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Ponting praises Bumrah Ricky Ponting said about Bumrah after the recent India-Australia Test series, "There is no doubt, it is probably the best fast bowling series I have ever seen. Yes, the conditions were good for the fast bowlers for most of the series. But when you look at his bowling compared to anyone else in the series, he made it more difficult for the batsmen." Bumrah is a bowler who has achieved the feat of taking 5 wickets in Tests in a year in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies. Despite being out of the field for long periods due to injuries, he has made a strong comeback. He has topped the ICC ODI and Test bowlers' list several times in the ICC rankings.

Rangpur blew away Sylhet with a laugh Sylhet Strikers played a match of BPL in the Dhaka phase. Although they had a chance to win that match against Rangpur Riders, Zakir Ali could not do it in the end. This time in Sylhet, Sylhet batted first against Nahid Rana-Akif Javed's Rangpur and scored 205 runs for 4 wickets. The team's local batters Rony Talukder and Zakir Hasan scored fifties. Sylhet lost the toss and put in to bat and scored 47 runs in 5 overs from the opening pair. George Manse returned for 18 off 12 balls. Then Rony and Zakir added 41 runs. Rony Talukder returned and played an innings of 54 runs off 32 balls. This right-handed opener, who made a great comeback in the national team and was out again, hit seven fours and three sixes. Zakir scored 50 runs off 38 balls. He hit four sixes. There was no four in the innings. In the end, West Indian cricketer Aaron Jones, who plays for the US national team, played a stormy innings of 38 runs in 19 balls. He hit four sixes...

Australia can still win the Test Championship The rat race to get a ticket to Lord's seems to be over. South Africa has already secured the final of the Test Championship. The remaining seat is up for grabs. Australia, which defeated India, is one of the contenders for that hot seat. But it is not official yet. How? Here is a small calculation. This if-and-but calculation will only be possible if it is a coincidence. So the calculation is based on the points table. The Proteas are at the top with 7 wins from 11 matches. The elusive Markram-Bavuma have collected 66.67 points. They have no more tests left. The Lord's ticket is also a sellout. The problem is with the second finalist. Australia is in second place in the table. Their points percentage is 63.73. Australia will then play a two-Test series against Sri Lanka. If Australia loses those two Tests, Australia's points will drop to 57.02 percent. Sri Lanka, which is in fifth place with 45.45 points, will then have a poin...

 Matsuyama sets 54-hole record to keep Sentry lead The Sentry third-round leaderboar d -27 H Matsuyama (Japan); -26 C Morikawa (USA); -22 T Detry (Belgium); -21 S-J Im (South Korea); -20 H Hall (England). Notable others: -18 A Scott (Australia); -16 P Cantlay (USA), K Bradley (USA); -15 M Fitzpatrick (England); -14 A Rai (England), R MacIntyre (Scotland); -11 X Schauffele (USA). Complete leaderboard Hideki Matsuyama of Japan established a new 54-hole tournament record at the PGA Tour season opener in Hawaii, known as The Sentry.The overnight leader recorded a score of 62, bringing his total to 27 under par, yet he maintains only a one-shot lead as Collin Morikawa also finished with a 62.Both competitors fell just short of matching the course record on a day characterized by minimal wind, creating ideal conditions for low scoring.Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, achieved an impressive 11 birdies, marking the highest number he has recorded in a single round on the PGA Tour.At ...

Sabalenka secures the Brisbane championship, while Osaka withdraws from the Auckland tournament. World number one Aryna Sabalenka prepared for her title defense at the Australian Open by securing a victory over Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova in the final of the Brisbane International.The 26-year-old Belarusian overcame the challenge of losing her serve twice, ultimately winning the match with scores of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 against the world number 107.Sabalenka had previously lost in the Brisbane final to Elena Rybakina last year but went on to win the Australian Open for the second consecutive time.The first Grand Slam of the year is set to commence at Melbourne Park on Sunday, January 12.Following a less than stellar first set, Sabalenka started the second set with renewed vigor, forcing Kudermetova to fend off break points in her initial service game.The mounting pressure led to a pivotal drop shot that allowed Sabalenka to break serve and take a 3-2 lead, after which she dominated ...

