Rangpur end with win
Rangpur Rangers successfully defended a relatively modest target of 150 runs and clinched an 11-run win over Dhaka Platoon in the days’ first game of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
Despite the win, it was the end of Rangpur’s campaign as they managed to win just five out of twelve games and were out of contention for a play-off spot before the match started. They finished in sixth place, ahead of Sylhet Thunder in the seven-team table.
Dhaka, on the other hand, had already secured a play-off spot with seven wins in eleven games and are in second place, behind Chattogram Challengers.
Chasing 150, Dhaka kept losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually ended the 20 overs on 139 for nine.
Opener Tamim Iqbal’s 33-ball 34 was the highest score for a batting side unable to put up any significant partnership, which was the major reason for the defeat.
Rangpur pacers Junaid Khan, Taskin Ahmed and left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny bagged two wickets each and more importantly, kept the Dhaka batsmen quiet from the start.
Earlier, Rangpur also struggled after being asked to bat. Dhaka skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza removed Shane Watson (10) cheaply, Naim Sheikh (17) and Cameron Delport departed in quick succession before Lewis Gregory and Al-Amin held the ship together.
The pair added 49 runs for the fourth wicket before Gregory was dismissed, top-scoring with 46 off 32 balls, by Thisara Perera, who got three wickets for Dhaka. Al-Amin also followed soon after scoring 34. Jahurul Islam hit 28 in the late stages to lift the score to 149 for nine, which was enough for Rangpur to end the tournament on a high.
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