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BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has congratulated the Bangladesh Women’s National Futsal Team over clinching the title of the SAFF Women’s Futsal Champions, held for the first time.
In a facebook post on his verified page on Sunday, Tarique Rahman said, “Amid the campaign trail, I have come across some inspiring news for Bangladesh. Congratulations to our Women’s Futsal Team on becoming the SAFF Women’s Futsal Champions.”
“Their sportsmanship and talent showed what is possible even with limited resources. Our vision must be to nurture and empower them further, so they can take Bangladesh’s pride and potential to the global stage,” the BNP chief added.
“Please save cricket, that’s all there is to say.”
The comment, made on condition of anonymity by a leading Bangladesh cricketer, reflects growing frustration among players after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reinstated director M Najmul Islam to his previous role as finance committee chairman, highlighting the sense of helplessness felt by cricketers under a board perceived to be failing to honour its commitments.
Najmul had earlier been relieved of his duties as finance committee chairman following a wave of protests by cricketers. The protests stemmed from remarks Najmul made on January 14, when he said the board did not owe players any compensation if Bangladesh missed out on the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, arguing that the board does not seek refunds from players for poor performances at global events.
“This is good news,” one player remarked sarcastically after Najmul’s reappointment. “You can understand how things are happening here,” he added, underscoring the prevailing sense of discontent.
Najmul’s comments prompted cricketers to boycott all forms of cricket, leading to the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) being halted for a day. Players eventually returned to the field “for the greater interest of cricket,” scaling back their initial demand for Najmul’s complete removal from the board. Instead, they sought a public apology and the continuation of the process regarding his directorship, as promised by the board.
However, no apology was issued. Najmul also responded to a show-cause letter from the BCB a day after the stipulated deadline.
In fact, it was learned that during a board meeting on Saturday, Najmul enjoyed the support of board directors when the decision to reinstate him was taken. A BCB source further claimed that the disciplinary committee had submitted its observations to the board and that “by the president’s direction, he [Najmul] was reappointed.”
Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) president Mohammad Mithun, visibly unhappy with the development, was reluctant to dwell on the matter but made clear where cricketers stand in the board’s list of priorities.
“We made our demands known openly and they made commitments openly. So who is not keeping the commitments should be clear. The responsibility also lies with those who are not keeping commitments,” Mithun told The Daily Star on Sunday.
The BCB media committee could not be reached for comment regarding Najmul’s reinstatement at the time of filing this report.
With the Najmul issue unfolding alongside Bangladesh’s absence from the upcoming T20 World Cup — following the ICC’s rejection of the board’s request to relocate matches outside India — the current state of affairs has understandably left the game’s primary stakeholders increasingly concerned about the future of cricket in the country.
Manchester United loosened Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League title race with a 3-2 win in north London on Sunday thanks to stunning second-half goals by Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha.
Victory would have restored Arsenal’s seven-point lead over chasers Manchester City and Aston Villa, both of whom won this weekend, but Mikel Arteta’s side instead left the door open as they lost at home for the first time this season.
United’s win, their first in the league at Arsenal since 2017, lifted them to fourth, and while they are not in the title equation themselves, it fuelled the new-found optimism sweeping the club since Michael Carrick stepped in as interim coach.
Everything was going to plan for Arsenal when they took the lead in the 29th minute with a Lisandro Martinez own goal.
But a terrible mistake by Martin Zubimendi in the 37th minute gifted United an equaliser for Bryan Mbeumo.
Dorgu then smashed a ferocious shot in off the crossbar to put United ahead in the 50th minute but substitute Mikel Merino prodded the hosts levelin the 84th.
United were not finished though and substitute Cunha was allowed to advance towards Arsenal’s goal before curling a low shot past the dive of David Raya from 25 metres to spark wild celebrations amongst the visiting fans.
Arsenal, who are now winless in three league games after two 0-0 draws, have 50 points from 23 games with City and Villa on 46. United moved fourth with 38 points.
United’s win followed their 2-0 defeat of Manchester City last weekend in Carrick’s first game of his second spell as the club’s interim manager.
The nerves are clearly starting to show at Arsenal as they seek their first title since 2004.
Even after Martinez got his legs in a tangle and deflected Martin Odegaard’s shot past his own keeper, Arsenal never looked completely at ease and slowly lost control of the game.