Northampton triumphed over the league leaders, Bath, in a thrilling match. Gallagher Premiership Northampton (29) 35 Tries: Kemeny, Dingwall, Ramm, Hendy Cons: Smith (3) Pens: Smith (3) Bath (19) 34 Tries: Cokanasiga (2), Bailey, Stuart, Ojomoh Cons: Russell (3) Pens: Russell In a thrilling encounter at Franklin's Gardens, reigning Premiership champions Northampton Saints triumphed over current leaders Bath with a score of 35-34, clinching victory with the final kick of the match.This contest mirrored last season's Premiership final, as the Saints exerted significant pressure during a frenetic first half, marked by early tries from Josh Kemeny, captain Fraser Dingwall, and James Ramm.Bath responded with tries from Joe Cokanasiga and Orlando Bailey, but George Hendy added a fourth try for the Saints. The visitors fought back with tries from Will Stuart, Max Ojomoh, and a second from Cokanasiga, yet a last-minute penalty from Finn Smith secured the win for Northampton.Bath conti...

Jimenez converts two penalty kicks, enabling Fulham to secure a late 2-2 draw against Ipswich. Raul Jimenez converted a penalty in the 91st minute to secure a 2-2 draw for Fulham against Ipswich in the Premier League on Sunday.This marked Jimenez's second successful penalty of the match, as Fulham managed to equalize twice at Craven Cottage.Ipswich initially took the lead with a goal from Sam Szmodics in the 38th minute, but Jimenez equalized from the penalty spot in the 69th minute.Ipswich regained the advantage shortly after, with Liam Delap scoring from another penalty in the 71st minute, putting them in a position to escape the relegation zone.However, following a foul by Leif Davis on Jimenez in the penalty area, referee Darren Bond awarded Fulham another penalty.Jimenez confidently struck the ball into the top corner, ensuring the teams shared the points.Currently, Fulham occupies the ninth position, six points adrift of the top four, while Ipswich sits in 17th place, traili...

Farewell bells ring in the hearts of Salah-Arnold Mohamed Salah has upset Liverpool fans. The Reds will start the second half of the league with a test against Manchester United. Before that, the Egyptian star gave a final message. He said that this is his last season at Liverpool. Like him, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold may also be his last season in the Reds jersey. They will start the challenge of painting that last one at Anfield against Ruben Amorim's team at 10:30 tonight. As the winter transfer market opens, Salah told Sky Sports, 'I want to win the league title for Liverpool. I really want to be the league champion. Because maybe last time (in 2019 due to Corona) we couldn't celebrate properly. Or it could be my last season for the club, for that too.' Meanwhile, Arnold is also reported to want to join Real Madrid as a free agent at the end of the season. He will also want to win the league title. Liverpool have made a big step forward in the title race. Th...

Australia concludes a decade-long wait for a series victory against India. Australia demonstrated remarkable composure to secure a thrilling five-test series victory against India, concluding with a score of 3-1 on Sunday, thereby reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in ten years.  The series was characterized by fluctuating momentum, and the fifth test remained intensely competitive until the final hour, when Australia achieved a six-wicket victory. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was sidelined due to a back injury, may have contributed to Australia's success, as Travis Head and debutant Beau Webster successfully chased down the target of 162 runs with an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 58 runs. This victory, celebrated in front of a full crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground adorned in pink for Glenn McGrath's cancer charity, also secured Australia's position to defend their World Test Championship title against South Africa at Lord's in June...

Smith, currently halted at 9999 runs, eagerly anticipates reaching his milestone. Steven Smith was on the verge of achieving a significant milestone, needing just 1 run to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket at the Sydney ground. The audience was eager to commemorate this achievement. However, the anticipation was extended when Smith was dismissed for 4 runs after a delivery from Prasidh Krishna bounced, making contact with the bat and resulting in a catch in the gully region. Consequently, his innings concluded at 9,999 runs. It is an uncommon occurrence in the extensive history of Test cricket for a batsman to end an innings with a total of 9,999 runs. Previously, Sri Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene encountered a similar fate against South Africa in 2011, and now Smith finds his name alongside him. Additionally, Brian Lara concluded a Test match against England in 2004 with a total of 9,993 runs. Before the Sydney Test, Smith required only 38 runs to reach the milestone. He scored 33 ...

ICC announces deadline for Champions Trophy squad announcement The dispute between India and Pakistan regarding the Champions Trophy has been resolved. Pakistan, as the host nation, has consented to implement India's proposed hybrid model for the tournament. The event is set to commence on February 19 and will run until March 9. Following the announcement of the tournament schedule, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has notified the participating teams of the deadline for submitting their squads. According to Cricket Pakistan, the teams competing in the Champions Trophy are required to submit their preliminary squads of 15 players to the ICC by January 12. Nonetheless, teams retain the option to modify their squads if necessary. The final squad must be submitted to the ICC by February 12, exactly one month later. This year's Champions Trophy will feature eight teams, which will be organized into two groups for the initial phase of the tournament. Group 'A' consis...

