Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have officially released Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The franchise confirmed the decision in a statement, saying it acted in accordance with BCCI’s instructions and procedures before the next phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL). BCCI has also allowed KKR to select a replacement player under IPL regulations.

BCCI secretary Debajit Saikia told India’s news agency ANI from Guwahati on January 3 that the board instructed KKR to remove Mustafizur from their squad due to political pressure and controversy surrounding his participation in the IPL. Saikia explained that although the board initially adopted a “wait and watch” approach, it ultimately made a difficult decision to resolve the issue.

The controversy intensified after a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh labeled KKR co-owner and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan a “traitor” for signing Mustafizur. Several self-proclaimed spiritual figures in India also criticized Khan over the matter.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has instructed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League (IPL) squad. The directive was confirmed on January 3, 2026, in Guwahati by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, who cited political pressure and controversy surrounding Mustafizur’s participation in the tournament.

According to Saikia, the BCCI initially adopted a ‘wait and watch’ approach but ultimately decided to remove the player due to escalating political tensions between India and Bangladesh. He added that KKR would be allowed to select a replacement player with BCCI’s approval. The issue gained attention after some Indian political figures and self-proclaimed spiritual leaders criticized KKR’s decision to sign Mustafizur, with one BJP leader labeling team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan a ‘traitor’.

The decision marks a rare instance of political disputes directly influencing IPL team composition, raising questions about the tournament’s insulation from external pressures.

Al Nassr began the new year with disappointment as their ten-match winning streak in the Saudi Pro League came to an end. The team, featuring Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, lost 3-2 to Al Ahli. English forward Tony Evans scored twice for Al Ahli, while Merih Demiral added another goal. Abdullah Al-Amri netted both goals for Al Nassr in a match where Ronaldo remained largely ineffective.

The game started with Tony scoring in the seventh minute, followed by a second goal in the 20th minute after a long pass from his own half. Al Nassr fought back through Al-Amri, who scored from distance in the 30th minute and then equalized with a header just before halftime. In the second half, Al Ahli regained control, and Demiral’s strike in the 53rd minute sealed the win.

This defeat marked Al Nassr’s first loss in eleven league matches, leaving them with 31 points from ten wins and one draw before this match.

Australian captain Steve Smith has said that teammate Usman Khawaja faced unfair treatment during his international cricket career. The 39-year-old left-handed batter is set to retire after the Sydney Test, which will be his final match in the ongoing Ashes series. Smith voiced his support for Khawaja, noting that the player had been dropped from the national team multiple times, including eight occasions in his Test career and again during the current Ashes.

Smith refrained from commenting directly on Khawaja’s criticisms but described some of the claims against him, such as being injured while playing golf before a match, as unjust. He praised Khawaja’s 15-year career and his consistent improvement over time. Smith recalled that Khawaja had also been dropped during the 2017 series against India but used that setback to refine his playing techniques.

Smith concluded by calling Khawaja an exceptional talent whose development over the years had been remarkable, highlighting their early days playing together in New South Wales youth cricket.

The final Test of the Ashes series between Australia and England will be broadcast live early tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m. on Star Sports, according to the schedule published by Amar Desh on January 3, 2026. This marks the concluding match of the long-standing cricket rivalry between the two nations in the current series.

In addition to the Ashes, the day’s sports broadcast lineup includes several other cricket and football events. The Big Bash League match between Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes will air at 2:15 p.m. on Star Sports Select HD 1, while SA T20 fixtures will feature Joburg Super Kings against Sunrisers Eastern Cape at 5 p.m. and Pretoria Capitals versus Durban’s Super Giants at 9:30 p.m. Football fans can watch Bangladesh Premier League matches, English Premier League’s Bournemouth vs Arsenal, La Liga’s Espanyol vs Barcelona, Serie A’s Juventus vs Lecce, and Africa Cup of Nations fixtures.

The schedule highlights a packed day for sports viewers, with multiple international and domestic competitions broadcast across various channels.

Rangpur Riders secured a six-wicket victory over Sylhet Titans in Sylhet, driven by a quickfire innings from Mahmudullah Riyad. After falling short in the previous match against Rajshahi Warriors, Mahmudullah redeemed himself with a decisive 34 runs off 16 balls. Kyle Mayers contributed 31 runs from 29 deliveries, helping Rangpur chase down the target of 145 in 18.5 overs. Sylhet’s Ethan Brooks and Khaled Ahmed took one wicket each.

