Sports world

Nitish, who saved India, named on the board of honour The team was in disarray. India's top order struggled significantly against the Australian fast bowlers. As Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli walked off the field with their heads down after being dismissed, Nitish Kumar Reddy displayed remarkable resilience in Melbourne. He prevented India from being compelled to follow on in the first innings by scoring an impressive century. Despite Nitish's commendable performance, India did not secure a victory. Nevertheless, the young all-rounder was duly recognized for his efforts. Nitish, who achieved a century in his debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), has earned a place on the ground's honor board. Jasprit Bumrah, who showcased his prowess with the ball during this crucial Test of the Test Championship, also received this prestigious acknowledgment. Both players' names are now inscribed on Melbourne's honor board. With his name now on the honor board, Nitish has es...

Ruben Amorim expresses considerable enthusiasm regarding the potential trajectory of Manchester United, currently positioned in 14th place, by the year 2025. Despite Manchester United commencing 2025 in 14th position in the Premier League, head coach Ruben Amorim expresses considerable enthusiasm for the upcoming year. The team's recent 2-0 defeat at home to Newcastle marked their fifth league loss within the same month, a first occurrence since September 1962. Additionally, the Red Devils have now suffered four consecutive defeats across all competitions, resulting in six losses out of their last eight matches. In a New Year’s Eve message shared on the club’s official X account, Amorim stated, “I recognize that achieving our goals will require significant effort from everyone, but I am genuinely excited about our potential journey together in 2025.” Amorim has yet to reverse the troubling decline that led to Erik ten Hag’s dismissal in October. Currently, his team sits seven poin...

Barcelona has been prohibited by the Spanish league from registering Olmo for the remainder of the season. On Tuesday, the Spanish league announced that Barcelona has not complied with Financial Fair Play regulations, further jeopardizing the club's efforts to retain playmaker Dani Olmo.The league indicated that Barcelona "did not present any alternative" to meet the required regulations, which is necessary for the club to "register any player starting January 2."In order to register Olmo, Barcelona needed to secure approval for an additional financial lever from the league, following a judge's unfavorable ruling against the club on Monday, marking the second consecutive legal defeat ahead of the year-end deadline.Without the court's endorsement or the league's consent, Olmo's contract cannot be registered beyond the conclusion of 2024. The Spain international transferred from Leipzig to Barcelona in August. Reports suggest that Barcelona had ne...

Olympic medallist Dabrowski competed in the season following her cancer surgery. West Ham United's captain, Jarrod Bowen, will be unavailable for an indefinite period due to a fractured left foot, as announced by the club on Tuesday. The injury occurred during the team's 5-0 defeat against Premier League leaders Liverpool, leading to Bowen's substitution in the second half. According to a statement from West Ham, "The injury to his left foot, sustained in the first half at London Stadium, will keep the Hammers' captain out of action as they approach the New Year." Bowen has been instrumental for the team this season, contributing six goals across all competitions. He acknowledged that he had incurred the injury in the first half but attempted to continue playing."As always, I tried to push through and keep playing until I could no longer do so," Bowen expressed on Instagram."Injuries are part of football, but I am already eager to return to the...

Olympic medallist Dabrowski competed in the season following her cancer surgery. Canada's former U.S. Open doubles champion and bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics, Gabriela Dabrowski, announced on Tuesday that she underwent breast cancer surgery earlier this year. The 32-year-old athlete received her diagnosis in April.  After enduring two surgeries and taking a three-month hiatus from the WTA Tour, Dabrowski, alongside New Zealand's Erin Routliffe, secured the Nottingham grass-court title in June. The pair also advanced to the Wimbledon final, where they were defeated by Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.  Dabrowski chose to delay further treatment in order to participate in Wimbledon and the Olympics, where she achieved a bronze medal for Canada in mixed doubles with Felix Auger-Aliassime. "Initially, I feared that cancer would define my identity permanently. I no longer feel that way. It is a privilege to identify as a survivor," Dabrowski expressed on In...

West Ham's Bowen sustains a foot fracture, while Antonio has been released from the hospital. West Ham United's captain, Jarrod Bowen, sustained a fracture to his left foot during the Premier League match against Liverpool over the weekend, as announced by the London club on Tuesday. The 28-year-old forward exited the game in the 60th minute during the 5-0 defeat at home on Sunday. Bowen currently stands as West Ham's leading scorer this season, having netted five league goals, and he also leads the team in assists with four. In a positive development, the Hammers can find encouragement in the news that striker Michail Antonio has been discharged from the hospital more than three weeks after suffering a broken leg in a car accident. The 34-year-old underwent surgery to address a lower limb fracture resulting from the incident on December 7. Following the crash in Essex, Antonio required extrication from his vehicle before being taken to a central London hospital. The Jamai...