Gautam Gambhir shares his perspective on the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the context of the India versus Australia series. India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has conveyed his belief in the capabilities of veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, asserting that both still possess the drive to succeed in Test cricket. Gambhir's remarks followed India's disappointing 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which culminated in Australia's commanding 6-wicket victory in the final Test. This outcome not only secured the BGT for Australia after a decade but also eliminated India from contention for the World Test Championship final. Gautam Gambhir on the prospects of Rohit and Kohli Despite their recent challenges, Gambhir underscored that both Rohit and Kohli are resolute athletes who will make future decisions with the team's welfare as a priority. “They are resilient individuals with a strong desire to succeed; they will determine what is best for...

Tauson claims the Auckland title following Osaka's retirement due to injury. Naomi Osaka's pursuit of her first title in four years concluded in disappointment as the former world number one was forced to retire due to injury after securing the opening set of the Auckland Classic final against Denmark's Clara Tauson.  Osaka, who last claimed one of her four Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park in 2021, made her return to competitive tennis a year ago following an extended maternity leave. However, she faced challenges in maintaining consistency and finished the season ranked outside the top 50. In Auckland, she showcased her formidable talent, achieving a double break against Tauson with her powerful strokes in the first set, which she ultimately won 6-4, despite a late service break. However, the 27-year-old from Japan was visibly emotional as she received treatment on the court before the commencement of the next set, ultimately deciding to withdraw. This raised concerns ...

Manchester City has gained momentum with consecutive victories in the Premier League, while both Arsenal and Chelsea have experienced setbacks. Erling Haaland and Manchester City may be on the verge of a turnaround following the team's most challenging period under Pep Guardiola. Haaland netted two goals in a 4-1 victory against West Ham on Saturday, marking City's first consecutive wins in the Premier League since late October, when an unexpected six-week slump began. During that difficult stretch, the reigning champions participated in nine league matches, securing only one victory, which resulted in their exit from the Champions League qualification positions and raised concerns regarding Guardiola's willingness to undertake a rebuilding process. Now, City can look forward to improved prospects, particularly after gaining ground on second-placed Arsenal and fourth-placed Chelsea, both of whom dropped points in draws against Brighton and Crystal Palace, respectively, on ...

Napoli extends its lead to 3 points at the top of Serie A following their victory against Fiorentina. Napoli secured a three-point lead at the top of Serie A after defeating Fiorentina 3-0 on Saturday. David Neres, Romelu Lukaku, and Scott McTominay were the scorers for Antonio Conte’s team, marking their fourth consecutive victory following two losses to Lazio a month prior in both the Italian Cup and Serie A. Atalanta, which concluded 2024 tied on points with Napoli in first place, did not participate in Serie A this weekend as they were competing in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Defending champions Inter Milan, currently four points behind, are set to face their city rivals AC Milan in the Super Cup final on Monday and will also be absent from league play until the following weekend. Fiorentina, having lost three of their last four league matches, remains in fifth place. Neres opened the scoring for Napoli just before the half-hour mark, skillfully maneuvering past three d...

Amorim stated that Manchester United is exhibiting excessive anxiety and fear. United will face league leaders Liverpool on Sunday at 16:30 GMT, entering the match after suffering four consecutive defeats across all competitions, including three in the Premier League. Since the appointment of Amorim in November, the team has secured only two victories in the top flight and currently sits just seven points above the relegation zone. "You can see the change in my expression, comparing my arrival to now," stated Amorim, who has experienced five losses in his eight Premier League matches in charge. "There is undoubtedly significant pressure. For me, it is about pride and performance. "It becomes increasingly challenging when we do not perform well."United faced a 3-0 defeat at home against Bournemouth, followed by a 2-0 loss at Wolves, and then a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle within an eight-day span during the festive season. The club has not endured four consecut...

Guardiola accepts responsibility for Manchester City's decline. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged his accountability for the team's disappointing performance this season, during which they have secured only two victories in their last ten Premier League matches. This lackluster run has positioned the defending champions in sixth place, accumulating 31 points from 19 games, which is 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool, who have a match in hand. The team's struggles have been exacerbated by a series of injuries affecting key players, including Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, goalkeeper Ederson, and defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias. "There are numerous factors at play, and I have overlooked something—something I am not executing effectively," Guardiola stated to the media prior to Saturday's home fixture against West Ham United, currently in 13th place. "When a team experiences a significant number of losses, it is an immense respon...

