Sports

MNA Sports Desk: India will remain hosts of the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup while Australia will host this year’s postponed tournament in 2022, the sport’s governing International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday. The ICC also confirmed the women’s 50-over World Cup that was scheduled to be held in New Zealand in February-March next year has been postponed to 2022. “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 that was postponed due to COVID-19 will be held in Australia in 2022. India will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 as planned,” the ICC said in a statement https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1749944. “The ...

MNA Sports Desk: Jofra Archer has escaped an additional ban after breaching England team protocols with an unauthorised trip home, landing an undisclosed fine and a written warning instead. Archer breached the England and Wales Cricket Board’s strict guidelines by taking a brief detour to his flat in Hove between first and second Tests against the West Indies, during which he met with an individual from outside the ‘bio-secure’ bubble. The transgression saw him withdrawn from the ongoing match at Emirates Old Trafford, where he is three days into a mandatory five in isolation, but a disciplinary hearing on Friday ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladeshi star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s World Cup bat has been sold for Tk 2 million (20 lakh) to a buyer identified as Raj, a Bangladeshi expatriate living in the USA.Shakib had put this bat, which he played with during the last World Cup, on auction to raise fund to help the people suffering from the effect of coronavirus in Bangladesh.Former national team skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was the first Bangladeshi cricketer to announce to put his bat on auction to raise fund for the struggling people around the country, UNB reports.Auction of Shakib’s bat was held on ...

MNA Sports Desk: Liton Das struck a highest individual score by a Bangladeshi batsman while Tamim Iqbal brought up his second successive century as Bangladesh crushed Zimbabwe by 123 runs in Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s final match as captain at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Friday. By winning the rain-hit third and final ODI of the series, Bangladesh also completed a fourth straight and overall fifth whitewash on Zimbabwe, BSS reports. Liton, who smashed 16 fours and eight sixes for his 143 ball-176, his third ODI century and second in the series, grabbed the record from his opening partner Tamim, ...

MNA Sports Desk: Mashrafe Mortaza is set to play his last ODI as captain in the third and final match against Zimbabwe on Friday. He made the announcement at a pre-match press conference in Sylhet on Thursday. Under Mashrafe, Bangladesh fortified their status as a rising force of ODI cricket. He led Bangladesh to the semi-final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the quarter-final of the 2015 World Cup, after taking over as the white-ball captain in November 2014. This was his third stint as captain, after he was first named as Bangladesh captain way back in 2009. However, he ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh beat visiting Zimbabwe by 169 runs in the first ODI of three-match series at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Opener Liton Das scored an unbeaten 126 to post a huge total of 321 against Zimbabwe. This was their biggest ODI win in the history, surpassing the record of 163-run victory over Sri Lanka in 2018 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Liton who smashed 13 fours and two sixes in his second ODI century before being retired hurt helped Bangladesh make a good start after Mashrafe Bin Mortaza opted to bat first. BSS adds: Middle order ...

MNA Sports Desk: After losing six Tests in a row, Bangladesh finally ended the drought with a comfortable win over Zimbabwe by an innings and 106 runs at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Nayeem Hasan returned match figures of 9/152 and Mushfiqur Rahim registered his third double ton (203*) in the format to helped the Tigers taste a Test win after a gap of 15 months. The last win came against West Indies in November 2018. Zimbabwe had started day four aiming to score at least 181 runs with eight wickets in hand to avoid an innings defeat. But ...

MNA Sports Desk: Travel restrictions over a coronavirus outbreak in China have forced Bangladesh to postpone an international archery competition scheduled to be held in the last week of February. Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed Chapol, the general secretary of the Bangladesh Archery Federation, confirmed the information on Tuesday. “Many countries have refused to send their archers due to coronavirus scare. So, we are postponing the tournament for now,” he said. The federation will sit to fix a new schedule of the tournament, he added. The ISSF International Solidarity Championships was slated for Feb 23-28. Bangladesh was scheduled to hold the ...

MNA Sports Desk: The government will hold a grand public reception for the under-19 team to celebrate their historic victory over the defending champions India in the world cup finals. Roads, transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader announced this after a cabinet meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the Secretariat this morning (Monday). Congratulating the junior cricket team, Quader said the decision for according the reception to the Young Tigers was taken during the meeting. The date for the reception to be held at Suhrawardy Udyan will be fixed after the team returns home, he added. ...

