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Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in 2025 board elections

Robin Kumar Sharma
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Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in 2025 board elections

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is under scrutiny from the Bangladesh government for alleged irregularities in the 2025 board elections.

Bangladesh had boycotted the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was excluded from the KKR squad for IPL 2026 due to the tensions between India and Bangladesh. Bangladesh cited security issues in India for their contingent. Scotland replaced them in the tournament.

This boycott is a crucial factor under scrutiny. The National Sports Council has formed a 5-member committee to investigate the matter, along with alleged malpractice during last year’s elections. Retired Supreme Court judge AKM Asaduzzaman will head the committee, and other members are from government, police, legal, and media backgrounds. They are to submit their findings within 15 days. Apart from the absence in the T20 WC, the committee will look into abuse of power and manipulation within the BCB.

Former skipper and Bangladesh player Tamim Iqbal had demanded an independent review of the elections due to lack of transparency. Tamim, who was a part of the election, had withdrawn his name, claiming government interference in the elections. 

Specifically, Tamim accused BCB president Animul Haque of asking the sports ministry to change councillors from certain districts in the weeks before the elections. The former opening batter also accused the BCB of extending the dates for filing nominations on two separate occasions, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

BCB board elections: Bangladesh may face sanctions and even a ban from the ICC

If these allegations are found true, the Bangladesh Cricket Board will face sanctions from the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the team may even get a ban from international cricket. 

BCB has asked the government to close this matter with independence, stability, and ensuring their stand in the international cricket community remains fully protected.

“Given the potential implications for Bangladesh cricket at the international level, the BCB considers it important to address this matter with due care and transparency,” said the BCB in a statement, according to the Hindustan Times.

“Before initiating any formal communication or proceedings with the ICC, the BCB believes it is appropriate to engage directly with the National Sports Council to seek clarification regarding the context, intent, and possible implications of the gazette.”

They continued, “The BCB has requested the National Sports Council to close this matter in a manner that safeguards the stability, independence, and continued progress of Bangladesh cricket while also ensuring that the country’s standing within the international cricket community remains fully protected.” 

BCB president Aminul Haque said, “We will try to find out why we didn’t go to the World Cup, we have to understand why our sports diplomacy fell short. We will form an investigation committee on this subject after Eid. We have to strengthen our sports diplomacy and make sure we don’t repeat this mistake in the future.”

MS Dhoni should move out of from CSK if he bats below number 6: AB de Villiers

Robin Kumar Sharma
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MS Dhoni should move out of from CSK if he bats below number 6: AB de Villiers

MS Dhoni’s batting position in the last few editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been the talk of the town. The former Indian captain, who used to hit those big sixes and finish tricky chases, now comes to bat only for a maximum of five or six deliveries.

South African legend AB de Villiers, on IPL Today Live, said, “It is very tricky and not straightforward. Brands are built over years, and CSK have built this empire over many years with this MS Dhoni figure that has always been there. You mention CSK, you immediately think about Dhoni

AB then talks about how Dhoni’s in the last few years has been only to keep the brand strong. “I feel that in the last few years, his role has been purely about keeping that brand as strong as possible. That’s why I don’t see a role for him batting at eight or nine and not really doing enough like last season,” he said, as quoted by Times of India.

Sanju Samson is the right guy to take over from MS Dhoni: AB de Villiers 

De Villiers continued, “We know he can be impactful with the bat, but if he’s batting that low and not captaining, it feels like he’s almost just making up for a spot for the wrong reasons. There’s still a place for him, but he needs to bat higher, at least at six, maybe even at five or four at times.”

With talent like Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Urvil Patel, Sarfaraz Khan in the mix for CSK, along with Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube, it’s a headache for the franchise to define Dhoni’s role in the side. 

“I do feel Ruturaj and Sanju are the perfect players to take over from Dhoni. My only issue is when MS fits in and he’s not going to have that big impact batting at 4, 5, or 6 sometimes, then rather be out of the squad,” de Villiers said.

“Let someone else, who can maybe bowl and bat and have a bigger match impact in the game come in, and MS can almost sit on the side and mentor the guys.”

Mr. 360 concluded with, “It’s very tricky, but I think Sanju Samson is the right guy to take over, and credit to Dhoni because he’s hung around, waiting for the right person to come. If MS plays, I want him to put himself under more pressure and be the guy to handle those big moments.”

