Riders a win away from play-offs
An allround performance from Rangpur Riders helped them to a 29-run win over Barisal Bulls at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Rangpur’s win has officially confirmed the elimination of Mushfiqur Rahim’s Bulls and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s Comilla Victorians from this season’s Bangladesh Premier League.
The Riders, currently placed fourth with 12 points from 11 games, are at an advantageous position to qualify as the fourth team into the play-offs.
They will wait till the evening’s game between Rajshahi Kings and Chittagong Vikings. If Rajshahi lose the game, then the Riders are through. However, if Rajshahi win, then the Riders will have to beat the Comilla Victorians in their next game in order to qualify.
Batting first, the Riders posted 154 thanks to a 40-ball 48 from Mohammad Shahzad.
In reply, the Bulls, who were looking to play very aggressively and seemingly wanted to finish the game with a number of overs in hand in order to boost their run-rate, were dismissed for 125 in 18.2 overs. Dawid Malan’s 23-ball 30 was their highest score.
Rangpur’s bowlers did well to restrict the Bulls. Shohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Shahid Afridi and Liam Dawson got two wickets each.
Earlier, a 76-run stand off 63 balls between Mohammad Shahzad and Mohammad Mithun helped Riders to post 154.
While Shahzad scored a 40-ball 48, with four fours and a six, Mithun finished on 38 off 41 with one six and a four after Rangpur lost out-of-form Soumya Sarkar early in the game when Kamrul Islam Rabbi dismissed him in the fourth over for a 12-ball 17.
Ziaur Rahman posted a 17-ball 23 towards the end, with two fours and a six to help the Riders cross the 150-run mark.
Thisara Perera, who dismissed Mithun and Anwar Ali, was Barisal’s best performer finishing with figures of 2 for 26.
Scores in Brief
Rangpur Riders: 154-5 in 20 overs (Shahzad 48, Mithun 38, Ziaur 23; Rabbi 2-39, Perera 2-26)
Barisal Bulls: 125 all out in 18.2 overs (Malan 30, Mahmud 21, Perera 24; Gazi 2-12, Afridi 2-24, Rubel 2-21, Dawson 2-11)
Result: Rangpur Riders won by 29 runs
Player of the match: Mohammad Shahzad
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