Neymar scores after returning from injury Brazilian star Neymar has found the net again after a long injury break. He scored for Al-Hilal in a mid-season friendly against Al-Fayha. His team won 2-0. Neymar put Al-Hilal ahead with a perfect first-time shot from the penalty spot in the first half. Former Barcelona star Malcom then scored the second goal. Neymar also played a key role in the second goal, helping to create an attack by stealing the ball into the opponent's half. Although it was a friendly match, this goal is of great importance for Neymar. It is his first goal in almost a year. He last scored in the AFC Champions League in October 2023. He was then sidelined due to a serious injury. After returning in October this year, he suffered another hamstring injury after playing just two matches. Although Neymar has been healthy for a few days recently, he has not had the opportunity to play in the Saudi Pro League. He was forced to sit out the first half of the season due to ...

Shamim only reduced the margin of defeat with a stormy batting performanc e Shamim Hossain Patwari fought alone like a 'lonely Sherpa'. He did not find a partner who could keep up with him. Occasionally, he would help Chittagong Kings win the match by hitting fours and sixes. The result of not having that partner was Chittagong's loss to Khulna Tigers by 37 runs. The loss could have been a big margin. Shamim did not let it happen. Although he could not bring victory to the team that lost 6 wickets for 56 runs, he stood at the crease with his chest up. Hasan Mahmud-Abu Haider kept hitting fours and sixes one after another on the Ronids. When he was out as the 9th batter, he had a brilliant innings of 78 runs next to his name. He decorated the innings with a strike rate of 205.26 with 7 fours and 5 sixes. Shamim was accompanied by Alish Al Islam for the ninth wicket to play a brilliant innings. The two added 77 runs together. Of which 69 runs were by Shamim. Naeem Islam was ...

Biman secures the championship title in the Victory Day hockey tournament. Field hockey is a fast-paced and exciting game. It is a game where goals can be scored and the scenario can change even a second before the end of the game. Such a picture was seen on Monday. Hockey fans enjoyed a lively hockey match after a long time. Bangladesh Air Force won the Paragon Group Victory Day Hockey title. They defeated Bangladesh Navy 5-4 in a fiercely contested final held at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium in Dhaka on Monday to become champions for the first time. The hero of Bangladesh Air Force's victory was the smart forward Rakibul Hasan. His hat-trick made the difference between victory and defeat. However, young winger Obaidul Hasan Joy was the game changer for the Air Force. His excellent stick work and innovative style throughout the match took the Air Force to the title. Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan, President of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation and Chief of Air ...

Australia travels to Sydney filled with New Year joy following the enchanting experience at the MCG. Australia approaches the New Year's Test in Sydney with high spirits following a remarkable conclusion at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, bolstered by the expectation that seasoned pace bowler Mitchell Starc will be fit to participate in the series finale.  On Monday, Australia secured a commanding 184-run victory in the fourth Test at the MCG, establishing a 2-1 advantage in the five-match series, thanks to their bowlers who claimed seven wickets in a remarkable final session on day five. Although Starc experienced discomfort in his back during the concluding days of the match, he persevered through the pain to secure the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli.  Team officials attributed Starc's discomfort to rib soreness but expressed confidence that the experienced left-arm bowler would likely be ready to perform at his home ground. Head coach Andrew McDonald remarked to reporters, ...

Barcelona is seeking approval for an additional financial mechanism to ensure that Olmo can be registered promptly. Barcelona must secure approval for an additional financial lever from the Spanish league to register playmaker Dani Olmo for the remainder of the season, following a judge's unfavorable ruling against the club on Monday. This marks the second consecutive legal defeat for Barcelona as it seeks to finalize Olmo's registration before the year-end deadline. In the absence of judicial support, Olmo's contract cannot be registered beyond the end of 2024 unless Barcelona persuades the league that it can generate sufficient salary cap space to accommodate him in the squad. Olmo transferred from Leipzig to Barcelona in August. Reports from Spanish media indicate that Barcelona is likely to receive league approval soon, having reached an agreement to sell VIP seats at the renovated Camp Nou stadium for 100 million euros ($104 million). This transaction is expected to p...

