কোরবানি কি ও কেন?

কোরবানি কি ও কেন

কোরবানি প্রসঙ্গে কিছু আপত্তির নিষ্পত্তি

হাকিমুল উম্মত আল্লামা আশরাফ আলী থানভী (রহ.)

কোরবানি কী ও কেন?

'কোরবানি শব্দটি 'কোরবান' শব্দ থেকে এসেছে। যার অর্থ : প্রত্যেক সেই বস্তু, যা দ্বারা আল্লাহর নৈকট্য অন্বেষণ করা হয়। মূলত কোরবানি একটি বাহ্যিক উপলক্ষ মাত্র। এর অন্তর্নিহিত দর্শন হলো, আল্লাহ তায়ালা কারো রক্ত-মাংসের অভিলাষী নন। তিনি নিজে খান না, অন্যকে খাওয়ান। কোরবানির জন্তুর কোনো অংশই তাঁর প্রয়োজন নেই। তথাপি কোরবানির নির্দেশ দেওয়া হয়েছে এ জন্য যে তোমরাও এভাবে আল্লাহর দরবারে কোরবান হয়ে যাও, আল্লাহর জন্য নিজেকে সঁপে দাও। আর এ 'কোরবানি'ও তোমাদের কোরবান হওয়ার অংশ; কেননা তোমরা এতে নিজের প্রিয় অর্থ দিয়ে প্রিয় বস্তু কোরবানি করছ।

কোরবানির নির্দেশ কি অযোক্তিক?

সারা পৃথিবীর মধ্যেই কোরবানি বা বিসর্জনের প্রথা প্রচলিত। মানব ইতিহাস পর্যালোচনা করলে দেখা যায়, নিকৃষ্ট বস্তু উৎকৃষ্ট বস্তুর জন্য বিসর্জন দেওয়া হয়। ক্ষুদ্র বস্তু বৃহৎ বস্তুর জন্য কোরবান করা হয়। শৈশবে আমরা শুনেছি, কারো হাতে সাপে দংশন করলে সাপের বিষ থেকে সুরক্ষা পেতে আঙুল কেটে ফেলা হতো। যেন একটি আঙুল পুরো দেহের জন্য কোরবান হয়ে গেল। কোনো বন্ধু বা মেহমান এলে তাঁকে অভ্যর্থনা জানাতে মেজবান সব কাজ ছুড়ে ফেলে দেয়। তার জন্য উন্নত খাবার প্রস্তুত করতে আরম্ভ করে। (জানদার বস্তু) মোরগ জবেহ করে। মেহমান যদি আরো উঁচু মাপের হয়, যেমন বিয়ের অনুষ্ঠানে বর এলে তার জন্য গরু, বকরি জবেহ করা হয়। এ সবই মূলত কোরবানি বা বিসর্জনেরই অংশ। কেউ কেউ প্রাণী হত্যাকে সমর্থন না করলেও দেখা যায়, তাদের অসুখ-বিসুখে শত শত কীটপতঙ্গ হত্যা করে ওষুধ হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হয়। এ সবই কোরবানির নমুনা। নিম্নশ্রেণির কর্মকর্তা সব কাজকর্মে ঊর্ধ্বতন কর্মকর্তার অনুসরণ করে। যেন সে অফিসারের জন্য নিজ ব্যক্তিসত্তা কোরবানি করে। অতএব উত্তমের জন্য অধমের ও স্রষ্টার জন্য সৃষ্টির বিসর্জন বা কোরবানি অযৌক্তিক কিছু নয়।

কোরবানি কি অমানবিকতার পরিচায়ক?

