2009 terrorist attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

Bangladesh tightened their grip on the Sylhet Test with a commanding batting display, reaching 338 for 1 at stumps on the second day after dismissing Ireland for 286 earlier in the morning. Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy led the charge with a career-best 169 not out, while Mominul Haque provided solid support with an unbeaten 80. The pair added 170 runs for the second wicket after the early dismissal of Shadman Islam, who fell for 80 to left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys. Mahmudul, who had earlier completed his second Test hundred, continued to bat with authority, surpassing his previous highest score of 137 made against South Africa in 2022. His innings anchored Bangladesh’s dominance throughout the day. Earlier in the morning, Taijul Islam and Hasan Mahmud wrapped up Ireland’s innings within 14 balls. Barry McCarthy added 10 more runs to his overnight 21 before falling for 31. Bangladesh’s strong start was built on a 169-run opening stand between Shadman and Mahmudul — the team’s highest since 2015. With the hosts already 52 runs ahead and nine wickets in hand, they hold complete control heading into day three. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was Bangladesh’s best bowler in the first innings, taking 3 for 50, while debutant Hasan Murad, Hasan Mahmud, and Taijul Islam all contributed with two wickets apiece. The second and final Test will be played in Dhaka, followed by a three-match T20I series between the two sides.