Left-arm pacer Abu Hider Rony turned the pitch into his canvas, etching a historic performance in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
His five wickets for a mere 12 runs was not just a spell; it was a masterpiece—the finest bowling figures ever by a Bangladeshi in the tournament.
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On Hider's brilliance, Rangpur Riders cemented their position at the summit of the BPL points table, overcoming a spirited Fortune Barishal in a tense Chattogram encounter.
Barishal batted first; the runs dried up like paint on a hot day. Despite a 46 by Kyle Mayers, their star batters, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, and Mahmudullah Riyad, faded against the bowling onslaught.
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For Rangpur, Abu Hider wielded his brushstroke deliveries with deadly accuracy, taking five wickets, while Hasan Mahmud provided able support with two of his own.
Rangpur's reply started shakily, and Mominul Haque dismissed him for a duck. But Brandon King and Shakib Al Hasan steadied the ship, weaving a solid partnership of 53 runs.
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Obed McCoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz struck back for Barishal, each snatching three wickets, threatening to tilt the match. Yet James Neesham and Dwaine Pretorius held their ground, their cool heads and defiant strokes guiding Rangpur to a one-wicket victory with three balls to spare.
While Barishal's playoff hopes dim slightly, they still have a fighting chance, contingent on a potential win over the Comilla Victorians, and the fate of other matches across the league may also impact their path to the playoff.