NBA roundup: Oklahoma City matches franchise record with 14 consecutive victories. Aaron Wiggins achieved a season-best performance with 19 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, as the Oklahoma City Thunder secured their 14th consecutive victory by defeating the New York Knicks 117-107 on Friday. This winning streak matches the longest in the history of the Thunder franchise, which includes its previous identity as the Seattle Supersonics. The Knicks saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points, but it was Wiggins who shone in the fourth quarter, contributing significantly to Oklahoma City's 37-19 scoring advantage over New York. Wiggins made his initial three-pointers during this period. Isaiah Hartenstein, in his first game against the Knicks after signing with Oklahoma City in the offseason, recorded 14 rebounds and seven assists, scoring four points, including a crucial floater in the final minute that effectiv...

  Luke 'The Nuke' Littler defeats Van Gerwen, becoming the youngest champion at the age of 17. Seventeen-year-old prodigy Luke 'The Nuke' Littler triumphed over Michael van Gerwen with a score of 7-3 on Friday, making history as the youngest PDC darts world champion and securing a winner's prize of £500,000 ($621,600). The highly anticipated match, held in front of 3,200 enthusiastic fans in elaborate costumes, concluded with a significant defeat for the three-time champion Van Gerwen, aged 35, during his seventh final at North London's Alexandra Palace, commonly referred to as 'Ally Pally.' "I can't believe it. Honestly, I can't believe it," the young champion exclaimed, tears welling in his eyes. Littler, whose remarkable journey began with throwing darts as a toddler, finally realized his dream after finishing as the runner-up last year with a score of 7-4, a match that catapulted him into the public eye. "We both played except...

Ancelotti expresses his discontent regarding Real's inconsistent performance during the match against Valencia. Real Madrid's manager, Carlo Ancelotti, expressed his admiration for his team's remarkable 2-1 comeback victory against Valencia on Friday, while also criticizing their performance in the first half. He emphasized that his team cannot exhibit "two sides." Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham scored crucial late goals at the Mestalla stadium, overcoming a one-goal deficit after Hugo Duro's early strike and playing with ten men following Vinicius Jr.'s dismissal in the 79th minute. "It is challenging to articulate how poor we were in the first half and how exceptional we became in the second, even with a man down," Ancelotti remarked to the media.  "We deserved to secure all three points, but we cannot display such contrasting performances. We were tremendously poor in the first half and remarkably good in the second with ten players....

Rickelton takes advantage of the opportunity presented. Ryan Rickelton's unbeaten score of 176 has positioned South Africa favorably at the conclusion of the first day of the second Test against Pakistan on Friday. The left-handed opener emphasizes the significance of first-innings runs on the Newlands wicket. At day's end, South Africa stood at 316 for four, having previously faltered to 72 for three. Rickelton achieved his highest Test score through a remarkable partnership of 235 runs with captain Temba Bavuma, who contributed 106 runs, for the fourth wicket. The duo maintained a scoring rate exceeding four runs per over on a pitch that is currently performing well. "We recognized that the wicket was conducive to batting, and establishing a solid partnership was crucial," Rickelton stated to the media. "The same will likely apply tomorrow with the new ball. I perceive the wicket as brittle and dry beneath the surface, so I expect it to turn later on. First-in...

Bournemouth has secured the signing of teenage defender Matai Akinmboni from DC United. Bournemouth, a club in the Premier League, has acquired 18-year-old American defender Matai Akinmboni from DC United as of Friday. The center back, who debuted in Major League Soccer at the age of 15, has signed a long-term contract, although the financial details of the transfer have not been revealed by either club. “Matai is an exciting young talent we have been observing for quite some time, and we are impressed with his development,” stated Simon Francis, the first-team technical director of Bournemouth, in the club's announcement. “We believe he has a promising future ahead of him, and we are eager to support his growth within our team.” Standing at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters), the Maryland native has played for the United States at various youth levels. Akinmboni joined DC United on a homegrown contract in August 2022 after his time with the affiliate club Loudoun United. His debut for...

