The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) until January 21 to make a final decision on the country’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo citing ICC sources, the deadline was set following a meeting held in Dhaka on Saturday. The BCB’s official statement after the meeting did not mention this timeline, but the ICC is reportedly waiting for Bangladesh’s confirmation.

The uncertainty centers on whether Bangladesh will travel to India or play their matches in Sri Lanka. If Bangladesh decides not to tour India for the tournament, the ICC will select an alternative team. Based on current rankings, Scotland could receive the World Cup spot in that scenario.

The decision, expected by Wednesday, will determine Bangladesh’s participation and finalize the tournament lineup, which has drawn significant attention from cricket fans awaiting clarity on the issue.

New Zealand secured a historic One Day International (ODI) series victory in India, defeating the hosts by 41 runs in the third and final match in Indore. The win marked New Zealand’s first-ever ODI series triumph on Indian soil, sealing the three-match contest 2–1. Batting first, New Zealand posted 337 runs for eight wickets in 50 overs, while India’s chase ended at 296.

Virat Kohli’s determined effort, including a commanding 124 off 108 balls with ten boundaries and three sixes, could not prevent India’s defeat. His innings was his 54th ODI century and 85th in international cricket. Teammates Nitish and Harshit contributed 53 and 52 runs respectively.

For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips built a decisive 219-run partnership. Phillips scored 106 off 88 balls, and Mitchell added 137 off 131 deliveries, guiding their team to a match-winning total and a landmark series victory.

Bangladesh began their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 21-run victory over the United States at the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground in Kathmandu. After losing the toss and batting first, Bangladesh posted 159 for 5 in 20 overs, led by Sharmin Akter’s 63 off 39 balls. Sobhana Mostary added 32 and Swarna Akter contributed 16 runs late in the innings. In reply, the United States managed 137 for 9, falling short despite a strong start from openers Chetna Pagdiyala and Disha Dhingra.

Spinner Nahida Akter claimed four wickets for Bangladesh, including three in the 18th over, while Rabeya Khan took two. For the United States, Ritu Singh scored 33 off 13 balls but could not prevent defeat. Bangladesh’s next group matches are against Papua New Guinea on January 20, Namibia on January 22, and Ireland on January 24.

The top four teams from the qualifying tournament will advance to the main World Cup, with the top three from each group entering the Super Six stage to compete for those spots.

Bangladesh has refused to play its T20 World Cup matches in India citing security concerns, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) remains firm on its decision. The BCB prefers to play its matches in Sri Lanka instead. A meeting between the BCB and the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dhaka ended without a final decision on the matter. During the discussions, one option considered was to move Bangladesh to a different group to minimize logistical changes.

As part of that proposal, Bangladesh could have joined Group C, replacing Ireland, while Ireland would move to Group B. However, Cricket Ireland (CI) dismissed the possibility of such a group swap. The BCB described the meeting as constructive, friendly, and professional, noting that both sides exchanged views openly on relevant issues.

No final resolution was reached, leaving the question of Bangladesh’s participation venue in the upcoming T20 World Cup still undecided.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers begin today, with Bangladesh taking on the United States in the opening match at the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground in Kathmandu, Nepal. The game is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. local time. Bangladesh are placed in Group A alongside the USA, Ireland, Namibia, and Papua New Guinea. The team will face Papua New Guinea on January 20, Namibia on January 22, and Ireland on January 24.

Before the qualifiers, Nigar Sultana Joty’s team played two warm-up matches, defeating the Netherlands by 26 runs and Thailand by 34 runs. The qualifiers feature two groups, with Group B including Zimbabwe, Scotland, Thailand, the Netherlands, and Nepal. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage, from which the best four will qualify for the main World Cup.

The tenth edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will be held in England in June–July 2026. Eight teams have already qualified, while four more will join through this qualifying tournament.

Bangladesh drew 3-3 with Bhutan in their second match of the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship on Saturday at Nonthaburi Stadium in Bangkok. After a strong start to the tournament with a 3-1 win over India, Bangladesh stumbled early when Bhutan’s Deki Lajm scored in the fifth minute. Sumaiya Matsushima quickly equalized, but Bhutan regained the lead in the second half through two goals from Sonam Lhamo. Bangladesh fought back with goals from Sabina Khatun and Masura Parvin to secure a draw.

With this result, Bangladesh now have four points from two matches, while India lead the group with six points after defeating Nepal 8-1 on the same day. Bangladesh’s next match is scheduled for January 19 against Nepal.

Goalkeeper Jhili played a crucial role in keeping Bangladesh in the game, making several key saves that prevented Bhutan from taking the win. The draw keeps Bangladesh in contention for the next stage of the tournament.

Manchester United surprised rivals Manchester City with a 2-0 victory in the Manchester derby, ending a difficult spell for the Red Devils. Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealed the win, dealing a major blow to City’s English Premier League title hopes. The match also marked a strong start for interim coach Michael Carrick in his second stint in charge.

In Spain, Real Madrid bounced back after consecutive defeats to Barcelona and Albacete by defeating Levante 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The win helped the capital club regain momentum in La Liga after a brief slump. Elsewhere in the English league, Burnley held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw, while Chelsea secured a 2-0 victory over Brentford.

The results reshaped the weekend’s football narrative, with Manchester United’s resurgence and Real Madrid’s recovery standing out as key storylines across Europe’s top leagues.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) issued a show-cause notice to its director M Nazmul Islam for making disparaging comments about cricketers. As of Saturday morning, January 17, 2026, he had not responded to the notice within the given deadline. It remains uncertain whether he will submit a reply at all.

The notice followed remarks Nazmul Islam made to the media after an event at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. He had previously made critical comments about player Tamim Iqbal as well. The BCB had set a deadline of 11 a.m. Saturday for his response, but no reply was received by that time.

