Soumya happy to begin practice after injury-forced break

Published at : 19 January 2025, 11:00 am
Soumya happy to begin practice after injury-forced break

Bangladesh opener Soumya Sarkar was elated to begin the practice after an injury-forced break as he is eying to have a full recovery before the Champions Trophy.

Soumya, however, started practice with his franchise Rangpur Riders, which had so far won all eight matches in the Bangladesh Premier League.  

“Being able to come to the ground for practice is the most pleasing factor for a player,” Soumya said. “I started batting and seemed to recover fully. The improvement is visible. Since we are cricketers, it is always good to come to the practice.”

Soumya who was in good touch with the bat suffered a finger injury during the second T20 International against West Indies at St Vincent last month.

“I am trying to recover fully as early as possible but I am not forcing anything. If I try to force myself, it may have negative impact. I am batting now, but I am not fielding yet. I have to go slow; I have to go through the processes that are there. I have to talk to the physio, the doctors.

They will be able to say well. I finished (batting) and gave my feedback to the physio. He gave me some extra work again. It is going on like this, trying to return as soon as possible.”

The left-handed top-order batter added, “If I don’t recover completely, it will be more risky. If I go down in a hurry and get back there, it may take two months instead of a month. I, the doctor, Rangpur Riders, all stakeholders will have to talk and decide.”

Rangpur hoped to get Soumya from the beginning of the tournament. Before the BPL, Rangpur won the Global T20 title, thanks to a blistering performance of Soumya who became the best player of the tournament. He also was the best player in the final.

He carried that form to the national team in the West Indies tour. But he injured his finger while fielding. Later, he needed five stitches.

It was believed that he would not play any match in the BPL. But the top-order batter, who has played 178 international matches for Bangladesh so far, hopes for the best.

“I will try to start from where I left off. Although the task is difficult, since I was injured, I have to work again and come back. But I will try to start from the form I was in.”

Mushfiqur to play for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024

Published at : 24 September 2023, 03:42 pm
Mushfiqur to play for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024

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 quits PSG to sign for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:06 pm
Neymar quits PSG to sign for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal

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 ‘in negotiations’ over Saudi move as Mbappe returns to PSG good books

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:05 pm
Neymar ‘in negotiations’ over Saudi move as Mbappe returns to PSG good books

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.

PSG get better of Dortmund in Champions League opener

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:03 pm
PSG get better of Dortmund in Champions League opener

Paris Saint-Germain got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday as a Kylian Mbappe penalty set them up for a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Parc des Princes.

The French champions had dominated the first half without overly troubling the Dortmund defence, but they went ahead four minutes after the break when Mbappe scored a spot-kick awarded for a Niklas Suele handball.

Achraf Hakimi added a memorable second, and PSG could have won the Group F encounter by a far more handsome margin in the end.

The result immediately puts them in control of the group, after AC Milan and Newcastle United drew 0-0 earlier, and coach Luis Enrique will hope they can build on this performance when they visit the English side next in a fortnight.

"It was an almost perfect evening," said Luis Enrique.