Bangladesh sports advisor Asif Nazrul firmly rejected ICC pressure amid T20 World Cup venue dispute, stating Bangladesh won't accept "unreasonable conditions" if ICC "bows to BCCI pressure." He dismissed speculation about Scotland replacing Bangladesh, reiterating security concerns over playing in India. BCB requested games be moved to co-host Sri Lanka, citing BCCI's directive to Kolkata Knight Riders releasing Mustafizur Rahman amid India-Bangladesh political tensions. Weekend talks in Dhaka reached no agreement. ICC set January 21 deadline for resolution. Nazrul referenced Pakistan's past venue changes, arguing Bangladesh's request has "logical ground." Bangladesh are scheduled to play Group C matches in Kolkata and Mumbai against West Indies, Italy, England, and Nepal. (PC: AFP)

Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal has confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton. The former world No. 1 said her decision was forced by a severe knee problem. “I thought it’s enough. I can’t push it anymore,” she said on a podcast. Saina last played at the Singapore Open in 2023. She revealed that her cartilage has worn out and she has arthritis. “My knee was giving up in one or two hours,” she said. Saina won Olympic bronze in 2012 and inspired a generation of Indian shuttlers. (PC: R. V. Moorthy)

Bangladesh has responded strongly to reports of an ICC ultimatum over the 2026 T20 World Cup. Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul said the country will not accept “unreasonable pressure” to play in India. He said International Cricket Council has not formally warned Bangladesh about exclusion. Nazrul added that venue changes were allowed earlier in similar cases. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has held talks with the ICC. Reports say Scotland could replace Bangladesh if they pull out. The T20 World Cup begins on February 7. (PC: AFP)

Bangladesh has hardened its stand amid uncertainty over its participation in the T20 World Cup, raising concerns about playing matches in India. Sports adviser Asif Nazrul said Bangladesh will not accept conditions it sees as unfair or unreasonable. He dismissed speculation that the team could be dropped from the tournament. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has sought a venue change, citing security issues. Talks with the International Cricket Council have so far failed to break the deadlock. The tournament is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka next month. (PC: X)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is considering major changes to its annual central contract system, according to reports. Under the proposed model, the Grade A category may be removed. If approved, senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to be placed in Grade B. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has suggested scrapping the A+ category and retaining only A, B and C grades. Final decisions and financial details are likely at the next BCCI apex council meeting. (PC: NDTV)

National pole vault record holder Dev Meena and fellow athlete Kuldeep Yadav were forcibly deboarded from a train at Panvel station by a Travelling Ticket Examiner who prohibited them from carrying their poles which is an essential sport equipment. The athletes were stranded for nearly five hours while explaining their situation to authorities after returning from the All India Inter-University Championships. A viral video shows Meena questioning the treatment, wondering about harassment faced by junior athletes if international competitors face such issues. The 19-year-old Meena holds India's national record at 5.35m, set in April 2025, though significantly trailing the Asian record (6m) and world record (6.27m by Armand Duplantis). The incident sparked nationwide controversy.

On The Great Indian Kapil Show, Kapil Sharma joked about Yuvraj Singh's cricket revenge against England despite marrying British actor-model Hazel Keech. Yuvraj's savage reply: "It's my karma." The episode featured Yuvraj, Virender Sehwag, and Mohammad Kaif sharing hilarious memories. Sehwag teased Yuvraj about owning multiple houses across Chandigarh, Gurugram, Mumbai, London, and Dubai. The trio admitted surviving with minimal English vocabulary. Yuvraj's England records include the fastest T20 fifty (12 balls) in 2007, career-best ODI score (150), and cricket's second-highest fourth-wicket partnership with MS Dhoni. He married Hazel in November 2016; they have two children. Yuvraj ranks second for most ODI runs against England with 1,523. (PC: Instagram/@yuvisofficial)

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has said he is open to returning to the Olympics to play cricket at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. Cricket will return to the Olympics after 128 years at Los Angeles Olympics 2028. Bolt said cricket was his first sport before athletics and joked he would be ready if Jamaica called. He retired from track in 2017 after winning eight Olympic gold medals. Six teams each will compete in men’s and women’s cricket, with squads of up to 15 players. (PC: India Today)

The International Cricket Council has given Bangladesh until January 21 to confirm its participation in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. The tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has raised safety concerns about playing matches in India and has asked for games to be moved elsewhere. The ICC has refused to change the schedule or swap groups. It said independent security assessments found no specific threat in India. If Bangladesh withdraws, the ICC may name a replacement team. (PC: X)

The International Cricket Council has issued Bangladesh Cricket Board a January 21 deadline to confirm participation in T20 World Cup 2026 or face replacement. An ICC delegation met BCB officials in Dhaka on Saturday, delivering the ultimatum after Bangladesh refused to play matches in India citing security concerns. The dispute arose following Mustafizur Rahman's release from IPL. BCB requested relocating their World Cup matches outside India, but ICC rejected the demand. The global cricket body warned that failure to confirm by the deadline would result in Bangladesh's replacement, with Scotland emerging as the leading contender. The ICC's firm stance demonstrates diminishing patience with BCB's demands regarding the tournament's India-hosted matches. (PC: ICC)