প্রাকৃতিকভাবেই দেখা যায়, বাজ পাখিসহ অসংখ্য শিকারি পাখি আকাশে ওড়ে। তারা দুর্বল ও নিরীহ প্রাণীর গোশত খায়। এমনকি যত ভালো ফলফলাদিই তারা পায় না কেন, সেসব খায় না। সমুদ্রে দেখা যায়, বড় মাছগুলো ছোট মাছগুলোকে খেয়ে ফেলে এবং অনেক শিকারি মাছ শিকারের জন্য হাজার হাজার মাইল অতিক্রম করে থাকে। টিকটিকি কেবল জীবন্ত কীটপতঙ্গই ভক্ষণ করে। অতিমানবতাবাদীরা প্রকৃতির সেসব নিয়মের প্রতি দৃষ্টি নিবদ্ধ না করে কেবলই ধর্মবিদ্বেষের বশবর্তী হয়ে ধর্মের বিরুদ্ধে আপত্তি করে। ধর্মের বিরুদ্ধে আপত্তি তোলার জন্যই তাদের মানবতাবোধ জাগ্রত হয়। কোরবানি মুসলমানকে অমানবিক হতে শেখায় না। প্রথমত, কোরবানি নিজেকে আল্লাহর পথে কোরবান হতে শেখায়; অন্যকে মারতে শেখায় না। দ্বিতীয়ত, জবাই করার আগে ছুরি ভালোভাবে ধার দিয়ে নেওয়ার নির্দেশ দেওয়া হয়েছে। যাতে পশুটির কষ্ট লাঘব হয়। তৃতীয়ত, কোরবানি করার সময় মুসলমানের অন্তরের অবস্থা পর্যালোচনা করলে দেখা যায়, অনেকের চোখ থেকে পানি ঝরছে। এসব কি মানবিকতার পরিচায়ক নয়? পৃথিবীর সব কিছু যেহেতু মানুষের কল্যাণের জন্য সৃষ্টি। তাই তো ঈদ ব্যতীত বছরের অন্য সময়ে লাখ লাখ পশু জবেহ করা হয়। তখন অমানবিকতার প্রশ্ন ওঠে না কেন? পশু জবেহ না করা কি তার ওপর করুণা? কিছুতেই নয়। কেননা পশু নিজে নিজে মরে গেলে সেটা মানুষের জন্য আরো বোঝা হয়ে যায়। তাকে মাটিচাপা দিতে হয়। অন্যথায় দুর্গন্ধে জনজীবন দুর্বিষহ হয়ে পড়ে।

কোরবানির মাধ্যমে কি পশু কমে যায়?

কোরবানির ওপর এ আপত্তি তোলা হয় যে একসঙ্গে লাখ লাখ পশু কোরবানি করার কারণে সারা বছর গোশত সংকট দেখা দেবে। এতে অর্থনীতির ওপর প্রভাব পড়বে। অথচ সৃষ্টিগতভাবেই যে বস্তুর প্রয়োজনীয়তা যত বেশি, আল্লাহ তায়ালা তার উৎপাদন ও বংশবিস্তার বাড়িয়ে দেন। পানি মানুষের সর্বাধিক প্রয়োজনীয় বস্তু। কেউ যদি পানি শেষ হয়ে যাওয়ার ভয়ে নদী থেকে পানি নেওয়া বন্ধ করে দেয়, তবে কি নদীর স্রোত বন্ধ হয়ে যাবে? বরং যতই পানি উত্তোলন করা হবে, ততই পানি বেশি পাওয়া যাবে। গরু বছরে একটি মাত্র বাচ্চা প্রসব করে। আর কুকুর একসঙ্গে চার-পাঁচটি বাচ্চা প্রসব করে। আবার বছর বছর লাখ লাখ গরু কোরবানি দেওয়া হয়। তা সত্ত্বেও কুদরতিভাবেই গরুর বংশবিস্তার বৃদ্ধি পাচ্ছে!

কোরবানি দেওয়ার পরিবর্তে মানবতার সেবায় অর্থদান প্রসঙ্গ

কোনো কোনো সৃহৃদ সুপরামর্শ দিয়ে থাকেন যে কোরবানিতে টাকা খরচ করার পরিবর্তে সে অর্থ আর্তমানবতার সেবায় ব্যয় করাই বাঞ্ছনীয়। প্রথমত, প্রতিটি জাতিরই কিছু উৎসব থাকে। তারা সেসব উৎসবে দুই হাতে অর্থ খরচ করে উৎসবটি উপভোগ করে থাকে। কোরবানি মুসলমানদের ধর্মীয় উৎসব। এটি মুসলমানদের অভ্যন্তরীণ ব্যাপার। অন্যান্য জাতির নিজস্ব উৎসব পালনের ব্যাপারেও কি তারা একই পরামর্শ দিয়ে থাকেন?

Salman Khan’s picture with nephew Ahil is too cute to handle!

Always known for spending quality time with his family, Salman Khan is everyone’s beloved hands down. Salman’s youngest sister, Arpita Khan Sharma posted an adorable picture of the dishy Sultan aka Salman giving a kiss to his lil’ nephew, Ahil. She took to instagram to share this delightful picture and said, "My Favourites them! Blessed with the best can't thank god enough"

If Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was set in 2016

It’s heartbreaking, it’s heartwarming, its candy floss, it’s tear-jerking... The magic of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai can’t be summed up in words and the world can never thank Karan Johar enough for bringing us this gem. But what would the lives of our favourite characters be like if the movie was set in 2016? We try to imagine… and no, we don’t try to recast anyone ‘cause hum ek baar jeete hai, ek baar marte hai, aur Rahul, Anjali, Tina ek hi ho sakte hai'.

