Ramin Talukder

Rows of empty seats glowed under the lights, as if waiting for voices that never came. The ground, where once thousands roared at every wicket and every run, now echoed only with the wind.

These moments frame a larger picture of our sporting mindset.

Steel cuts the air like lightning slicing through clouds -- no blood, no violence.

Again and again, Cabrera’s choices seemed part of a personal experiment gone wrong.

Outside the Mirpur Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium, an unusual sight unfolded. Wrestlers were training under the open sky -- sometimes on bare soil, sometimes on paved concrete -- sweating it out while puzzled passersby watched as if the arena itself had spilled onto the streets.

A packet of snacks in one hand, a bottle of water in the other -- at the gates of Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today ahead of Bangladesh’s first T20I against Pakistan, the scene felt less like a new change and more like the return of a beloved old memory.

If someone were wandering the streets of the USA and heard the sweet sound of a bat meeting ball, the immediate assumption might be that it’s a baseball game. However, it’s increasingly likely that this sound comes from a cricket match.

Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza revealed that it was upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s wishes that Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal withdrew his retirement on Friday.

The FIFA World Cup fever is raging as fans across Bangladesh are glued to their TV sets desperate to stay updated on the ins and outs of their favourite teams

Who better than Mashrafe Bin Mortaza to talk to regarding Bangladesh’s upcoming T20 World Cup journey in Oman and the UAE?

“I feel the situation will improve little by little but if you think that things should resume when situation becomes very good, by that time cricketers won’t be able to survive,” Shamsur Rahman Shuvo said while talking to The Daily Star when asked about the difficulty that the pandemic has brought.

After exactly 125 days, I entered the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur yesterday as the country’s premier cricket venue jolted back into life after the long break due to the coronavirus outbreak.

With sport completely halted and not even training camps spared following the coronavirus outbreak, Bangladesh national team cricketer

The coronavirus halt has marred every athlete’s plans and 19-year-old Bangladesh spinner Nayeem Hasan is no exception. The youngster, who was in fine fettle before the enforced break, talked to The Daily Star’s Ramin Talukdar over phone, sharing insights into his life during the pandemic. The following are excerpts from that conversation:

In an interview with The Daily Star last month, Bangladesh batting consultant Neil McKenzie stressed the importance of players using this coronavirus-induced break to reflect on their careers.

Rumana Ahmed started her cricketing journey playing in the courtyard at home. Before that she fell in love with the game while watching matches on TV.

On working on fitness under lockdown: It’s a difficult thing to sit at home when you are a sportsperson. I’m trying to work at home with the little means I have. I got a dumbbell online to do what I can manage.

It is not unusual for any individual to be demoralised and frustrated during the coronavirus pandemic that has seen the world come to a standstill.

Cricket is undoubtedly the most beloved and followed sport in Bangladesh. People across the country get excited just to see the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim in action and to know their stories.

During this time of crisis when the whole world is fighting the spread of coronavirus, the roles played by the country’s footballers and cricketers have earned a lot of praise. Starting from premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to footballer Jamal Bhuyian -- all the players