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ATP and Saudi PIF launch programme to support rising talent  The ATP and Saudi Arabia’s Public ​Investment Fund (PIF) launched the ATP Next ‌Gen Accelerator on Thursday, a programme ​aimed at supporting rising ⁠talent and widening opportunities for players from the Global South as they seek ‌to break onto the ATP Tour.Eligible players will gain ‌access to ATP Tennis IQ ‌Powered ⁠by PIF, an integrated performance ⁠technology platform, along with medical support, structured education and enhanced promotion across ATP platforms.The ​initiative seeks to ‌level the playing field for emerging players and provide greater stability for young professionals.ALSO READ | Laureus Awards — Alcaraz, Sabalenka bag top honours; Yamal, Kroos also awarded“We can’t just ‌sit back there and just ​hope that the Rafas (Nadal) or Rogers (Federer) will just happen to ⁠come out, right? You can’t depend on luck all your life,” ATP ‌chief executive Eno Polo told        Reuters at the Madrid Open.“This is a great programme to help accelerate that, and also because there’s a lot of places in ‌the world where they don’t have the ​support of the federations that have structures.”The launch aligns ⁠with PIF’s 2026–2030 strategy, under which the 5 ⁠billion sovereign wealth fund plans to focus investment across six ‌key themes as it looks to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy ​beyond oil. Published on Apr 23, 2026  #ATP #Saudi #PIF #launch #programme #support #rising #talent

ATP and Saudi PIF launch programme to support rising talent

The ATP and Saudi Arabia’s Public ​Investment Fund (PIF) launched the ATP Next ‌Gen Accelerator on Thursday, a programme ​aimed at supporting rising ⁠talent and widening opportunities for players from the Global South as they seek ‌to break onto the ATP Tour.

Eligible players will gain ‌access to ATP Tennis IQ ‌Powered ⁠by PIF, an integrated performance ⁠technology platform, along with medical support, structured education and enhanced promotion across ATP platforms.

The ​initiative seeks to ‌level the playing field for emerging players and provide greater stability for young professionals.

ALSO READ | Laureus Awards — Alcaraz, Sabalenka bag top honours; Yamal, Kroos also awarded

“We can’t just ‌sit back there and just ​hope that the Rafas (Nadal) or Rogers (Federer) will just happen to ⁠come out, right? You can’t depend on luck all your life,” ATP ‌chief executive Eno Polo told Reuters at the Madrid Open.

“This is a great programme to help accelerate that, and also because there’s a lot of places in ‌the world where they don’t have the ​support of the federations that have structures.”

The launch aligns ⁠with PIF’s 2026–2030 strategy, under which the $925 ⁠billion sovereign wealth fund plans to focus investment across six ‌key themes as it looks to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy ​beyond oil. 

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#ATP #Saudi #PIF #launch #programme #support #rising #talent

The ATP and Saudi Arabia’s Public ​Investment Fund (PIF) launched the ATP Next ‌Gen Accelerator on Thursday, a programme ​aimed at supporting rising ⁠talent and widening opportunities for players from the Global South as they seek ‌to break onto the ATP Tour.

Eligible players will gain ‌access to ATP Tennis IQ ‌Powered ⁠by PIF, an integrated performance ⁠technology platform, along with medical support, structured education and enhanced promotion across ATP platforms.

The ​initiative seeks to ‌level the playing field for emerging players and provide greater stability for young professionals.

ALSO READ | Laureus Awards — Alcaraz, Sabalenka bag top honours; Yamal, Kroos also awarded

“We can’t just ‌sit back there and just ​hope that the Rafas (Nadal) or Rogers (Federer) will just happen to ⁠come out, right? You can’t depend on luck all your life,” ATP ‌chief executive Eno Polo told Reuters at the Madrid Open.

“This is a great programme to help accelerate that, and also because there’s a lot of places in ‌the world where they don’t have the ​support of the federations that have structures.”

The launch aligns ⁠with PIF’s 2026–2030 strategy, under which the $925 ⁠billion sovereign wealth fund plans to focus investment across six ‌key themes as it looks to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy ​beyond oil. 