Madhuri Dixit keen to watch Sairat

Everyone is talking about this year’s blockbuster Marathi film, Nagraj Manjule’s Sairat and dancing diva Madhuri Dixit is not behind. That’s the reason she is planning to catch the movie in the theatre soon. Talking about the film, Madhuri said, “I’m hearing great things about Sairat. In fact Ritiesh Deshmukh and I danced on the film's song (Zingaat) on our dance show when he had come to promote his film.”

2,000 INDIANS CONTRACT HIV AFTER TRANSFUSIONS

More than 2,000 Indians contracted HIV over a 17-month period after receiving blood transfusions, data from the national AIDS body indicated. 

In response to a Right to Information request filed by Mumbai-based activist Chetan Kothari, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) said 2,234 people had been infected between October 2014 and March 2016. 

The reply, which was shared with AFP Wednesday, was sent to Kothari last month after he asked for data for that particular time period. 

"I wanted to know what is the government doing to ensure people have access to safe blood," Kothari told AFP. 

"The data shows blood is not being screened for HIV despite so much awareness." 

Access to safe blood is limited, especially in rural areas, because of a lack of proper screening devices, according to NACO's website. 

The northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous, topped the list with 361 patients found infected with HIV due to contaminated blood in hospitals, followed by western states of Gujarat and Maharshtra with 292 and 276 respectively. 

A total of 264 cases were recorded in the capital New Delhi. 

The government estimates that about 2.5 million Indians are living with HIV/AIDS out of a population of 1.25 billion. 

A NACO official Wednesday said the data collected was "not scientific" as it was based on subjective responses from patients and reflected less than one percent of total HIV-positive cases. 

"There are several occasions when patients do not declare the exact reason or means of transmission because of societal pressure or even lack of awareness and sometimes ignorance," the Times of India newspaper quoted the unnamed official as saying. 

"Therefore, the data cannot be considered 100 percent accurate." 

In a posting on its website, NACO -- which falls under the health ministry -- said the government was in the process of improving blood safety screenings and introducing technology to ensure zero HIV transmission. 

Under Indian law, hospitals must screen donors and their donated blood for any kind of infections including HIV, Hepatitis B and C as well as malaria.

Cannes: 'Wolf and Sheep' Tops Directors' Fortnight Awards

'Wolf and Sheep'

Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival

The top honors for the sidebar were awarded Friday night.

The Directors' Fortnight sidebar awards were given out Friday night, with Wolf and Sheep by Shahrbanoo Sadat taking the top prize.

The film, based in the central Afghanistan village where Sadat grew up, follows a group of young children who work as shepherds.

THR's review described Wolf and Sheep as "an absorbing ethnographic docudrama hybrid, marbled with a curious vein of phantasmagoric storytelling."

The SACD Prize, awarded to a French-language film, went to L'Effet aquatique (The Together Project), directed by Sólveig Anspach. The comedy from the late French-Icelandic filmmaker finds a man pretending he can't swim in order to get closer to the lifeguard he loves.

Mercenaire, directed by Sacha Wolff, won the Europa Cinemas award, which aims to enhance the promotion, circulation and box-office runs of European award-winning films on the screens of a cinema network stretching across Europe.

The Illy prize for short film went to Chasse Royale, directed by Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret. Plus a special mention was given to Zvir (The Beast), directed by Miroslav Sikavica.

The top prizes for the main selection will be awarded on Sunday night during the closing ceremony at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

ICC T20 World Cup 2016: MS Dhoni plays Holi with fans ahead of Bangladesh clash

MS Dhoni with fans ahead of Bangladesh clash

India will take on Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni played Holi with some of his greatest fans in Bangalore on 22 March. Dhoni celebrated with Indian super fans Sudhir Gautam and Ram Babu, who were given access to the Indian team bus to meet the captain.

The India team is scheduled to play Bangladesh in an ICC T20 World Cup 2016 group stage match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on 23 March and India require winning the game by a big margin to make sure their net run rate can catch up with the other teams in the group after their 47-run defeat against New Zealand in the first match of the tournament.

