The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
With that we come to the end of the first match of BPL today. A second one awaits us as the Sylhet Strikers, who are yet to get off the mark, take on Fortune Barishal in the second encounter of the day. Do join us for that as this is the pair of Sourabh Agrawal and Arya Sekhar Chakrobarty bidding adieu!
Rangpur Riders won by 8 runs Babar Azam 37(36) | Raymon Reifer 2/20(3) Mahidul Islam Ankon 63(55) | Azmatullah Omarzai 2/31(4)
The Rangpur Riders have got a well-earned victory in this match with an all-round performance while the Comilla VIctorians have lost for the first time in three matches. Before the match, Comilla were third and Rangpur were fourth on the poins table. But with this result, that has been reversed and the Rangpur Riders have now overtaken Comilla VIctorians to occupy the third place.
Opting to bat first, the Rangpur Riders got to 165 on the back of a steady start but more importantly a big finish provided by the Afghani duo of Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi as well as the skipper Nurul Hasan. The conditions were not the easiest for power-hitting but the last 5 overs were very expensive for Comilla Victorians.
When Comilla came into bat, they knew that their top order would have to do the bulk of the scoring with Imrul Kayes, their most prolific batter of the season, not in the playing 11. They got off to a poor start as their skipper Litton Das was snapped up by Azmatullah Omarzai on a golden duck. Even though they got some partnerships going, they were never really in a position to threaten the target. They kept on losing wickets in regular intervals and left too much for the last few overs. Even though they got 20 off the last over, they ended up losing by 8 runs.
Nurul Hasan: Players played very well especially on this kind of a surface. Openers did very well and the final surge was needed. We got the momentum in the last three overs and took it to the bowling powerplay as well. In the powerplay, it's very important to bat and bowl well and that is where we won the game. Yeah we are very confident.
Azmatullah Omarzai (Player of the Match): It's my second Man of the Match and I am really enjoying a lot. Yeah wicket was very slow. We wanted to give a target of around 150. The ball was coming slow. Me and Nabi was trying to stay till the end and get to a competitive score. I am happy for them as well because they are giving me chances. I always want to give my best performance for the Rangpur Riders.
Post match presentations coming up!
Litton Das (Comilla Victorians captain): It was a good game. We are not happy with the performance, especially with our batting. The first 16 overs we were in the game, it got away from us in the last 4 overs. Every day is not for the bowlers, first 16 overs they bowled brilliantly. Ankon batted very well in his first game. Yeah this is a long tournament, we still have time to rethink on our plans and come back strongly.
19.6 Shakib Al Hasan to Jaker Ali, FOUR! Boundary to end the innings but the Rangpur Riders seals a 8 run win. Fuller around middle and swings it away towards the vacant deep square leg region.
With those two sixes, you wonder what Jaker Ali was doing all this while in the dugout. Too late for the Comilla Victorians anyways!
19.5 Shakib Al Hasan to Jaker Ali, slices away the flatter length delivery a shade outside off, towards the widish long-off region and returns for a brace.
19.4 Shakib Al Hasan to Jaker Ali, SIX! Again a tossed up delivery around the middle stump, Jaker again sits on one knee and deposits that well over the deep midwicket fence. That has been fetched quite a distance.
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Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
