Bangladesh Premier League
BPL Football: Bashundhara Kings taste first win beating Uttar Baridhara 1-0
Twice-defending champions Bashundhara Kings tasted their first win in this season's 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), beating neighbours Uttar Baridhara Club 1-0 at the Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Monday.
Kings remain favourites to complete a hattrick of championships in the country's most prestigious football competition this time, despite starting their league campaign on a frustrating note losing the opening fixture to newcomers Swadhinata KS 2-1 in Tongi last Thursday, one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
On Monday, Bosnian striker Stojan Vranjes scored the all-important deciding goals as early as the first third of the match- decider for the defending champions Kings in the 27th minute by a placing shot, off a long cross by Mohammad Ibrahim (2-0).
Also read: BPL 2022: Barishal continue on winning-streak
Bashundhara Kings have now managed three points from two matches to get back the winning feeling, even as the trophy cabinet remains bare for the 2021-22 season. Kings will enter every domestic competition they play in this year as favourites, having bagged 3 of the 4 official BFF titles last year. Already though, twice this season they have fallen short: in both the Independence Cup and Federation Cup.
Uttar Baridhara Club remained at bottom of the league with empty hand with two successive defeats after conceding 1-2 goals losses against Sheikh Jamal DC in the first match.
Two matches will be on Tuesday (Feb 8).
Also read: BPL 2022: Favourites to Win Player of the Series Award
The six-time champions Dhaka Abahani Ltd will play Police FC in Tongi while Sheikh Jamal DC will meet Muktijoddha SKC in Munshiganj, both at 3pm.
BPL 2022 Playoffs Scenarios: How Can Each Team Qualify?
The 2022 Bangladesh Premier League's third phase came to an end on Friday (February 4). The final two fixtures of the third phase were canceled due to inclement weather. All four teams received a point as a result of the abandoned matches. The fourth phase will begin on Monday in Sylhet. With only two more phases of the BPL season 8 to go, the race for the next round has heated up. Let's take a look at how each team can make the BPL 2022 playoffs.
BPL 2022 Sylhet Phase: Everything to Know
A total of six matches will be played in the fourth phase from February 7th to February 9th. All of the matches will be held at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, with two games each day.
Predictably, Sylhet Sunrisers will play the most three matches in the fourth phase. Oppositely, Minister Dhaka, Comilla Victorians, Khulna Tigers, and Fortune Barishal will each play two matches, while Chattogram Challengers will only play one. The fourth phase will begin with a match between Comilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal and will end with Comilla Victorians and Sylhet Sunrisers.
Read BPL 2022 Phase 3 Preview: What You Need to Know
The complete fixtures of BPL 2022's Sylhet Phase
Date
Fixtures
Time (Bangladesh Standard Time)
February 7, 2022
Comilla Victorians vs Fortune Barishal
12.30 p.m.
February 7, 2022
Khulna Tigers vs Sylhet Sunrisers
5.30 p.m.
February 8, 2022
Chattogram Challengers vs Minister Dhaka
12.30 p.m.
February 8, 2022
Fortune Barishal vs Sylhet Sunrisers
5.30 p.m.
February 9, 2022
Khulna Tigers vs Minister Dhaka
12.30 p.m.
February 9, 2022
Comilla Victorians vs Sylhet Sunrisers
5.30 p.m.
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
BPL 8 Playoffs Qualification Scenario
The race for a spot in the BPL 8 playoffs has heated up, with each side now vying for a spot in the top four. Take a look at each team's playoffs qualification scenario.
Read Five Famous Cricket Players who Retired in 2021
BPL 8 points table (as of February 4, 2022)
Team
Match
Win
Lose
Points
NRR
Comilla Victorians
6
4
1
9
0.942
Fortune Barishal
7
4
2
9
-0.287
Minister Dhaka
7
3
3
7
0.266
Khulna Tigers
6
3
3
6
0.175
Chattogram Challengers
8
3
5
6
-0.215
Sylhet Sunrisers
6
1
4
3
-0.784
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Comilla Victorians
Comilla Victorians are on top of the points table with 9 points after six games, with four games remaining in the league phase. If Comilla win two of their remaining matches, they will qualify for the playoffs. However, they will be aiming to maintain their position in the points standings. Comilla will face Fortune Barishal and Sylhet Sunrisers in the Sylhet phase.