In spite of heavy security arrangements, Dhoni allowed Sudhir, Ram, and some other young fans to put gulal powder on his forehead. Sudhir is an iconic fan of Sachin Tendulkar who travels with the Indian cricket team all over the world and cheers for the men in blue. Ram Babu is also a devoted fan of the Indian team and attends all major tournaments and series.

Sudhir is conspicuous by his appearance, his unorthodox style of support to Indian team has been captured several times on the lenses of cameramen across the globe. On Tuesday, he was draped in the tri-colours and met his favourite captain. After applying gulal on Dhoni’s forehead he also touched his feet. The entire country will celebrate Holi on Thursday.

Must win game for both the teams 

The game against Bangladesh is a must win game for the Indian team to stay in the hunt for a semifinal berth from Group 2. New Zealand have already qualified after their 22-run win against Pakistan on Tuesday night.

India needs to put up a good performance against their neighbours and the 6 wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan will surely boost their confidence.  

India recently defeated Bangladesh in the Asia Cup T20 final in Mirpur on 6 March. The Bangladesh team look depleted with two losses in their last two matches in World T20 and they are almost out of the tournament. Bangladeshi pacer Taskin Ahmed and spinner Arafat Sunny are suspended for a faulty bowling action and with star opener Tamim Iqbal unwell this will be a tough ask for them. A defeat will surely knock them out of the tournament. 

India vs Bangladesh World T20: Shah Rukh Khan to Team Up With Shoaib Akhtar on TV

Ahead of the India versus Bangladesh World T20 match in Bangalore, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan will appear in a 20-minute TV show alongside Shoaib Akhtar and Zaheer Khan

Shah Rukh Khan will be part of a 20-minute show that will build-up to Wednesday's
match between India and Bangladesh at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

He missed the India versus Pakistan blockbuster at the Eden Gardens on March 19 but Shah Rukh Khan will all eyes and ears ahead of Wednesday's World T20 match between India and Bangladesh. (Read More in World Twenty20)

Shah Rukh will be part of a 20-minute show that will build-up to Wednesday evening's match at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium. India must win to stay in contention for a semifinal berth. New Zealand have already qualified for the last four from India's group.

Owner of two-time Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Shah Rukh missed India's win against Pakistan at Eden last week. Mumbai bigwigs turned up in numbers with Amitabh Bachchan singing the national anthem to boost MS Dhoni's Indian team.

A victory for India in Bangalore tonight will take Dhoni's team closer to a semifinal spot. But Sunday's battle with Australia in Mohali could decide the second team from this group of death.

Virat Kohli A "Very Well-Mannered Kid", Says Shah Rukh Khan

Virat Kohli has won two man of the awards in the World T20 so far.
Shah Rukh Khan is impressed with Virat Kohli not just for his cricketing skills but for his mannerisms as well. The world may know Kohli as a furious competitor who never shies away from a bit of banter, but Shah Rukh thinks India's young Test captain is a "very well-mannered kid." (India vs Bangladesh World T20: Shah Rukh Khan Team Up With Shoaib Akhtar on TV)

Shah Rukh turned up on STAR Sports ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 match between India and Bangladesh in Bangalore on Wednesday. Flanked by speedsters Zaheer Khan and Shoaib Akhtar, Shah Rukh shared his memorable cricketing moments and how Twenty20 cricket has changed the definition of entertainment. (World T20: Virat Kohli is a Man in Control of his Batting, Feels Ian Chappell)

The Bollywood superstar was all praise for Kohli, whose form has been a hallmark for Indian cricket in recent years. "Ever since he led India in the Under-19 World Cup, I have found him to be a very well behaved kid. He knows how to pay respect," said Shah Rukh.

The purists of the game may not fully agree with Shah Rukh's observation, but another cricketer, known for his fiery temper, found Kohli to be a "good boy." Shoaib Akhtar lauded Kohli's demeanour and said the talented batsman "knew how to respect elders."

Shah Rukh said he was amazed with Kohli's "controlled aggression" and how he has matured over the years. Shah Rukh said Kohli had all the signs to become a worthy successor to Sachin Tendulkar.

India's victory in the 2007 World Twenty20 final against Pakistan in South Africa was his favourite cricketing moment, said Shah Rukh. "My son got attracted to cricket only after that. My heart was in my mouth when Misbah (ul Haq) played that scoop and Sreesanth held that towering catch," recollected Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh Khan is the co-owner of IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.

