Former champions Bangladesh will play their 2nd Group A match of the 16-team ICC U-19 Men's Cricket World Cup'24 against Ireland today(January 22) at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Bangladesh, the champions of 2020, made a frustrating start in the global Youth Cricket, losing to defending champions India by a huge 84-run in their first match at Bloemfontein in South Africa Saturday night despite a five-wicket by pacer Maruf Mridha, reports UNB.

In another Group A match on Saturday, Ireland made a good start beating Unites States by seven wickets at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

However, left-arm spinner cum captain Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, who led the Bangladesh team to win the first-ever U-19  Asia Cup crown very recently, will lead the Bangladesh team against Ireland on Monday to revive their proud and glory.

After the first round matches, Ireland and India dominated the four-team Group A securing two points each with a run rate of +2.674 and +1.680 respectively.

Bangladesh remained at the 3rd slot in the group by virtue of a run rate (-1.680) while United States remained at the bottom with a run rate  (2.680),  without earning any point.

In the remaining Group A match,  Bangladesh will play United States on January 26, also at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Bangladeshi wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim is set to feature for Fortune Barishal in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Mushfiqur had played for Sylhet Strikers in the last edition. His price was fixed at 80 lakhs in the players' draft according to the category. Which means he was in 'A' category.

The top category player will play along with other star players like Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Khaled Ahmed in Fortune Barishal.

Neymar said he was relishing “new challenges and opportunities in new places” after he joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal Tuesday, becoming the latest big name lured to the oil-rich Gulf state.

The Brazil forward, 31, ends a six-year stay in the French capital and follows in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Middle East.

“I have achieved a lot in Europe and enjoyed special times, but I have always wanted to be a global player and test myself with new challenges and opportunities in new places,” Neymar said in a statement from the Saudi Pro League.

“I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment,” he added.

Neymar was “in negotiations” on Sunday to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving Paris Saint-Germain just as Kylian Mbappe was brought back in from the cold by the French champions.

A source close to PSG told AFP that 31-year-old Neymar “no longer figures in the club or manager’s plans” with the Brazilian immediately linked to Al-Hilal in the Gulf kingdom.

Another source in Saudi Arabia said that “direct negotiations” between Neymar’s agents and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) were ongoing.