Why did Sanju Samson leave Rajasthan Royals (RR)? Keeper-batter provides the reason

Robin Kumar Sharma
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Why did Sanju Samson leave Rajasthan Royals (RR)? Keeper-batter provides the reason

Sanju Samson made his IPL debut at a very young age back in 2013 for the Rajasthan Royals. Later on, he moved to the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) before coming back to the Royals in 2018. 

Samson became RR captain back in 2021. He is the Royals’ longest-serving skipper and under his leadership, Rajasthan qualified for the final in 2022, the first time they reached the decider since the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League in 2008.

Speaking at an event, Samson said, “This is the first time I will play against the Rajasthan Royals, but I don’t let my emotions rule me on the field. I left Rajasthan Royals because I felt my time there was over. I will play my best cricket now if we face them.”  

Samson said that there will be emotions before and after the game, but on the field, he won’t think much about them. “I don’t think much about emotions on the ground as the situation dictates the game. But certainly before and after the game, there will be emotions, as there are players and support staff with whom I’ve shared a long association,” he continued. 

Excited to spend two months with Dhoni: Sanju Samson speaking about leaving the Royals and linking up with CSK

“I am really excited to be a part of CSK. I had a chat with Dhoni bhai earlier and always had positive vibes. Spending close to two months with him will be a great opportunity to observe and learn,” Samson said.

The Chennai crowd absolutely loved Sanju Samson during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Talking about that, he said, “I was surprised by the support from the Chennai crowd. Maybe they see me as one of them. I don’t want to disappoint them and will give my best for CSK.”

Chennai Super Kings’ first clash of the IPL will be against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, Assam. 

It will be interesting to see how Samson performs against his former team for whom he has scored 4027 runs in 143 games at an average of 32 at a strike rate of 141.20 with 23 fifties and two hundreds. 

New NSW coach Brad Haddin backs Sam Konstas to succeed in Test cricket

Charbel Coorey
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New NSW coach Brad Haddin backs Sam Konstas to succeed in Test cricket

Brad Haddin, who was announced as the new coach of New South Wales this week, has made it his mission to get the best out of Sam Konstas.

The 20-year-old finished the 2025/26 Sheffield Shield season with 660 runs at 33.00 in ten matches. It was a tough season overall for the batters in Shield cricket, with all the top nine runscorers averaging under 40.

However, Konstas’ season did promise a lot more given the starts he made. The opener finished the season with eight consecutive scores between 25 and 45.

Brad Haddin admits Sam Konstas was picked for Test cricket too early, but backs him to deliver

Haddin believes there were positive signs from Konstas’ campaign. While all the starts may be cause for frustration, the fact the opener was able to get through the initial stages against the new ball is reason for optimism.

“He may have got thrown in there (into Test cricket) too early and there’s parts of his game that I’m really impressed with,” Haddin said, as quoted by CODE Sports.

“I had a look at his season recently and there’s been a lot of talk about where his game was at, but he got a start in every innings this summer. That’s the hardest time to bat.”

Konstas made an incredible start to Test cricket, hitting an audacious 60 against India on Boxing Day in 2024. It was lean pickings thereafter, with just 103 runs in his remaining nine innings in Tests. However, Haddin believes Konstas can replicate what he’s achieved at the lower levels.

“Sam, looking at what he’s done in his career, he’s a hundred scorer everywhere (in every grade and age group). Everywhere he’s gone, he has been a hundred scorer,” Haddin said.

“Once he starts to understand where his game’s at and under pressure, look out, the kid can play.

“If I have a look at this playing group, I think we’ve got an opportunity here to find some generational talent.

“We’ve seen NSW in the past with our bowlers, David (Warner’s) just gone, Steve Smith … I think we’ve got the opportunity now to start to find a couple more of those players. And that excites me about this group.”

New South Wales missed out on the Sheffield Shield Final, finishing second-last in a disappointing campaign. Victoria and South Australia will contest the final, which begins on March 26 at Junction Oval.

