Bangladesh's sports minister and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president hinted Tamim Iqbal's return to the national team next year during a media interaction on Monday in Savar. 

Tamim has been absent from the national team for a considerable period. Prior to the last Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season, he stated he would consider his return after the tournament. However, he remained silent on the matter for months following the T20 league.

The BCB also offered no definitive updates about Tamim's international comeback.

BCB's chief selector, Gazi Ashraf Hossain, recently ruled out the possibility of Tamim's return for the upcoming T20I World Cup in June (USA and the West Indies).

Amidst uncertainty surrounding Tamim's international career, board president Nazmul Hasan revealed that Tamim may return next year.

“Tamim discussed his potential return with Jalal Yunus and others. He will now meet with me,” Nazmul said, indicating he'd heard of Tamim's intention to return next year.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh team is now focused on preparing for a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, starting May 3rd in Chattogram. The BCB has announced a 17-member preliminary preparation squad for the Zimbabwe series.

MSH

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.