NEW DELHI: In addition to seeking a shift of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup league matches from India to Sri Lanka over “concerns about players’ safety” following Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from the IPL on BCCI instructions, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has also been asked to suspend the broadcast of the IPL in Bangladesh.Government adviser Asif Nazrul said he has requested the adviser to Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry to ensure that the IPL broadcast in the country is halted.

“I have requested the adviser for Information and Broadcasting to ensure that the broadcast of the IPL in Bangladesh is also suspended.“Under no circumstances will we tolerate any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers, or Bangladesh itself. The days of servitude are over,” he said.There is a sense of disbelief within BCB circles over how the situation escalated, particularly after India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s funeral in Dhaka.“The BCB announced the schedule for India’s tour of Bangladesh because there was a sense of positivity but now we need to get an official confirmation from the Indian board as to why Mustafizur’s contract was cancelled,” a BCB source told PTI on condition of anonymity.“Till now BCCI hasn’t communicated anything to BCB officially. Only after official communication will BCB decide further course of action,” the source added.The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released the Bangladesh left-arm pacer — bought for Rs 9.20 crore after a bidding war at last month’s auction in Abu Dhabi — in line with the BCCI’s diktat.BCB president and former Bangladesh captain Aminul Islam Bulbul refrained from making any public comment after an emergency board meeting convened in the wake of the development.However, Asif Nazrul reiterated that he has instructed the board to approach the Jay Shah-led ICC to shift Bangladesh’s four league matches — three scheduled in Kolkata and one in Mumbai — to Sri Lanka.“As the adviser in charge of the Ministry of Sports, I have instructed the Cricket Control Board to put the entire matter in writing and explain it to the ICC,” Nazrul wrote in Bengali on his Facebook page.“The board must make it clear that if a Bangladeshi cricketer, despite being under contract, cannot play in India, then the Bangladesh national team cannot feel safe travelling to India to play the World Cup.“I have also directed the board to formally request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka instead,” he further wrote.Bangladesh’s four league fixtures are against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9) and England (February 14) in Kolkata, followed by their final group match against Nepal (February 17) in Mumbai.A BCCI source, however, insisted that such a shift is virtually impossible with just a month remaining before the tournament.“You can’t just change games at someone’s whims and fancies. It is a logistical nightmare. Think about opposition teams. Their air tickets, hotels are booked.“Also on all days there are three games each which means one game is in Sri Lanka. There is broadcast crew. So it will be easier said than done,” the source said.India’s arch-rival Pakistan is already playing its World Cup matches in Sri Lanka as part of an understanding reached months ago.Meanwhile, Indo-Bangladesh relations have deteriorated sharply following the ouster of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August last year after anti-government protests.She was later sentenced to death in absentia by a tribunal for her alleged role in a deadly crackdown during the agitation in which several students were killed.While the BCCI did not explicitly cite the prevailing political situation as the reason for seeking Rahman’s release, it indicated that the decision was triggered by recent developments.Hindus have been targeted in violent attacks since Hasina’s ouster.

Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test Live Cricket Score: Joe Root and Harry Brook staged a steady recovery after England lost three wickets in a torrid opening session of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday. At lunch, Root was unbeaten on 31 and Brook on 23 as England reached 114 for 3 after choosing to bat in front of a sold-out crowd.

England’s top order struggled early, with Ben Duckett (27), Zak Crawley (16) and Jacob Bethell (10) all dismissed. Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser and Scott Boland shared the wickets for Australia.

The visitors entered the match buoyed by a four-wicket victory inside two days in the previous Test in Melbourne, eager to build on the momentum. The win ended a 15-year drought in Australia but came too late to salvage the series, with the hosts having already retained the urn through victories in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Australia sprung a selection surprise by handing an opportunity to allrounder Beau Webster in place of fast bowler Jhye Richardson, while off-spinner Todd Murphy was left out. It marked the first time in nearly 140 years that Australia fielded a side without a specialist spinner in a Sydney Test.

England, meanwhile, made a solitary change, bringing in seamer Matthew Potts for the injured Gus Atkinson.