Sunil Gavaskar criticised for comments on Indian-owned teams paying Pakistani players in T20 leagues

Charbel Coorey
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Sunil Gavaskar criticised for comments on Indian-owned teams paying Pakistani players in T20 leagues

Indian legend and one of the best batters of all time, Sunil Gavaskar, has shared his thoughts on Pakistani players playing for Indian-owned franchises in T20 leagues around the globe. 

Recently, Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds, a franchise owned by the Sunrisers franchise, for £190,000 in The Hundred. The franchise already received a lot of criticism from Indian fans, even calling for a boycott of their matches and team in the IPL.

Gavaskar said that Indian-owned franchises should avoid picking up Pakistani cricketers, as such payments cause harm to India. 

In his Mid-day column, Gavaskar said that the heat the Sunrisers are getting is understandable considering the relationship between both countries and Indian cricket’s stance of banning Pakistani players from the IPL after the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2028

Gavaskar said, “The rage created by an Indian franchise after picking up Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred auction is hardly surprising.” He further wrote: “The hefty sum paid to the Pakistani cricketers goes to the Pakistani government via income tax, which then buys arms and weapons, which indirectly contributes to the death of Indian soldiers and civilians. This refrains Indian entities from even considering Pakistani sportspersons and artists.” 

He wrote that if the owner is an Indian, then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. Gavaskar also argued about whether success in a franchise tournament is more important than the national interest of India. 

Fans criticise Sunil Gavaskar for his comments about Pakistani cricketers playing for Indian-owned teams

The former Indian captain further said, “It won’t be a surprise if the Indian fans oppose this hard-to-believe move in every game that the franchise plays (in the IPL).”

After these comments, fans were clear in expressing their disagreement with the former Indian legend. Here are some of the reactions from the fans:

It is very likely that the Sunrisers franchise will get a lot of backlash from the Indian fans during the IPL, but fans didn’t liked Sunil Gavaskar’s argument on the matter. 

Glenn McGrath ranks 5 toughest batters he’s bowled to

Robin Kumar Sharma
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Glenn McGrath ranks 5 toughest batters he’s bowled to

Legendary Australian cricketer and one of the best fast bowlers of all time, Glenn McGrath, has listed the five toughest batters he has bowled to. Talking to Jason Gillespie and Damien Fleming, McGrath also gave some insights on why these players were the toughest to bowl against. 

At number five he has England’s Graham Thorpe. The Aussie pacer mentioned Thorpe’s average against him and said, “Number five, Graham Thorpe. He was deceptive. When I bowled to him, he averaged over 52. A very good player. He was unbelievable.”

At number four, McGrath puts South Africa’s AB de Villiers, who’s known for his 360-degree style of batting, which the legendary pacer also mentioned. “Number four, it’s tough because he’s brilliant at every single thing he does. Bats, bowls, plays rugby. Apparently, can sing. Probably good at chess. AB de Villiers. He was sensational. The shots he could play all around the wickets to all parts of the ground,” he said. 

Indian legend VVS Laxman is the third toughest batter Glenn McGrath ever bowled to. Laxman loved playing against Australia, averaging close to 50 against them, including that memorable 281 at Eden Gardens in 2001. On Laxman, McGrath said, “Number three, it’s VVS Laxman.”

Jason Gillespie said, “he was a superb player. Some of the best batting that I’ve ever seen. He was unstoppable.”

Glenn McGrath ranks Brian Lara over Sachin Tendulkar as the toughest batter

Moving on, McGrath said the top two toughest batters he has ever bowled to are the two big boys – Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar. He mentioned that the late, great Shane Warne also said Sachin was the toughest. However, McGrath said that with Sachin, he could change his game as a bowler, but that wasn’t the case with Lara. 

Glenn McGrath’s top 5 toughest batters:

  1. Brian Lara
  2. Sachin Tendulkar
  3. VVS Laxman
  4. AB de Villiers
  5. Graham Thorpe

Here’s what McGrath said: “The top two, two big boys in Lara, Tendulkar. They always asked me who was better. Warnie (Shane Warne) always said Sachin, but I always thought, Sachin, I could change his game. He was waiting for a bad ball, whereas Brian just wanted to entertain.

“On his day, Lara was unbelievable. So I put Sachin in at number two. I put Brian in at number one. He was just unbelievable. Some days you’d knock him over because he wasn’t switched on. But those days he came out, and he was switched on. You knew you were in trouble.”

