There was a flood of joy in Pakistan! The global cricket tournament returned to their country after many days. The whole country was in a festive mood. But in such an atmosphere, Mohammad Rizwan's team stumbled while playing the first match of the Champions Trophy. New Zealand surprised them by winning a big 60-run victory! The Kiwis made a good start by easily defeating the hosts.

Mitchel Santner's team is now relieved to lose to the hosts in the opening match of the Champions Trophy. After losing the toss and opting to bat, New Zealand scored 320 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 50 overs with centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham. In reply, Pakistan was all out for 260 runs in 47.2 overs!

Pakistan faced a disaster at the beginning after batting in response to 321 runs at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday. Opener Saud Shakeel returned to the dressing room after opening the team and his own run book. Babar Azam, who was at the other end, tried to pull the team back, but Fakhar Zaman and his men did not accompany him. Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan, who was out for three, left the field after opening the score, and the hosts lost 2 wickets for 22 runs.

Although the injured Fakhar Zaman was fine in the field, he could not shine with the bat. He was out for 24 runs in 41 balls. Salman Agha, who came on the field when Fakhar returned, tried to increase the run gap, but he played a quick innings in 31 overs, but he played an innings of 42 runs in 28 balls before being caught by Bracewell.

As soon as Babar Azam returned, scoring 64 runs in 90 balls, it was almost certain that Pakistan would not be able to win the match. Khushdil Shah, who played in the BPL, took over after that, but it was not saved.

Earlier, the Kiwis scored 320 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in the stipulated 50 overs. Will Young and Devon Conway, who opened the innings, looked promising, but they lost their first wicket in the 7th over. Devon Conway left the field after making 10 runs off 17 balls off the bowling of Pakistani leggie Abrar Ahmed.

Although no one else who came out on the field could hold their ground for long, Young continued to increase the team's runs by understanding well with Tom Latham. The visitors scored 113 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 25 overs.

Young saw another century in his ODI career at the beginning of the 35th over. However, three overs later, Young, who had scored the fourth century of his career, was dismissed by Naseem Shah. He completed his innings of 107 runs off 113 balls with 12 fours and a 1.

Then Latham continued to increase the team's collection along with Glenn Phillips. However, at the beginning of the last over, Phillips, who had played a 39-ball 61-run innings, was caught by Fakhar Zaman off the bowling of Haris Rauf. Latham remained unbeaten on 118 runs off 104 balls. In the allotted 50 overs, New Zealand scored 320 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf took 2 wickets each for Pakistan.

But the Pakistani cricketers could not have the last laugh till the end. The hosts' mission began with a loss. The Kiwis took the victory at the beginning. 

The curtain will rise again after almost 8 years with the Pakistan-New Zealand match. Pakistan, which won the title by defeating India in 2017, will want to retain the title this time too. Pakistan is unable to organize this edition alone due to India's objection.

This edition of the Champions Trophy will be in a hybrid model where India's matches will be held in Dubai.

The opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi will start at 3 pm. However, all the matches of this edition will start at 3 pm Bangladesh time.

Important information about the Champions Trophy at a glance

Group-

Since 2006, the Champions Trophy has been held with the participation of 8 teams where two groups of four teams will play in a round-robin league system. Each team will play three matches in the group stage. After that, the top two teams in the points table will advance to the semi-finals. The two winners of the last two semi-finals will advance to the final.

Group 'A': Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and New Zealand

Group 'B': Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan

How 8 teams qualified

Previously, the top eight teams in the rankings 6 months before the Champions Trophy qualified to participate. However, this year's eight teams have secured tickets based on their performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The top eight teams (including the host nation) in the 10-team points table are selected for the Champions Trophy where the former two champions Sri Lanka and West Indies did not make it.

Prize money

This time, the total prize money has been increased by 53 percent compared to the previous edition of the Champions Trophy. In total, the financial prize money for the 8 competing countries is about Tk. 84 crore in Bangladeshi currency. The allocation for the champion team is about Tk. 27 crore 6 lakh 46 thousand. The runner-up team will get half the money of the champion team.

The third and fourth placed teams that are eliminated from the semi-finals will receive an equal amount of Tk. 6 crore 76 lakh. In addition, each team will receive about Tk. 1 crore 51 lakh for participating in the tournament. And the winning team will receive about Tk. 41 lakh for winning each match.