Read ICC 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup: Bangladesh’s Squad, Full Fixtures
Fortune Barishal
Fortune Barishal are in second place on the points table with 9 points. They need to win two more games to secure a playoffs spot. Fortune Barishal will aim to finish in the top two positions in the points standings at the completion of the league stage. Barishal will face Comilla and Sylhet in the fourth phase.
Minister Dhaka
Minister Dhaka are in third place with seven points after seven games. If Dhaka win two more games, they will be assured of a playoff berth. They may be able to qualify with just one win in their remaining three games, depending on the results of the other BPL 2022 fixtures. Dhaka will face Chattogram and Khulna in the fourth phase.
Khulna Tigers
With six points from six matches, the Khulna Tigers are in fourth place. They must win three more matches in their remaining four games to qualify for the playoffs. Khulna will face Sylhet and Dhaka in the fourth phase.
Read BPL 2022 Phase 1: Noteworthy Performance of Players in Different Categories
Chattogram Challengers
The Chattogram Challengers got off to a good start this season. However, things began to shift when Mehidy Miraz was stripped of his captaincy. Chattogram have 6 points from 8 games and they have to win their final two games to stay firm in the competition. However, they will also have to rely on the outcomes of the remaining BPL 2022 league stage encounters.
Sylhet Sunrisers
The Sylhet team is in last place with only three points. They still have four games to play and must win all of them to qualify for the playoffs. Sylhet have a chance to qualify with three victories, depending on the outcomes of the other matches. Sylhet will face Khulna, Barishal, and Comilla in phase 4.
Bottom Line
Sylhet Sunrisers are presently at the bottom of the BPL 2022 points standings. However, Sylhet have the most games in hand along with Comilla Victorians and Khulna Tigers. Sylhet should expect good outcomes in their upcoming matches because they are hosting phase 4. Khulna Tigers and Chattogram Challengers, are also in a difficult position in the points standings. They must finish strong in the league phase. On the other hand, Minister Dhaka, Fortune Barishal, and Comilla Victorians are in front of the current points table.
Read BPL 2022 Phase 2 Preview: All You Need to Know
BPL Football: Swadhinata KS upset Bashundhara Kings 2-1 in opener
Newcomer Swadhinata Krira Sangha made a biggest upset in the opening match of the 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football beating last two times champions Bashundhara Kings by 2-1 goal at Shaheed Ahsanullah Master Stadium in Tongi on Thursday.
Bosnian striker Nedo Turkovic put the Swadhinata KS ahead in the 25th minute from a penalty (1-0).
Newcomer Swadhinata KS got the spot kick when Kings midfielder Atiqur Rahman Fahad committed handball in the danger zone .
Also read: BPL Football begins Thursday
Local forward Rasel Ahmed doubled the margin for Swadhinata KS in the 47th minute with the frustration of big budgeted B Kings (2-0).
Bashundhara Kings, which looking for a hattrick championship this time, started their league campaign with frustrating note conceding two goals in a row and fielded four substitute players in the match tó change game.
But, the Kings failed to avoid the shameful defeat despite local forward Tawhidul Alam Sabuz reduced the margin scoring a goal in the 73rd minute (2-1).
Once triple crown holders Bashindhara Kings is passing very bad time recently as they suffered a shocking defeat in the day's opener after depriving of the season's two major soccer trophies--Independent Cup and Federation Cup Football.
Also read: Just three venues to host BPL football for Covid-19
In the day's other match, three times champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club made a good start defeating Uttar Baridhara Club by 2-1 goal at Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.
Gambian forward Suleiman Sillah scored first for Sheikh Jamal in the 11th minute while Nigerian booter Matthew Chinedu doubled the margin in the stoppage time of the first half (45+2 minute).
Uzbek booter Y .Kochnev pulled the Uttar Baridhara margin one back in the 68th minute from a penalty (2-1).
