A Bangladeshi fan attending the India-Bangladesh Test match on Friday in Kanpur was rushed to the hospital after allegedly being heckled and assaulted inside the stadium, reported India’s PTI news agency.

The fan, known as “Tiger Roby,” was dressed in a tiger costume – the emblem of the Bangladesh cricket team – and was standing in the C Block balcony of Green Park Stadium, where the incident took place.

A clip on PTI Videos showed the fan being carried out of the stadium by medical officials and security personnel. He was later seated on a chair and given water.

In another account, PTI, quoting police, reported that the fan was not assaulted but suffered from dehydration.

A follow-up report by PTI claimed that Roby was hospitalised after falling ill.

“He was gasping for breath when he met a constable. He became unconscious before we could speak to him, but now he is fine,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Harish Chander was quoted as saying in the PTI report.

However, a journalist covering the game told Geo News that the fan was manhandled, though not beaten or assaulted.

“Tiger Roby was manhandled after he angered Indian fans by insulting some of their players. They tried to snatch the Bangladesh flag from him, and he was slightly hit. He wasn’t beaten, nor was it a case of dehydration. He did get hit slightly, but then he overdramatised the incident,” the journalist told this correspondent.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An emotional video tribute to Johnny Gaudreau and 13 seconds of silence — for his uniform number — opened the Columbus Blue Jackets’ first game at Nationwide Arena since the star player’s death nearly a month ago.

The tributes came before the Blue Jackets’ 3-0 preseason victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

Gaudreau and brother Matthew were killed Aug. 29 near their boyhood home in New Jersey when police said they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bicycles on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding. The driver who police say struck them is charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Starting with preseason games, the Blue Jackets are wearing helmet stickers with “Gaudreau” printed between the images of two doves and the uniform numbers of the brothers, No. 13 for Johnny, No. 21 for Matthew, the number he wore as a player for Boston College.

“I think you put yourself in some of these situations where you’d have John around,” Columbus forward Sean Kuraly said. “Thinking about him all day, obviously. Drive to the rink and a lot of times I’d pick him up on the way. So he’s not there for that. I spent a lot of the day thinking about John. When he’s not there with us, it’s a tough day.”

Columbus players will wear a commemorative patch beginning with the first regular-season game with Johnny Gaudreau’s No. 13.

Traditional activities for the home opener Oct. 15 will be postponed so the night can be dedicated to paying tribute to the Gaudreau brothers. The home opener will be celebrated two nights later instead.

One of the worst teams in the NHL last season, the Blue Jackets must find a way to move forward with a new general manager, new coach and a huge void left on and off the ice by the death of 31-year-old “Johnny Hockey.”

Gaudreau’s jersey still hangs in his dressing stall in the Columbus locker room.

“The guys are close,” new coach Dean Evason. “And that doesn’t just mean the guys that have been here in Columbus. It’s everyone here in this camp. We’ve seen a real close-knit group.”

This is the team’s second training camp in recent years that follows the offseason death of a player. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died in July 2021 of chest trauma from an errant fireworks mortar blast at the wedding of an assistant coach’s daughter.

On Wednesday night, Denton Mateychuk and Kirill Marchenko scored for Columbus, with Kuraly picking up assists on both. Kent Johnson scored an empty-net goal with 43 seconds left.

Lahore: Seasoned and globally acclaimed cricket umpire Aleem Dar will retire at the end of the 2024-25 domestic season. Dar is a three-time winner of the prestigious David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year (2009-2011).

The 56-year-old Aleem also enjoyed a playing career of 17 first-class and 18 List-A matches between 1986 and 1998, before he made his first-class umpiring debut during the 1998-99 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

From 2003 to 2023, he served on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, where he earned a reputation for his player management skills, understanding of the playing conditions, calm demeanour, and outstanding decision-making.

To date, Dar has officiated in a record-breaking 145 Tests, 231 ODIs, 72 T20Is, 5 WT20Is, 181 first-class matches, and 282 List-A matches.

As we celebrate Aleem Dar’s remarkable career, which will conclude at the end of the PCB’s 2024-25 season, let’s take a moment to reflect and enjoy some of his on-field moments that highlight his larger-than-life personality 🙌

Read more: https://t.co/fqlpI7yp2g pic.twitter.com/jJzeldastn

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 27, 2024

(AFP): Bangladesh ex-captain Shakib Al Hasan, facing prosecution at home for his relationship with the country’s former leader, said on Thursday he would retire from international cricket by March next year.

Shakib is facing murder charges at home, along with dozens of other members of ex-premier Sheikh Hasina’s party accused of culpability in a deadly police crackdown on protesters.

The 37-year-old has not returned to Bangladesh since the toppling of Hasina’s government in last month’s student-led revolution.

Shakib said that next year’s Champion’s Trophy in Pakistan would be his last international outing.

But he added that he wanted to return home for a slated two-match Test series against South Africa, and had asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board if he could return.

“It’s my desire, I have said this to BCB and the selectors,” Shakib told reporters ahead of Friday’s second Test against India in Kanpur.

“They agreed with me, that they are trying to organise everything if possible, so that I can go back to Bangladesh play those two Test matches in Mirpur and finish my Test career there.” He added: “If that doesn’t happen maybe this is my last one.”

The South Africa tour due to start on October 21 is still under a cloud, with the Proteas assessing whether Bangladesh is safe enough after last month’s revolution.

‘Right time for me’

Shakib said he had already called time on his T20 career following the World Cup in June.

“I played my last match during my last game of the World Cup. We have discussed this with selectors and board,” he said.

“This is the right time for me to move on and BCB will look into some new players.”

Shakib said that he would play his final 50-over matches at the Champions Trophy, which will be hosted by Pakistan in February.

“I have eight games to go in ODI’s and the Champions Trophy will be last,” he said.

Shakib was the driving force of the Bangladesh team’s rise to become serious international contenders, enthralling fans through both star turns and scandals.

He remains the only player to have topped the International Cricket Council all-rounder rankings in all three formats simultaneously.

Shakib played a key role in his team’s historic Test series sweep in Pakistan earlier this month, and went to England to play county cricket for Surrey before heading to India.

The veteran player has represented Bangladesh in 70 Tests, 247 ODIs and 129 T20 matches since his international debut in 2006.