Duckett looked fluent early, smashing five boundaries off Starc in a brisk 27 from 24 balls. However, Starc had the final say, inducing an outside edge with an angled delivery that wicketkeeper Alex Carey collected at full stretch — the fifth time the left-armer has dismissed Duckett in the series.

Crawley soon followed, trapped plumb lbw by Neser. Although he reviewed the decision, it was always heading for dismissal, leaving England 51 for 2 by the first drinks break.

Bethell endured a cautious stay, taking 15 deliveries to score his first run and never appearing settled. He was dismissed for 10 after pushing at a moving ball from Boland, edging faintly to Carey as England slipped to 57 for 3.

Root then joined Brook and the pair knuckled down to guide England safely to the interval, adding an unbroken 57-run stand to stabilise the innings.

The day began with a tribute to first responders following the recent Bondi mass shooting that claimed 15 lives, drawing loud applause when hero Ahmed Al Ahmed — who confronted one of the attackers — was acknowledged.

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Aditya Dhar‘s ‘Dhurandhar’ underwent minor changes in which a dialogue and a few words were muted. Reports suggested that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry of India had directed the producers to make the changes. And now, the officials have stated that it was the decision of the makers and no directive was given from the government. Let’s learn more about it.

No directives from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry

According to PTI, the officials stated that the filmmakers approached the Central Board of Film Certification with the changes, which include muting the dialogue with the words ‘Baloch’ and ‘intelligence,’ found to be offensive to certain communities.

As per the officials, these edits were made under Rule 31 of the Cinematograph Act, in which one can make changes in an already certified film provided it doesn’t shift the larger meaning of the sequence.

More about ‘Dhurandhar’

The espionage thriller led by Ranveer Singh was declared tax-free in Ladakh. The office of Lt. Gov. Kavinder Gupta shared a post on X that read, “The film spotlights Ladakh’s cinematic landscapes, signalling strong support for filmmakers and reinforcing the UT’s push to emerge as a preferred destination for film shoots and tourism.”The film is set in Pakistan’s Lyari town, and it centers on an Indian spy, played by Ranveer, who infiltrates a local gang of criminals and arms dealers.Directed by Aditya Dhar, it also stars Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun. In India, the film has earned Rs 748 crore at the box office. Globally, as per the reports, the movie has collected over Rs 1160 crore.The spy action film was released in theaters on December 5, 2025. The second part of the film is set to hit theaters on March 19, 2026. It will clash with Yash and Nayanthara’s ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’.

The first video of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro arriving in the United States was released on Saturday (local time), showing him handcuffed and escorted by US officials as he stepped off a helicopter at New York’s Stewart Airport.Hours earlier, Maduro was captured by US forces during a late-night operation in Venezuela. US President Donald Trump had also shared the first image of Maduro in custody, showing him handcuffed and blindfolded aboard a US warship.

After landing in New York, a motorcade believed to be carrying Maduro exited the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) headquarters on Manhattan’s West Side Highway before briefly heading north and then returning to a heliport, according to BBC. Officials said Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, were flown by helicopter to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Three helicopters were seen travelling down the Hudson River, passing the Statue of Liberty, before landing. From there, the couple were transported to the detention facility in a convoy of law enforcement vehicles.According to US authorities, Maduro was arrested in Venezuela and flown out of the capital, Caracas, in the early hours of Saturday aboard a US helicopter. He was first taken to the USS Iwo Jima at an undisclosed location in the Caribbean Sea.From there, he was flown to the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, before being transferred to another aircraft that took him to Stewart Air Force Base in New York State’s Orange County. He was then flown by helicopter into New York City.In total, Maduro travelled about 2,100 miles (3,300 kilometres) from his capture in Venezuela to his arrival in the United States.Also read: Nicolas Maduro captured; w​ho is in charge of Venezuela now? Trump says US will ‘run’ the country​​​US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York.The charges include conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess such weapons against the US.US media reports said that the booking process for the couple has already begun. This includes taking fingerprints, biometric data and mugshots, along with medical examinations. Their details will then be entered into the US Customs and Border Protection system.Maduro and his wife are expected to be formally produced in court, possibly as early as Monday.Earlier, Trump had shared the first image of Maduro following his capture, posting a photograph of the Venezuelan leader aboard the USS Iwo Jima. “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.Speaking later on Fox and Friends Weekend, Trump said Maduro and Flores were seized during a night-time operation and flown directly to a US warship. He claimed Maduro had been heavily guarded inside a fortified palace and that US forces had rehearsed the operation in advance.The operation reportedly lasted less than 30 minutes and took place amid explosions in Caracas and other locations. Venezuela’s government condemned the action as a “serious military aggression” and declared a state of emergency, while the US said its forces suffered minimal casualties. Maduro now remains in US custody as legal proceedings move forward in New York.The White House’s official Rapid Response account later posted a video showing what appeared to be a “perp walk” of the ousted Venezuelan leader at the DEA office in Manhattan.The video showed Maduro wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and walking handcuffed alongside DEA agents down a blue-carpeted hallway marked “DEA NYD,” according to CNN.The footage showed Maduro being processed and fingerprinted at the DEA office. As he walked with agents, Maduro appeared to attempt speaking in English.“Good night,” he said, before correcting himself in Spanish: “Es buenas noches, no?” — meaning, “That is good night, no?”He then repeated “good night” to those present and added, “Happy New Year”.