On Friday, six times champions Dhaka Abahani Ltd will face Muktijoddha Sangsad KC at 3pm in Tongi while Saif Sporting Club will encounter Bangladesh Police FC at 3 pm in Munshiganj.
The eleven- round first phase matches will be held from February 3 to March 19/20 in two venues adjoining the capital-- Shaheed Ahsanullah Master Stadium inTongi Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.
BPL 2022 Phase 3 Preview: What You Need to Know
The Comilla Victorians and Sylhet Sunrisers will play the most matches for the BPL 8's third phase in Dhaka. The next phase starts on Thursday. Aside from that, each of the other teams in the competition will play at least one match during this crucial round. Fortune Barishal will start the phase as the top team in the standings, while Sylhet Sunrisers will start as the bottom side. BPL 2022 phase 3 preview for each team is discussed in this article.
BPL 8 Phase 3 (Dhaka): All You Need to Know
The Bangladesh Premier League 2022's second phase came to an end on Tuesday, (February 1). The next phase will commence on February 3 in Dhaka after only one day of respite. The third phase of BPL 2022 is the shortest. A total of four matches will be played in this phase from February 3 to 4. All of the matches will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, with two games per day.
Comilla Victorians and Sylhet Sunrisers will play the most two matches in the second phase. On the other hand, Khulna Tigers, Fortune Barishal, Chattogram Challengers, and Minister Dhaka will each play one match. The third phase will begin with a match between the Sylhet Sunrisers and the Khulna Tigers and end with a match between the Comilla Victorians and Minister Dhaka.
Read Moeen Ali in Dhaka to play BPL after 9 years
The complete fixtures of BPL 8’S Phase 3
Date
Fixtures
Time (Bangladesh Standard Time)
February 3, 2022
Sylhet Sunrisers vs Khulna Tigers
12.30 p.m.
February 3, 2022
Chattogram Challengers vs Comilla Victorians
5.30 p.m.
February 4, 2022
Fortune Barishal vs Sylhet Sunrisers
1.30 p.m.
February 4, 2022
Comilla Victorians vs Minister Dhaka
6.30 p.m.
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
BPL 2022 Third Phase: Team-Wise Preview
The BPL 2022 phase 3 preview highlighted each team's present situation. Take a look at the previews for each team.
Read Five Famous Cricket Players who Retired in 2021
Fortune Barishal
The Barishal team is now in first place in the points standings with eight points from six games. They have four matches remaining in the league phase. Fortune Barishal will meet Sylhet Sunrisers in the third phase, with the goal of maintaining their position in the standings at the end of this phase. The Shakib-led team is steadily gaining momentum in the tournament, and they should easily qualify for the playoffs.
Comilla Victorians
Comilla Victorians lost to Minister Dhaka, their first loss of the competition on Tuesday (February 1). They will play Minister Dhaka again in their second match of phase 3, after facing Chattogram Challengers on Thursday. The Comilla Victorians are presently in second place in the points standings, and they will try to win all of their matches in this phase to reclaim first place.
Read ICC 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup: Bangladesh’s Squad, Full Fixtures
Minister Dhaka
Minister Dhaka performed well in phase 2, winning both of their matches. Dhaka are presently in third place with six points. They will be trying to keep their winning streak going when they meet Comilla on February 4.
Chattogram Challengers
The removal of Mehidy Miraz as captain wreaked chaos in the Chattogram Challengers locker room. Chattogram had a chance to improve their position in the standings in phase 2. However, they plummeted to fourth place in the points table after losing three of their four matches in phase 2. They will be looking to make a comeback in their solitary phase 3 match against Comilla Victorians.
Read Tamim's ton overshadows Lindle's first BPL century
Khulna Tigers
Khulna Tigers are presently in fifth place in the BPL 8 point standings. They have collected four points in five games. With five more league matches to play, Khulna Tigers must win the majority of their remaining encounters in this round. Khulna will only face the Sylhet Sunrisers in phase 3.
