Super Star Sporting Club Sualak won the Bandarban Hill District Council T20 Cricket Tournament by defeating Rhythm Royal Club by three wickets in a tense final held on Saturday afternoon at Bandarban Stadium. Rhythm Royal Club scored 129 for 8 in 20 overs, while Super Star Sporting Club reached 130 for 7 in 18.5 overs, led by Rafi’s 66 runs and Dr. Tarek’s 25.

Following the match, a prize-giving ceremony was held under the chairmanship of Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Md. Saniul Ferdous, with Member of Parliament Saching Prue Jerry attending as chief guest. In his speech, the MP emphasized that sports help people avoid negative habits and called for expanding annual sports competitions in educational institutions. He also announced plans to arrange advanced sports training for boys and girls in collaboration with the administration to nurture emerging athletes from Bandarban.

Other speakers included the Superintendent of Police Abdur Rahman, former BCB director Dr. Siraj Uddin Mohammad Alamgir, and district council members. The winners received trophies and awards from the guests.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced its Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh. Led by Shan Masood, the team will arrive in Dhaka on May 3, 2026, featuring four new players—Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Aazan Awais, and Mohammad Ghazi. Eleven players from the previous home series against South Africa have retained their places, while seven others, including Abrar Ahmed and Abdullah Shafique, have been left out.

Sarfaraz Ahmed has been appointed as Pakistan’s head coach and will oversee a preparatory camp in Karachi from April 27 to May 1. Players currently participating in the Pakistan Super League will join the camp after completing their league commitments. The first Test will begin on May 8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, followed by the second Test on May 16 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Both matches are part of the 2025–2027 ICC World Test Championship cycle, marking Pakistan’s first Test tour of Bangladesh in this period.

Bangladesh batter Saif Hasan said there was no excuse for the team’s 26-run defeat to New Zealand, acknowledging that the home side failed to adapt to the slow and uneven pitch. Chasing 248, Bangladesh were bowled out for 221 with nine balls remaining. Despite a strong start with the ball, led by Shariful Islam, the hosts could not capitalize on their early advantage.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Saif admitted that the wicket was more challenging and uneven than expected but stressed that excuses would not help. He noted that Bangladesh’s batting collapse came at the wrong times and that better adaptation to the conditions could have changed the outcome. Saif compared the pitch unfavorably to the truer surfaces seen in the Pakistan series.

New Zealand’s Dean Foxcroft said his team succeeded by adjusting quickly to the conditions, describing the wicket as slow but balanced for both spinners and pacers. He credited their victory to understanding and adapting to the pitch behavior effectively.

NRBC Bank and City Bank advanced to the final of the Don RMC Bankers Club Cricket Tournament after two contrasting semifinal matches held in Rajshahi and Meghna. In the first semifinal at Padma Ground, NRBC Bank defeated Prime Bank by two wickets in a tense contest. Chasing 112, NRBC struggled early but recovered through Iqbal’s 44 and Helal’s quick 28 to seal victory at 14.4 overs with eight wickets down. Abir’s controlled bowling earned him the player of the match award.

In the second semifinal at Meghna Ground, City Bank dominated Eastern Bank to secure a five-wicket win. Opting to field first, City Bank restricted Eastern Bank to 111 all out in 15 overs, thanks to Raju’s five-wicket haul. Raju also contributed 29 runs in the chase, supported by calm batting from Alam, who scored 44, and Deep, who remained unbeaten on 35. City Bank reached the target in 12.4 overs.

The final will feature NRBC Bank’s resilience against City Bank’s confident form, promising a competitive title clash.

Bangladesh began their three-match ODI series against New Zealand with a 26-run defeat at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday. Despite a strong bowling performance that restricted New Zealand to 247 for 8, the hosts were bowled out for 221 in 48.3 overs. Shariful Islam, returning after 17 months, impressed with figures of 2 for 27, while Rishad Hossain and Taskin Ahmed also contributed effectively.

Bangladesh’s chase faltered early as both Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Najmul Hossain Shanto were dismissed by Nathan Smith in the fourth over. A 93-run stand between Saif Hasan (57) and Liton Das (46) revived hopes, but subsequent wickets derailed the innings. Towhid Hridoy’s 55-run effort was not enough to avert defeat. For New Zealand, Blair Tickner took four wickets and Smith claimed three.

