SAVAR: Former Bangladesh men’s cricket captain Tamim Iqbal is in hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during a Twenty20 match on Monday.
The 36-year-old Tamim reportedly complained of chest pains while fielding as he was leading the Mohammedan team against Shinepukur in Savar in the Dhaka Premier Division.
ESPN said his condition rapidly worsened and the Mohammedan team physio performed CPR. Tamim was rushed to KPJ Hospital where he underwent emergency treatment.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board said in a statement that an “angiogram procedure to address a blockage in one of the arteries of his heart” was successful, adding that Tamim remained under close observation in a coronary care unit.
He was visited in hospital by Mohammedan teammates Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.
Tamim is the only Bangladesh batter to score centuries in all three international formats. He’s scored more than 5,000 test runs in his 15 years as Bangladesh’s prime opener, including 10 centuries and a top score of 206 against Pakistan in 2015.
Known for scoring heavily through the offside and for his textbook straight drive, he caught the eye with a stylish second-innings 103 against England at Lord’s in 2010 when Bangladesh was following on, and a gritty 108 in Bangladesh’s modest total of 216 in the next test in Manchester. Tamim’s astute reading of situations meant he could also bat well while managing tailenders.
He’s amassed more than 8,000 one-day international runs with 14 centuries and a best of 158, and hit one T20 hundred.
In late 2023, Tamim opted out of the ODI World Cup after a dispute with a BCB member.
Former Bangladesh cricket captain Tamim Iqbal in hospital after cardiac arrest
https://arab.news/wqmpp
Former Bangladesh cricket captain Tamim Iqbal in hospital after cardiac arrest
- The 36-year-old reportedly complained of chest pains while fielding in Dhaka Premier Division match
- ESPN said his condition rapidly worsened and he was rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment
Footballco launches new Riyadh studio to boost creator-led content boom
- Football media company’s venture caters for its Arabic video-first brands
- Footballco also plans to create in-studio formats for its fan-driven series, Yalla Fans, previously shot on location at football stadiums
RIYADH: Football media and culture company Footballco have opened a new production studio in Riyadh.
The move allows it to boost the volume of in-studio content created for its leading Arabic video-first football brands — Yalla Goal, Yalla Fans and Yalla Girl, as well as branded content for commercial partners.
The new studio complements Footballco’s Riyadh office, which opened in December 2024 as its Middle East headquarters. Footballco’s move to the city was driven by a desire to better serve clients in Saudi Arabia and to bring it closer to the country’s burgeoning football industry. The company now has 20 full-time staff in the Kingdom.
Footballco currently operates three video-first Arabic-language football brands in the region, all targeting Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha fans and fronted by experienced content creators. Yalla Goal combines spirited discussions, bold challenges and fun games, while Yalla Girl celebrates the growth of women’s football in Saudi Arabia and the region, with a focus on talent, personality, laughter and friendship. Footballco also plans to create in-studio formats for its fan-driven series, Yalla Fans, previously shot on location at football stadiums.
The company’s decision to invest in creator-led, in-studio video formats is backed by its own research which found that, for young fans, brand partnerships with creators are seen as more valuable than official tournament partnerships.
Footballco’s new studio will increase the frequency of video content created for its channels, supported by two full-time hosts for Yalla Goal — Mohammed Bargat and Waleed Al-Shargi (better known as Shargi), who have a combined following of over 900,000 on their personal channels.
Andy Jackson, Footballco’s Middle East senior vice president, said: “With seven national teams from the region set to appear at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, eight if Iraq qualify through the play-offs, these new facilities and increasing video output sets our brands up for success at a time where we know there will be an unprecedented demand for fun, creator-led video content.
“We’re also excited to welcome both Bargat and Shargi to the team, with both having more than proved themselves as understanding how to create content that resonates with young fans and they are already familiar to our audiences.”
He added: “In December, our Arabic social channels generated over 1.7 billion video views, so we are building from an incredibly strong base to further cement our position as the clear market leader both in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. Our creator-led video formats have proved incredibly popular with brands, and this investment will see us able to offer a broader range of opportunities to our many commercial partners.”
While the World Cup this summer will see Footballco’s new studio in constant use, the company is also readying a slate of programming across Ramadan, with a 30-show spread culminating in an Eid special.
Taha Imani, Footballco’s head of video and social in the Middle East and North Africa region, said: “With YouTube becoming the number one place for fans to enjoy longform and short-form football content, and based on success across Footballco brands such as The Front Three in other markets, we’re expecting to grow at speed as we approach the World Cup giving fans exactly what they want from us on a daily basis.”
