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.
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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.
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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.