Shah Rukh co-owns two-time Indian Premier League champions side Kolkata Knight Riders. When IPL's doors were open to Pakistanis, KKR bought Akhtar in the auctions. Shah Rukh revealed why.

"We were so scared of Shoaib's pace that Dada (Sourav Ganguly) said we must buy him so that our batsmen didn't have to face him. I promptly agreed." Shah Rukh said.

Former Pakistan Players Slam Team For Poor Show During World T20

Shahid Afridi has failed to inspire Pakistan team during the World T20.

Karachi: Pakistan's floundering World Twenty20 campaign has been lambasted by former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, who said he is not the least bit surprised by the poor run as people given key positions in the team have only bothered about their earnings. (World T20: New Zealand Beat Pakistan, Qualify For Semifinals)

Pakistan are all but out of contention in the event after losing to India and New Zealand in the last two games. (World T20: Pakistan Team Plagued by 'Groupism, Politics', Says Minister)

"This downslide didn't happen overnight it started happening few years ago and I kept on warning a day will come when we will even find it hard to beat Bangladesh. No one listened including the board," Akhtar said.

"What can one say I can only hope now that sensible decisions are taken now and those people brought in to serve Pakistan cricket who don't care about their salaries, fees and perks but about Pakistan," Akhtar said. (Pakistan Not Good Enough to Enter World T20 Semis: Waqar Younis)

"What is tragic is that over the years people given key positions in Pakistan cricket and the team have only worried about how much they are earning not about the system or performances."

Pakistan's former captain and great, Javed Miandad also criticised outgoing captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis for their comments made after the New Zealand match.

"I say everyone is responsible for the defeats. The board, the selectors, the captain and coach. Why are they complaining now about the players. What were they doing in the last one year?" he questioned.

Waqar lashed out at the players last night for their inapt performances but Miandad said bad tactical decisions, wrong selections and a lack of pride had led to Pakistan's downfall in the last one year.

"Where is the pride and passion in this team to do well. I don't see it. The selectors, captain and coach have all made repeated blunders and now they are complaining. It is a joke," Miandad said.

Former senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf said the team management had erred in the batting order against New Zealand.

"Why did they send in Khalid Latif after such a good start. Why didn't they utilise Sarfaraz or Malik," he added.

Yousuf said Pakistan's cricket standards had gone down because of poor batting and the decline would continue until quality players were brought forward.

I don't see any reason for Muhammad Hafeez not playing in such a crucial match. Even if he had some injury he could have taken injections and played. It was a must win match and in the past our players have played with injuries," Yousuf noted.

Former captain turned commentator, Ramiz Raja said Pakistan had fallen behind other cricket playing nations and one should not keep hopes that the team could beat Australia.

"Neither can we take the right strategic decisions nor can we bat well. And we expect to win," he said.

ICC Women’s World T20: Indian women stare at exit after England defeat

Spinners fought hard to retrieve something out of the match, but the target of 91 was always going to be surpassed. (Source: AP)

What was perceived as the best opportunity for India’s women to make a good fist out of the World T20 in home conditions looks destined to end on a sour note, as they were edged out by England in a low-scoring thriller, their second defeat in as many matches. After a dismal performance with the bat, their spinners fought hard to retrieve something out of the match, but the target of 91 was always going to be surpassed, which England accomplished with some nerves.

India got everything they might have wished for to keep their semifinal hopes alive after a narrow defeat to Pakistan. The surface was to aid spinners as the match progressed and they won a vital toss, only for the batters to collapse mindlessly. The hosts lost V Vanitha in the third ball of the first over. With the addition of 15 more runs to the tally, fellow opener Smriti Mandhana to perished.

But the ever-reliable Mithali Raj and Shikha Pandey combined to revive them with an alliance of 29 runs. That was as good as Indian batters got in the match. In the space of five balls, both of them floundered. Shikha was brilliantly caught by Katherine Brunt at deep midwicket in an attempt to increase the tempo. Mithali, who was unusually rickety, swished one to backward point. In the next over Veda Krishnamurthy too exited as India teetered to 5 for 52. When Jhulan Goswami too was dismissed, India’s semifinal hopes seemed as good as over. But with a few lusty blows Harmanpreet Kaur gave some respectability to the total.

Thrilling climax

With less than an five runs per over required, England began cautiously, which the situation warranted. India opener with off-spinner Anjum Patel, but she couldn’t provide an early breakthrough, and in the third over she was replaced with left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht, who struck with her first ball, accounted for Charlotte Edwards. However, Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Taylor stitched up 32 runs to set the platform up for them.

