Rangpur Riders, the top team in the points table, confirmed the first qualifier in BPL yesterday. In the second match of the day, they faced Comilla Victorians, who are second in the points table, at the Zahoor Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. A win would ensure Comilla’s top two finish and qualifiers as well. Lyton’s Comilla achieved that goal by beating Rangpur by 6 wickets with 14 balls in hand.
Rangpur won the toss and sent Comilla captain Liton to bat first. Apart from Jimmy Neesham’s unbeaten 69 off 42 balls, nobody else from Rangpur could stay at the crease for long. Rangpur were all out for 150 runs in 19.5 overs.
Chasing, first Liton and Mahidul Islam and then Moeen Ali and Andre Russell, Comilla won. Liton was dismissed by Shakib Al Hasan after scoring 43 runs off 42 balls. Rangpur pacer Abu Haider returned Mahidul who scored 39 runs from 29 balls. But Russell’s contribution is more behind Comilla winning this match. The Caribbean star was unbeaten after playing an explosive innings of 43 runs with 4 sixes and 4 fours.
Despite this loss, Rangpur is at the top with 18 points in 12 matches. Comilla is second in the table with 16 points in 11 matches. Each team will play 12 matches each before the battle for the last four begins. Like Rangpur, Chittagong Challengers who have played all 12 matches in the league stage are third with 14 points and Fortune Barisal is fourth with 12 points in 11 matches.That is, even if Comilla loses their last match in the league stage and Barisal wins their last match, they will not be able to defeat Comilla and rise to second place. Rangpur’s opponent in the first qualifier on February 25 is Comilla.
Shakib took the first three batsmen of Comilla. Sunil Narine was caught by Shamim Hussain for 36 runs in the fifth over and then another wicket after 2 balls! This time Shakib’s victim is Tawheed Hriday. Tawhid returned with a catch to Rony Talukder for 0 runs.Comilla then went ahead with Liton-Mahidul’s 55-ball 65-run partnership for the third wicket. Shakib broke their pair in the 14th over. Picked up Liton. In the next over, Mahidul also caught Mehedi Hasan while hitting Abu Haider for a six. Comilla was under a bit of pressure after losing 2 wickets in 2 consecutive overs.
Still need 48 runs from 33 balls to win. But Comilla was also a place of strength. Andre Russell and Moeen Ali are the two tested ‘armies’ of this edition at the wicket.
The two settle down a bit at first. With Moin at one end, Russell did not hesitate to play from the other end.Rangpur’s pacer Hasan Mahmud felt the burn especially in the 17th over. Before his over, Comilla needed 33 runs from 24 balls to win. The match ended almost immediately after Moeen-Russell took 25 runs (Russell alone took 24) from Hasan’s over with 2 sixes and 3 fours. Comilla then needed 8 runs from 18 balls to win. In the 18th over, Russell-Moin completed the formalities.
Earlier, Rangpur did not make a good start when batting. 68 runs in 9 overs for 5 wickets. Rangpur batsmen had no answer to the bowling of Mathew Ford, Mushfiq Hasan and Russell. 2 sixes and 9 fours in one Nisham who tried to reply a little.
Summary Score:
Rangpur Riders: 150 in 19.5 overs (Neesham 69, Shakib 24, Rony 14, Mehdi 8, Moores 8; Russell 3/20, Mushfiq 3/18, Ford 2/32, Tanveer 1/12).
Comilla Victorians: 151/4 in 17.4 overs (Litton 43, Russell 43*, Mahidul 39, Narine 15; Shakib 3/20, Abu Haider 1/20)
Result: Comilla won by 6 wickets.
Man of the Match: Andre Russell (Comilla Victorians)