BPL tickets can be obtained at a different booth. The eleventh edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) commenced yesterday amid protests from spectators. Many individuals were unable to secure tickets despite waiting for hours at banks and ticket booths, leading to frustration and vandalism at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium on the opening day. In response to the discontent among cricket fans, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has arranged for ticket sales to commence from an additional booth starting Tuesday, December 31. On Monday evening, the board announced the establishment of a new ticket booth located next to the City Club Ground in Mirpur 12, aimed at facilitating fans who wish to purchase tickets for the two matches scheduled for today in the BPL. This booth will be operational from 8 AM. Furthermore, tickets will also be available at the booth situated at the National Swimming Complex adjacent to the indoor stadium in Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla. However, it is important t...

Free water at 'Enchanted Corner', BPL spectators excited The eleventh edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has started today. This year's BPL started with a match between Fortune Barisal and Durbar Rajshahi at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Monday (December 30). Before the start of the tournament, BCB President Faruk Ahmed had announced that some new initiatives would be seen on the field. As part of this, there will be a Mughd corner at three BPL venues in memory of Mir Mughd, who was martyred in the anti-discrimination student movement. From where spectators can drink free water. That image was seen from today. Mughd corners are in front of all the gates at the entrance to the field. In total, there are 11 such booths in Sher-e-Bangla. The spectators are also quite excited to be able to drink free water. Earlier, a glass of water cost 10 taka in all BPLs. Now the spectators can drink it for free. The BCB had announced these initiatives before the start ...

Satisfied with the win, he wrote 'Alhamdulillah' after losing the match. Durbar Rajshahi lost to Fortune Barisal by 4 wickets with 11 balls to spare despite scoring a massive 197 runs. Enamul Haque Bijoya wasted the match slog in their favour due to his bowling failure. However, Enamul Haque Bijoy, who was given the leadership of Rajshahi, seemed happy with his fifty. Despite losing, he wrote in a post on Facebook after the match ended, ‘Alhamdulillah’. Bijoy played an innings of 65 runs off 51 balls today. He hit 4 fours and 5 sixes. Yasir Ali Rabbi provided a big partnership with him. This batsman from Chittagong played a T20 career-best 94 runs off 47 balls at a strike rate of 200.

India suffered a defeat in the Boxing Day Test by a margin of 184 runs, having lost 7 wickets during the final session of play. India commenced the Melbourne Test following a draw at the Gabba. Contrary to expectations of securing a victory in the Melbourne Boxing Day Test, India was unable to achieve even a simple draw this time. Despite not claiming any wickets in the first session, India suffered the loss of 7 wickets in the final session. Ultimately, Rohit Sharma's team lost the match by 184 runs, placing them at a disadvantage of 1-2 in the five-match series. This defeat also significantly diminished their aspirations for the World Test Championship final. Australia established a target of 340 runs for India to win the Melbourne Test, with one day remaining. However, the Indian batting lineup failed to perform effectively on the fifth day. The Indian team had hoped that, even if victory was unattainable, they could at least secure a draw. Unfortunately, this hope was dashed a...

The BPL commences with enthusiasm emanating from the gallery. A certain level of astonishment is to be expected. A large crowd gathered in front of the booth selling BPL tickets! Individuals were seen standing outside the stadium after failing to secure tickets! There were attempts to breach the gate for entry! In an effort to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, the BCB has declared the ticket booth adjacent to the stadium to be closed. However, this closure does not imply that disturbances did not take place. A few hours prior to the match, a stampede occurred outside the stadium as fans clamored for tickets. Attempts to force open the gate were noted. Long lines of spectators were visible at the stadium gates nearly an hour before the match was set to begin, accompanied by rushing, shouting, and chants as they were denied entry to the gallery before the designated time. Such occurrences are common at Mirpur Stadium during national team white ball matches, which is why it is refe...

Australia concluded the fourth day with a remarkable performance, leaving India in a state of astonishment. Australia is poised to present a formidable challenge to India in the fourth match of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, taking place in Melbourne. After amassing 474 runs in their first innings, Australia concluded the day's play with a score of 228 for 9 in their second innings. India, having scored 369 runs in their first innings, has set a target of 333 runs, which may increase further on the fifth day. Following Nitish Kumar Reddy's resilient innings of 114 runs on the fourth day, the seasoned Jasprit Bumrah revitalized the team's prospects in the second innings by dismissing six batters for 91 runs, claiming four wickets in the process. This achievement allowed Bumrah to reach the significant milestone of 200 Test wickets for India. Nevertheless, Marnus Labuschagne, in partnership with Pat Cummins, managed to stabilize the Australian innings. After Labuscha...