Just when the match seemed moving away beyond even India’s wildest dreams, Harmanpreet, with her tricky mix of leg-breaks and off-breaks, injected some belief into them, dismissing both the set batters off successive deliveries. The impressive Bisht was reintroduced and she nailed Heather Knight, Natalie Sciver and Lydia Greenway to suddenly turn the dynamics of the match. She then ran out Danielle Wyatt to have England reeling at 79 for 7. But once her spell was over, she returned with glittering figures of 4-0-21-4. England knew they could sneak in.

But there was more drama, as Jenny Gunn ran herself out with England requiring four more runs to overcome the target. Tragically, Harmanpreet, who was India’s best player on the day, spilled Shrubsole before the latter struck a boundary to complete England’s two-wicket win. India, though, have a mathematical chances of qualifying into the last four — that is they have to beat the West Indies in their last game and then bank on other teams’ fortunes. Mithali lamented their poor batting display. “We realised it was difficult to score runs. We could have shown more application with the ball to pull us through. But we are in contention. If we win against West Indies, we will have to depend on other results.

India vs Bangladesh: Taskin Ahmed suspension from bowling upheld by judicial commissioner

Taskin Ahmed along with his teammate Arafat Sunny were booked for illegal bowling in the match against Netherlands in Dharamsala.

Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed’s suspension from bowing in international cricket was on Wednesday upheld by a judicial commissioner following a review hearing.

The ICC said in a release that Taskin had “exercised his right to request an expeditious review of his case by a judicial commissioner” after his suspension for an illegal bowling action.

The hearing was conducted on Tuesday by Michael Beloff QC over a tele-conference call that lasted several hours and in which numerous legal challenges were made on behalf of the player.

Having carefully considered those arguments and the responses of the ICC, Mr Beloff has now notified all parties concerned of his decision that Taskin’s suspension from bowling in international cricket shall be upheld and indicated that a written reasoned decision will be provided in due course.

In the meantime, Taskin, at any time following appropriate remedial work, can apply to the ICC for a re-assessment of his bowling action.

Taskin and his teammate, left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny, were reported for suspected illegal bowling action by the match officials during Bangladesh’s opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 against the Netherlands in Dharamsala.

Taskin undertook an independent assessment at the ICC-accredited testing centre in Chennai.

The independent assessment found that some of Taskin’s standard deliveries exceeded the permissible level of elbow extension and, as such, his bowling action was found to be illegal.

He was then suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.

Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi criticised for Kashmir comments

Shahid Afridi is the captain of Pakistan's cricket team

Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi has caused an uproar in India for saying that a lot of support for their team at the World T20 comes from Kashmiris.

Afridi was responding to commentator Ramiz Raja who said "it seems you have a bit of fan following here in Mohali" during Pakistan's match on Tuesday.

"Yes, a lot of people, a lot of people are here from Kashmir as well," Afridi said on live television.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars and a limited conflict over Kashmir.

The region is claimed by both countries in its entirety.

Indian media channels have highlighted Afridi's statement as "provocative" and the secretary of India's cricket board, Anurag Thakur, has also criticised him.

"To give a statement like that is not politically correct. A player should stay away from all this," he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.

Before coming to India, Afridi drew criticism in Pakistan for saying the team received "more love in India than back home".

The arrival of the Pakistani cricket team for the World T20 was delayed after Islamabad asked to have the venue of its India match shifted from Dharamsala over concerns for the safety of their players.

Taskin Ahmed: Bangladesh bowler loses illegal action appeal

Taskin Ahmed has taken nine wickets in 13 Twenty20 appearances for Bangladesh

Bangladesh pace bowler Taskin Ahmed has lost his appeal after being suspended for an illegal bowling action.

The 20-year-old was reported by the umpires after the Tigers' World Twenty20 preliminary match against the Netherlands last week.

He took 2-32 as his side lost their opening Super 10 match to Pakistan, butmissed the defeat by Australia.

After a review hearing on Tuesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said his suspension had been upheld.

Taskin can apply for a reassessment of his action following appropriate remedial work.

Bangladesh, who are bottom of their group after two straight defeats, face hosts India in their third match on Wednesday.

Taskin was reported along with left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny, 29.

An independent assessment found some of Taskin's standard deliveries exceeded the permissible level of elbow extension.

He has taken nine wickets in 13 Twenty20 appearances for his country and 21 in 14 one-day internationals.

My Kitchen Rules episode 29 recap: JP and Nelly, Alex and Gareth fall into sudden death

Lauren in shock at scoring the “people’s choice” award.