The omens still looked bad for United at that stage with Arsenal having won their last 15 Premier League games in which they had taken the lead.
But when William Saliba passed to Zubimendi who in turn gifted the ball straight to Mbeumo to score in style, the visitors suddenly sensed an opportunity.
Things took a dark turn for Arsenal five minutes after the interval. Again their defence was found wanting as Dorgu was allowed to control a bouncing ball before thumping a left-foot volley in off the crossbar past a stunned Raya.
Arteta reacted by making four substitutions, sending on Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Ben White while Noni Madueke also joined the fray later from a stacked bench.
There was huge relief when United failed to deal with a corner and Merino prodded in from close range — the ball being adjudged to have crossed the line after a brief delay.
It looked as though Arsenal had got out of jail and might even snatch a win but United’s belief was unwavering as Cunha delivered a gift to City and Villa.
Josh Inglis blasted a six to seal a crushing six-wicket victory for the Perth Scorchers and their record sixth Big Bash League T20 title over the Sydney Sixers in Perth on Sunday.
Inglis hit the winning runs over the long-off ropes in his unbeaten 29 as the Perth franchise comfortably ran down the Sixers’ total of 132 to win with 15 balls to spare before a record 55,018 home crowd at Optus Stadium.
Opener Mitch Marsh topscored for the Scorchers with 44 off 43 balls, while team-mate David Payne was named player of the match for his three for 18 off four overs that put the Sixers on the skids.
“I’m elated for the Perth fans. It was nervy but when you take a couple of wickets it calms the nerves. You always want to contribute and it was nice that I was able to do that tonight,” Payne said.
It was a final between the two most successful clubs in BBL history, with the Sixers chasing their fourth title.
“A sixth title for this club, it’s special. We are incredibly fortunate to have a group of players who’ve pretty much grown up together. That cohesion and connection is something we really pride ourselves on,” Marsh said.
New Zealander Finn Allen capped off a brilliant season by overtaking David Warner’s 433 runs to finish as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 466 after his swashbuckling 36 off 22 balls.
The Sixers were making their return transcontinental trip to Perth in the space of six days, having stumbled in the qualifier.
They were always struggling to match the Scorchers in the final after losing the toss and being sent in to bat.
Steve Smith, Josh Philippe and Moises Henriques were all dismissed for 24, and the Sydney Sixers were bundled out for a below-par score on the final ball of their 20 overs.
Jhye Richardson supported Payne with three wickets for 32 as the Scorchers kept a tight rein on the Sixers’ scoring.
Smith was the crucial wicket, given out lbw to Aaron Hardie on review after looking in good touch with three fours off 13 balls.
Australia’s Test batting star Smith had been in red-hot scoring form in the BBL since the Ashes tour, scoring 299 runs with a century and two half-centuries at an average of 59.80.
“A sad moment for the game” — that was the phrase used by the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) while reacting to Bangladesh’s exclusion from the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Few descriptions could better capture the turbulence currently engulfing Bangladesh cricket – turbulence that continues to wound genuine lovers of the game across the country.
Under the leadership of former national captain Aminul Islam Bulbul, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appears to be struggling both internally and externally. Many now fear that if this trajectory continues, the game itself could become the biggest casualty in this cricket-crazy nation.
Missing out on the World Cup is only part of the damage. Domestic cricket remains largely paralysed. Although the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) managed to conclude, controversy followed it to the finish line. As the tournament ended, a match-fixing scandal surfaced, adding yet another chapter to a growing list of irregularities.
Following allegations of involvement in match-fixing in the BPL, BCB director Muhammad Mukhlesur Rahman was forced to step down from his role as audit committee chairman. Another franchise adviser publicly raised fixing allegations via a Facebook Live session, further eroding public trust.
Following Saturday’s board meeting, influential director Ishtiaque Sadeque resigned, with rumours suggesting that more may follow. Disagreements with the board president and unresolved personal conflicts among directors have now become open secrets rather than internal matters.
Meanwhile, controversial figures continue to resurface. M Najmul Islam, removed from his role as finance committee chairman after making derogatory remarks about cricketers during protests, was reinstated following the BPL, making the growing disconnect between the board and the players unmistakable.
