The only unbeaten side in the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 2024-25 season so far, Rangpur Riders continue to go from strength to strength after chalking up their seventh consecutive win, this time by eight runs against Khulna Tigers in Sylhet Monday.
Batting first, the Riders, who now have seven wins in as many attempts, posted 186 for the loss of five wickets with in-form Khushdil Shah top-scoring with an unbeaten 35-ball 73, studded with half a dozen sixes and four fours.
Pakistani recruit Khushdil added 115 alongside compatriot Iftikhar Ahmed (43) for the fourth wicket to take the table-toppers to what turned out to be a winning total.
Opener Tawfique Khan made 36 at the top after the departures of the other opening batter Steven Taylor (13) and Saif Hasan (seven).
Pacers Abu Haider Rony (2/37) and Hasan Mahmud (2/38) shared four wickets for Khulna, currently at the fourth and final playoff spot with four points from five matches.
In reply, the Tigers were off to a good start thanks to opener Mohammad Naim’s 41-ball 58, laced with seven boundaries and a couple of maximums, and captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz’s 24-ball 39.
No 4 batter Afif Hossain chipped in with a quickfire 15-ball 29.
However, Khulna lost their way from a comfortable position of 165/3, succumbing to 178/9 from 20 overs.
Rangpur’s Pakistani purchase Akif Javed bagged three scalps conceding 29 runs, while Saifuddin and Mahedi Hasan picked up two each, giving away 28 and 27 runs respectively.
The country’s premier T20 tournament will now move to Chittagong for the port-city phase following a two-day break.
20TH MATCH
Rangpur Riders 186/5 (Khushdil 73*, Iftikhar 43) beat Khulna Tigers 178/9 (Naim 58, Javed 3/29) by 8 runs