New Zealand’s innings was anchored by Henry Nicholls’ 68 and Dean Foxcroft’s 59, helping them recover from early setbacks. Notably, the visitors did not hit a single six in their innings, a rare occurrence in a full 50-over match at Mirpur. The win gave New Zealand a 1–0 lead in the series.

Australia will visit Bangladesh in June 2026 for a bilateral cricket series, marking their first tour of the country in over fifteen years. Cricket Australia confirmed the schedule in a statement on Friday. The tour will feature three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 (T20) matches. The ODI series will begin on June 9, with the remaining matches on June 11 and 14, all to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Following the ODIs, the T20 series will take place in Chattogram at the Birshreshtha Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium. The T20 matches are scheduled for June 17, 19, and 21. Australia last played an ODI series in Bangladesh in 2011 and a T20 series in 2021.

The upcoming tour marks a significant return of high-profile international cricket to Bangladesh, renewing a long-standing cricketing rivalry between the two nations.

Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz said that winning the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand would be a major achievement for his team. The first match is scheduled for tomorrow at 11 a.m. in Mirpur. Miraz emphasized that a good start is crucial, viewing the opening match as the key to building momentum for the rest of the series. He noted that Bangladesh will play on sporting wickets similar to those used in their recent 2–1 series win over Pakistan.

Miraz described victory against New Zealand’s second-string side as significant, stressing that every match is important for professional players. He explained that the series carries extra weight because Bangladesh must remain within the top nine of the ODI rankings to secure a place in the next World Cup. The captain also highlighted the importance of gaining confidence before the global tournament.

According to Miraz, performing well in the pre-World Cup series would help Bangladesh regain confidence and improve their ranking, which he believes are essential for better preparation and results in the upcoming World Cup.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Speaking at an economic conference organized by CNBC, Infantino said he remains confident that Iran will play its scheduled matches on U.S. soil. He emphasized that sports should remain separate from politics and expressed hope that the situation in the region would stabilize before the tournament begins.

Infantino explained that Iran earned its place in the tournament and represents its people, adding that FIFA’s role is to maintain bridges even during political tensions. His remarks followed Iran’s earlier request to change the World Cup venue due to its conflict with the United States and Israel, a proposal FIFA rejected.

According to the tournament schedule, the World Cup will open on June 11, 2026, across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran is set to begin its campaign on June 15 in California against New Zealand, followed by matches against Belgium and Egypt later in the group stage.

New Zealand captain Tom Latham expressed confidence in winning the upcoming series against Bangladesh, even though his team is composed largely of second-string players. Many of New Zealand’s regular cricketers are currently engaged in franchise leagues, while several ‘A’ team members are also unavailable. Speaking at a pre-series press conference in Mirpur on April 16, 2026, Latham said the team’s main goal is to win the series and emphasized the need to learn and improve with each match.

Latham acknowledged that several players in the current squad have limited experience playing in subcontinental conditions. He noted that the more they play in Bangladesh, the better it will be for their development. He added that if the team can learn and adapt, they might create an opportunity to win by the end of the series. Historically, New Zealand has had mixed results in Bangladesh, winning seven and losing eight of their 16 ODIs there.

Latham also highlighted the responsibility of experienced players like himself to guide younger teammates and help them adjust to local conditions during the series.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has introduced a special initiative to honor the country's past and present cricket captains. On April 16, 2026, at a five-star hotel in Dhaka, the board presented a 'Captains Card' to all men and women who have led Bangladesh in at least one international match. A total of 32 captains—27 men and 5 women—received the card, which grants them free entry to all domestic and international matches in Bangladesh and access to BCB’s medical services without prior appointments.

BCB President Tamim Iqbal stated that the card represents a token of respect for the captains’ contributions to national cricket. He explained that cardholders and their families would continue to receive match tickets, and retired captains would enjoy health insurance similar to that of national players. The BCB’s medical team will remain available to them around the clock.

Tamim added that the board plans to expand the card’s benefits in the future as BCB grows, describing the initiative as a symbolic but meaningful gesture of appreciation.

