Eighteen Bangladesh women footballers, who had threatened mass retirement demanding coach Peter Butler’s removal, have withdrawn their protest.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.

Despite the tradition of warm-up matches before major tournaments, there will be none before this year’s ICC Champions Trophy. As a result, teams are engaging in bilateral and tri-series matches for preparation. Bangladesh, which has not played a single ODI this year, will face Pakistan in a warm-up match between February 14-17 to compensate for the lack of practice. Meanwhile, Pakistan has scheduled two additional warm-up games against Afghanistan and South Africa.

Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan’s cricket team has found itself embroiled in controversy after two heated altercations with South African players during a tri-series. The high-stakes match saw Pakistan adopting an aggressive approach. After Shaheen Afridi bowled a defensive delivery to South Africa’s Britz, tensions escalated into a verbal spat. Later, when Pakistan’s team ran out Temba Bavuma, they aggressively celebrated near his face, drawing criticism for unsportsmanlike conduct.

A standoff has emerged between female footballers and the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) over disciplinary issues related to the prestigious Ekushey Padak event. An internal BFF inquiry has accused some players of violating discipline, yet the federation has not taken any punitive action. The reason? If the footballers escalate the issue to the chief adviser, it could put BFF under pressure. Meanwhile, the players are unable to leave the training camp due to the upcoming award ceremony. With both sides at an impasse, reports suggest that four footballers might face disciplinary action, while the players may respond by publicly criticizing BFF’s handling of the situation.

The deadlock in Bangladesh women’s football persists as Sabina Khatun and her team refuse to train under coach Butler, while the coach is prepared to form a team without them. In this situation, the rebel players might be excluded from their contracts with the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). Former national men's football team captain Aminul Haque has warned that if Sabina and 18 other players leave the camp, it will be an irreplaceable loss for Bangladeshi football. He urged BFF to address the issue seriously and take action against those responsible for the crisis while ensuring the players remain on the team.

Fortune Barishal cricketers were set to celebrate their BPL championship win with fans at Bell's Park in Barishal on Sunday. However, the celebration was cut short as Tamim Iqbal and his team had to leave the stage within minutes due to security concerns. Frustrated fans vandalized the stage in response. In a video message, Tamim apologized, explaining that the team had planned to engage with fans and speak individually, but due to the overwhelming crowd of over 150,000 people, security personnel deemed the situation unsafe.

Ahead of the upcoming Asian Cup qualifiers against India, Bangladesh has announced a 38-member preliminary squad. The match is set to take place in Shillong, India. The squad includes Hamza Chowdhury, who recently transferred to Sheffield United from an English Premier League club, and Fahmidul Islam, who plays for Italian club Olbia Calcio. Among the 38 players, the highest number—14—are from Bashundhara Kings, while 8 players are from Abahani.

Australia clinched a historic Test series victory in Sri Lanka after 14 years, winning the second Test by nine wickets. The visitors dominated the series, securing the first Test convincingly before wrapping up the second with ease. Sri Lanka struggled with the bat, getting bowled out for 257 in the first innings, while Australia responded strongly with 414, gaining a significant 157-run lead. In their second innings, Sri Lanka managed 231 runs, setting Australia a modest target of 75, which they chased down comfortably. The last time Australia won a Test series in Sri Lanka was in 2011.

A dispute has arisen within Bangladesh’s national women’s football team as 18 players, led by captain Sabina Khatun, have refused to train under British coach Peter Butler. Shortly after the investigation committee submitted its report, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Tabith Awal stepped in to mediate. He stated, "I have spoken with every player one-on-one. They want something, but this is not the way to get it." Regarding the players’ refusal to train under Butler, he commented, "I am here to guide, provide incentives, and ensure understanding. Playing or not playing is their personal choice. The federation is not forcing anyone to play or not to play." He defended Butler’s appointment for two years, asserting that all aspects were considered before finalizing the contract.

The 11th season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) concluded with a thrilling final, marking record-breaking ticket sales despite initial mismanagement. According to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), ticket revenue had surpassed 1.2 billion taka by the second qualifier match. Even with higher ticket prices for the final, demand remained strong, pushing total revenue beyond 1.3 billion taka. For the final match, 6,000 tickets were reserved for BCB stakeholders, while the remaining 16,000 were sold online, through banks, and at ticket booths. In the past four seasons, average ticket revenue was around 400 million taka due to a lack of direct BCB control over sales. This year, earnings more than tripled, with 15% of the revenue allocated to government tax funds.