Rangpur Riders and Fortune Barishal have opened up a lead at the top of the BPL points table but the race for the other two playoff spots are tight during the Chattogram phase of the tournament. Durbar Rajshahi and Dhaka Capitals have revived their campaigns and are closing in on No. 3, where Chittagong Kings are placed after losing three of their last four games.
Khulna Tigers are fourth at present with a game in hand over the two teams below them, but will rue missing a great chance to beat Rangpur. Sylhet Strikers are the only team still struggling with four points at the bottom of the table.
Rajshahi began their Chattogram leg under fire after their players protested over not being paid by skipping a training session. But they were the first team to beat Rangpur this season, trouncing them by 24 runs. Barishal beat Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna in their matches in Chattogram.
Best batter: Tanzid Hasan
Dhaka’s revival was spearheaded by their openers, with Tanzid Hasan hitting 62, 22 and 90 not out off 54 balls in three innings in Chattogram, to follow up his century against Rajshahi in Sylhet. His seven sixes during his unbeaten 90 against Chittagong took his tally to 29 – the most by a Bangladesh batter in a BPL season.
Chittagong’s Graham Clark struck a superb century, a match-winning 101 off 50 balls, against Khulna. Anamul Haque also scored a hundred – 100 not out off 57 – against Khulna but his innings came in defeat for Rajshahi during a chase of 210. Anamul’s team-mate Yasir Ali made 60 off 32 with six sixes in a victory against Rangpur.
Pakistan quick Akif Javed is becoming the revelation of the season; he’s currently second on the wicket charts with 15 scalps and an economy of 6.59. Javed, 24, has hit speeds in the high 140kph range and took four wickets against Chittagong and three against Rajshahi, often using the bouncer to good effect from around the wicket.
Ryan Burl’s four-wicket haul was instrumental in Rajshahi’s big win against Rangpur. Some of the tournament’s top spinners were also successful in Chattogram, with Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Nawaz, Arafat Sunny and Sunzamul Islam all taking three-wicket hauls.
Khulna’s 19-year-old left-arm spinner Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby conceded 27 in his only over against Chittagong; it was the second most expensive of the season behind Kyle Mayers’ 30-run over against Rangpur.
Rajshahi had a poor outing against Chittagong, getting bowled out for 80 – the lowest total in the franchise’s history. In that game, Chittagong’s Naeem Islam became only the second Bangladeshi batter after Mahmudullah to hit a fifty after turning 38.
Rangpur finally lost this season after eight consecutive wins, but remain four points clear of Barishal in second place. The defeat to Rajshahi ended a 11-match winning streak for Rangpur going back to their Global Super League title triumph in Guyana.
Barishal’s three consecutive wins have put them in second place, on the brink of a playoff spot. Chittagong, currently two points behind in third place, have tough fixtures coming up against Rangpur and Barishal. Khulna Tigers moved up to fourth place, level with Rajshahi on eight points but ahead on net run rate. Dhaka, despite being on six points, are also in the running for the playoffs.