Cricket Australia monitoring situation in Pakistan ahead of PSL 2026

Charbel Coorey
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Cricket Australia monitoring situation in Pakistan ahead of PSL 2026

Cricket Australia is monitoring the situation in Pakistan ahead of the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to the conflict with Afghanistan. The deadly conflict escalated further when an air strike struck a rehabilitation centre in Kabul. The Taliban government has blamed Pakistan for the attack.

Afghan cricketers including Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai spoke out against the tragic event that has reportedly resulted in “hundreds of casualties.”

“I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime,” Rashid wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“The sheer disregard for human lives, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, is sickening and deeply concerning. It will only fuel division and hatred. I call upon the UN and other human rights agencies to thoroughly investigate this latest atrocity and hold the perpetrators to account. I stand with my Afghan people in this difficult time. We shall heal, and we will rise as a nation. We always do. Inshallah!”

Cricket Australia monitoring situation involving Pakistan and Afghanistan, with player pullouts a possibility

PSL 2026 begins on March 26. A number of Australians are set to feature, including Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie and Jake Fraser-McGurk.

According to CODE Sports, the players are being briefed on the war in the Middle East and West Asia, including the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict. Also, there is a fixture in Peshawar on March 28 between Peshawar Zalmi and Rawalpindi Pindiz, where Hardie and Fraser-McGurk may not be permitted to feature.

Currently, the Australian Government’s advice is “do not travel” to Pakistan’s west bordering Afghanistan. Peshawar’s proximity to the Afghan border makes this a high-risk location according to SmartTraveller.

The Australian players and coaches – including Tim Paine and Jason Gillespie – are set to leave for Pakistan as early as this weekend.

CSK possible 11 for IPL 2026 – The middle-order conundrum

Robin Kumar Sharma
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CSK possible 11 for IPL 2026 – The middle-order conundrum

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) completely changed their approach in the IPL 2026 auction. From targeting the experienced players to now picking up youngsters for a very hefty sum, we have seen a big change from the 5-time IPL champions.

CSK traded Sanju Samson for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran ahead of the auction, while they bought the likes of Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Sarfaraz Khan and Akeal Hosein.

With the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, and MS Dhoni already there, it looks like a solid middle order, but the inexperience of some players can be a cause for concern. 

CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2024 and 2025, and now they’ll be itching to do well in IPL 2026. 

CSK’s possible 11 for IPL 2026: Is death bowling a concern? 

1. Ayush Mhatre, 2. Sanju Samson, 3. Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), 4. Dewald Brevis (OS), 5. Kartik Sharma, 6. Shivam Dube, 7. MS Dhoni (wk), 8. Prashant Veer, 9. Matt Henry (OS), 10. Noor Ahmad (OS), 11. Khaleel Ahmed 

Impact sub: Jamie Overton/Akeal Hosein (OS)

In a huge blow, Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of IPL 2026 due to injury. The Australian was CSK’s key bowler at the death, and his absence now leaves a big gap in this department. CSK replaced him with fellow Australian Spencer Johnson, who will join the squad around April 21-23 according to ESPNcricinfo.

On the batting front, Samson will open the innings alongside Ayush Mhatre with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad batting at 3. It’ll be interesting to see where Kartik Sharma bats, as Dewald Brevis did a great job for them at number four. Urvil Patel and Sarfaraz Khan are also solid options to leave out on the bench. 

Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, and Prashant Veer will do the finishing duties for the Men in Yellow. 

Bowling-wise, Khaleel Ahmed should start, as he provides that left-arm option and picked up plenty of wickets with the new ball in IPL 2025.

They may choose Jamie Overton – or even Akeal Hosein – as their impact sub player as per the conditions and match situation.

Overall, CSK has good batting depth with plenty of explosive players in their ranks. Bowling – especially at the death – could be a concern, especially with the news of Ellis’ injury.

Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer will have plenty of hopes in their debut IPL season. But they have the likes of Sarfaraz Khan and Ramkrishna Ghosh in their ranks if things go south. Aman Khan and Anshul Kamboj are other good options CSK could try throughout the season.

Gautam Gambhir’s message to Abhishek Sharma during 2026 T20 World Cup

Robin Kumar Sharma
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Gautam Gambhir’s message to Abhishek Sharma during 2026 T20 World Cup

Abhishek Sharma’s struggles were well documented throughout India’s T20 World Cup campaign. However, he bounced back strongly and scored a crucial fifty in the final when the team needed it the most. 