The long-standing stagnation and disputes in Dhaka club cricket have reached a breaking point. With Bangladesh out of the T20 World Cup — set to be played in Sri Lanka and India from February 7 — there is no clarity on the next domestic schedule. Even Rajshahi Warriors captain and Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto publicly voiced his frustration, saying he had no idea when they would next take the field.
With cricket disrupted both at home and abroad, organisers appear directionless, unable to chart a clear path forward.
In what many see as an attempt to mask failure, the BCB has floated the sensational idea of bringing back the country’s most successful cricketer, Shakib Al Hasan, who is currently in exile. For many, the move lacks logic and appears to be a desperate and misguided effort to divert attention from the ongoing turmoil surrounding the World Cup exclusion.
This is not merely the pain of missing a global tournament — Bangladesh cricket is passing through what may be its most fragile phase in history. In such moments, resilience is only meaningful when guided by a clear mission and vision, something that currently appears to be missing.
BCB president Bulbul said on Thursday, following a meeting with players and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul, that the board “will keep on fighting” to ensure Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup. But when the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland on Saturday, the BCB confirmed it had accepted the decision and would not pursue further action.
“We are not going into any separate arbitration or any other process,” the board stated — a declaration that underlines the absence of a clear roadmap.
Bangladesh cricket is, quite literally, struggling to stay afloat in a sea of sorrow, not only because of exclusion, but because a fight without purpose, clarity, and vision rarely leads to recovery.
A clinical Jessica Pegula dumped defending champion and good friend Madison Keys out of the Australian Open on Monday to surge into the quarter-finals.
The sixth seed dominated the all-American showdown 6-3, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena to set up a clash with either United States fourth seed Amanda Anisimova or China’s Wang Xinyu.
Pegula, who is chasing an elusive Grand Slam title after reaching the US Open final in 2024, made three consecutive Melbourne quarters between 2021-2023.
But the 31-year-old has never gone further.
Beating Keys was bittersweet with the pair close off court, sharing a podcast, “The Player’s Box”, together with fellow Americans Desirae Krawczyk and Jennifer Brady.
But it was well-deserved with Keys, who stunned heavy favourite Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s final for her maiden Slam title, tense and out-of-sorts.
She made 27 unforced errors to Pegula’s 17, and fired down six double faults.
“I’ve been playing really well, seeing the ball, hitting the ball really well this whole tournament,” said Pegula, who has dropped just 17 games in her four matches so far.
“And I wanted to kind of stay true to that, and then just lean on a couple things that I felt like she would do, and I felt like I came out kind of doing it pretty well.
“I really had to focus on where I was serving, and be smart and kind of take some risk on some second serves, change up the pace as much as I could,” she added.
Pegula opened with a serve to love then worked two break points as she dictated the early rallies, earning a 2-0 lead when Keys blasted a forehand into the net.
She consolidated by holding to take a firm grip on the set with Keys winning just three points in three games.
Keys finally woke up to hold serve, but was mixing some classic shots with horrible errors, including a serve that almost hit the baseline and a badly shanked volley.
A clean-hitting game earned Keys a break back and some hope, but the serving wobbles returned and Pegula broke once more then served out for the set.
Both players were distracted by an air show in the skies over Melbourne Park to mark Australia Day, and three double faults on Keys’ opening serve gifted Pegula the advantage again in set two.
Despite mustering some late fight there was no way back for the deflated defending champion as Pegula emphatically sent her packing.
Futsal success has offered Sabina Khatun both a new stage and a timely reminder of her enduring value to Bangladesh football.
The 32-year-old captain led Bangladesh to the title in the inaugural SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship 2026, finishing as the tournament’s only unbeaten team with five wins and a draw in the seven-team competition held in Bangkok, Thailand.
The triumph added another chapter to Sabina’s leadership legacy, following back-to-back SAFF Women’s Championship titles in 2022 and 2024 under her captaincy.
“Winning always brings happiness and it is the best way to earn laurels for the nation, especially after battling hard against opponents,” Sabina said in a voice message to The Daily Star from Thailand on Sunday.
Bangladesh’s dominance in the new format was shaped decisively by their captain. Sabina not only adapted seamlessly to futsal but also led from the front, finishing as the competition’s top scorer with 14 goals — seven more than the joint second-highest scorers, her teammate Krishna Rani Sarkar and India’s Khusbu Saroj, underlining how her level was a cut above the rest.
“My role has always been to score goals, whether in football or futsal,” she said.