Sylhet Sunrisers
Sylhet Sunrisers sit at the bottom of the standings with only two points. In the third phase, they will play two matches against Khulna Tigers and Fortune Barishal, respectively. Sylhet must win both games to remain in contention for the playoffs. Otherwise, they are in serious danger of missing out on a playoff berth.
Read BPL 2022 Phase 1: Noteworthy Performance of Players in Different Categories
Bottom Line
As seen in the preview, Comilla Victorians may recapture the first spot if they win both of their phase 3 matches, while Sylhet Sunrisers are the team under the most pressure right now. Sylhet must win at least one match in phase 3 in order to stay alive in the competition. Regardless of the outcome of this phase, Fortune Barishal are certain to remain in the top three. Among the other teams, Minister Dhaka, Chattogram Challengers, and Khulna Tigers must win their respective BPL 2022 phase 3 matches to improve their positions in the points tables.
BPL 2022: Competition among six teams gets heated up in Phase 2
Slower bowlers dominated the majority of games in the first phase in Dhaka, which was frustrating for the fans. Oppositely, batters had a hard time hitting the ball, especially during day matches. However, the batters have found their stride in the second phase. Two blazing centuries have already been seen in the Chattogram phase. Another important point is that the playoffs race has heated up. All of the teams in the tournament are vying for a spot in the playoffs. Let's take a look at the latest BPL 2022 league stage scenario.
Current Points Table Scenario of BPL 2022
The match between Chattogram Challengers and Khulna Tigers kicked off the second phase of the BPL season 8. In the Chattogram phase, four of the eight matches have been played. With the exception of Comilla Victorians, all of the competing teams have already played a match. The Comilla team will play two matches against Minister Dhaka and Chattogram Challengers, respectively before the end of this phase.
The Table Topper – Chattogram Challengers
Chattogram Challengers presently lead the points table with 6 points. They have played two games in Chattogram so far. Chattogram Challengers were defeated by Khulna Tigers by 6 wickets on Friday but bounced back against Sylhet Sunrisers on Saturday. They defeated Sylhet by 16 runs to seize first place in the points table.
Read ICC 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup: Bangladesh’s Squad, Full Fixtures
Comilla Victorians
Comilla are yet to play a game in the Chattogram phase, but they are currently in second place on the points table with a perfect record.
Minister Dhaka
The Minister Dhaka team was under a lot of strain after losing three of its four phase one matches. They have exhibited real promise with a crushing 9-wicket victory against Sylhet Sunrisers in the second phase. Minister Dhaka are currently placed third with four points.
Khulna Tigers
The Khulna Tigers got off to a good start in the second phase, winning by six wickets against Chattogram Challengers. However, they were unable to chase down a decent total against Fortune Barishal in the following match, losing by 17 runs. The Khulna Tigers are presently in fourth place in the points table.
Read ICC U19 World Cup 2022: Bangladesh vs India Super League Quarter-Final Preview
Fortune Barishal
The Shakib Al Hasan-led Barishal team has only played one game, which they won by 17 runs against the Khulna Tigers. Despite a solid win over Khulna, the Barishal team was unable to improve their points table position due to poor run rates. Fortune Barishal are presently in fifth place in the standings.
Sylhet Sunrisers
Sylhet is the only team in the competition that has only won one game thus far. Sylhet Sunrisers were defeated by Minister Dhaka and Chattogram Challengers in both of their phase 2 matches. With only two points, they are now at the bottom of the points table.
BPL 8 Phase 2's Biggest Takeaways So Far
The First Centurion of BPL 2022
BPL 2022's first century came in the third match of phase 2. West Indian power hitter, Lendl Simmons scored the first century in the Bangladesh Premier League this season. Sylhet Sunrisers scored a challenging 175/5 runs on board, thanks to Simmons' 116 off 65 balls knock. He hit five big sixes in his innings and reached his century in just 59 balls.
Read BPL 2022 Phase 2 Preview: All You Need to Know
Tamim Iqbal’s Perfect Response to Lendl Simmons Century
Bangladesh's finest opener, Tamim Iqbal responded to Lendl Simmons' century with an unbeaten 111* off 64 balls match-winning effort. Tamim's innings featured four big sixes and he reached the three-figure mark in just 61 balls. It was Tamim Iqbal's fourth T20 century, the most by any Bangladeshi batter. Minister Dhaka defeated Sylhet Sunrisers by 9 wickets, thanks to a 173-run first-wicket partnership between Tamim and Shahzad.