Arsenal secured a place in the UEFA Champions League semifinals after a goalless draw against Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium on April 16, 2026. Despite failing to score in the second leg of the quarterfinal, Arsenal advanced with a 1–0 aggregate win, thanks to their first-leg victory in Lisbon. The home side dominated possession with 55 percent and attempted 16 shots, though only one was on target, while Sporting managed 10 shots with one on target.

Sporting pressed early in the match, but Arsenal created several counterattacking chances, including a Leandro Trossard header that struck the post. Goalkeeper David Raya and the Arsenal defense held firm in the closing stages to preserve the aggregate advantage. Arsenal will now face Atlético Madrid in the semifinals, after the Spanish club eliminated Barcelona 3–2 on aggregate.

The first leg of the semifinal will take place on April 30 at Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium, with the return leg scheduled for May 6 at the Emirates. In the other semifinal, PSG will meet Bayern Munich after both sides recorded decisive quarterfinal victories.

Bayern Munich advanced to the UEFA Champions League semifinals after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Real Madrid in the second leg of their quarterfinal clash on April 16, 2026. Having led 2-1 from the first leg, the German club secured a 6-4 aggregate win at the Allianz Arena. Real Madrid took an early lead through Arda Güler just 35 seconds into the match, marking the club’s fastest goal in the competition. Bayern equalized in the sixth minute via Aleksandar Pavlović, but Güler restored Real’s advantage in the 29th minute. Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé scored late in the first half to level the aggregate score.

The second half saw intense exchanges, but Bayern gradually gained control. Real Madrid were reduced to ten men in the 87th minute when Eduardo Camavinga was sent off. Two late goals from Luis Díaz in the 89th minute and Michael Olise in stoppage time sealed Bayern’s win. The German side will now face French club Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.

The result ended Real Madrid’s campaign and set up a high-profile semifinal clash between Bayern Munich and PSG.

Argentine football star Lionel Messi has been hit with a fraud lawsuit in the United States just before World Cup preparations. The case was filed by Miami-based event management company VID, which accused Messi of breaching a contract related to an exhibition match held last October. Under a $7 million agreement with the Argentine Football Association, Messi was required to play at least 30 minutes if not injured. However, he did not appear at all in the match against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium, remaining in the stands throughout.

VID claims the situation worsened when Messi played for Inter Miami the following day against Atlanta United, suggesting he was fit and intentionally violated the contract. The company alleges that his absence reduced ticket sales and forced the venue to move from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, causing losses exceeding $1 million.

Despite the legal dispute, Messi remains in strong form on the field, having scored 83 goals in 96 matches for Inter Miami since joining in 2023. It remains to be seen how this legal complication might affect his World Cup preparations.

The latest edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack has sharply criticized India’s expanding dominance and political entanglement in global cricket administration. Editor Lawrence Booth described the current state of world cricket as increasingly “Orwellian,” claiming that political influence over the sport is now stronger than ever. The report highlights that both the International Cricket Council’s chief executive and chairman are Indian nationals, with chairman Jay Shah also being the son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah and a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Wisden argues that India’s cricket board has effectively functioned as a sporting arm of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, strengthening India’s control over international cricket. The 2025 Asia Cup was cited as an example of politics infiltrating the game, with Indian and Pakistani players refusing to shake hands amid military tensions. Booth also noted symbolic gestures such as India’s captain dedicating a victory to the armed forces and Modi’s social media message framing the win in militaristic terms.

The report further mentions regional ripple effects, including Bangladesh’s cricketing uncertainties linked to political and security concerns. Wisden concludes that world cricket now faces a critical question over whether it can preserve its competitive integrity under India’s growing political shadow.

Former South African captain Graeme Smith has expressed his desire to see a Club World Cup in cricket, bringing together champion teams from major franchise leagues such as the IPL, SA20, and Big Bash. Speaking to Olympic.com, Smith, who currently serves as commissioner of South Africa’s SA20 league, said the idea could become reality in the near future as franchise cricket continues to expand globally.

Smith noted that the growing private ownership of franchise teams has created a strong foundation for such a global tournament. He believes a Club World Cup could add new excitement for fans and further boost the popularity of T20 cricket worldwide. According to him, franchise cricket has already built a new ecosystem that supports this vision.

Smith also discussed cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where both men’s and women’s T20 events will feature six teams each. He said the chance to win an Olympic gold medal would inspire the next generation of cricketers with a new dream.