ICC rejects Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup plea, tells ‘travel to India or forfeit points!
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly cracked the whip on the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and has rejected their request to relocate their T20 World Cup games from India to Sri Lanka. This comes days after the BCB wrote an email to the global body seeking the relocation of their matches, citing security concerns for their players in India. While reports on Tuesday claimed that the ICC would try to convince Bangladesh to play all their matches in India, it has now come to light that the BCB has perhaps been served an ultimatum. According to an ESPNCricinfo report, the BCB was told by the ICC that its request had been rejected during a virtual call on Tuesday. The global body reportedly said that Bangladesh would have to travel to India to play their T20 World Cup matches or would have to risk forfeiting their points if they refuse to do so. The report claims that the BCB has denied any such communication from the ICC. Neither the BCCI nor the BCB has issued any official communication about the call with ICC officials on Tuesday. Bangladesh is scheduled to play three T20 WC 2026 matches in Kolkata and one game in Mumbai. The BCB’s plea to relocate their games to Sri Lanka will be a logistical nightmare for the organizers and the broadcaster, as hinted by a BCCI source earlier.
Interim boss Fletcher to start his coaching journey with Ferguson’s blessing!
Darren Fletcher says he sought the blessing of his former Manchester United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, before taking interim charge at Old Trafford. Fletcher will be in charge of Wednesday’s Premier League trip to Burnley following the removal of coach Ruben Amorim and is likely to remain in the dugout for Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie with Brighton. He took the role after speaking to Ferguson, 84, who was at Elland Road for Amorim’s final game in charge, the 1-1 draw at Leeds. “I don’t like to make any major decisions without speaking to Sir Alex,” said the 41-year-old. I have a really good relationship with Sir Alex, so I wanted to speak to him first and ultimately get his blessing, to be perfectly honest with you. I think he deserves that respect. I wanted to run it by him, and he echoed my thoughts. When you’re an employee of the club, it’s your job to do your best for Manchester United. It is something I try to live and believe every day, so it was comforting for me for him to say that,” revealed Fletcher. One of Amorim’s damning observations during his rant at Leeds was his belief that senior officials at Old Trafford pay too much attention to the observations of pundits, chief among them former captain Gary Neville. Fletcher shared a dressing room with most of them and still counts them as friends. “The outside noise is difficult to deal with because those players have won everything. They’ve got success behind them, and they’ve got trophies. It’s hard to criticise them back because they’ve got their medals on the table,” added Fletcher. Fletcher says that a lack of spare time since stepping in means he hasn’t had the chance to speak to his squad individually. Instead, he restricted his conversations to captain Bruno Fernandes and the new senior players. Fletcher has met with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko this week, having spoken to goalkeeper Senne Lammens last week. Bryan Mbeumo, United’s other major summer signing, has not had a chance to speak to Fletcher as he is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.
Left is sometimes right for switch-hitting right-handed Kiwi batsman!
New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips said his brave switch-hitting show in a recent Super Smash match was no gimmick but a tactical option he has developed for years to counter left-arm spin. In last week’s match against Central Districts, Otago right-hander Phillips switched stance while off-spinner Dean Foxcroft was midway through his run-up, and hit the bowler for a four. It was not a four only, but a full-blooded cover-drive from a left-hand batsman. The spectators got stunned in the final over of the Otago innings when Phillips took up a left-hander’s stance even before left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox had begun his run-up and hit the bowler for a six! “I do enjoy my left-handed batting training,” Phillips, who smashed an unbeaten 90 off 48 balls in the match, said before leaving for New Zealand’s white-ball tour of India on Tuesday. He explained the reasons behind his innovation. “Obviously, I do it for multiple reasons. One of them is just to keep both hands and both sides of the brain working, but also for the opportunity to take down left-arm spin.” England’s Kevin Pietersen pioneered switch-hitting, while Australian duo David Warner and Glenn Maxwell had it in their arsenal but used it mostly to explore gaps behind or square of the wicket. “I have always been able to bat left-handed. I have been doing it since a young age. I started experimenting with left-hand batting when I was about 10 years old. I was purely a left-handed batter that time. Later on, I decided to switch to the right hand, and now I train both,” Phillips added. Phillips said he even faced pacers in the nets with a switched stance to improve his left-handed batting.
