Pakistan was unable to host the Champions Trophy independently due to India’s stance. India had firmly declared that it would not play any Champions Trophy matches on Pakistani soil. Even Rohit Sharma refused to travel to Pakistan for the official photoshoot.

Amid this backdrop, an unexpected incident occurred during the Australia vs. England match in Pakistan—the Indian national anthem was played instead of Australia’s. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed strong displeasure over the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) blunder and has demanded an explanation.

During the pre-match ceremony, after England’s national anthem, India’s anthem was mistakenly played instead of Australia’s. It was stopped shortly after, and Australia’s anthem was played instead. PCB has questioned why India’s anthem was played when India was not even part of the match and has urged the ICC to provide a formal explanation.

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are set to clash today in a highly anticipated match. While Pakistan once dominated, India has won five of their last six encounters, with one match ending without a result. After losing their first Champions Trophy match against New Zealand, Pakistan is already under pressure. All eyes are on the key matchups: Rohit Sharma vs. Shaheen Afridi, Shubman Gill vs. Naseem Shah, and Virat Kohli vs. Haris Rauf. The excitement is at its peak as fans await the outcome of this epic battle.

Under immense pressure from a record run chase, Australia found themselves at 136 for 4 while chasing 352. That’s when Josh Inglis emerged as a superhuman force. His unbeaten century powered Australia to victory with 15 balls and five wickets in hand, dismantling England’s massive total. England had earlier set a daunting target of 351 runs in 50 overs, with batter Ben Duckett scoring a record-breaking 165—the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history. Previously, the record was held jointly by Nathan Astle and Grant Flower, both scoring 145. Yet, despite Duckett’s heroics, England faced a bitter defeat!

The Champions Trophy continues to be embroiled in controversies. When India refused to play in Pakistan, a hybrid model was introduced. When concerns arose about wearing jerseys with “Pakistan” written on them, a solution was found.

Yesterday, Bangladesh played against India, but during the live broadcast, Pakistan’s name was missing from the Champions Trophy branding logo. This prompted Pakistan to seek an explanation from the ICC. In response, the ICC admitted its mistake and assured that it would not happen again. During the Bangladesh-India match, the on-screen logo only displayed “Champions Trophy 2025,” which Pakistan claims is a violation of regulations requiring the host nation’s name to be included.

Virender Sehwag ridiculed Bangladesh’s performance after their 6-wicket loss to India in the Champions Trophy. Despite a valiant effort from Zaker Ali and Towhid Hridoy to lift Bangladesh to 228 runs, Sehwag felt there was no real threat from Bangladesh. He downplayed their abilities, saying there was no fear of them even when he played. India comfortably won with 21 balls to spare, thanks to a partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, with India cruising to victory despite a brief challenge.

Despite scoring a century in the Champions Trophy match against India in Dubai, Tawhid Hridoy took responsibility for the team's loss. He admitted that cramps hindered his ability to score runs in the final phase. The match started disastrously for Bangladesh, losing five wickets for just 35 runs in 9 overs. However, Hridoy and Zaker built a record 154-run partnership in 206 balls to stabilize the innings. Zaker scored 68 off 114 balls before being dismissed, after which the run rate slowed down. He commented that adding a few more runs at that stage could have made a difference. Hridoy stated that a total of 228 runs could have been enough had the team taken more early wickets.

Eighteen female footballers boycotted training in protest against British coach Peter Butler. After several rounds of meetings, the Women’s Football Wing Chairman announced that the players had withdrawn their protest, although the athletes themselves have yet to confirm this decision. Meanwhile, Adviser Asif Mahmud commented that Bangladesh’s female athletes are outstanding and deserve recognition, such as the Ekushey Padak. However, he stressed the importance of maintaining discipline in sports. Mahmud also expressed disappointment over the lack of emerging competitors for Shirin Akter, the fastest female sprinter, and the failure to nurture talents from grassroots levels. He assured that the government is working on addressing these concerns.

Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has questioned the prolonged delay in renovating the country’s national stadium, stating that two or three new stadiums could have been built in the time it has taken.

Speaking at an event on Monday, he stressed the need for an investigation into potential irregularities in the renovation project. He also revealed that an appeal for additional time had been rejected, insisting that the project be completed within the original timeline.

Bhuiyan expressed hope that the work would be finished by March and raised concerns about the feasibility of the overall renovation initiative.

Shakib Al Hasan has been released by the Los Angeles Knight Riders for the upcoming season. Despite playing four matches last season and scoring 60 runs, Shakib has been dropped from the team. The Knight Riders have retained only three foreign players: Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Spencer Johnson. Shakib is currently banned from bowling for one year after failing the bowling action test. It remains uncertain whether any team will pick Shakib in the Major League Cricket draft scheduled for February 19.

Eighteen Bangladesh women footballers, who had threatened mass retirement demanding coach Peter Butler’s removal, have withdrawn their protest. Despite multiple meetings, they initially refused to train under Butler, putting their future at risk. However, BFF Women’s Wing Chairman Mahfuza Akter convinced them to return. The players will take a short break before rejoining training but will miss the UAE tour. Bangladesh will face the UAE on February 26 and March 2, but none of the 18 rebel players are in the squad.

On March 25, Bangladesh will face hosts India in the first match of the Asian Cup qualifiers. Bangladesh’s head coach has included English Premier League player Hamza Choudhury in the preliminary squad. Captain Jamal Bhuyan commented, “This is now our best squad with Hamza’s inclusion. We’re all eagerly waiting for him.” He added that Hamza will join the team a bit later and that Bangladesh has a 50-50 chance against India in what is expected to be a tough contest.

The controversy surrounding unpaid wages in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has now extended to the Dhaka Premier League (DPL). Cricketer Munim Shahriar has accused Partex Sporting Club of failing to pay his dues. Shahriar, who played for Partex during the 2023-24 season, revealed that a year has passed since the tournament ended, yet he has not received his full payment. Despite repeated assurances, the club has stopped responding. In a Facebook post, he mentioned that club representative Sajjad Saheb and his son Jarif had initially promised payment before the season ended, but they have failed to fulfill their commitment even after multiple follow-ups.

With less than a week remaining before the Champions Trophy kicks off, the Bangladesh national cricket team has left for the tournament. The team departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 1:00 AM on Thursday. Before leaving, players requested prayers and support from the nation. While Pakistan is the official host of the tournament, India will play its matches in Dubai under a hybrid arrangement. Bangladesh’s first match is scheduled against India on February 20, with the ultimate goal of clinching the championship.

At a grand final event of a cricket tournament in Faridganj, Chandpur, former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Khaled Mahmud Sujon emphasized the need to eliminate political influence and nepotism from the sport.

“If cricket is freed from external influence and favoritism, Bangladesh’s ‘Tigers’ will become true champions,” he stated. He also stressed the importance of identifying talented players at the grassroots level and providing them opportunities on the national stage.

Mahmud expressed confidence that with proper nurturing, Bangladesh’s cricketers have the potential to bring home a World Cup in the near future. He urged for more frequent tournaments to keep young players engaged on the field, stating that national-level players will emerge from these grassroots initiatives.

The SAFF-winning Bangladesh women’s football team is set to receive the prestigious Ekushey Padak. However, the Ministry of Culture has requested a list of only 11 names to accept the award, creating a dilemma for the Bangladesh Football Federation (BAFF). The victorious squad consists of 23 players along with team officials, bringing the total to 32. BAFF is struggling to decide which 11 individuals will represent the team at the award ceremony.

In an effort to resolve the issue, BAFF General Secretary has reached out to Cultural Advisor Mustafa Sarwar Farooki. Meanwhile, BAFF Executive Committee member Tipu Sultan, who led the championship-winning team, remains hopeful that the ministry will find a fair solution to the situation.