A poetic passing of the torch
18 July 2026, 09:00 AM
For more than two decades, world football has been shaped by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s extraordinary rivalry. Their brilliance defined an era, rewriting records, collecting trophies and inspiring generations of fans.
18 July 2026, 09:00 AM
Scaloni turns Argentina's weakness into a weapon
17 July 2026, 12:51 PM
Football has long celebrated "Fergie Time", while Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid became synonymous with dramatic late comebacks in the UEFA Champions League. Scaloni's Argentina now belong in that conversation.
17 July 2026, 12:51 PM
The first time football brought me to tears
15 July 2026, 17:08 PM
Interestingly, almost everyone in my family supported Brazil, while my father also admired Germany and Italy. Even today, I cannot clearly explain why I chose Argentina. Perhaps it was Gabriel Batistuta
15 July 2026, 17:08 PM
Gloves and glory on the line
15 July 2026, 13:09 PM
Unlike Spain and France, who reached the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals by winning all six matches within regulation time, Argentina and England have endured a tougher route to the last four.
15 July 2026, 13:09 PM
Winning at a cost? How Argentina became football's most debated team
11 July 2026, 12:39 PM
On July 11, 2021, Argentina ended a 28-year wait for a major international trophy by defeating Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final at the Maracana Stadium.
11 July 2026, 12:39 PM
Tigers hit new low in Zimbabwe amid World Cup fever
10 July 2026, 15:43 PM
"I am not fully sure whether they were a bit complacent after going there following wins against some formidable opponents. Another important factor, I think, was that the conditions were a bit challenging and they could not figure out how to adjust to them," chief selector Habibul Bashar explained.
10 July 2026, 15:43 PM
Europe’s supremacy showing in North America
8 July 2026, 23:30 PM
Before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, European heavyweights France and Spain were widely regarded as the leading contenders for the title, thanks to the remarkable depth and quality of their squads as well as their recent form.
8 July 2026, 23:30 PM
Messi and Co brace for Egypt exam
6 July 2026, 06:00 AM
Argentina possess the quality and experience to advance, but if they once again need a 39-year-old Messi alone to rescue them, they may not be so fortunate this time.
6 July 2026, 06:00 AM
Bulbul relieved but debate rages on
No sanctions and the promise of hosting an ICC event -- Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul on Monday was thrilled with the outcomes of his “unbelievably successful” trip to Lahore, but not everyone shared his enthusiasm.
11 February 2026, 08:00 AM
‘Winning World Cup will come down to individual moments’
James Neesham, during his recent stint with the Rajshahi Warriors in the Bangladesh Premier League, spoke to The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan about New Zealand’s chances in the tournament, the team’s past World Cup heartbreaks, and the belief that still drives the side forward.
8 February 2026, 08:00 AM
‘The hard work starts now because they have set the standard’
David Hemp, the batting coach during the Tigresses’ successful campaign in Nepal, shared his thoughts on the team’s performance in a conversation with The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan on Monday.
3 February 2026, 12:40 PM
‘Future of cricket is based on aggression’
Despite playing more than 30 matches in the lead-up to the ICC Under-19 World Cup, Bangladesh failed to reach the semifinals.
30 January 2026, 08:00 AM
ICC’s ‘unfair’ schedule hits Bangladesh U-19s
This year, the ICC prohibited domestic air travel during the tournament, requiring teams, officials, and staff to move by bus.
28 January 2026, 09:21 AM
BPL 12: More drama than delivery
The 12th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) reinforced the tournament’s reputation as a magnet for controversy, where off-field volatility consistently eclipsed the on-field action, requiring the governing body to repeatedly overhaul the schedule just to keep the league afloat.
24 January 2026, 10:45 AM
‘Should never go hardline from the start’
With Bangladesh now on the brink of facing an exit from the T20 World Cup due to stalled negotiations with the ICC, Syed Ashraful Huq spoke to The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan over the phone from Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday, sharing his concerns and insights. Excerpts from the interview are as follows:
23 January 2026, 07:00 AM
From chaos to the final
Chattogram Royals will play the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur tomorrow.
22 January 2026, 11:12 AM
Mirpur cricket ‘completely different’
Instead of pursuing an uncertain place in England’s playing eleven, Billings chose a different path, opting to enjoy cricket through various franchise leagues around the world.
22 January 2026, 00:54 AM
'Cricket now a religion in Nepal'
Cricket in Nepal is growing rapidly, with leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane at the forefront.
13 January 2026, 09:20 AM
'I actually preferred Trav-ball over Bazball’
Darren Gough spoke to The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan about Bangladesh’s fast bowlers, Bazball, England’s challenges and his own career.
12 January 2026, 09:06 AM
When runs don’t bring rewards
Considering how events have unfolded for Tawhid Hridoy in recent times, the right-handed batter may well be wondering what he is doing wrong.
12 January 2026, 03:24 AM
Batters’ dip in form deepens Tigers’ worries
Bangladesh batters rarely enjoy prolonged purple patches. Even those who appear in good touch often lose form ahead of major tournaments -- a concern long shared by fans and experts and recently voiced by the national team’s specialised batting coach Mohammad Ashraful during the T20I series against the West Indies last October.
11 January 2026, 08:30 AM
No top players in Bangladesh now: Moeen Ali
The former England all-rounder spoke about Bangladesh cricket’s development gaps, the BPL’s reputation issues, the politics shaping the modern game, and more.
11 January 2026, 08:00 AM
Shakib’s tips work wonders for Waseem
UAE opener Muhammad Waseem carried his ILT20 form into the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), hitting a blistering half-century on his return to the tournament to help Rajshahi Warriors beat Noakhali Express by four wickets at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
9 January 2026, 12:50 PM
Sylhet hub set up, but long road awaits BCB
Beyond infrastructure and staffing, the initiative aims to bring structural alignment to year-round cricket activities at the grassroots.
8 January 2026, 03:00 AM
‘Individual hard work behind Afghans’ success in T20s’
Afghanistan’s dashing opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz shares a special bond with Bangladesh, having made his international and franchise debuts here in 2019.
8 January 2026, 02:00 AM
‘Expectations are natural’
Bangladesh U-19 team left for Zimbabwe early Monday to take part in the 16th ICC U-19 World Cup, scheduled from January 15 to February 6 in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Captain Azizul Hakim Tamim spoke to The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan about preparation, expectations and challenges ahead of departure.
6 January 2026, 02:00 AM
BCB awaits ICC reply as speculation grows
Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB's) plea to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its ICC Men's T20 World Cup matches from India has sparked widespread speculation among officials, players, stakeholders and fans, with all pondering what will happen next.
6 January 2026, 02:00 AM
Noakhali’s campaign unravels on and off the field
Newcomers Noakhali Express continued their miserable run in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 as they suffered their fourth consecutive defeat on Monday, going down by six wickets to Sylhet Titans in Sylhet.
5 January 2026, 18:05 PM