United News of Bangladesh

In a nail-biting finish at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Rajshahi Warriors held their nerve to defeat Sylhet Titans by 5 runs in a dramatic encounter that saw the match swing wildly until the very last ball. Chasing a target of 148, Sylhet needed 11 runs off the final over bowled by Sri Lankan pacer Binura Fernando. The drama peaked when, after two wides and a series of tight deliveries, Sylhet needed 6 runs off the last ball. However, Binura shattered the stumps of Ruyel Miah, sealing a hard-fought victory for Rajshahi. Earlier, Sylhet seemed poised for victory when Moeen Ali smashed consecutive sixes off Ripon Mondol in the penultimate over, reducing the equation to 13 runs off 10 balls. But his dismissal on the very next delivery for a 12-ball 27 turned the tide back in Rajshahi's favor. Sylhet’s chase was anchored by Parvez Hossain Emon, who blazed 41 off 30 balls with 4 sixes before being trapped lbw in the 10th over. Despite steady contributions from Mominul Haque (31) and Afif Hossain (16), Sylhet lost momentum at crucial stages. BPL halted as players boycott match despite BCB’s show-cause notice Batting first, Rajshahi posted 147 for 7, thanks largely to a 56-run partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim (40) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (34). Mushfiqur fell to his signature reverse sweep, sparking a collapse that saw Rajshahi lose 4 wickets for just 23 runs in the death overs. With this win, Rajshahi Warriors strengthened their position in the top two with 14 points from 9 games, while Sylhet Titans remain on 10 points.    

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) roared back to life on Friday as the Chattogram Royals won the toss and opted to bat first against the Noakhali Express. With this, the dramatic 24-hour player boycott came to an end. The resumption signals a fragile truce between the cricketers and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) following a standoff triggered by BCB Director M Najmul Islam. Players had refused to take the field on Thursday, demanding action after Nazmul labelled former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” and mocked the national team’s financial value, asking whether the board should demand a refund of salaries if they failed to perform. The deadlock eased after the BCB removed Najmul from his position as chairman of the Finance Committee and initiated disciplinary proceedings. Although the board rejected the players’ demand for a public apology, the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) agreed to resume play in the “greater interest” of the tournament. However, tensions remain high off the field. CWAB President Mohammad Mithun revealed late Thursday that he had received anonymous death threats warning that “no cricketer will walk safely” for leading the protest.

The crisis in Bangladesh cricket has taken a serious turn as Mohammad Mithun, President of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), said he is receiving severe threats involving physical harm against players. Mithun alleged that he has been receiving abusive calls and WhatsApp messages from various unknown domestic and international numbers. The anonymous senders have accused the cricketers of acting as “agents” to create an “unstable environment” in the country. One specific threat issued a chilling warning, he said, that said “after today, no cricketer will be able to walk safely on Bangladesh soil”. Mithun noted that the volume of these threats escalated significantly after 9:00 PM on Thursday. “We haven't spoken against the country, so I don't understand why these threats are coming,” Mithun said. “As cricketers, we spoke about our rights; is that a crime?”. Mithun, who is captaining the Dhaka Capitals in the ongoing BPL, said that he has not yet taken formal legal action but is considering doing so. These threats target Mithun as he leads the players' negotiation with the BCB regarding the boycott demanding the resignation of Director M Najmul Islam. Earlier in the day, Mithun had announced that players would only return to the field if Najmul offered a public apology for his offensive remarks. However, on Thursday night, they agreed to continue playing BPL from Friday.

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to resume on Friday (January 16, 2026) after a successful late-night negotiation between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the players, ending the boycott that stalled the tournament on Thursday. The breakthrough was announced by BPL Governing Council Member Secretary Iftekhar Rahman and CWAB President Mohammad Mithun following a meeting at the BCB office in Gulshan. Read more: BCB removes Nazmul from finance chair in bid to end player boycott Cricketers joined the discussions with board officials and franchise representatives around 10:30 PM to finalize the agreement. To accommodate the lost day, the tournament schedule has been revised. Thursday’s abandoned matches—Noakhali Express vs. Chattogram Royals and Rajshahi Warriors vs. Sylhet Titans—will now be played on Friday at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM respectively. Consequently, Friday’s originally scheduled games have been shifted to Saturday, while Saturday’s fixtures move to January 18. The Eliminator and Qualifier-1 have also been pushed back to January 20, though the date for the final remains unchanged. The standoff was triggered by offensive remarks from BCB Director M Nazmul Islam regarding player funding. While the players initially demanded his resignation and a public apology, the resumption follows the board’s decision to strip him of his Finance Committee chairmanship. Read more: BPL halted as players boycott match despite BCB’s show-cause notice