See you later 2024 In 2024, the memorable success has ended the wait of many teams, while some have been accompanied by disappointment. For example, India regained the T20 World Cup title after 17 years with the help of Rohit-Kohli. And the Kiwi women won the T20 World Cup for the first time in history. The Proteas have had to burn with disappointment in both departments. Stars like Shamar Joseph, Kamindu Mendis have emerged. At the same time, stars like Ravichandran Ashwin, James Anderson, David Warner, Tim Southee, Moeen Ali have retired from cricket. Some notable events in international cricket in 2024 are highlighted for Samakal readers. T20 in the US is a hit Despite all these efforts, the tide of football could not be brought to the land of basketball-baseball. Will Americans come to watch cricket there? Putting these fears to an end, the American galleries were filled to enjoy the taste of T20. In fact, there was a rush to get tickets for the T20 World Cup due to the expatriate...

Rahmat Shah-Hashmatullah's unprecedented batting puts Afghanistan in the fight A remarkable match is currently taking place in Bulawayo, where Afghanistan is delivering an unexpected performance in the Boxing Day Test against Zimbabwe. The Afghan batsmen, Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi, have achieved an extraordinary feat. On the third day of the Zimbabwe-Afghanistan Test, 95 overs were completed without a single wicket falling. Both Rahmat and Shahidi batted throughout the day, a rare occurrence that has only been recorded 26 times in the 147-year history of Test cricket. Consequently, the innings, which began with a score of 95 for 2, has escalated to 425 runs by the end of the third day. Rahmat Shah has become the second Afghan player to reach a double century, while Shahidi is also approaching this milestone. Nevertheless, Afghanistan still trails Zimbabwe by 161 runs. The duo has established an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 361 runs, marking the highest partnersh...

Three hundred years prior to the event. The Central Zone's middle-order batting lineup features Murshida Khatun and Nigar Sultana, with respective scores of 170 and 171. Both players achieved centuries, contributing to Central Zone's total of 528/8. However, the match against Eastern Zone concluded in a draw. Nigar had previously scored a century in the women's BCL, while the Central Zone captain made an impressive 153 on his first-class cricket debut, surpassing that score in the recent match. On Saturday at the Kamaruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, Murshida and Nigar formed a formidable partnership, adding 228 runs for the third wicket. Earlier, the Eastern Zone was dismissed for 354 runs. Additionally, Sobhana Mostario, another national team batsman, also recorded a century. The Northern Zone captain scored an unbeaten 118 runs in a separate drawn match at the Bangla Track Cricket Academy ground. Sobhana's team declared their second innings at 257 for five, setting a ta...

Corica praises Auckland's performance as the A-League newcomers establish a significant lead. Auckland FC coach Steve Corica commended his team's resilience following their inaugural A-League defeat, as the newcomers delivered a remarkable 4-1 victory over the reigning champions, Central Coast Mariners, thereby establishing a four-point lead at the top of the standings.  In their first season in the A-League, the New Zealand side rebounded from a 4-0 defeat to Western United the previous week with a decisive performance in Gosford on Saturday, allowing Corica's team to extend their lead at the summit. "It was an excellent response to last week," remarked the former Sydney FC coach. "That is precisely what we aimed for.  "We all put in tremendous effort for one another today, both with and without the ball. Scoring four goals is a first for us, which is fantastic." Former Japan international Hiroki Sakai opened the scoring with a header in the 12th ...

Jalen Brunson scores 55 points as the Knicks narrowly defeat the Wizards in overtime. Jalen Brunson contributed nine of his season-high 55 points during overtime, leading the visiting New York Knicks to a 136-132 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday, thereby extending their winning streak to a season-best seven games. In overtime, Brunson successfully converted two free throws, giving the Knicks a 134-131 lead with just 4.2 seconds remaining. Malcolm Brogdon responded by making one of two free throws for the Wizards, but Josh Hart's subsequent two free throws secured the win for New York. Karl-Anthony Towns added a notable 30 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who overcame an eight-point deficit at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Mikal Bridges contributed 21 points, while Hart finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. The Wizards held a 119-114 lead with 1:07 left in regulation, but Brunson's three-point play narrowed the gap. Following misse...

Bumrah reverses the situation against Konstas, giving Australia a lead of 158 runs. Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah sought retribution for his earlier struggles against Sam Konstas by dismissing Australia's teenage debutant cheaply on the fourth day of the fourth Test on Sunday, following India's total of 369 runs. Mohammed Siraj also claimed his first wicket of the match, removing opener Usman Khawaja for 21 runs, as Australia reached lunch at 53 for two, holding a lead of 158 runs in the sunlit Melbourne Cricket Ground. Marnus Labuschagne, unbeaten on 20, and Steve Smith, with two runs, managed to survive until the break. A determined Bumrah bowled Konstas for eight with a delivery that sharply turned back off the seam, evening the score with the 19-year-old opener who had previously scored a record 34 runs off Bumrah's initial spell on day one. Celebrating exuberantly, Bumrah gestured to the crowd, playfully mocking Konstas for his earlier attempts to energize the spectators...

