Chittagong has risen to second place in the BPL 2024-25 standings, thanks to a strong run of results in Sylhet. However, the points table remains tightly contested, with teams clustered in the middle. Rangpur Riders, meanwhile, have continued their dominant form, extending their winning streak to seven consecutive matches and closing in on a playoff […]
Chittagong has risen to second place in the BPL 2024-25 standings, thanks to a strong run of results in Sylhet. However, the points table remains tightly contested, with teams clustered in the middle. Rangpur Riders, meanwhile, have continued their dominant form, extending their winning streak to seven consecutive matches and closing in on a playoff spot. Their recent victories have been thrilling, with both wins in the Sylhet leg coming down to the final overs.
In their match against Fortune Barishal, Rangpur’s captain Nurul Hasan played a crucial role, blasting 30 runs off Kyle Mayers in the last over to secure a dramatic three-wicket victory. In their next game against Khulna Tigers, the match once again went down to the wire. Rangpur’s bowlers and fielders stepped up, taking three wickets in the final over to clinch an eight-run win.
Chittagong Kings, like Rangpur, enjoyed a successful run in Sylhet, securing comfortable victories over Dhaka Capitals and Sylhet Strikers. Both Dhaka and Sylhet also opened their accounts in the competition, while Durbar Rajshahi managed to win one game during the Sylhet leg as well.
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Nurul Hasan’s remarkable finish against Barishal was just one of many standout batting performances over the past week. Zakir Hasan and Usman Khan both impressed with half-centuries, while Litton Das delivered a memorable week, scoring 73 runs before making his maiden T20 century—a brilliant 125 not out. In a sensational partnership with Tanzid Hasan, who scored 108, the two put on an incredible 241-run opening stand against Rajshahi.
However, despite Litton’s outstanding form, his timing was unfortunate. His explosive century came just hours after being dropped from Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy squad, with the squad announcement happening in the afternoon before his remarkable knock that evening.
Usman Khan has been a key figure in Chittagong’s recent success, dominating the powerplay in both of their wins while forming solid partnerships. Coming off a stunning 123 in 62 balls during Chittagong’s 105-run victory over Rajshahi, Usman continued his impressive form, scoring 55 off 33 balls against Dhaka and 53 off 35 balls against Sylhet in their 30-run win. His contributions, along with strong performances from other batters like Graham Clark, Haider Ali, and Shamim Hossain, have been central to Chittagong’s recent surge up the points table.
There were no standout bowling performances this week, but several bowlers made key contributions. Khaled Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim played pivotal roles in Chittagong’s two wins, while Akif Javed produced a match-winning spell, taking three wickets in Rangpur’s victory over Khulna. Rahkeem Cornwall, the only spinner to take a three-wicket haul, played a crucial role in Sylhet’s win over Dhaka.
However, the standout performance came from Mohammad Saifuddin in Rangpur’s thrilling win over Khulna. Needing 12 runs from the final over, Khulna, though six down, were favorites to finish the game. Saifuddin, however, remained calm under pressure, sticking to yorkers and starting with two dot balls. After a wide, he got three wickets in three balls as panic set in for Khulna. Mohammad Nawaz and Nasum Ahmed were run out off consecutive deliveries, and Saifuddin then dismissed Abu Hider before giving away just one run off the final ball, securing Rangpur’s dramatic win.
Nurul made history by becoming only the second batter to score 30 runs in the last over of a T20 match. His remarkable feat helped Rangpur accumulate 30 runs in the final over, which ranks third in the list of most runs scored in the last over of a men’s T20 game. This remarkable achievement was one of the standout moments of the week, highlighting the thrilling nature of T20 cricket.
Meanwhile, Sabbir Rahman scored his first BPL half-century in five years, blasting an impressive 82 not out off 33 balls, which included nine sixes and three fours. Despite his explosive knock, it wasn’t enough as Chittagong emerged victorious in that game against Dhaka. Litton Das also made a significant impact, scoring his first-ever T20 century in his 227th match in the format, marking a milestone in his career.
In the league standings, Rangpur are the clear leaders, having dominated with consistent performances. Chittagong has been the surprise package, climbing to second place with six points from four games. Barishal, one of the pre-tournament favorites, is in third place with the same points but has played one more game than Chittagong. The race for the fourth playoff spot remains tight, with Khulna, Sylhet, and Rajshahi all in contention. However, Dhaka, with only one win from seven matches, faces an uphill battle and will need a strong, late push to stay in the playoff race.
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