In what seemed like a perfect setting for batting in Chattogram, Rangpur Riders opted to bat first but faced an early setback when Rony Talukdar fell in just the second over to Luke Wood. However, Shakib Al Hasan, undeterred by the dismissal, launched an aggressive assault on Nahidul Islam, smashing consecutive sixes in the third over.
Despite Wood claiming his second victim with the dismissal of Reeza Hendricks, Rangpur Riders surged ahead, accumulating a staggering 44 runs off the final two overs of the powerplay to reach a formidable 69 runs. Shakib, dropped early in the innings, went on to register the fastest fifty of the season off just 20 balls, well supported by Mahedi Hasan. The Riders continued their onslaught, reaching 114 at the halfway mark.
Although Shakib’s departure to Wood for a brisk 31-ball 69 offered the Khulna Tigers a glimmer of hope, courtesy of Wood’s figures of 4/19, they failed to capitalize as Rangpur Riders posted a commanding total of 168/3 in 15 overs.
However, quick dismissals of Mahedi Hasan (60) and James Neesham (13) in successive overs, conceding only 10 runs, gave Khulna Tigers a chance to claw back into the game. Yet, Nurul Hasan’s aggressive cameo of 32 off just 13 balls propelled the Riders to 41 runs in the last three overs, finishing with a formidable total of 219 runs.
In pursuit of a daunting target, Khulna Tigers got off to a slow start, managing only 18 runs at a run-a-ball rate and losing Evin Lewis in the process. Alex Hales tried to anchor the innings by scoring 12 runs off Hasan Mahmud in the fourth over, but Khulna Tigers struggled to gain momentum, reaching just 46/2 by the end of the powerplay.
Despite Hales’ valiant effort, scoring a 24-ball 50 to guide his team to 83/3 in nine overs, the pressure mounted as wickets fell around him. Recognizing the crucial juncture, Nurul Hasan reintroduced Imran Tahir, who had already taken two wickets, which proved pivotal. Tahir dismissed Hales (60) and Akbar Ali in the same over, effectively ending Khulna Tigers’ hopes.
— Jas Pope (@jas_pope93438) February 13, 2024
After Nahidul Islam’s dismissal by Neesham in the 13th over, Tahir completed his five-wicket haul with the scalp of Habibur Rahman Sohan, leaving Khulna Tigers needing an improbable 98 runs off the last five overs. Despite Luke Wood’s late fireworks with a quickfire 20, the Tigers were bowled out for 141, succumbing to a comprehensive 78-run defeat.