The board is reportedly still uncertain about whether Nazmul Islam intends to respond, leaving the matter unresolved for now.

The Under-19 Cricket World Cup has officially begun, with India and the United States playing the opening match on Thursday. Bangladesh will start their campaign today against India at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. India began the tournament with a dominant win over the United States. The competition, jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia, features age-level teams from around the world.

India holds the record for the most titles in the tournament’s history, having won five of the previous fifteen editions, including the latest in 2022. Bangladesh, on the other hand, claimed their only title in 2020 by defeating India in the final. This year, Bangladesh competes in Group A alongside India, the United States, and New Zealand. The team, led by captain Azizul Hakim Tamim, will face New Zealand on January 20 and the United States on January 23.

All of Bangladesh’s matches will be played in Zimbabwe. Fans in Bangladesh can watch the games live via Rabbithole streaming and on Star Sports, which will also broadcast matches in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, according to the ICC.

A full day of live sports broadcasts has been announced for January 17, 2026, featuring the ICC Under-19 World Cup match between Bangladesh and India starting at 1:30 p.m. Other cricket fixtures include Japan versus Sri Lanka at the same time, Bangladesh Premier League matches between Dhaka Capitals and Rangpur Riders at 2 p.m., and Chattogram Royals versus Rajshahi Warriors at 7 p.m. Big Bash League, SA T20, and several football leagues will also be aired across multiple channels.

Football fans can watch English Premier League matches such as Manchester United versus Manchester City at 6:30 p.m., followed by Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Arsenal fixtures later in the evening. La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Africa Cup of Nations, and Saudi Pro League matches are also scheduled for live telecast through various international networks.

The broadcast lineup highlights a packed weekend for global sports audiences, offering simultaneous coverage of cricket and football tournaments across different continents on channels including Star Sports, T Sports, and FanCode.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed optimism that Bangladesh could one day play in the FIFA World Cup. Responding to a question on Instagram about whether Bangladesh might ever qualify, Infantino said the country has the potential to reach football’s biggest stage. He noted that FIFA’s goal is to help more nations participate for the first time, citing new qualifiers such as Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, and Jordan for the upcoming World Cup to be held in June in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Infantino praised Bangladesh as a football-loving nation where the sport is improving, adding that FIFA is investing significantly in the country’s football development. He said Bangladesh has talent like many other nations and could soon reach the World Cup. The visit of the World Cup trophy to Bangladesh further inspired national players, including captain Jamal Bhuiyan and Sheikh Morsalin, who believe the new generation can lead the country to global competition.

Bangladesh last reached the Asian Cup finals in 1980, but recent progress and emerging talents such as Hamza Chowdhury and Shamit Som have revived hopes for future success.

India has not approved visa applications for England’s Pakistan-origin cricketers Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7. The Guardian reported that the two English spinners’ visa requests were not granted by the Indian government, creating complications for England’s preparations. As a result, both players are unlikely to join the team’s six-match warm-up series against Sri Lanka before the tournament.

This is not the first time the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has faced such difficulties. Earlier, England’s Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood also encountered visa issues related to their Pakistani heritage. The situation reflects the lingering diplomatic and political tensions between India and Pakistan, which have affected players of Pakistani descent from multiple countries, including the United States.

According to The Guardian, the ECB has been assured that there is no objection from the Indian government regarding the applications and is working with British authorities to expedite the process. England is scheduled to begin its World Cup campaign against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.

An International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation arrived in Bangladesh on January 16, 2026, to discuss the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) refusal to play the upcoming World Cup in India due to security concerns. The delegation is scheduled to meet BCB officials at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur to address the issue and seek a resolution after previous online meetings failed to produce a final decision.

BCB Director and Umpires Committee Chairman Ifthekhar Rahman Mithu told the media that the BCB president and vice president would attend the meeting, expressing hope for a positive outcome. He described the ICC visit as a good sign, noting that the matter had been at a standstill until now.

The ICC delegation will also meet with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to discuss the situation further. The discussions aim to determine the future of Bangladesh’s participation in the World Cup amid ongoing security concerns.

The first day of the Dhaka phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) saw both scheduled matches canceled after players boycotted in protest. The boycott followed harsh comments made by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Nazmul Islam about national cricketers, prompting fears that the entire tournament could be suspended indefinitely. During the scheduled toss at Mirpur’s Home of Cricket, BCB president Aminul Islam was seen standing alone on the field, symbolizing the board’s growing isolation amid the crisis.

The controversy began when Nazmul Islam, also the BCB finance committee chairman, made disparaging remarks about players’ performance and questioned their right to seek financial compensation if Bangladesh failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup. His comments drew widespread criticism, including from within the board itself. BCB publicly distanced itself from his statements, and director Shanian Tamim condemned them as personal opinions inconsistent with board policy.

The incident has intensified scrutiny of BCB’s leadership and internal politics, with calls emerging for stronger accountability and the removal of unqualified officials to restore the integrity of Bangladesh cricket.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam drew criticism after making dismissive comments about players’ earnings, suggesting that large sums spent on cricketers should not be expected to be returned. Responding to questions about possible compensation for players after the World Cup, he remarked that since players have not won major tournaments, the board could theoretically demand repayment of its investments.

In response, the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CoAB), represented by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, clarified that most of the board’s income comes from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and sponsors, not from individuals. Miraz reminded that BCB’s reported fund of Tk 1,300 crore exists largely due to the contributions of national team players over the years. He emphasized that without matches, there would be no sponsorships or ICC revenue.

Miraz also noted that cricketers pay 25–30 percent in taxes to the government and do not receive money from state funds. He described the director’s remarks as disrespectful to all players and the broader sports community.