Manchester United removes Ruben Amorim from the coach’s post!
The rumours were already there for the last couple of months, and Manchester United has sacked its Portuguese coach, Ruben Amorim, after his stint with the team for only 14 months. Manchester United are presently languishing in sixth position in the Premier League table. The club, in its statement, has revealed that Ruben Amorim has departed his role as head coach of Manchester United. Ruben was appointed in November 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May. With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly decided that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish. The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future. Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesday. Ruben Amorim has also been expressing his displeasure over the club administration’s interference. After United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds on Sunday, Amorim challenged the club’s hierarchy, saying in his post-match press conference: “I just want to say I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach. “In every department – the scouting department, the sporting director – [they] need to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months, and then we move on. “I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months, and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach.” Manchester United are sixth in the Premier League after 20 matches following their 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday afternoon. That result means Ruben Amorim’s side has now won only one of their last five in the competition – and just three of their past 11. Amorim oversaw 63 games as Manchester United manager – but failed to win more than half of those matches. He departs the club with a record of 24 wins, 18 draws, and 21 losses, for a win percentage of 38.1%. United suffered their worst Premier League season last campaign, finishing 15th with their lowest points tally in a top-flight season since 1973–74, when they were relegated. Amorim also floated the idea that United have become too sensitive to outside criticism, naming Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United player Gary Neville. “If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club,” he said.
Bangladesh protests against Mustafizur’s ouster by banning live-streaming of IPL in the country
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry of Bangladesh has decided to ban the live streaming of the IPL this season. The statement cited the removal of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad for the 2026 season as the reason behind the indefinite ban. “This is to inform that the Indian Cricket Board has instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League, which is due to start on 26th March. This decision has hurt and angered the Bangladeshi citizens. Due to this, a request is made as per instructions to stop the broadcast/telecast of all matches and programmes of the Indian Premier League,” said the ministry in its statement. The move comes a day after Asif Nazrul, the advisor for Youth and Sports in the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh, said in a statement on his Facebook page that he has requested the country’s Information and Broadcasting Advisor not to broadcast IPL matches in the country. “We won’t stand for any insult to Bangladesh’s cricket, cricketers, and the country. The days of slavery are over,” he said, concluding his statement.
Joe Root scores 41st Test century! Levels Ponting at joint-third position
Joe Root notched up his 41st Test hundred on the second day of the final Ashes Test in Sydney on Monday to level with Australia’s Rickey Ponting at joint-third for most hundreds in the longest format. Only Sachin Tendulkar (51) and Jacques Kallis (45) have scored more Test hundreds than Root. This was Root’s second hundred in the ongoing Ashes, after his ton in Brisbane in the second Test. The former England skipper, who is closing in on 14,000 runs in Test cricket, is currently the second-highest run scorer in the format and has set his sights on Tendulkar’s record tally of 15,921 runs. However, the former England captain struggled to convert his starts into big scores, going without a century across 14 matches in the previous three tours. The veteran England batter has shown resilience and fight throughout the series, producing a couple of strong innings while struggling for consistency in others, often carrying the middle order during tricky periods for his team.
Martyn is recovering well, says his friend Adam Gilchrist
Former Australian Test batter Damien Martyn is showing “positive signs” after being hospitalized in an induced coma with meningitis, his former teammate Adam Gilchrist said. The 54-year-old, who played 67 Tests between 1992 and 2006 and 208 one-day internationals, fell ill while lying down last week before being rushed to hospital. He was diagnosed with meningitis—an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. “Thank you, everyone, for the heartfelt love and wishes and care for Damien as he goes through a challenging time,” fellow Test great Gilchrist said during a Big Bash League game broadcast on Thursday evening. “He’s still in the hospital. There’ll be more details coming out as they come to hand, but certainly in the last 24 hours, some positive signs are the indications coming out of the various tests he’s having.” Support and prayers for Martyn are being poured all-over the cricket fraternity across the world. Former and present cricketers also including former England captain Michael Vaughan and Indian greats Ravichandran Ashwin and VVS Laxman are sending prayers through their X-accounts respectively. Known as one of the game’s most elegant stroke-players, Martyn became a key figure in Steve Waugh’s all-powerful Australian side, hitting 13 centuries and averaging 46.37. He was also part of the Australian team that won the 2003 ODI World Cup, cracking 88 not out in the final against India in a match-winning partnership with Ricky Ponting. Martyn retired in 2006 during the Ashes series and had kept a low profile since.