Atalanta's impressive run of 11 consecutive victories comes to an end; however, they remain in first place following a late equalizer against Lazio. Atalanta's impressive winning streak of 11 matches came to an end on Saturday as they drew 1-1 with fourth-placed Lazio in Serie A. A late equalizer from substitute Marco Brescianini ensured that the Bergamo team maintained their position at the top of the Serie A standings. Brescianini scored just four minutes after entering the match, completing a counterattack initiated by Nicolo Zaniolo and Ademola Lookman. Lazio's Fisayo Dele-Bashiru opened the scoring midway through the first half, capitalizing on a ball played over the defense and striking past the advancing goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi. Atalanta remains one point ahead of the defending champions, Inter Milan, who secured a 3-0 victory against Cagliari earlier in the day and have a match in hand. The upcoming match for Atalanta will be against Inter on Thursday in the s...

Sylhet will still wait for Mashrafe despite his lack of fitness There are only two days left for the start of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). But the uncertainty about Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's games has not yet ended. These two stars are not even in the BPL practice. While looking for an answer to the question about the former captain's absence from practice, it was learned that Mashrafe is not fit to play in the BPL. Although there are doubts about Mashrafe's participation in the BPL due to the political situation and fitness problems. When asked about this after the Sylhet Strikers' practice in Mirpur on Saturday, the team's coach Mahmud Emon said, "Mashrafe is still part of our squad. It depends on the situation and fitness whether he can play or not. If his fitness is good and he is in a playing condition, then he will definitely take the field." Mashrafe last took the field in April, in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL). However, ...

Navy, Air Force in Victory Day Hockey Final Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force in the Victory Day Hockey final. In the first of the two semi-finals held at the Maulana Bhashani Stadium on Saturday, Bangladesh Navy defeated hockey player Kalyan Oikya 4-1. In the second, Air Force defeated BKSP 5-2. Despite struggling in the first two quarters against the Navy's offensive play, hockey player Kalyan could not keep up with the pace in the end. In the 12th minute, captain Russell Mahmud Jimmy cut back Deen Islam after overcoming the defense of hockey player Kalyan Oikya. When he was illegally stopped in front of the goal post, he was awarded a penalty, and Ashraful Islam of the Navy did not make a mistake in scoring from the penalty spot. Hockey player Kalyan Oikya returned to the match in the 40th minute through Amirul Islam's penalty corner. The scoreboard showed 1-1, but Air Force saved their best for the last two quarters. They added three more goals in these two quarters...

 Sri Lanka's dramatic defeat to New Zealand Sri Lanka lost the first match of the three-match T20 series to New Zealand by 8 runs due to an incredible batting collapse. The team, which was on the verge of victory, suddenly lost its rhythm and crashed out of the match. Chasing a target of 173, Sri Lanka seemed to be on course for an easy victory. At the end of 13 overs, the team's score was 120 for no wickets. But in the 14th over, Jacob Duffy's excellent pace bowling turned the tide of the match. In this over, Kusal Mendis (46 off 36 balls), Kusal Perera and Kamindu Mendis (both out for zero) were dismissed for three wickets in the space of four balls. This suddenly led to a collapse in the Sri Lankan innings. However, opener Pathum Nishanka tried to keep the team in the fight. He was a symbol of confidence by playing an innings of 90 runs off 60 balls. His innings had 7 fours and 3 sixes, which was his career best. But Nishanka's efforts ultimately failed due to the f...

Afridi thrilled to be in BPL at Tamim's call Legendary Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi, along with his son-in-law Shaheen Shah Afridi, has arrived in Dhaka to take part in the forthcoming edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). In response to a call from Tamim Iqbal, the prominent Pakistani fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will represent Fortune Barisal. Shahid Afridi, a former captain of Pakistan who has transitioned into coaching after retiring from cricket, is joining as a goodwill ambassador for Chittagong Kings. He has previously participated in six editions of the BPL. Shaheen Shah Afridi reached Dhaka last night and was observed practicing with his Barisal teammates today. Following his practice session at the BCB Academy ground in Mirpur, Shaheen addressed the media. Commenting on the opportunity to compete against his father-in-law in the opposing team, Shaheen Afridi remarked, "It is quite exciting to have the chance to face Shahid Afridi. The fortunate asp...