“It feels good to score in both versions, but scoring is never easy. It takes skill and constant effort.”
Sabina joined the futsal squad with limited preparation time and yet believed the team could still make an impact if experience was used wisely.
“If my inclusion helps the team, then there was no reason not to join,” said the Satkhira native. “We didn’t have much time to prepare, but I felt that bringing in a few experienced players and giving them one or two months of training could produce something positive.”
Despite her success in futsal, Sabina remains unwilling to revisit the controversy surrounding her apparent exclusion from the national women’s football team following a rift with English coach Peter Butler.
“There are many questions about the coach, but I don’t want to comment,” she said.
“It’s an old issue and I don’t want to raise it again, especially when the women’s team has an important tournament coming up in March. Everyone should wish them the best.”
She also called on continued public support for the women’s game. “The people of the country have always stood by women’s football, and I hope they will continue to do so in the coming days.”
Sabina, however, is prepared to accept scrutiny that comes with her profile.
“Criticism is part of being a professional. Players are praised during good times and criticised during bad times. Accepting both should be a professional’s character.”
On and off the court, Sabina believes her responsibility remains unchanged.
“I try to be the same person everywhere — friendly with others and always trying to inspire the team.”
Manchester United’s stand-in manager Michael Carrick continued his dream start to his second stint in the position with victory at Arsenal on Sunday and said his team must ride the wave of confidence that has swept away the Old Trafford gloom.
Former midfielder Carrick answered United’s call in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s sacking this month and his two games in charge have seen a 2-0 win against Manchester City and a thrilling 3-2 victory at Premier League leaders Arsenal.
“We’ve got to ride it and use the emotion, you have got to use the energy and use the confidence,” Carrick, whose team moved up to fourth in the table, said.
“You’ve got to be humble enough to understand how we could just achieve these two big results. It doesn’t just come easy, so we need to continue that and bottle it and use it again.”
United had to dig deep on Sunday as Arsenal bossed the opening half-hour and led through a Lisandro Martinez own goal. But Bryan Mbeumo was gifted an equaliser and stunning goals by Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha in the second half sealed a first United league win at Arsenal since 2017.
“The goals were fantastic goals and some of the football was good, and we looked dangerous at certain times,” Carrick, who won multiple league titles in United’s midfield, said.
“Other times we had to defend, but it was just a performance with a bit of everything, really.”
Carrick was also unbeaten in his three-game stint as caretaker manager in 2021, including a 3-2 win against Arsenal before handing over the reins to Ralf Rangnick.
With Carrick placed in charge until the end of the season this time, he has the chance to stake his claim for the role on a permanent basis and his stock has risen rapidly.
“What happens next I’m not going to be answering it every week. I’m enjoying it and I’ll continue to do what I can,” the 44-year-old said when asked about his ambition.
“I know from our perspective it’s just about moving forward to the next game. It’s been less than two weeks that we’ve been together, so it’s just keep getting good habits and good routines. The boys have been fantastic with that.
“But I don’t think we can look too far ahead. We’ll finish where we finish by getting the results.”
AC Milan’s title hopes suffered a blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw by AS Roma in a rain-soaked clash in the capital on Sunday that left Inter Milan five points clear at the top of the Serie A standings.
Second-placed Milan moved to 47 points, while Roma climbed to third on 43, level with Napoli, who suffered a 3-0 defeat earlier on Sunday.
Inter had cranked up the pressure in the title race with a 6-2 comeback win against Pisa on Friday.
Roma had several chances to grab the opening goal in the first half, but Milan keeper Mike Maignan was in inspired form, producing a reflex save on the line to deny the hosts just before the break, with his performance earning him the Man-of-the-Match award.
After a difficult first half, Milan made the breakthrough in the 62nd minute when Koni De Winter rose to glance home a header from a cross, sparking wild celebrations on the visitors’ bench.
However, the home crowd were roaring 12 minutes later when Davide Bartesaghi was penalised for handball and the referee pointed to the spot, with Lorenzo Pellegrini making no mistake to level for Roma.
Neither side could break the deadlock in the closing stages, with Roma dominating possession and Milan waiting for an opening on the counter.
The visitors had a late scare when the ball struck Christian Pulisic’s arm. The incident, however, was waved away by the referee as his arm was tucked against his body, and the sides shared the spoils.