The first Melbourne Derby of BBL|15 takes center stage at the MCG this Sunday. This high-stakes clash features two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum: the Melbourne Stars, who are looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season, and the Melbourne Renegades, who are desperate to snap a three-match losing streak and keep their season alive.

Team analysis

Melbourne Stars

The Stars saw their four-match unbeaten streak snapped by the Brisbane Heat on Friday. Despite a massive total of 195, their death bowling faltered in the final overs. However, they remain at the top of the ladder and boast a highly settled lineup. Sam Harper and Marcus Stoinis have been in sublime form, while Glenn Maxwell remains the league’s most dangerous middle-order threat. Haris Rauf and Peter Siddle provide veteran stability, though they will be looking to tighten up after conceding heavy runs in their last outing.

Melbourne Renegades

The Renegades are struggling for consistency, particularly in their batting department. With only one win from four matches, they are currently languishing near the bottom of the table. Much depends on the explosive pair of Jake Fraser-McGurk and Josh Brown. If they can survive the powerplay, the Renegades can post a match-winning total. Young batter Harry Dixon returns to the squad, and spinner Callum Stow could make his debut to bolster a bowling unit led by Adam Zampa and Jason Behrendorff.

MS vs MR, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: January 04; 12:35 pm IST / 7:05 am GMT / 6:05 pm Local
• Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

MS vs MR, Head-to-Head Record in BBL

Matches played: 28 | Melbourne Stars won: 18 | Melbourne Renegades won: 10 | No result/Tied: 0

Melbourne Cricket Ground Pitch Report

The MCG pitch for this derby is expected to be a significantly more “batter-friendly” surface than the green top seen during the recent two-day Boxing Day Test. Batters will still need to contend with the ground’s massive square boundaries, which make clearing the rope a challenge and prioritize hard running between the wickets. However, the true bounce should allow for high-scoring powerplays, while the large dimensions will provide spinners like Zampa plenty of protection to toss the ball up. Expect a balanced contest with the captain winning the toss likely opting to bowl first.

Also READ: Max Bryant’s explosive knock guides Brisbane Heat to a thrilling victory over Melbourne Stars in BBL|15

Squads:

Melbourne Stars: Thomas Fraser Rogers, Joe Clarke, Sam Harper (wk), Marcus Stoinis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Liam Hatcher, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Swepson, Aryan Sharma, Jonathan Merlo, Campbell Kellaway

Melbourne Renegades: Josh Brown, Tim Seifert, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Oliver Peake, Hassan Khan, Will Sutherland (c), Andrew Tye, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Behrendorff, Sam Elliott, Adam Zampa, Caleb Jewell, Fergus O Neill, Matthew Spoors

MS vs MR, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Melbourne Stars wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Renegades’ powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
• Melbourne Renegades’ total score: 150-160

Case 2:

• Melbourne Renegades wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Stars’ powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Melbourne Stars’ total score: 160-170

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest

Also READ: Babar Azam equals Jos Buttler’s prestigious T20 record during the BBL|15

NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been directed by the country’s sports ministry to seek a shift of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup league matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing “concerns about players’ safety” following Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from the IPL on BCCI instructions.The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released the Bangladesh left-arm pacer — bought for Rs 9.20 crore after a bidding war at last month’s auction in Abu Dhabi — in line with the BCCI’s diktat.