THEY’VE divided viewers with their competitive streak and served up some hit-and-miss dishes, but MKR’s Carmine and Lauren finally nailed it on Tuesday night.

Competing in a challenge at the dock yards on Sydney’s Cockatoo Island, teams faced off in a challenge that saw them cook seafood for 100 fishermen and their families.

Carmine and Lauren scored the most votes from the fishermen and nabbed the “people’s choice” award, earning them safety from the next two eliminations.

Despite “muddling around” a bit too much in the challenge, the judges thought the couple’s crispy skinned salmon with asparagus was cooked “beautifully”.

Add caption

While the Adelaide couple swam through the seafood competition, other teams sank.

Carmine and Lauren are shocked at the win.Source:Channel 7

Alex and Gareth knew their dish of crispy skinned barramundi with Asian beans and noodle salad failed to impress. And while their fish was cooked well, it wasn’t enough to save them.

“Barramundi’s a very unforgiving fish,” judge Colin said. “If it’s overcooked, it’s dry. If it’s undercooked, you can’t cut it. My fish was cooked perfectly. But the rest of the dish fell flat. Asian beans — four green beans on a plate with a little bit of sauce is not Asian beans. And you served some of your diners raw barramundi.”

“The dish fell flat” ... Alex and Gareth’s barramundi.Source:Channel 7

Pete and Colin decided the Queensland boys served up one of the two weakest dishes of the day, placing them in a sudden death challenge.

They’ll compete against JP and Nelly, who also failed to impress the judges with their herbed crusted tuna with tomato and bocconcini salad.

“Your tuna was seared perfectly but if you tell me you’re going to give me herb crusted tuna, I want to see the tuna green all the way around with all those herbs,” Colin said. “And there was a lot of tomato and a lot of bocconcini ... it was an okay dish. An okay dish at the moment is not great.”

The two teams will fight it out in tomorrow’s sudden death round.

My Kitchen Rules continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Seven.

Winning Story of Bangladesh Cricket Tigers (Go Tigers Go)

Cricket in Bangladesh

The beginning of Bangladesh's own cricketing journey as an independent country in 1972 with the establishment of Bangladesh Cricket Control Board and a national level cricket tournament begun in 1974-75.

On 31 March 1986, Bangladesh played their first One Day International against Pakistan a full member of the International Cricket Council. Captained by Gazi Ashraf, Bangladesh were dismissed for 94 and Pakistan reached their target for victory with seven wickets in hand.

Bangladesh became a full member of the International Cricket Council on 26 June 2000[1] and the board officially changed its name to Bangladesh Cricket Board.

On 10–13 November 2000, Bangladesh played its inaugural Test Match v India in the Bangabandhu National Stadium. India won by 9 wickets.

The 2000-01 season saw the beginning of first-class domestic competition in Bangladesh, although the country had already staged first-class matches against touring teams in the previous year. The Green Delta National Cricket League was constituted as the first-class championship and the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea One-Day League as the premier limited overs competition. In 2000-01, both titles were won by Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

The National Cricket League had in fact been inaugurated in the 1999-2000 season but was not then first-class. In 2000-01, eight teams played 12 matches each in two groups. Group A consisted of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Chittagong Division, Rajshahi Division and Dhaka Division. Group B had Dhaka Metropolis, Khulna Division, Barisal Division and Sylhet Division. Four teams qualified for a final stage in which they each played a further 8 games.

In 2001-02, Ispahani Mirzapore Tea became the sponsor of the National Cricket League in addition to the One-Day League.

ICC T20i CRICKET TEAM RANKING 2016

Rankings Information

Only teams who have completed at least eight T20 international matches since 1st August between three and four years ago will have their rating above converted into a ranking on the main table.

1. What is a rating? 

A rating is worked out by dividing the points scored by the matches played, with the answer given to the
nearest whole number. It can be compared with a batting average, but with points instead of total runs
scored and matches instead of number of times dismissed.
After every T20I, the two teams each receive a certain number of points, based on a mathematical
formula. Each team's new points total is then divided by its new matches total to give an updated rating.
With batting averages, if you are dismissed in your next innings for more than your average, your
average will increase. Conversely, scoring less than your average will cause it to fall. Similarly, under the
Reliance ICC T20I Rankings method, the points awarded for a win will always be more than the rating
the team had at the start of the match.
Equivalently, a team losing an T20I will always score fewer points than its rating. So a win will always
boost a team's rating and a defeat will harm it.
The ratings therefore give extra meaning to what might otherwise be regarded as 'dead rubbers'.
A tie between a higher and lower rated team will slightly benefit the rating of the lower rated team at
the expense of the higher rated team. A tie between two similarly rated teams will leave both their
ratings unchanged. Matches abandoned with no result are always ignored. 