Hopes for an immediate end to the Bangladesh cricket boycott were dashed on Thursday night after negotiations between the players and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) hit a stalemate over the nature of an apology from Director M Najmul Islam. Although the cricketers softened their stance and offered to return to the field on Friday, the BCB rejected their primary condition: that Najmul must apologize publicly for his offensive remarks. In a press release issued earlier in the evening, the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) stated they had reconsidered their total strike in the “greater interest of cricket,” noting the potential impact on the Women’s National Team and Under-19 side currently playing abroad. The players welcomed the BCB's earlier decision to remove Najmul from the Finance Committee and initiate a show-cause process. However, they laid down a specific ultimatum: since Najmul’s comments insulting the players were made in public, he must also express regret publicly before they resume play. According to media reports and some BCB sources, BCB President Aminul Islam rejected this demand during a conversation (not clear if it was physical or over phone) with CWAB President Mohammad Mithun and senior players. Aminul reportedly argued that Najmul had already expressed regret internally and, as a “respected person,” could not be forced to apologize in the public sphere. With the discussion ending inconclusively, uncertainty now looms over Friday’s scheduled BPL matches, following the abandonment of Thursday’s fixtures due to the boycott.

In an emotional address during the cricketers' press conference on Thursday, Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz hit back at the common narrative that players live off public funds. He also claimed that fans are being deliberately misled about the financial reality of the national team. Speaking at the Dhaka hotel alongside national captains and BPL players from Rangpur, Noakhali, and Chattogram BPL franchises, Miraz sought to clarify misconceptions that often fuel abuse when the team underperforms. “Many times when we play badly, it is said that ‘you run on our money, you play because we pay.’ It is not like that,” Miraz stated. Miraz explained that the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) revenue primarily comes from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and sponsors, not taxpayer contributions. He emphasized that cricketers are actually significant contributors to the state coffers. “We probably pay the most tax. We pay 25-30 percent tax. This means we give money to the government... It is not that the government gives us money,” he asserted, adding that this reality is rarely explained to the public. The all-rounder expressed frustration that “negative aspects” are often amplified to turn fans against the players. He noted that despite facing severe verbal abuse during tough times, players remain accessible to their supporters. “We eat so much abuse, yet we still take pictures with the spectators... We could have said we won't take photos... but we never do that,” he said. Miraz concluded with a stern warning that players would no longer tolerate disrespect toward the profession that shapes their identities. “Today I am Mehidy Hasan Miraz because of cricket... When someone disrespects cricket, we will definitely take a stand,” he declared.

In a frantic effort to salvage the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and quell a full-scale player mutiny, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has removed Director M Nazmul Islam from his post as Chairman of the Finance Committee with immediate effect. The decision, announced in a media release on Thursday evening (January 15, 2026), comes hours after cricketers followed through on their threat to boycott the day's BPL fixtures. The first match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express was abandoned after players refused to take the field, adhering to an ultimatum issued by the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB). Read More: BCB to continue ‘constructive engagement’ with ICC for T20 World Cup solution The BCB President exercised his authority under Article 31 of the constitution to strip Nazmul of his committee responsibilities, assuming the role of Acting Chairman himself. “The BCB reiterates that the interests of the cricketers remain its highest priority,” the board stated, adding that the move was aimed at ensuring the “smooth and effective functioning” of affairs. The release explicitly appealed to players to return to the field, hoping they would “display the highest standards of professionalism” to ensure the continuation of the BPL during this “challenging period”. The crisis erupted after Nazmul made a series of remarks, that cricketers found inflammatory, first labeling former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” and later mocking players by asking if the board should demand a refund of their salaries if they failed to perform at the World Cup. While the players demanded his resignation as a board director, it remains to be seen if his removal solely from the Finance Committee chairmanship will be enough to bring them back to the stadium. Read more: BPL halted as players boycott match despite BCB’s show-cause notice