BCB president and former Bangladesh skipper Aminul Islam Bulbul refrained from making any public comment after an emergency board meeting held in the wake of the development.However, government adviser Asif Nazrul said he has instructed the board to approach the Jay Shah-led ICC to shift Bangladesh’s four league matches — three scheduled in Kolkata and one in Mumbai — to Sri Lanka.“As the adviser in charge of the Ministry of Sports, I have instructed the Cricket Control Board to put the entire matter in writing and explain it to the ICC,” Nazrul wrote in Bengali on his Facebook page.“The board must make it clear that if a Bangladeshi cricketer, despite being under contract, cannot play in India, then the Bangladesh national team cannot feel safe travelling to India to play the World Cup.“I have also directed the board to formally request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka instead,” he further wrote.Bangladesh’s four league fixtures are against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9) and England (February 14) in Kolkata, followed by their final group match against Nepal (February 17) in Mumbai.A BCCI source, however, maintained that such a shift is virtually impossible with just a month remaining before the tournament.“You can’t just change games at someone’s whims and fancies. It is a logistical nightmare. Think about opposition teams. Their air tickets, hotels are booked.“Also on all days there are three games each which means one game is in Sri Lanka. There is broadcast crew. So it will be easier said than done,” the source said.India’s arch-rival Pakistan are already playing their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka as part of an understanding reached months ago.Meanwhile, Indo-Bangladesh relations have deteriorated sharply following the ouster of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August last year after anti-government protests.She was later sentenced to death in absentia by a tribunal for her alleged role in a deadly crackdown during the agitation in which several students were killed.While the BCCI did not explicitly cite the prevailing political situation as the reason for seeking Rahman’s release, it indicated that the decision was triggered by recent developments.Hindus have been targeted in violent attacks since Hasina’s ouster.

Former actor Sana Khan, who stepped away from the entertainment industry in 2020 and married cleric-businessman Mufti Anas the same year, is preparing for Haj later this year. It will be her fourth pilgrimage, but this one comes with a different experience.For the first time, Khan will not be staying in Mina’s famed tent city. Instead, she and her husband will spend five days in a multi-storey tower in the Mina valley, close to Mecca. The shift that reflects a transformation in how some pilgrims now experience Haj.Sana is among the first wave of Indians opting to stay at a tower in Mina during the Haj. Staying for five days at Mina, traditionally known as the ‘tent city’, is a mandatory ritual of Haj. For centuries, pilgrims from across the world who visited Mecca for the annual pilgrimage stayed in these temporary ‘khemas’ or tents.However, in the last couple of years, Saudi authorities built several towers in the Mina valley and offered pilgrims accommodation in these multi-storey towers with enhanced amenities like air-conditioned, spacious rooms, clean toilets, bigger kitchens and wider prayer areas.The Haj division of the ministry of minority affairs in India asked private Haj pilgrims to book their seats by January 15.“Timely booking will help avoid lastminute difficulties and ensure smooth, well-organised arrangements for this sacred journey,” said minority affairs minister Kiran Rijiju in an X post. Out of 1,75,000 Indian Haj quota, 52,000 will travel through Haj group organisations and private tour operators, while the rest will use services of the Haj Committee of India.Several organisers and tour operators are reaching out to affluent pilgrims with packages for an ‘upgraded Haj experience’ and the lure of ‘classic and premium packages that now include a shift from tents to Mina Towers’, reads an online ad of Al Khalid Tours and Travels. “Shift from tents to towers is being done in phases. Stay at the towers is hassle-free and suited to change in weather,” says Khalid Kherada of Al Khalid Tours and Travels.The orthodox do not approve of the transition from tents to towers at Mina.“Tents have a primitive feel, even though they’re also air-conditioned. However, Shariat, or Islamic laws, do not prescribe that the stay at Mina mandatorily be in tents,” says a senior cleric requesting anonymity.