Second-Fastest Half-Century in BPL’s History
English recruit for Chattogram Challengers, Will Jacks hit a stunning half-century against Sylhet Sunrisers, allowing his team to defend a total of over 200 runs. Will Jacks' fifty came in just 18 balls, making it the second-fastest fifty in BPL history. He joins Seekkuge Prasanna and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for the second-fastest half-century in BPL history. With only 16 balls, Pakistan's Ahmed Shehzad holds the record for the fastest fifty in the BPL.
First Hat-trick in BPL 2022
One of Bangladesh's most promising young pacers Mrittunjoy Chowdhury took a hat-trick for Chattogram Challengers against Sylhet Sunrisers. His hat-trick led Chattogram to a 16-run victory against Sylhet in the match. Mrittunjoy Chowdhury dismissed Anamul Haque, Mosaddek Hossain, and Ravi Bopara in three successive deliveries in the 18th over to become the first bowler to take a hat-trick this season.
Read BPL 2022 Phase 1: Noteworthy Performance of Players in Different Categories
Bottom Line
The performance of the batters in the Chattogram phase is quite encouraging for the success of BPL 2022. There have already been a number of high-scoring matches, including the tournament's first 200 plus total, which was made by Chattogram Challengers against Sylhet Sunrisers on Saturday (January 29). All of the teams are in strong contention for a playoffs spot. The points table scenario might change in the next four matches in phase 2. Therefore, the teams cannot afford to take any match lightly, and more closely-contested battles are expected in the coming days.
BPL 2022 Phase 2 Preview: All You Need to Know
All of the franchise teams have already arrived in the city of Chattogram for the Bangladesh Premier League 8 second phase. Chattogram Challengers will play the most matches in this phase as the host city. Apart from that, every other side in the tournament will play at least two matches during this important phase. The Comilla Victorians will begin the phase as the top team in the standings, while Minister Dhaka will begin as the bottom side. BPL 2022 phase 2 preview for each team is discussed in this article.
BPL 2022 Chattogram Phase: Everything You Need to Know
The first phase of the Bangladesh Premier League 2022 came to a conclusion on January 25 (Tuesday). The second phase will begin in Chattogram on January 28 after only two days of rest. A total of eight matches will be conducted in this phase from January 28th to February 1st. The Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium will host all of the matches and there will be two games on each day.
Chattogram Challengers will play the most four matches in the second phase. On the other hand, Khulna Tigers and Fortune Barishal will play three matches each, while Comilla Victorians, Sylhet Sunrisers, and Minister Dhaka will each play two. The second phase will kick off with a contest between Chattogram Challengers and Khulna Tigers and will conclude with a match between Chattogram Challengers and Fortune Barishal.
Read BPL 2022 Phase 1: Noteworthy Performance of Players in Different Categories
The complete fixtures of BPL 2022's Chattogram Phase
Date
Fixtures
Time (Bangladesh Standard Time)
January 28, 2022
Chattogram Challengers vs Khulna Tigers
1.30 p.m.
January 28, 2022
Minister Dhaka vsSylhetSunrisers
6.30 p.m.
January 29, 2022
Fortune Barishalvs Khulna Tigers
12.30 p.m.
January 29, 2022
Chattogram Challengers vsSylhetSunrisers
5.30 p.m.
January 31, 2022
Chattogram Challengers vsComilla Victorians
12.30 p.m.
January 31, 2022
Fortune Barishalvs Khulna Tigers
5.30 p.m.
February 1, 2022
Comilla Victorians vs Minister Dhaka
12.30 p.m.
February 1, 2022
Chattogram Challengers vs Fortune Barishal
5.30 p.m.
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read BPL 2022 Points Table Phase 1: Comilla Victorians Propel to Top
Team-Wise Preview of BPL 8's Second Phase
BPL 2022 phase 2 preview analyzed the current scenario of the participating teams and what they should do in this phase in order to secure a place in the playoffs. Take a peek at each team's preview.