Published on Apr 23, 2026

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#ATP #Saudi #PIF #launch #programme #support #rising #talent

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Florida makes Thomas Haugh highest-paid college basketball player ever, per report <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Thomas Haugh was projected as a possible lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46886245/2026-nba-draft-big-board-rankings-top-100-prospects-players">ESPN ranked the 6’9 junior wing at No. 13 overall on its big board</a>, which is historically the best gauge of how NBA executives and scouts are viewing a player in the draft process. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/1101899/nba-draft-2026-rankings-big-board-boozer-peterson-dybantsa">SB Nation had Haugh at No. 21 overall in its post-March Madness mock draft</a>, and that might have been his floor. Players this highly regarded are almost always turning pro. NIL has now changed that.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1"><a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/2046618710719308039">Haugh announced he’s returning to Florida</a> for his senior season on Wednesday. It’s a stunning decision that positions the Gators as the likely preseason No. 1 in the polls and the favorite for the 2027 national championship. Highly-regarded teammate Alex Condon also announced he was returning to school, and fellow Gators big man Rueben Chinyelu is testing the draft process but did not enter the transfer portal. It feels more likely than not that Chinyelu will return to Gainesville alongside Haugh and Condon to reunite a key trio on Florida’s 2024 national championship team.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It’s not unprecedented for a projected lottery pick to return to school even before the NIL era. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/4/12/15246600/miles-bridges-nba-draft-2017-michigan-state-return-to-school">I remember writing about Miles Bridges and Robert Williams spurning the 2017 NBA Draft</a> to return to Michigan State and Texas A&M respectively. Joakim Noah famously returned to Florida ahead of the 2006 NBA Draft, where he could have been the No. 1 overall pick. We’ve seen in football that <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/1100137/new-york-jets-dante-moores-return-to-oregon-blessing-nfl-draft">NIL dollars are now big enough to keep even potential top-5 prospects in school</a> for another year. Still, Haugh’s decision is a huge surprise. We haven’t had a player this highly touted bypass the NBA for a return to college in almost a decade.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It makes sense that Haugh had to get a huge NIL bag to come back to Florida, and reporter <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7215187/2026/04/21/thomas-haugh-florida-return-nba-draft/">Sam Vecenie of The Athletic confirmed that’s the case</a>:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><blockquote class="duet--article--blockquote _1teeyfa0 ls9zuh9"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1teeyfa8 ls9zuh1">Haugh is expected to be among the highest earners in college basketball next season, with sources familiar with the decision projecting that he’s in line to make around what he’d earn in his first two NBA seasons combined if he’d been drafted in the top 20 in this year’s draft</p></blockquote></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">NIL payments for college athletes aren’t public, but if you follow these things closely enough the information is usually out there somewhere. <a href="https://x.com/adamzagoria/status/1866513492221817272?s=46">AJ Dybantsa’s NIL payment from BYU was reported to be around $7 million</a>. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/womens-ncaa-basketball/2024/4/1/24117909/caitlin-clark-nil-deals-iowa-ncaa">Caitlin Clark reportedly made more than $3 million</a> as a senior at Iowa. No one knows what Cooper Flagg or Cameron Boozer made at Duke, but it was likely a lot of money.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">To my knowledge, Dybantsa is the highest paid college basketball player ever, and it’s likely Haugh just surpassed him. CBS insider Matt Norlander speculated that Haugh will make at least $8 million at Florida next season based on Vecenie’s report.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Florida is going to have the highest-paid player in all of college basketball this season, and rightfully so,” Norlander said.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Haugh is set to turn 23 years old on July 7. He would have been an old NBA rookie even if he entered the 2026 NBA Draft, and he’s going to be even older in 2027. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/1109728/yaxel-lendeborg-michigan-journey-nba-draft-national-championship">Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg told SB Nation that he returned to college a year ago in part because NBA scouts told him his advanced age didn’t matter</a>. Lendeborg was considered more of a borderline first round pick a year ago, and he definitely improved his stock by winning the national championship with the Wolverines even if he’ll be a 24-year-old rookie. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/1101899/nba-draft-2026-rankings-big-board-boozer-peterson-dybantsa">I had Lendeborg in the top-10 of my midseason board</a> where Haugh was unranked. Some older prospects can still be worth a lottery pick, and Haugh’s situation will be fascinating in 2027.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The 2027 NBA Draft is considered much weaker than the 2026 version. That means Haugh shouldn’t fall too far, right? I’m not quite sold yet. Haugh seems to have nothing to gain by returning to Florida, where he’s already won a national championship and proven himself as a decent 3-and-D wing. If NBA scouts already considered him a lottery pick, he probably should have gone to the NBA, because I think it’s highly possible his stock isn’t that high next year even in a worse class.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">There were some red flags in Haugh’s draft profile this past season. He posted a 1.8 percent steal rate in back-to-back seasons, which is well below the 2.5 percent threshold scouts like to see as a baseline for athleticism. He wasn’t a particularly strong rebounder on either end, posting a seven percent offensive rebound rate, and a 12.3 percent defensive rebound rate, which are just average numbers. His outside shooting wasn’t that good either with a 32.6 percent stroke from three-point range on 178 attempts. His rim finishing was solid at 62.1 percent with 57.5 percent of those being assisted, but those numbers certainly aren’t spectacular.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Florida is probably going to be really, really good, and Haugh will probably do well in his role. But unless he shows something new in his game like Lendeborg did, it’s possible scouts get another look at his skill set and decide he never should have been a lottery pick in the first place.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Thomas Haugh’s biggest risk in returning is about his <em>second</em> NBA contract</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The real money in the NBA is in your second contract. If a player is good enough, it makes any NIL money or rookie scale NBA deal look like chump change.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">By returning to Florida, Haugh will now be 28 years old by the time he’s ready to sign a second contract after his four-year rookie deal expires. That contract will take Haugh into his early 30s. Compare that with projected top-3 pick Cameron Boozer, who is four years younger than Haugh, and will only be 24 years old when he signs his second deal and really cashes in with huge NBA money. Teams will always think a young player has more upside. By your early 30s, most players are already starting to decline.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Haugh’s decision could work out well. Maybe he shoots it better and improves his rebounding, and maintains his stock as a lottery pick as Florida marches through the bracket for the second time in his college career. Maybe the NBA is underwhelmed by the incoming class of freshmen and decides it is worth it to swing on older players higher in the draft.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Age is the clearest defining line in sports, especially as it relates to upside. To me, Haugh should have turned pro if he was really going to be a top-15 pick. Yes, the NBA will always be there for him, but that doesn’t mean it will definitely value him the same way.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Either way, good for Haugh for following his heart and his bank account by deciding to stay in college. The NBA is an unforgiving league, and next season should feel like a joyride for the Gators based on their talent and experience … at least until the single-elimination postseason starts.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It’s wild to think Thomas Haugh will make $8+ million next year. That’s about what Tre Johnson made as a rookie after being the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. NIL dollars are overpowering NBA money, at least in the short term. Haugh cashed in at a historic level.</p></div></div> #Florida #Thomas #Haugh #highestpaid #college #basketball #player #report

