Bangladesh will host Asia Cup 2014

Bangladesh will be hosting the Asia Cup cricket tournament in 2014 most likely in the months of February-March. India had agreed to host the 2014 edition, however they backed out citing a packed international schedule and Bangladesh is set to host the Cup for the second time in a row. 

The probable dates for the tournament will be February 24 to March 8. 

The decision was taken at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) board meeting on April 8 in Kuala Lumpur. India had informed the Asian Cricket Council that they were trying to finalize the itinerary for the New Zealand tour, scheduled to be held in February-March next year. However Bangladesh, in order to host the tournament, have agreed to postpone a scheduled tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Pakistan around the same time. 

There is a possibility of the probable dates changing again as the BCCI has been trying to convince New Zealand Cricket for two Tests, two ODIs and two T20Is, which will enable India to compete in the Asia Cup. The ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP) has India scheduled to play three Tests, five ODIs and a single Twenty20 international. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/55114/bangladesh-will-host-asia-cup-2014

Nadir Shah has been suspended for 10 years

Bangladesh have banned Nadir Shah, who umpired in 40 one-day internationals between 2006-11, for 10 years for corruption. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) handed out the punishment on Monday following an investigation by a special inquiry committee. 

In October, the Hindi-language news channel India TV showed footage of Shah and other officials from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan allegedly negotiating deals with under-cover reporters to affect the outcome of matches. 

"Umpire Nadir Shah will not be considered for a BCB retainer for 10 years," the Bangladesh Cricket Board said in a statement. 

"During this period he will not be eligible for any assignment under the jurisdiction of the BCB." 

Shah, a member of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) panel of umpires, also officiated in three Twenty20 internationals. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54783/bangladesh-board-bans-umpire-for-10-years-for-corruption

No Pakistan players for BPL

Bangladesh cricket chiefs said Wednesday that Pakistan had refused to release any of its players for a Twenty20 competition which begins this week after a planned bilateral series had to be scrapped.

Pakistan had been due to host Bangladesh for a Twenty20 game and a 50-over match in Lahore this month in what would have been its first home internationals since a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team bus nearly four years ago.

But the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cancelled the tour, saying Pakistan was not safe for its players.

According to a BCB spokesman, Pakistan has now responded by preventing any of its stars from competing in the Bangladesh Premier League which begins Thursday.

"The chief executive officer of PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) called our CEO today and informed him that they won't allow Pakistani players to play in the BPL until we send our team to their country," spokesman Jalal Yunus told AFP.

"We've now decided to host the event without Pakistani players," he said, adding the BPL's seven franchises would now find replacements for the 26 Pakistani players they bought in the auction last month.

The move represents a major blow for the second edition of the BPL since Pakistani cricketers have a big following in Bangladesh.

PCB undecided on player's participation in BPL

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still undecided on whether it will allow its players to take part in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) next year. The deadline to issue the No Objection Certificates (NOC) for the tournament is over but the PCB has still not given the NOCs to any of its players.

"We will soon take a policy decision on permitting players to play in the BPL as presently we are dealing with other more important issues like the tour to India," a PCB official said.

The next player's auction for the upcoming season is scheduled to take place on the 19th of December. 20 players from Pakistan had represented the various franchises in the inaugural edition of the BPL, raising the standard of the league to a large extent.

A PCB source stated that the board was awaiting a response from their Bangladeshi counterparts for the confirmation of dates for the country's pending tour to Pakistan.

"The PCB is also concerned because of the pay disputes that arose between players and franchises this year," the source said.

The PCB was not too impressed with the BCB after they retracted on a promise to play two matches in Lahore. Apparently, the Bangladesh Board had been directed by the Dhaka High Court against sending their players to Pakistan because of security reasons.

Interestingly, the BCB President, Nazmul Hasan has said that they are in talks with the PCB for a short tour to Pakistan in January. "We can't go in December so we will speak to the PCB, about whether we can fit in a small tour before the BPL," Hassan said.

Hassan had earlier stated that the BCB had made a written commitment to the PCB, giving their approval for the short tour.

Bangladesh star Shakib to wed on 12/12/12

Shakib, from the small western town of Magura, has been the mainstay of the Bangladesh team since he made his international debut in 2006. He is the country's highest-earning player and its only Indian Premier League player.

In the last three years, he led the International Cricket Council's all-rounders' rankings in Test and one-dayers.

Bangladesh's top fashion and advertising model Monalisa, who uses one name, is also marrying her American boyfriend in Dhaka. The couple will host a party at a posh club Wednesday night.

"12/12/12 is a memorable day. This magic day won't come again," Monalisa told reporters.

Bangladesh's star player and formerly the nation's most eligible bachelor Shakib al Hasan was set to marry his American girlfriend Wednesday in a ceremony timed for 12/12/12, a friend and local reports said.

The 25-year-old cricketer, the world's leading all-rounder, will tie the knot with an American of Bangladeshi origin in a private family ceremony organised on the once-in-a-lifetime date, his friend told AFP.

"They want to make the occasion memorable by marrying on 12/12/12. But only a few people are invited in the ceremony," the friend said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A spokesman for the upmarket Ruposhi Bangla hotel in Dhaka said the couple would hold a small family party at the hotel. "To the best of my knowledge, it's a wedding party," he told AFP.

Shakib introduced his future wife, 23-year-old Umme Ahmed Shishir, to fellow cricketers on Monday during the Bangladesh-West Indies Twenty20 cricket match in the capital Dhaka.

According to Bengali daily Samakal, the left-arm spinner met Shishir, a Minnesota University graduate, in London in 2010 when he was playing for English county side Worcestershire.

Social media was flooded with photos of the couple. Comments from some heartbroken girls questioned the cricketer's choice in marrying an allegedly hard-partying expatriate.