Batting first after losing the toss, Sylhet Titans posted 144 for eight in their allotted 20 overs. Afif Hossain top-scored with 46, while Ethan Brooks added 31 from 30 balls. Rangpur’s bowlers, Mustafizur Rahman and Fahim Ashraf, each claimed three wickets to restrict Sylhet’s total. Despite the challenging chase, Mahmudullah’s composed batting ensured Rangpur’s win.

Mahmudullah Riyad was named player of the match for his match-winning performance, marking a strong comeback after his previous game’s missed opportunity.

Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman has reached a major career milestone by taking his 400th wicket in recognized T20 cricket. The achievement came while playing for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). He became the second Bangladeshi cricketer to reach this mark, following Shakib Al Hasan.

According to the report, Mustafizur achieved the feat in his 315th T20 match. Out of his total wickets, 158 came from 126 international T20 matches. Before him, Shakib Al Hasan had taken 507 wickets in 468 recognized T20 matches. Mustafizur’s recent form has been strong, continuing from his impressive performance in the IL T20 league.

The milestone highlights Mustafizur’s consistency and longevity in the shortest format of the game, reinforcing his reputation as one of Bangladesh’s leading T20 bowlers.

Defending champions Mohammedan Sporting Club started the new year with a disappointing goalless draw against Brothers Union in the ongoing football league. The match, held on Friday at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj, ended without goals despite several close chances from both sides. With this result, both teams shared the points.

Mohammedan’s struggle to regain form continued as they remained winless in their last few outings. After nine matches, the team has collected only 10 points, placing them sixth on the league table with two wins, four draws, and three losses. Coach Alfaz Ahmed’s side began the match aggressively but failed to convert opportunities, including a missed chance by Hafizur Rahman and a disallowed goal by Samuel Boateng for offside. Brothers Union also had a goal from Anjan Bista ruled out for offside.

The league continues today with four scheduled matches: Abahani vs Arambagh, Bangladesh Police vs Rahmatganj, Fakirerpool vs Bashundhara Kings, and Fortis vs PWD, all kicking off at 2:30 p.m.

Gabon’s government has imposed an indefinite ban on its national football team following a disappointing performance in the Africa Cup of Nations. The team lost all its group-stage matches in Group F, which included Mozambique, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon. In response, Sports Minister Simplice-Désiré Mamboula announced the dismissal of all coaching staff and the suspension of players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele from the national squad.

The minister described the team’s showing as shameful and said the technical staff had been dissolved. The decision reflects the government’s frustration with the team’s failure to advance beyond the group stage. However, the move has raised concerns about political interference in sports, which is generally frowned upon by international governing bodies.

The report notes that Gabon could face further complications if FIFA views the government’s actions as undue interference in football affairs. Observers are now waiting to see what steps FIFA might take in response to the situation.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has released the full schedule for Bangladesh’s 2026 home cricket series. According to the announced calendar, Bangladesh will host Pakistan, New Zealand, Australia, India, and the West Indies across all three formats—Tests, One-Day Internationals, and Twenty20s—making it one of the busiest years for the national team.

Pakistan will visit in March for a three-match ODI series on March 12, 14, and 16, followed by a return in May for a two-match Test series that forms part of the ICC World Test Championship. Between April and May, Bangladesh will face New Zealand in three ODIs and three T20Is. In June, Australia will play three ODIs and three T20Is, while India will tour in August–September for three ODIs and three T20Is. The year will conclude with a two-match Test series against the West Indies in October–November, preceded by a three-day warm-up match.

Additionally, Sri Lanka ‘A’ will tour Bangladesh in May for two four-day matches and three one-day games against Bangladesh ‘A’. The packed schedule has generated renewed excitement among local cricket fans.

Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. has renewed his contract with Santos FC for another year, extending his stay with the club until December 31, 2026. The announcement ends speculation that he might leave his boyhood team. According to Brazilian outlet Globo, Neymar will remain with Santos at least until the end of club president Marcelo Teixeira’s term. The new deal marks his third contract since returning to Santos, following two six-month agreements in 2025.