Minister Dhaka
Minister Dhaka have a lot of work to do in the second phase with only two points in four matches. They have six games left in the league stage, and Mahmudullah's team has to win the majority of their remaining games to finish in the top four. They will face Sylhet Sunrisers on January 28 and Comilla Victorians on February 1 in this phase. Dhaka's middle-order is the team's biggest worry right now, and they need to improve as a unit.
Key Players to watch:
Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, Andre Russell
Read ICC Awards Winners 2021: Meet the Players
Chattogram Challengers
The Chattogram team has won two of its first three matches, which is a fantastic start. Challengers will play four matches in this phase, and they will be able to climb up to the top of the points table if they continue to win matches. The team spirit of the Chattogram Challengers is high right now, and they must maintain it during this phase.
Key Players to watch:
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Benny Howell, Will Jacks
Khulna Tigers
Khulna have only two points on the board in two matches, and they will play three matches in this phase. Khulna will play two games against Fortune Barishal on January 29 and 31 and one game against the host Chattogram Challengers in phase 2. Khulna will have to improve their performance if they want to stay in the top four in the points standings. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim hasn't done much with the bat thus far, so he will have to step up in this phase.
Key Players to watch:
Mushfiqur Rahim, Thisara Perera, Rony Talukdar
Read Shakib Reaches 400 T20 Wickets Milestone in BPL 2022: Stats Breakdown
Fortune Barishal
The Barishal team began their BPL 2022 campaign with a dominating win against Chattogram, but they were unable to maintain the momentum in their next two phase 1 matches. Fortune Barishal will play Chattogram Challengers in the last game of phase 2 in addition to two matches against Khulna Tigers. Barishal must win at least two of these three matches to remain in the top four in the points standings at the end of this phase. Shakib Al Hasan's team certainly has the talent and experience to return to winning form.
Key Players to watch:
Shakib Al Hasan, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo
Sylhet Sunrisers
The Sylhet team has several talented players, and they got off to a good start in the BPL 8 season with a win over Minister Dhaka. Sylhet will play two games in phase 2, one against Minister Dhaka and the other against Chattogram Challengers. Sylhet's overall competence as a team will be revealed as the season progresses. Experienced foreign players and local recruits must stand up for the Sunrisers. Sylhet will have to play as a team to make the top four.
Key Players to watch:
Nazmul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Ravi Bopara
Read Bangladesh Women’s Team Misses Out to Qualify for Commonwealth Games Cricket Tournament 2022
Comilla Victorians
The only unbeaten team in the BPL season 8 is Comilla Victorians. They will face Chattogram Challengers and Minister Dhaka in phase 2. The Victorians will be hoping to maintain their good form in this phase. The Comilla team has enough potential to go unbeaten in league matches.
Key Players to watch:
Nahidul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Faf du Plessis
Bottom Line
Each team was more focused on forming an ideal playing XI in the opening phase of the BPL 2022. Therefore, they were unable to reach their full potential on the ground in the first phase. Furthermore, the batters couldn't bat aggressively since the pitch suited the spinners in the Dhaka phase. In Chattogram, the matches are expected to be played on more batting-friendly surfaces. As a result, more runs are predicted in the upcoming second phase fixtures.
Read BPL 2022: Meet the Six Captains
The Chattogram Challengers have a great chance to take a strong position in the points table, as indicated by the Bangladesh Premier League 8 second phase Preview. On the other hand, Minister Dhaka will have to turn around to get the top four spots in the points standings. Besides, Barisal, Khulna, Sylhet, and Comilla will strive for wins in their respective fixtures. Overall, the Chattogram phase promises to be fascinating.
BPL 2022: Challengers pick up 2nd win defending the highest total
Chattogram Challengers clinched their second win in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Monday beating Khulna Tigers by 25 runs at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The Challengers now have two wins in three games while Khulna Tigers suffered the first defeat in two matches.
Challengers batted first in the match and posted 190 for 7— the highest team total so far in the ongoing BPL.
