Chittagong Kings advanced to the “qualifier” of the seven–team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Cricket beating league leader fortune Barisal by 24 runs at the floodlit Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur Saturday evening.
After the day’s last league match, both Chittagong Kings and Rangpur Riders have secured 16 points each from 12 matches, but Chittagong Kings (1.395) finished 2nd to reach qualifiers by virtue of better net run rate while Rangpur Riders (0.596) became 3rd to play in the eliminator.
Despite the day’s 3rd defeat, Fortune Barisal (1.302) maintained their top slot intact securing 18 points from all 12 matches and will play 2nd ranked Chittagong Kings again in the qualifier- 1 at 6:30 pm on Monday (February 3)
Rangpur Riders will play in the eliminators with Khulna Tigers (0.184) also on Monday (February 3) at 1:30 pm.
Sent into bat first, Chittagong Kings piled up a huge total of 206 runs for 4 in stipulated 20 overs with opener Parvez Hossain Emon quick-firing 41-ball 75 runs hitting one boundary and eight over boundaries. Later, he was adjudged player of the match.
Besides, two down Haider Ali made not out 42 off 23 balls with three four and three sixes, number six Shamim Hossain hammered an unbeaten 30 runs playing 12 balls, one down Graham Clark scored 26 off 21 balls featuring one four and two sixes and opener Khawaja Nafay scored 22 off 19 balls with two fours and two sixes.
National colored spinner Taijul Islam grabbed two wickets for 46 runs while Ebadot Hossain and Mohammad Nabi took one wicket apiece.
Chasing a huge target, Fortune Barisal scored 182 for 7 in 20 overs overs.
After the dismissal top two batsmen —captain Tamim Iqbal (0) and reliable Towhid Hridoy (9) –-for just 13 runs in 4.3 overs, one down top order English batsman Dawid Malan fought bravely for Fortune Barisal existence quick-firing 67 runs off just 34 deliveries, featuring five fours and six sixes, before was caught by Clark off a Al Islam delivery
Former national captain Mahmudullah Riyad scored 41 runs off 26 balls with two fours and two sixes while former national skipper Mushfiqur Rahim made 22-ball 24 runs hitting two fours and one six, James Fuller scored 18 runs off 11 balls featuring two fours and one six while Rishad Hossain made 10-ball 11 runs hitting one six .
Al Islam claimed two wickets for 32 runs, Binura Fernando also took two wickets for 18 runs, while Khaled Ahmed and Arafat Sunny took one wicket each