Under the new terms, Neymar will earn a salary comparable to several average players at the club. In addition to his playing contract, Santos has a separate image rights agreement with NR Sports, a company owned by Neymar’s family, valued at 85 million Brazilian reals to be paid by the end of next year. Neymar is currently recovering from meniscus surgery on his left knee, with a return to the field expected no earlier than mid-February.

Santos credits Neymar’s performance last season for avoiding relegation, as he scored four goals and provided one assist in three decisive 3–0 victories despite playing through injury.

The group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations has concluded, setting the stage for the Round of 16 matches beginning on January 3 and continuing until January 6. Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, was the first team to qualify for the knockout phase, while Mozambique became the last to advance. Defending champions Ivory Coast defeated Gabon 3–2 to top Group F with seven points and will face Burkina Faso in the next round.

In the same group, Cameroon beat Mozambique 2–1 to qualify as the second team and will meet South Africa in the Round of 16. Mozambique advanced as one of the four best third-placed teams. Algeria topped Group E with nine points after a 3–1 win over Equatorial Guinea and will play DR Congo. The knockout fixtures also include Senegal vs Sudan, Mali vs Tunisia, Morocco vs Tanzania, Egypt vs Benin, and Nigeria vs Mozambique.

Quarterfinals are scheduled for January 9–10, semifinals on January 14, the third-place match on January 17, and the final on January 18 at 1 a.m. Bangladesh time.

Bangladesh will make its debut in the SAFF Futsal Championship under the captaincy of Sabina Khatun, with the tournament scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from January 13 to 15. The national team is set to depart for Bangkok tomorrow. At a press conference held at the Bangladesh Football Federation building, Sabina expressed her ambition to achieve a strong result in the country’s first appearance in the regional futsal competition.

Sabina noted her personal connection to futsal, recalling that she was the first Bangladeshi female footballer to play abroad, also in futsal. She acknowledged that Maldives and India are likely to be stronger opponents due to their experience, while other teams are relatively new like Bangladesh. The team has trained for just over a month in preparation. National player Matsushima Sumaiya, who will also compete, emphasized the need for a dedicated futsal stadium in Dhaka, questioning why training remains difficult despite existing facilities.

Seven teams—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—will participate in the tournament.

Sylhet Titans defeated Dhaka Capitals by six runs in a closely contested T20 match at Lakkatura, Sylhet. Batting first, Sylhet recovered from an early collapse at 22 for 2 and later 92 for 4 to post 173 for 5 in 20 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai, who joined the team just a day earlier, played a blistering unbeaten 50 off 24 balls with five fours and three sixes. Parvez Hossain Emon contributed 44 runs from 32 balls. For Dhaka, Salman Mirza took two wickets for 46 runs.

Chasing 174, Dhaka Capitals struggled early, losing five wickets for 43 runs in 7.3 overs. Despite a spirited fightback led by Shamim Patwari’s explosive 81 off 43 balls, Dhaka fell short, finishing at 167 for 8. Mohammad Amir’s tight final over sealed the win for Sylhet. Omarzai also impressed with the ball, taking two wickets for 40 runs, while Amir and Nasum Ahmed claimed two wickets each.

The victory, cheered on by home supporters, continued Sylhet’s strong form at their home ground. Omarzai was named player of the match for his all-round performance.

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) governing council has confirmed that no matches of this year’s tournament will be held in Chattogram. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has revised the schedule, moving the Chattogram phase to Sylhet. The announcement was made by BPL governing council member secretary Ifthekhar Rahman Mithu at a press conference at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Originally, the Chattogram phase was scheduled to begin on January 5 after the Sylhet leg ended on January 2. However, considering production logistics and the national team’s preparation needs, all matches planned for Chattogram have been shifted to Sylhet. The Sylhet phase will now run until January 12, followed by the Dhaka phase. The BPL must conclude by January 23 as the Bangladesh national team departs for the T20 World Cup on January 25.

The decision also follows a two-day suspension of matches after the death of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, which disrupted the original schedule. The BCB took this step to recover from the scheduling setback and ensure timely completion of the tournament.