Kennar Lewis and Will Jacks laid a good foundation for them scoring 29 runs just in 1.3 overs thanks to Sohrawordi Shuvo who conceded 23 runs in the first over of the match.
After that fiery start, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Benny Howell posted 32, 30, and 34 respectively to put up a challenging total.
Also read: BPL 2022: Mahmudullah, Russell help Dhaka to register maiden win
Sabbir and Mehidy shared a 48-run stand in the fourth wicket partnership that helped the Challengers to get close to 200. Their second-best partnership came in the sixth wicket when Howell and Shamim Hossain added 32 runs off 17 balls.
Khulna’s right-arm pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi scalped two wickets while Naveen-ul-Haq and Farhad Reza bagged one wicket each. Three other wickets were lost to run-out.
In reply, Yasir Ali hit 40 off 26 balls with two fours and three sixes at a strike rate of surpassing 150.
But his effort went in vain as the other Khulna batters were unable to respond properly to chase down a target of 191 runs.
Mahedi Hasan scored 30 off 20 balls while Zimbabwean recruit of Khulna Sikandar Raza posted 22 off 12 balls, but they eventually fell short of 25 runs. Kamrul Islam Rabbi scored 14 off 7 balls at the end but he failed to change the fate of the match.
For the Challengers, Shoriful Islam, Mehidy, and Rejaur Rahman Raja scalped two wickets each.
The match saw an incident of concern when Andre Fletcher was hit on his neck by a nasty bouncer of Rejaur during the seventh over of Khulna’s innings.
Also read: BPL8: Chattogram outplay Dhaka to register first win
Fletcher was immediately stretchered off the field, and Sikandar Raza took the field as his concussion substitute.
Before being retired hurt, Fletcher posted 16 off 12 balls.
In a later statement, the Khulna Tigers said that the batter will undergo medical check-ups on Monday night, though he was stable at the time when he was carried to the hospital.
These two teams will lock the horns again on January 28.
Shakib completes 400 wickets in T20s
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan completed a remarkable feat of taking 400 wickets in Twenty20 cricket on Monday while playing for Fortune Barishal in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Shakib is only the fifth cricketer in history to take 400 or more wickets in the T20s. Dwyane Bravo, Imran Tahir, Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan are the other bowlers to reach the same milestone.
It was Mahmudullah Riyad, the captain of Minister Group Dhaka, who fell prey to Shakib as his 400th wicket with a catch to Dwayne Bravo— who is the holder of the record of taking most wickets in the format with more than 550 wickets to his name.
Also read: It’s great to get recognised, says Shakib after being in ICC ODI team of year
Coming into his 353rd T20s, Shakib completed this remarkable feat with four five-wicket and 10 four-wicket hauls.
Shakib’s best in the format is taking six wickets only conceding six runs in the Caribbean Premier League. Shakib also has 215 wickets in Tests and 277 wickets in ODIs.
Also read: It’s wrong that we have no player sans big guns: Shakib
BPL 2022: Victorians seal low-scoring thriller vs Sunrisers
Comilla Victorians sealed a low-scoring affair in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Saturday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Sunrisers batted first and failed to post a big total in a surface that has swing, pace and spin on offer altogether. They posted only 96, and in reply, Victorians needed to bat to 18.4 overs. They eventually lost eight wickets to chase down the target and won the match by two wickets.
Sylhet fought hard to stress the chase, but the total on the board was not enough for them to make the fight harder.
Also read: BPL 2022: Sylhet bundled out for 96 vs Comilla
Victorians failed to ensure a good start as they lost the South African star Faf du Plessis only for two. But in the second wicket stand, Cameron Delport and Mominul Haque added 21 runs.
They, however, kept losing wickets on a regular basis.
Nazmul Islam Apu bagged three wickets for Sunrisers, and Shohag Gazi and Mosaddek Hossain scalped two wickets each.
Earlier, the Victorians have won the toss and sent the Sunrisers to bat first. Inside the powerplay, Sunrisers lost only two wickets— Anamul Haque and Mohammad Mithun— both failed to reach a double-digit score.
