Sports
Champions Trophy: NZ Captain Santner Anticipates Tough Battle Against Bangladesh
New Zealand’s captain, Mitchell Santner, acknowledges that Bangladesh continues to be a formidable opponent, even in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan during the Champions Trophy 2025. As the teams prepare for their pivotal group-stage match on Monday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Santner emphasized Bangladesh’s enhanced depth, especially in both pace and spin bowling.
The Black Caps come into this match with significant momentum, having recently claimed victory in a tri-series against Pakistan and South Africa, and then defeating the host nation by 60 runs in their Champions Trophy opener. Santner expressed faith in his team’s abilities while recognizing the necessity to adapt to the playing conditions.
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“We have developed some strategies to tackle Bangladesh, but we must observe how the wicket behaves first. If it’s a batting-friendly pitch, we’ll need to consistently bowl hard lengths. They have historically boasted strong spinners, but now they also feature some impressive fast bowlers. Taskin [Ahmed] has shown great form for some time, we are aware of the threat posed by Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman], and the young Nahid Rana is an exciting talent,” Santner said during the pre-match press conference.
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For Bangladesh, the situation is dire—they need a win or risk elimination. Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, the team suffered a six-wicket loss to India in their first match and currently sits third in the group with a net run rate of -0.408. Another defeat here would severely dent their chances of advancing.
Nevertheless, Santner commended Bangladesh’s batting lineup, highlighting the all-round skill of Mahmudullah, the emergence of wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali, and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, who has been impressive lately. He reiterated that New Zealand must execute their strategies effectively to counter Bangladesh’s strengths.
New Zealand’s batting has been strong, with Glenn Phillips, Tom Latham, and Will Young all in good form recently. Santner emphasized the need for building partnerships and adapting to conditions in Rawalpindi, which is typically conducive to high scoring.
While Rawalpindi is recognized as a batter-friendly ground, Santner believes New Zealand’s bowlers must prioritize containment and consistency. “If the pitch is flat, we’ll need to implement our strategy of bowling hard lengths consistently, similar to our approach in Karachi. We are aware that Bangladesh has some explosive players in their squad as well,” he stated.
“Given that it’s generally a high-scoring venue, we need to stay sharp, and in our batting, we must focus on building solid partnerships.”
Even with Shakib’s absence, Santner remains cautious about Bangladesh’s balanced and experienced lineup. “They understand how to perform on these surfaces, and we are familiar with them as well. The key is executing our plans and adapting swiftly,” he added.
New Zealand aims to secure their semifinal berth with a victory, while Bangladesh must recover from their loss to India to remain in the competition.
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IPL 2026 :Bengaluru police have urged people to celebrate responsibly during and after the IPL 2026 final. RCB will play the final match on Sunday.
Police have banned public celebrations, bike rallies, road blockages, and stunt riding. Bursting crackers and setting up public LED screens without permission are also not allowed.
Authorities have asked people not to drink alcohol in public places or create disturbances. Citizens have also been warned against spreading rumours or posting offensive content on social media.
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The advisory comes after a stampede during RCB’s victory celebrations last year, which claimed 11 lives. Police have appealed to fans to maintain peace and cooperate with officials to ensure public safety.
IPL 2026 : In a dramatic IPL 2026 clash, Royal Challengers Bengaluru player Tim David has landed in controversy for allegedly making an obscene gesture after his team’s thrilling win against Mumbai Indians.
The incident took place during the 54th match of the Indian Premier League in Raipur. Batting first, Mumbai Indians scored 167 runs in 20 overs and set a competitive target for RCB.
While chasing the target, Royal Challengers Bengaluru needed 15 runs in the final over. The match went down to the last ball, where RCB required two runs for victory. Rasikh Dar helped the team secure a thrilling win in the final delivery.
Soon after the victory, Tim David, who was in the dugout, was seen allegedly showing his middle finger towards the Mumbai Indians camp during the celebrations. The video of the incident quickly went viral on social media and triggered criticism from cricket fans.
Reports suggest that match officials could take disciplinary action against the Australian batter. Under the ICC Code of Conduct, obscene or offensive gestures are considered a serious offence.
Such behaviour usually falls under Level 1 or Level 2 breaches of the ICC rules. Players found guilty can face fines ranging from 50 percent to 100 percent of their match fees. Demerit points may also be added to their disciplinary record. Repeated offences can even lead to suspension from matches.
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Similar incidents have happened in the past as well. In 2012, Virat Kohli was fined 50 percent of his match fee for showing the middle finger to spectators during a match in Sydney.
Cricket is widely known as a “gentleman’s game,” and players are expected to maintain discipline and respect on the field. Tim David’s celebration has now sparked debate among fans and experts about sportsmanship in modern cricket.
Sports: Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant faced criticism after a failed Super Over decision against Kolkata Knight Riders. LSG sent Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram to bat, with Pooran on strike against Sunil Narine.
Pooran was bowled on the first ball, leading to heavy criticism from fans. Many questioned the decision, especially because Narine had earlier troubled Pooran in a past Super Over.
LSG coach Justin Langer defended the move. He said the team trusted Pooran as he has faced Narine many times and has a strong record against him. He added that teams must back their best players even in difficult moments.
Langer also said Pooran is one of the best T20 players in recent years but is currently low on confidence. He assured that the team is working hard to help him regain form
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Despite being at the bottom of the table, LSG remains hopeful. Langer said the team will use the break to improve and aim to win their remaining matches.
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