Star Sport Report
Fri Feb 3, 2023 10:02 PM Last update on: Fri Feb 3, 2023 11:14 PM
Rangpur Riders players and staff before their BPL fixture on February 3, 2023. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
“>Rangpur Riders players and staff before their BPL fixture on February 3, 2023. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Dhaka Dominators had to beat Rangpur Riders today to stay alive in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) but the latter earned a nervy two-wicket victory to grab the fourth and remaining spot for the next phase of the franchise-based T20 tournament.
Rangpur made a meal of the chase from a position of strength but eventually went past Dhaka’s subpar 130 total with three deliveries to spare, and the result leaves the former champions in contention to win the ninth BPL edition alongside Sylhet Strikers, Fortune Barishal, and Comilla Victorians.
For Latest News, Follow “Rexo News” on Google Channel.Before the game at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Shoaib Malik received a guard of honour from his Rangpur teammates ahead of the Pakistani veteran all-rounder’s 500th T20 match.
Shoaib Maliks received guard of honour from Rangpur Riders teammates on February 3, 2023. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
“>Shoaib Maliks received guard of honour from Rangpur Riders teammates on February 3, 2023. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Sent in to bat, Dhaka were on the backfoot from the first over bowled by off-spinner Mahedi Hasan as their most-recent player-of-the-match Mohammad Mithun – who struck a 36-ball 54 against Barishal – got involved in a run out after dispatching innings’ first delivery for a boundary.
Captain Nasir Hossain decided to promote himself up the batting order but the in-form batter fell in the next over, bowled by Afghan pacer Azmatullah Omarzai.
Opener Soumya Sarkar was the next to fall for cheap as Omarzai found his second victim. Soumya had another disappointing outing in this BPL as he used up 12 deliveries for his three runs, and Dhaka were 11 for three inside four overs.
Abdullah Al Mamun (23) and Alex Blake (11-ball 18) initiated a recovery act with a 38-run stand. Ariful Haque then struck innings-highest 30 off 26, striking two fours and a six, and Shoriful Islam and Amir Hamza chipped in with double digits to give Dhaka bowlers something to defend, 131.
Omarzai’s two scalps aside, Mahedi, seamer Hasan Mahmud, and Pakistani duo of Haris Rauf and Mohammad Nawaz took a wicket apiece.
In reply, Rangpur had a taste of their own medicine as their opener, Mohammad Naim, departed caught behind in the first over, bowled by Shoriful who struck again in his next over as the left-arm quick trapped Mahedi in front.
Like Dhaka, Rangpur also had their skipper, Nurul Hasan Sohan, promoted up the batting order but it paid dividends as Sohan and opener Rony Talukdar took their side to a stable ground before taking the game away from Dhaka.
Rangpur Riders captain Nurul Hasan Sohan in action on February 3, 2023. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
“>Rangpur Riders captain Nurul Hasan Sohan in action on February 3, 2023. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Sohan was the chief aggressor in the 93-run stand, while Rony remained focused on strike rotation before he chose to chance his arms at a Nasir delivery but only to get caught out in the deep for 34.
Prior to Rony’s departure, Sohan had struck two back-to-back sixes off Soumya, the first of which brought up his fifty. However, the wicketkeeper-batter was removed by Shoriful next over, which also turned a wicket-maiden, courtesy of Soumya Sarkar who juggled his way several times before holding on to the ball.
Soumya Sarkar reacts after his catch led to the dismissal of half-centurion Nurul Hasan Sohan. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Soumya Sarkar reacts after his catch led to the dismissal of half-centurion Nurul Hasan Sohan. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