MNA Sports Desk: It’s hard to believe NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, whose prodigious talent and win-at-all-costs spirit made him one of the most famous and decorated athletes in history, is gone. Still youthful at 41, Bryant — who died in a helicopter crash Sunday in California — looked like he could suit up and drop 30 points on a rival NBA team. It doesn’t seem that long ago that he was scoring 60 points in his final NBA game, soaking up the cheers of Los Angeles Lakers fans who worshiped him for two decades as one of the city’s favorite ...

MNA Sports Desk: Real Madrid were crowned winners of the first edition of the revamped Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, beating city rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw after extra time in a tense final. The crucial moment in the game came when Real midfielder Federico Valverde deliberately fouled Alvaro Morata when he was through on goal in the 115th minute, avoiding a clear chance for Atletico but earning a straight red card, reports Reuters. Zinedine Zidane’s side survived the final stretch of the game to force penalties and captain Sergio ...

MNA Sports Desk: Liverpool star Sadio Mane was crowned on Tuesday as Africa’s 2019 Player of the Year for the first time at an awards gala in Egypt. The 27-year old Senegalese striker was up against his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian who won the award the last two years, and Algerian Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City. “I am really happy and at the same time I am really proud to win this award,” said Mane at the ceremony organised by the Confederation of African Football in the Egyptian Red Sea city of Hurghada. “It’s a big day for ...

MNA Sports Desk: Dipu Chakma won the first gold medal for Bangladesh in taekwondo in the ongoing 13th South Asian Games (SA Games) in Nepal on Monday. Dipu beat the athletes from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal in 29+ age group category in poomsae taekwondo event to secure the first gold for Bangladesh at Satdobato Sports Complex. The Rangamati-born athlete scored 16.24 points in the event. Sri Lanka’s Lakshman IIandarige won silver with 8.22 points to his name while India’s Gangphung Gangsa won the bronze with 8.14 points. Earlier, Bangladesh won the first medal when Humayra Akter won Bronze ...

MNA Sports Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the government will undertake projects to develop tennis courts at school, college and university levels to popularise tennis alongside cricket and football. “We’re usually busy with cricket and football but tennis is also a good sport. We’ll provide assistance so that universities, colleges and schools can set up tennis courts to flourish this game as the young generation is showing interest,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while speaking to the players of the participating countries in Sheikh Russell International Club Cup Tennis Tournament-2019 and diplomats of the respective ...

MNA Sports Desk: India beat Bangladesh by an innings and 130 runs in the first of the two-Test series in Indore, India on Day 3. With the win, India took a 1-0 lead in the 2-match series with the final match — first Day/Night Test on India — set to take place from November 22 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Bangladesh were bundled out for 213 in the second innings. Times of India adds: The stars of the win in the Test for India were run-machine Mayank Agarwal and the pacers. The trio of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh ...

MNA Sports Desk: Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s Test and T20I captain, has been banned by the ICC from all cricket for two years, with one year of that sentence suspended, after he accepted three charges of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code. The charges are as follows: Article 2.4.4 – Failure to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations he received to engage in corrupt conduct – in relation to the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I tri-series in January 2018 and/or the 2018 IPL. Article 2.4.4 – Failure to disclose to the ACU full details of ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan Papon said the board is set to take legal action against Test and T20 captain Shakib Al Hasan for breaching of regulation. Shakib recently signed a deal with Grameenphone, violating the national team contract which says players cannot sign contracts with telecom companies without prior approval from the board. “It’s clearly stated in the contract paper that no player can make an agreement with a telecom company. We’re going to take legal action against Shakib. He has to give an explanation. We cannot spare anyone in this regard,” Papon said ...

MNA Sports Desk: The striking national cricket players have demanded a fair share of revenue earned by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and fair pay for female cricketers in addition to their previous 11-point charter. On behalf of the cricketers, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan placed a 13-point demand afresh while briefing reporters after a meeting of the cricketers at a Gulshan hotel in the evening, report UNB and bdnews24.com. The lawyer said the cricketers are ready to sit with the BCB tonight (Wednesday night) to discuss about their demands. With the latest the move of the cricketers, ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan Papon has said the strike announced by national cricket players is part of a conspiracy to destabilize Bangladesh cricket. The BCB chief also slammed the striking players for going on strike without informing the authorities about their demands beforehand. Nazmul Hassan was addressing a press conference in Dhaka on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com. The cricketers’ demands are baseless as the BCB is already working to resolve the issues, he said. Earlier on Monday, the cricketers went on strike on Monday, demanding a pay hike, at a news conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National ...