2. What does a particular rating signify? 

A team that over the period being rated wins as often as it loses while playing an average mix of strong
and weak opponents will have a rating of close to 100. A rating of 100 could also correspond to a side
that wins more often than it loses but who has generally played more matches against weak teams.
Similarly, if the majority of its matches are against strong teams, then a rating of 100 could be achieved
despite having more defeats than victories.
In every match the total rating points available equals the sum of the initial rating of the two teams, so
ratings can be thought of as being redistributed rather than created. There is therefore no 'inflation' in
this rating system, so a rating of 120 suggests the same degree of superiority over opponents now as in
the past or future, and a team can meaningfully compare its rating movements over time. 

3. How quickly do ratings change? 

The amount by which a rating improves after winning a T20I will depend on the rating of the opponent.
A win over a much stronger team (i.e. one with a much higher rating) boosts the rating more than
beating a much weaker opponent. Conversely, losing to a much stronger team will not cause the rating
to drop too far, but losing to a weaker side would. 

4. What period does the table cover? 

The table reflects all T20Is played since the annual update made three to four years previously. This
pattern is repeated each May, with the oldest of the four years of results removed to be gradually
replaced with results of matches played over the following twelve months. Thus once a year, the
rankings will change overnight without any new T20Is being played. This process, called updating the
data, takes place at the start of May each year. This time has been chosen since it is usually a relatively
quiet time in the internationalT20I calendar. Before 2012, the annual update took place in August. 

5. How are the results weighted? 

All matches included within the Reliance ICC Team Rankings Tables will always fall into one of two time
periods: 

 Period One covers the earliest two years of matches 

 Period Two covers all subsequent series, i.e. the past one to two years 

Weightings are applied to these two groups of series so that the ratings more fully reflect recent form.
The weightings are as follows: 

 Period One matches have a weighting of 50 per cent. 

 Period Two matches have a weighting of 100 per cent. 

In the current table, matches completed since last May receive a weighting of 100 per cent.
After next May, the weighting of series being played now will remain at 100 per cent, while the
weighting of series played in the previous year will fall to 50 per cent.
The matches total column in the Reliance ICC T20I Team Rankings table along with the number of points
earned in each period is multiplied by the weighting factor. For example, suppose a team played 20
matches in Period One, plus 18 in Period Two. The total matches played for rating purposes is 50 per
cent of 20 plus 100 per cent of 18, which equals 28. (A small technical adjustment ensures that, for all
teams, the total number of matches and rating points is always a whole number.)
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6. Are there any 'rules of thumb' that give me an idea how a ranking may change? 

There are a few "rules of thumb" that may be useful when speculating how a team's rating could
change.
Note that the effect would be greater if a team has played fewer matches.
If a team is shown in the table as having played between 30-40 matches then the following would apply:
a) If playing a similarly rated team, a win would typically increase the rating by 1-2 points, while
losing would cost 1-2 rating points.
b) If playing a side rated say 20-30 points higher, a win would increase the rating by around 2
points, but a defeat should only cost 1 rating point.
c) If playing a side rated say 20-30 points lower, then the opposite of b) applies - a win might be
worth only 1 point, but a defeat might cost 2 points.
Finally, it might need two or three wins against a team rated 40 or more points lower to increase the
rating by one point, but just one defeat might cost 3 points 

7. What principles are the ratings based on? 

The Reliance ICC T20I Rankings table is based on the following principles:
i. It is based on individual matches, not on series of matches. While the result of a T20I series will
remain important for the competing countries, the ratings treat each match as an entirely separate
event. Therefore every T20I will count (apart from No Results) and there is no need for a
stipulated minimum series length.
ii. All T20Is are treated equally. Although the ICC World T20 final will have more at stake
than any other match, every T20I is subject to the same formula for ratings purposes.
iii. No account is taken of venue. Whether a side wins a T20I at home, away or at a neutral venue
will not affect the ratings.
iv. No account is taken of margin of victory. The rating system records only whether a team has won,
drawn or tied each match.
v. More recent results have a greater impact than older matches. To ensure the ratings fairly reflect
current form, the weighting given to a particular match reduces as times passes.