After defeating Fortune Barishal by four wickets in the Eliminator, Rangpur Riders kept themselves in the running for a spot in the BPL championship. Later this evening, they will start playing against the losing team from Qualifier 1.
With Rangpur Riders needing eight runs in the final over, the game was close to being decided. Mahedy Hasan, however, ended the match with three balls remaining by hitting two fours off Kamrul Islam, the first of which was of which was a scoop and the second of which was a heavy outside edge.
However, it was Shamim Hossain, who was batting at No. 3 for the first time this campaign, who preserved Rangpur Rider’s run. Before holing out to long-on off Khaled Ahmed, he had scored 71 off 51 balls, his greatest T20 score, with four fours and as many sixes.
When the left-hander missed Shakib Al Hasan in the opening over of Rangpur Rider’s 171-run chase, Mohammad Naim was out for a duck. Rony Talukdar and Shamim put together a 61-run partnership to overcome the early wicket. As to holeting out to deep cover, Talukdar’s 17-ball 29 included two fours and two sixes.
Karim Janat undefeated 33 and Bhanuka Rajapaksa undefeated 17 helped the team record a challenging score, but it was ultimately insufficient.
Nicholas Pooran, who had been absent from the BPL for four years, and Rangpur Riders skipper Nurul Hasan also lost. After Pooran’s catch off a Khaled full-toss and trapping his opponent with a traditional arm-ball, Shakib defeated his opponent.
In their opening innings, Fortune Barishal scored 170 for 3, a disappointing total considering how effectively they were batting in the middle overs. Andre Fletcher, who joined Fortune Barishal last night, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored 46 runs for the opening wicket before Mahmudullah brought the team to 115 for 1 in the fourteenth over.
Mehidy and Mahmudullah fell in a span of 11 balls, ruining what appeared to be the ideal base and giving the remaining Fortune Barishal batters a chance to score heavily. But in the final 4.5 overs, only 44 runs could be added by Karim Janat and Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
Dasun Shanaka, who had stats of 2 for 23 from his three overs, was the best bowler for the Rangpur Riders, but Dwayne Bravo, who didn’t take a wicket, was the one who dried up the scoring with his variations.
Rangpur will now face the loser of the first qualifying match between Sylhet Strikers and Comilla Victorians.
Fortune Barishal 170 for 3 (Mehidy 69, Mahmudullah 34, Shanaka 2-23) was defeated by Rangpur Riders 172 for 6 (Shamim 71, Talukdar 29, Khaled 2-23) by four wickets.