Australian great Damien Martyn is battling for life against Meningitis!
Former Australian cricketer Damien Martyn is in an induced coma, battling life-threatening meningitis. He was rushed to a Brisbane hospital in serious condition after falling ill on 26 December. The 54-year-old has meningitis, which inflames the membranes around the brain and spinal cord and can cause brain swelling. Former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist, a close friend of Martyn, informed the public on behalf of his family that Martyn is receiving treatment in a hospital. “He is getting the best of treatment, and (Martyn’s partner) Amanda and his family know that many people are sending their prayers and best wishes,” Gilchrist was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg also sent his best wishes for Martyn’s speedy recovery. “I’m saddened to hear of Damien’s illness. The best wishes of everyone at Cricket Australia and in the wider cricket community are with him at this time,” Greenberg said in a statement. Martyn made his debut in international cricket during a Test against the West Indies in Brisbane in 1992, scoring 36 and 15 in two innings. Then, he established himself as one of the most elegant stroke-players in Australia and went on to play 67 Tests and 208 ODIs for Australia.
Wolves end 11-straight defeat with a draw against tired Manchester United!
Manchester United made a frustrating end to 2025 as it was held to a 1-1 home draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday, as the Premier League’s bottom side collected its third point of the season. Wolves brought an end to a run of 11 straight defeats in the league. They never looked like a side facing almost inevitable relegation, as it managed to derail a United seeking to break back into the top four. Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee made the most of a rare start by giving United the lead in the 27th minute, fashioning a sliver of space on the edge of the box before scoring with a shot that deflected off Ladislav Krejci. Benjamin Sesko almost made it two in the 39th minute, but he headed his effort from a corner off the post, summing up a frustrating night for the 22-year-old Slovenian. Wolves never backed down, and Krejci equalised just before the break, Zirkzee giving him a helping hand by sending a defensive header across the box for the Czech to nod back in at the far post. The tempo remained high in the second half, with Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa scrambling to prevent a header from teammate Yerson Mosquera from going into the net, while his United counterpart?Senne Lammens pulled off a superb double save to deny Krejci and Mosquera. Patrick Dorgu thought he had snatched a 90th-minute winner for ?United, but the goal was chalked off for offside following a VAR review, leaving United sixth in the standings with 30 points. Wolves is bottom with three points from 19 matches.
Bradman’s ‘Baggy Green’ cap, gifted to Indian all-rounder, will now be auctioned!
A ‘Baggy Green’ cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during the 1947-48 Test series against India will be auctioned next month. For the first time, it will be available to the public in the last seven decades. More significantly, the cap has a historical value as Bradman finally gifted it to Indian all-rounder Sriranga Wasudev Sohoni during a series that was India’s first overseas tour after Independence. Auctioneers expect strong interest from collectors and institutions worldwide due to the item’s rarity and provenance. Unlike most surviving caps from Bradman’s era, many of which are preserved in museums or held in closely guarded private collections, this Baggy Green cap has never been displayed publicly or offered for sale. It has remained in continuous family ownership for more than 75 years, according to the Australian Associated Press (AAP). The 1947-48 cap comes from a series in which Australia completed a 4-0 sweep over India. During Bradman’s era, players were issued a new cap for each Test series, increasing the individual historical value of every surviving example. This cap is further distinguished by its direct association with a defining chapter in cricket history and the personal connection between Bradman and Sohoni. Lee Hames of Lloyds Auctions described the item as “a genuine piece of cricket history that Sir Donald Bradman personally gifted.” The direct handover from Bradman to Sohoni during such a significant period adds to its appeal among collectors and historians.