MNA Sports Desk: Racist abuse cast a blight over a Euro 2020 qualifier between Bulgaria and England on Monday with the match in Sofia twice halted by the referee after monkey noises and chants from the crowd were aimed at black players from the visiting team. English FA chairman Greg Clarke, present at the Levski Stadium, said it was “probably one of the most appalling nights I have seen in football.” British broadcaster ITV showed groups of men, dressed in black clothes, cupping their mouths and hurling abuse from the stands. England manager Gareth Southgate informed the UEFA delegate after ...

MNA Sports Desk: Luis Suarez scored two classy goals to inspire Barcelona to a 2-1 comeback win over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday and inflict a first defeat on Antonio Conte since he took charge of the Italians. Inter, who lead Serie A after winning all six domestic games under Conte, produced a wonderful first-half display and took the lead in the second minute through Argentine forward Lautaro Martinez. Barca had struggled to get going but looked more like their usual dominant selves on European nights at the Camp Nou after the break and deservedly pulled level ...

MNA Sports Desk: An animated giant panda named “Bing Dwen Dwen” and a red lantern baby called “Shuey Rhon Rhon” have been unveiled as the two mascots for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The mascots, revealed on Tuesday night at Beijing’s Shougang Ice Hockey Arena, are strongly associated with the host nation’s culture. among those attending the launch ceremony were Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. Beijing 2022 executive ...

MNA Sports Desk: A rampaging Serena Williams moved to the brink of a record equaling 24th career Grand Slam title on Thursday storming past Elina Svitolina 6-3 6-1 to book her spot in the US Open final. Since returning to action after the birth of her first child Williams has come agonizingly close to matching Margaret Court’s mark three times and will have a chance on Saturday to do so in front of an adoring home crowd for a second successive year. Last year Williams was left in tears following a chaotic and controversial loss to Naomi Osaka on Arthur ...

MNA Sports Desk: Rafa Nadal faced his stiffest challenge yet at the US Open but raised his game to beat Marin Cilic 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-2 on Monday and continue his quest for a fourth Flushing Meadows title. The second-seeded Spaniard was in cruise control as he took the first set behind some superb serving and stout defence but the big-hitting Croatian battled back to snatch the second. That was as good as it would get for Cilic, however, the momentum shifting decisively in Nadal’s favour when he jumped in the air to hit a spectacular overhead smash that electrified ...

MNA Sports Desk: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic were at their dominant best at the US Open on Friday as both cruised into the round of 16 with straight-sets victories. After making sluggish starts in his previous two matches, five-times winner Federer took his game up a notch to power past Briton Dan Evans 6-2 6-2 6-1 under the open roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium on a sunny day, reports Reuters. The 38-year-old fired 48 winners and 10 aces to shake off any remaining rust since his Wimbledon final defeat by Djokovic earlier this year and faces Belgium’s David Goffin ...

MNA Sports Desk: Real Madrid’s early optimism was punctured by an 88th-minute equalizer from Real Valladolid’s Sergi Guardiola as Zinedine Zidane’s side stumbled to a 1-1 draw in their first home game of the La Liga season on Saturday. Karim Benzema looked to have fired Madrid to a second straight win after last week’s confidence-boosting 3-1 victory at Celta Vigo when he scored in the 82nd minute with a splendid piece of skill, reports Reuters. The Frenchman, Madrid’s top scorer last campaign, controlled a pass with his back to goal and swiveled before striking his finish into the far corner ...

MNA Sports Desk: Ravi Shastri, India’s current head coach, and five other candidates have been shortlisted for Team India’s head coach job, news agency PTI reported. Apart from Shastri, who is currently on a 45-day extension after the World Cup 2019, Lalchand Rajput and Robin Singh are the other two Indians who have been shortlisted for the coveted job. Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson, former Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody and former Afghanistan coach Phil Jones are the three foreign nationals shortlisted for the role. The candidates will give a presentation to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) headed by ...