The crisis in Bangladesh cricket has paralysed the domestic calendar, with players following through on their threat to boycott all forms of the game. The first Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match of the day between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express was effectively abandoned after both teams failed to arrive for the toss at 12:30 PM. The boycott, organised by the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), came into effect despite a desperate, last-minute attempt by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to de-escalate the situation. Earlier this morning, the BCB issued a show-cause notice to Director M Nazmul Islam, initiating formal disciplinary proceedings for his "objectionable comments" in which he suggested players should return their salaries if they fail to perform. Read More: BPL in Jeopardy: players threaten total strike if a board director doesn't step down by Thursday 1 pm In a statement, the BCB expressed “regret” over the remarks and instructed Nazmul to submit a written response within 48 hours. The board described players as the “lifeblood” of the sport and urged them to demonstrate professionalism by allowing the BPL to continue. However, the internal disciplinary measure has failed to appease the cricketers. CWAB remains firm on the boycott, which also caused matches in the Dhaka Cricket League to be stalled earlier in the day. CWAB President Mohammad Mithun is scheduled to address the media at 2:30 PM local time to announce the players' next steps. As the BPL enters its final phase, the standoff threatens to derail the country’s most popular tournament.

Australia will tour Pakistan for a three-match T20 International series in Lahore as part of their preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Wednesday. The day-night matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on January 29, 31 and February 1. Australia are scheduled to arrive in Lahore on January 28 before both teams depart for the global tournament. While Australia will play their World Cup group matches in India, Pakistan will be based in Sri Lanka. Read more: ICC Tournament History: Teams That Declined to Tour Host Countries This will be Australia’s first T20 tour of Pakistan since April 2022, when they last visited the country for a Test series followed by a white-ball series. The Australians, however, did feature in some Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan last year. Meanwhile, Pakistan selectors are set to meet head coach Mike Hesson and captain Salman Ali Agha later this week to finalise the squad for the Australia series and the T20 World Cup. The squad is expected to be announced next week after approval from PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.Source: NDTV

The crisis within Bangladesh cricket has reached a boiling point as the country’s cricketers have issued a stern ultimatum— if Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director M Nazmul Islam does not resign by 1:00 PM on Thursday, players will boycott all forms of cricket immediately. The announcement was made on Wednesday night by Mohammad Mithun, President of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), during a press conference held via Zoom. The players' revolt stems from a series of inflammatory comments made by Nazmul Islam, who also serves as the Chairman of the BCB Finance Committee. Tensions flared after Nazmul recently labeled former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” in a Facebook post. The situation deteriorated further today when Nazmul made disparaging remarks regarding player compensation in the event of a World Cup boycott. “If they go (to the World Cup) and achieve nothing, do we ask for the crores of taka we spent on them back?” Nazmul questioned, addressing some reporters. He further antagonised the players by asking, “If the board doesn't exist, will the cricketers exist?"” “You all know what has been happening over the last few days,” CWAB President Mithun said. “First it was against one person, and now the way all cricketers are being spoken about... the language being used is never acceptable. We do not expect this. A director should be careful with his choice of words. What he said has hurt the entire cricket fraternity,” he added.  Mithun declared that if Nazmul does not step down before the start of tomorrow’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, the players will go on strike. "If he does not resign before the match tomorrow, we will boycott all forms of cricket," Mithun confirmed. BPL action heats up with Chattogram leading the table The ultimatum casts a shadow over the 12th edition of the BPL. The Noakhali Express are scheduled to face the Chattogram Royals at 1:00 PM tomorrow, followed by a match between the Rajshahi Warriors and Sylhet Titans in the evening. Attempting to de-escalate the situation prior to the ultimatum, the BCB issued a press release earlier in the evening. The board stated that the “personal comments” of any director do not reflect the BCB's official stance and expressed regret if anyone was hurt by recent statements. However, the press release appears to have done little to quell the players’ anger.