The wicket was not ideal for the batters. It offered pace, swing, and spin altogether. But the Sunrisers batters were unable to show any resistance.
Colin Ingram was the highest runs getter for them scoring only 20 while their second-best runs came from extras.
Also read: BPL8: Khulna overcome stiff target with relative ease thanks to batters
For the Victorians, Nahidul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Shohidul Islam bagged two wickets each while left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam bowled four overs conceding only 10 runs and scalped a wicket.
On any other day, the Victorians would have suffered due to their bowling laced with indiscipline, but the lean display from Sunrisers’ batters might have saved them in this match.
In the next match, Victorians will take on Fortune Barishal on January 25 while Sunrisers will play Minister Group Dhaka on January 25.
BPL 2022: Chattogram Challengers to Play Fortune Barishal in Season Opener
The BPL 2022 will begin on Friday at the SBNCS, Mirpur, with a match between Chattogram Challengers and Fortune Barishal. The contest will begin at 1.30 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). Chattogram Challengers is a youthful team, while Fortune Barisal have one of the best teams in the Bangladesh Premier League this season. Therefore, Fortune Barishal will be a slight favorite to win the match. Let's take a look at the match preview between Fortune Barishal and Chattogram Challengers.
Match Preview: Chattogram Challengers vs Fortune Barishal
The world's best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will captain the Fortune Barishal team in this season's BPL, while bowling all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz will lead the Chattogram Challengers side. Let's look at the predicted playing XI, as well as the strengths and flaws of both teams.
Chattogram Challengers
The Chattogram team has some of Bangladesh's finest upcoming young talents. There are no senior Bangladesh national team players in this squad. As a result, the team management has entrusted the captaincy to Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who led the Rajshahi franchise in 2019.
Read BPL 2022: Meet the Six Captains
Strength
The youthful squad is Chattogram’s biggest asset. Young players like Akbar Ali, Naeem Islam, Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain will provide the Challengers an extra boost. Captain Mehidy Miraz and the team management must ensure that all of the players adhere to their game plan and carry it out properly on the field.
Weakness
One of Chattogram's biggest flaws is that they don't have any experienced players from the local category. As a result, the team heavily relies on their rookies. Foreign recruits will also have to contribute well in order to stay strong in quest of Playoff berths.
Read BPL 2022: Most Impactful Foreign Players from Six Teams
Probable Playing XI
Top Order: Chadwick Walton, Zakir Hasan, Will Jacks, Middle Order: Afif Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shamim Hossain, Benny Howell, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Lower Order: Mukidul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed.
Fortune Barishal
Barishal are one of the early favorites in this year's BPL, with a well-balanced squad. The expertise of Shakib Al Hasan, Chris Gayle, and Dwayne Bravo would be beneficial to Barishal during the tournament. On the other hand, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mehedi Rana, Najmul Shanto are exciting players to watch, who can help Barishal win matches.
Read BPL 2022 Live Streaming: Where to Watch the Most Anticipated Domestic Cricket Matches?
Strength
The key strength of Barishal is that they have adequate players in all departments. If the Shakib-led team can get into a groove right away, the rest of the BPL teams will have their work cut out for them.
Weakness
Barishal don't appear to have any big flaws on paper, but selecting an ideal playing XI might be a huge challenge for the team management. They may discover their suitable combination as the season progresses.
Read BPL Fixtures 2022: Full Bangladesh Premier League Schedules, Dates, Times, Venues
Probable Playing XI
Top Order: Chris Gayle, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan Middle-Orders: Towhid Hridoy, Irfan Sukkur, Dwayne Bravo, Nurul Hasan, Ziaur Rahman Lower-Order: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Taijul Islam
Verdict
Given the strength of both squads, Barishal will start as favorites, but no one can dispute that Chattogram have a few individual match winners. If team Chattogram can put pressure on the Barishal side from the start of the game, they will have a chance in this match. Mirpur's surface is likely to favor the spinners, therefore the toss may be crucial in this match as well. Overall, fans are anticipating a thrilling contest between Chattogram Challengers and Fortune Barishal in the BPL 2022 opener.
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