Bangladesh will play their final match of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan today. Rumors have surfaced that this could be the final ODI appearance for senior players Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah. When asked about the speculation, assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin dismissed the rumors, saying, “I have no knowledge of this. If you’ve heard it, you can write it in your papers.” Addressing whether the duo should be given a farewell match, he stated, “It’s not about being given an opportunity; players must earn their place in the XI.”

After 29 years, Pakistan is hosting an ICC tournament and is leaving no room for security risks. Over 12,000 police officers have been deployed in Rawalpindi alone.

However, frustrations over excessive duty hours and non-compliance with orders have led to the dismissal of over 100 security personnel.

A senior Punjab police official confirmed that many officers assigned to protect foreign teams were either absent or refused to take responsibility. Consequently, strict disciplinary actions were taken, leading to their dismissal.

Four months after winning the SAFF Championship, the Bangladesh women’s football team returns to international action. They will face the United Arab Emirates in a friendly match tonight at 9:30 PM Bangladesh time. Over the past four months, the team has faced internal turmoil, with captain Sabina Khatun, Rituparna Chakma, Sanjida Akter, and 18 other players staging a rebellion against British coach Peter Butler. As a result, Butler has assembled a team of young players led by Afida. A second friendly match is scheduled for Sunday.

After multiple postponements, the South Asian Games (SA Games) are finally set to take place in Pakistan after five years. According to a decision made in a meeting of the South Asian Games Federation in Lahore on Tuesday, the event will be held from January 23 to 31 next year.

Bangladesh Olympic Association’s Deputy Secretary General, Ashikur Rahman, and Executive Member, Sirajuddin Alamgir, attended the meeting. The games will be hosted across three cities—Lahore, Islamabad, and Faisalabad. A wide range of sports, including football, hockey, athletics, swimming, volleyball, basketball, handball, cricket, and archery, have been approved for the competition.

Mahmudullah will be part of Bangladesh’s playing XI for today’s match against New Zealand. The all-rounder has been actively participating in practice sessions in Rawalpindi, including a fitness test. Back in Cardiff, it was Mahmudullah who guided Bangladesh to a victory over New Zealand, securing a spot in the Champions Trophy semifinals. Can Mahmudullah once again lift Bangladesh from the edge of defeat? Though he missed the game against India due to injury, he is now fully fit and ready to play against New Zealand. As a result, Soumya will be making way for him.

Pakistan’s cricket team, led by Mohammad Rizwan, entered this year’s tournament with hopes of defending their title, last won in 2017 under Sarfaraz Ahmed. However, after losing their opening match against New Zealand, the team’s future in the tournament is uncertain. On Sunday, Pakistan struggled against arch-rival India, getting bowled out for 241 runs while India pursued the target comfortably. Across Pakistan, people from different religions—Hindus, Muslims, and Christians—have been offering prayers in their respective religious traditions, seeking divine support for their team.

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.