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana may be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury. Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana may face the possibility of missing the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old French player, who has been sidelined for the entire 2023-24 season following ACL surgery, last appeared on the field on December 1, when he was substituted during the 3-0 victory against Aston Villa. Blues manager Enzo Maresca stated on Friday that Fofana's injury is more severe than initially anticipated, indicating that the center back will be unavailable for an extended period. Currently, there are no immediate plans for surgical intervention. “He could be out for the season,” Maresca remarked. “We cannot determine with certainty if it will be for the entire season, but regrettably, he may miss a significant portion of it.” Fofana became one of the most costly defenders in football history when he transferred to Chelsea from Leicester i...

Flick expresses dissatisfaction yet remains assured as Barcelona seeks to register Olmo for the remainder of the season. Coach Hansi Flick expressed his dissatisfaction with the current situation but maintained his confidence in Barcelona as the club endeavored to register playmaker Dani Olmo for the remainder of the season. This effort comes in light of the club's failure to meet the year-end deadline for clearing salary-cap space. During a press conference prior to the team's Copa del Rey match against fourth-division side Barbastro on Saturday, Flick acknowledged that the circumstances were far from ideal, yet he believed Barcelona was making every effort to resolve the matter. "To be candid, I am not pleased with the situation, and the players share this sentiment," Flick stated. "However, we must accept it. We are professionals. Our focus must remain on playing football; I must coach, my staff must coach, and the club must fulfill its responsibilities. Ther...

Police devastated after losing to Kings Bashundhara Kings defeated Police FC again in a span of three days. The previous victory was in the Federation Cup. This time, the reigning champions started the new year with a resounding victory in the Premier League. Kings won 5-0 in a league match at Rafiquddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh on Friday. Brazilian forward Jonathan Fernandes scored a brace. Mujibur Rahman Johnny, Rakib Hossain and Miguel Figuera scored one goal each. Kings won the league after two matches. They are in fifth place with 10 points from six matches with three wins and one draw. Police FC has 6 points after losing three consecutive matches. Kings took the lead in the 10th minute of the match. Faisal Ahmed's long cross was extended by Fahim into the box. Unprotected Fernandes found the net with great placement. In the 13th minute, midfielder Johnny took a long pass from Isa Ijeh and fired a left-footed, bullet-like shot into the corner. Fernandes scored his second...

Chittagong beats Rajshahi to win first match In the BPL, Durbar Rajshahi also saw the opposite picture in a one-day interval. Despite winning Taskin Ahmed's record match yesterday, Rajshahi left the field with a loss today. They lost to Chittagong Kings by 105 runs. In fact, Rajshahi could not withstand the pressure of the opponent's runs. Batting first, Chittagong set a target of 220 runs with Pakistani batter Usman Khan's century. Chasing this huge target in their third match, Rajshahi was all out for 114 runs. Rajshahi started losing wickets one after another from the beginning of the Kings' innings. Sabbir Hossain was dismissed for 8 runs off the last ball of the first over by Shariful Islam. Another opener from Pakistan, Mohammad Haris, was trying to take control of the team by scoring 32 runs. However, his innings of 3 sixes and 2 fours off 15 balls was stopped by his compatriot Mohammad Wasim. Enamul Haque Bijoy, who had scored fifties in two of the first two ma...

 From footballer to businessman Argentina's World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi has turned his attention to business at the end of his football career. Messi, who spent a long time in Barcelona, ​​Spain, is now going to start a real estate business in Spain. His real estate investment trust is called 'Edificio Rostower Sochimi', of which he is the chairman. This investment trust manages hotels, office space and apartments in Spain. Messi's wife Antonella Roccuzze manages this trust, because Messi is busy with his sports career. Each share price is 57.4 euros (7 thousand taka) and the capital is 223 million euros (2 thousand 784 crore 37 lakh taka). Edificio Rostower has several hotels, office space and apartments in Spain.

Christian Pulisic is expected to make his return from injury for AC Milan in the Super Cup clash against Juventus. Christian Pulisic seems to have fully recovered from his calf and ankle injuries and may be available for AC Milan's match against Juventus in the Italian Super Cup semifinals on Friday. The United States international has been sidelined since suffering a muscle tear in his right calf nearly a month ago, followed by a minor ankle issue. This season, Pulisic has emerged as one of Milan's standout players, contributing five goals and four assists in Serie A, along with three goals in the Champions League. The upcoming Super Cup match will also serve as the debut for new Milan coach Sergio Conceicao, who took over from the dismissed Paulo Fonseca on Monday. Notably, Conceicao's son, Francisco, plays as a winger for Juventus. In the other semifinal, Inter Milan secured a 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Thursday. The final is set to take place on Monday.