Published: Dec 03, 2016, 04:26 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 03, 2016, 04:26 PM (IST)
In match no. 39 of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2016, Rangpur Riders beat Barisal Bulls by 29 runs to earn two more points. In a must-win clash for Mushfiqur Rahim’s boys, Bulls faltered due to an ordinary batting performance. Riders came into bat first and posted a decent 154 for 6 in 20 overs and restricted Bulls for 125 to earn a deserving victory. With this win, Riders now have 12 points from 11 games, winning 6 and losing 5. READ: Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2016: Points table and team standings; Dynamites on top
Riders started the first innings with openers Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Shahzad, who laid a solid foundation for the middle order. However, just when the partnership started looking threatening, Sarkar departed for 17. Shahzad and Mohammad Mithun then added 76 for the second wicket before Afghanistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Shahzad fell for 48 off 40 balls. Mithun looked good for a while but departed for 38. However, he gave a platform for the lower order to take on Bulls’ bowlers in the death overs.
Nonetheless, Kamrul Islam and Thisara Perera shone with the ball, sharing four wickets to restrict Riders to a modest score of 154 for 6 in 20 overs. Ziaur Rahman struck an unbeaten 23 to take his side to a respectable total by the end of first innings.
In reply, Bulls were never in the hunt, as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Rayad Emrit and Rahim could not do much as Jeevan Mendis, Dawid Malan and Perera got starts but could not produce a memorable performance for their side. Skipper Naeem Islam rotated his bowlers well, and they responded with accurate lines. Sohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Shahid Afridi and Liam Dawson got two wickets apiece to never let Bulls off the hook.
The match got wrapped up in 18.2 overs. And with this loss, Bulls’ chances of making it to the next round is more or less done and dusted.
Brief scores:
Rangpur Riders 154 for 6 in 20 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 48, Mohammad Mithun 38, Ziaur Rahman 23*, Thisara Perera 2 for 26, Kamrul Islam 2 for 39) beat Barisal Bulls 125 in 18.2 overs (Dawid Malan 30, Thisara Perera 24; Sohag Gazi 2 for 11, Liam Dawson 2 for 12) by 29 runs.