Deadspin | Report: Bucks hiring former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins  Mar 27, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins watches his team play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images   Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins will be the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN reported on Thursday afternoon.  Jenkins, 41, was an assistant in Milwaukee in the 2018-19 season under head coach Mike Budenholzer. Jenkins was hired by Memphis in 2019 and became the franchise’s all-time winningest coach (250-214, .539) in six seasons. The team went 9-14 in three playoff appearances (2021-23).  The Grizzlies fired Jenkins on March 28, 2025, despite the team’s 44-29 record.  ESPN reported that Milwaukee officials, including ownership, met with Jenkins last week in Memphis and on Tuesday in Milwaukee to lock in his commitment.   Bucks head coach Doc Rivers stepped down after a 32-50 season, the team’s worst since 2013-14 and the first time it missed the playoffs since 2015-16.  Milwaukee compiled a record of 97-103 since Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin in January 2024. The Bucks lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the previous two campaigns under Rivers.  Jenkins was an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) before joining the Bucks’ staff.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Bucks #hiring #Grizzlies #coach #Taylor #JenkinsMar 27, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins watches his team play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins will be the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN reported on Thursday afternoon.

Jenkins, 41, was an assistant in Milwaukee in the 2018-19 season under head coach Mike Budenholzer. Jenkins was hired by Memphis in 2019 and became the franchise’s all-time winningest coach (250-214, .539) in six seasons. The team went 9-14 in three playoff appearances (2021-23).

The Grizzlies fired Jenkins on March 28, 2025, despite the team’s 44-29 record.


ESPN reported that Milwaukee officials, including ownership, met with Jenkins last week in Memphis and on Tuesday in Milwaukee to lock in his commitment.

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers stepped down after a 32-50 season, the team’s worst since 2013-14 and the first time it missed the playoffs since 2015-16.

Milwaukee compiled a record of 97-103 since Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin in January 2024. The Bucks lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the previous two campaigns under Rivers.

Jenkins was an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) before joining the Bucks’ staff.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Report #Bucks #hiring #Grizzlies #coach #Taylor #Jenkins">Deadspin | Report: Bucks hiring former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins  Mar 27, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins watches his team play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images   Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins will be the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN reported on Thursday afternoon.  Jenkins, 41, was an assistant in Milwaukee in the 2018-19 season under head coach Mike Budenholzer. Jenkins was hired by Memphis in 2019 and became the franchise’s all-time winningest coach (250-214, .539) in six seasons. The team went 9-14 in three playoff appearances (2021-23).  The Grizzlies fired Jenkins on March 28, 2025, despite the team’s 44-29 record.  ESPN reported that Milwaukee officials, including ownership, met with Jenkins last week in Memphis and on Tuesday in Milwaukee to lock in his commitment.   Bucks head coach Doc Rivers stepped down after a 32-50 season, the team’s worst since 2013-14 and the first time it missed the playoffs since 2015-16.  Milwaukee compiled a record of 97-103 since Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin in January 2024. The Bucks lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the previous two campaigns under Rivers.  Jenkins was an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) before joining the Bucks’ staff.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Bucks #hiring #Grizzlies #coach #Taylor #Jenkins

Najmul Hossain Shanto hit a timely century and Mustafizur Rahman claimed five wickets as ​Bangladesh secured a 55-run victory over New Zealand in ‌the third one-day international in Chattogram on Thursday ​to complete a 2-1 series triumph.

Bangladesh ⁠set New Zealand 266 for victory after Shanto’s patient 105 and Litton Das’s fluent 76, and while the Black Caps ‌overcame some initial turbulence to get into a strong position in their chase, they ‌were bowled out for 210 in 44.5 ‌overs.

Nick ⁠Kelly gave the tourist hope scoring 59 ⁠but perished chasing a slow, wide ball from Rahman (5-43), and the Bangladesh seamer ran riot from there to ensure his team’s ​victory despite late fireworks ‌from Dean Foxcroft (75).

New Zealand struck early after winning the toss and asking Bangladesh to bat, as Will O’Rourke (3-32) sent back opener Saif Hassan for ‌a two-ball duck and got Tanzid Hasan to ​play one onto his stumps in the third over.

Bangladesh seals 2-1 ODI series win over New Zealand  Najmul Hossain Shanto hit a timely century and Mustafizur Rahman claimed five wickets as ​Bangladesh secured a 55-run victory over New Zealand in ‌the third one-day international in Chattogram on Thursday ​to complete a 2-1 series triumph.Bangladesh ⁠set New Zealand 266 for victory after Shanto’s patient 105 and Litton Das’s fluent 76, and while the Black Caps ‌overcame some initial turbulence to get into a strong position in their chase, they ‌were bowled out for 210 in 44.5 ‌overs.Nick ⁠Kelly gave the tourist hope scoring 59 ⁠but perished chasing a slow, wide ball from Rahman (5-43), and the Bangladesh seamer ran riot from there to ensure his team’s ​victory despite late fireworks ‌from Dean Foxcroft (75).New Zealand struck early after winning the toss and asking Bangladesh to bat, as Will O’Rourke (3-32) sent back opener Saif Hassan for ‌a two-ball duck and got Tanzid Hasan to ​play one onto his stumps in the third over. Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AFP
                            