How Bangladeshi viewers will watch the match

Cricket fans from about 80 countries around the world will be able to watch this year's Champions Trophy. And all the matches will be watched live by Bangladeshi viewers on T Sports and Nagorik TV. In addition, there will be an opportunity to watch the game online. It will be broadcast live on the Toffee app.

Important matches

A total of 15 matches will be held in the 8-team tournament. The two semi-finals will be held on March 4 and 5. Pakistan-New Zealand will face each other in the opening match on February 19. Bangladesh-India will play their first match the next day (February 20).

In addition, the high-voltage match between the two arch-rivals Pakistan-India will be held on February 23. Bangladesh will face New Zealand on February 24, Australia will face South Africa on February 25, Pakistan will face Bangladesh on February 27, South Africa will face England on March 1, and India will face New Zealand on March 2.

Shakib Al Hasan was the poster boy of Bangladesh cricket in world cricket. One of the best all-rounders of all time, he has represented Bangladesh in world cricket for more than a decade. However, with the passage of time, Shakib is now far away from Bangladesh cricket. He may not be seen in the red and green jersey again. Then the question arises, who will be the advertisement of Bangladesh cricket after Shakib?

After Shakib's emergence, there was no one like Shakib in Bangladesh cricket. Although the youngsters showed a lot of expectations and got a chance in the team, no one could survive like Shakib. Shakib is the first and only cricketer in world cricket to reach number 1 in the all-rounder rankings in all formats of cricket. Can anyone else in Bangladesh cricket do that? The answer is very simple. Bangladesh will not get anyone like him in the near future. So who will represent Bangladesh cricket in the world court.

To know the answer to this question, we have to look away from the Bangladesh cricket players. He is also a man on the field but he performs different responsibilities. The biggest advertisement of Bangladesh cricket at present is Sharfuddaula Ibne Shahid Saikat who is representing Bangladesh cricket in the world court with pride.

Saikat is the first and only ICC Elite Panel umpire from Bangladesh. He joined the Elite Panel in March last year. Saikat started umpiring at the international level in 2010 with the ODI match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Mirpur. Although he made his T20 debut the following year, Saikat had to wait 11 years to start umpiring in cricket's elite format, Tests. Saikat started his journey in the Test format with a match between Bangladesh and West Indies in Chattogram in 2021. After that, Saikat never looked back.

So far, Saikat has played the role of field umpire in 16 Tests, 64 ODIs and 52 T20Is. Recently, Saikat earned praise for umpiring in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. Saikat was also a field umpire in 5 matches in the last ODI World Cup held in India. He also officiated 3 matches in the T20 World Cup held in 2024.

Saikat will also be the field umpire in two matches in the group stage of the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy, starting from February 19. Apart from the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand, Saikat will also be the umpire for the Afghanistan-England match on February 26.

Be it a major ICC tournament or a major bilateral series, Saikat has been umpiring consistently. His decisions are rarely changed by reviews.

Saikat is representing Bangladesh in world cricket by being the best like Shakib. 

Barishal residents are in a state of joy after Fortune Barishal won its second consecutive title by defeating Chattogram Kings in the final of the 10th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Ahead of the final match on Friday (February 7), big screens were set up in various entertainment centers, neighborhoods and tea shops in the city. Thousands of people enjoyed the game together.

After Fortune Barishal's victory, enthusiastic supporters took to the streets of the city. They took out processions playing bhuvhujelas, drums and musical instruments. In addition, night-long celebrations and picnics were held at important intersections, entertainment centers and neighborhoods of the city.

Thousands of spectators enjoyed the game in various areas of the city including Bibir Pukur Par, Bells Park, Notun Bazar, Zilla School Mor, Amanatganj, Kaunia, Alakanda, Rupatali, Barishal University, Brajomohan College, Sher-e-Bangla Medical College.

Local resident Emon said, this victory of Fortune Barishal has brought a new look to our city. I hope this continuity will continue in the future.

Imtiaz Amit, a resident of Rupatali, said, I organized lighting and picnic with my friends to enjoy the excitement of this breathtaking match. The joy of Barishal's victory has increased manifold.

Barishal Metropolitan Police has taken strict security measures in various places in the city around the BPL. Multiple police teams across the city are working on the field so that no untoward incident occurs.