Gautam Gambhir, with JioHotstar, spoke of his own poor performance with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) back in IPL 2014 when they won their second Indian Premier League title with him as captain.

Gautam Gambhir reveals his message to Abhishek Sharma during disappointing T20 World Cup campaign

When asked about what he told Abhishek during his poor phase, he said, “I’ve had worse experience than him back in 2014 during the IPL when I scored three ducks in a row, and I scored one in the fourth game.”

All I told him was, “Yes, people will look at your scores and talk about your form, but actually you are not out of form but actually out of runs. The only time you judge your form is when you have played 20-30 balls and you haven’t even faced 20 balls.”

He continued, “In the T20 format, when you don’t get runs, you don’t get runs. All I wanted from him was to be even more aggressive in the next game than he was in the last one.”

“It doesn’t matter what the world thinks about you; all that matters is what the people in the dressing room think about you,” he concluded.

Abhishek scored just 89 runs in his first seven innings in the tournament, with 55 of those coming against Zimbabwe. However, his 21-ball 52 in the final swung the game firmly in India’s favour during the powerplay.

Gautam Gambhir’s impressive portfolio as India white-ball coach

Gambhir also said that he only had a casual chat with Sanju Samson in the gym, where he told him that he (Sanju) will be playing in the next game after India’s loss to South Africa.

India has now won the 2026 T20 World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy, and the 2025 Asia Cup in Gambhir’s tenure. The Indian white-ball team has been in terrific form since he has taken over as the head coach, and the 2027 ODI World Cup is now in his sights.

“The planning for the 2027 World Cup will start after the IPL. There are 25 to 30 ODIs between IPL 2026 and the World Cup. This format is not played a lot these days. The earlier we start planning, the better it will be for us,” Gambhir said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Emotional bond with his coach – The making of Tilak Varma and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Title 

Robin Kumar Sharma
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Emotional bond with his coach – The making of Tilak Varma and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Title 

Tilak Varma played some crucial knocks in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup title. Initially, he batted at number 3, but later on his batting position changed, where he excelled with his quickfire cameos and boundary hitting.

Tilak Varma’s head coach, Salam Bayash, told The Indian Express about how Tilak called him after India’s game against Zimbabwe. The key topics of conversation? Tilak’s journey, his emotional bond with his coach, and the new-found confidence to bat anywhere at international level.

Bayash said, “Tilak called him after the game against Zimbabwe, where he scored 44 runs off just 16 deliveries, and he said, ‘I will play in all positions and show now.'”

He also said that Tilak was 12 years old when he came to him (Bayash) and his cricket academy was 40 kilometers away from Tilak’s home. His father initially said no. 

It was then his coach who sorted out the transport, waived off the fees, and made sure his father didn’t have to pick him up and drop him off. After all this the Indian left-hander’s father agreed. 

Tilak Varma story: The emotional bond between the coach and pupil 

Tilak Varma had suffered a back injury ahead of the T20 World Cup. His coach told him, “ups and downs are common. Every cricketer, even the greats, tends to get injured but they mentally strong and this time shall pass.”

The coach also scolded Tilak about his shot selections when he struggled in the initial games of the tournament. He told him to work on his errors (shot selection). And before the big final, he had told his pupil, “do your best in whatever position you get to bat, or even if you don’t get to bat, do well in fielding. We are only one step away from the dream.”

Bayash had trained Tilak to be ready for any situation, and all the training is now reflecting in his performances on the biggest stage for the Indian cricket team. 

Salam Bayash was in the ICU for 15 days during COVID, and his chances were looking slim. During that time, Tilak used to visit him every day before he was scolded by his coach to stop coming and focus on his practice instead.

Tilak stopped entering the room, but he sat outside, assured his coach’s wife, and talked to the doctors as well. Bayash said that there are no words to express his happiness after Tilak won the title and put the medal around his coach’s neck.

It is another feather in Tilak’s cap after winning player of the match in the 2025 Asia Cup Final against Pakistan. In that game, the left-hander struck a crucial 69* off 53 balls to help India chase the 147-run target in tricky conditions in Dubai.

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