                            Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AFP
                                                    The paceman similarly bowled out Soumya ⁠Sarkar for 18 to leave Bangladesh in trouble at 32-3, but the host fought back through a ‌160-run partnership between Shanto and Das when New Zealand’s bowlers went off the boil slightly.That fourth-wicket stand was broken by Jayden Lennox (2-50) when he bowled Das, before Shanto scored his first ODI century since 2024 and then departed while looking to raise ‌the scoring rate with seven overs remaining.Bangladesh finished on 265-8 ​after handy knocks from Towhid Hridoy (33) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (22), while Ben Lister (2-62) claimed ⁠late wickets to keep things in check.New Zealand won ⁠the series opener by 26 runs in Mirpur and the host levelled at 1-1 with ‌a six-wicket victory at the same venue on Monday. The teams play three Twenty20 Internationals starting ​in Chattogram next week.Published on Apr 23, 2026  #Bangladesh #seals #ODI #series #win #Zealand

Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls. | Photo Credit: AFP

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Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls. | Photo Credit: AFP

The paceman similarly bowled out Soumya ⁠Sarkar for 18 to leave Bangladesh in trouble at 32-3, but the host fought back through a ‌160-run partnership between Shanto and Das when New Zealand’s bowlers went off the boil slightly.

That fourth-wicket stand was broken by Jayden Lennox (2-50) when he bowled Das, before Shanto scored his first ODI century since 2024 and then departed while looking to raise ‌the scoring rate with seven overs remaining.

Bangladesh finished on 265-8 ​after handy knocks from Towhid Hridoy (33) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (22), while Ben Lister (2-62) claimed ⁠late wickets to keep things in check.

New Zealand won ⁠the series opener by 26 runs in Mirpur and the host levelled at 1-1 with ‌a six-wicket victory at the same venue on Monday. The teams play three Twenty20 Internationals starting ​in Chattogram next week.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Bangladesh #seals #ODI #series #win #Zealand">Bangladesh seals 2-1 ODI series win over New Zealand  Najmul Hossain Shanto hit a timely century and Mustafizur Rahman claimed five wickets as ​Bangladesh secured a 55-run victory over New Zealand in ‌the third one-day international in Chattogram on Thursday ​to complete a 2-1 series triumph.Bangladesh ⁠set New Zealand 266 for victory after Shanto’s patient 105 and Litton Das’s fluent 76, and while the Black Caps ‌overcame some initial turbulence to get into a strong position in their chase, they ‌were bowled out for 210 in 44.5 ‌overs.Nick ⁠Kelly gave the tourist hope scoring 59 ⁠but perished chasing a slow, wide ball from Rahman (5-43), and the Bangladesh seamer ran riot from there to ensure his team’s ​victory despite late fireworks ‌from Dean Foxcroft (75).New Zealand struck early after winning the toss and asking Bangladesh to bat, as Will O’Rourke (3-32) sent back opener Saif Hassan for ‌a two-ball duck and got Tanzid Hasan to ​play one onto his stumps in the third over. Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AFP
                            

                            Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AFP
                                                    The paceman similarly bowled out Soumya ⁠Sarkar for 18 to leave Bangladesh in trouble at 32-3, but the host fought back through a ‌160-run partnership between Shanto and Das when New Zealand’s bowlers went off the boil slightly.That fourth-wicket stand was broken by Jayden Lennox (2-50) when he bowled Das, before Shanto scored his first ODI century since 2024 and then departed while looking to raise ‌the scoring rate with seven overs remaining.Bangladesh finished on 265-8 ​after handy knocks from Towhid Hridoy (33) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (22), while Ben Lister (2-62) claimed ⁠late wickets to keep things in check.New Zealand won ⁠the series opener by 26 runs in Mirpur and the host levelled at 1-1 with ‌a six-wicket victory at the same venue on Monday. The teams play three Twenty20 Internationals starting ​in Chattogram next week.Published on Apr 23, 2026  #Bangladesh #seals #ODI #series #win #Zealand

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