Khulna Tigers, riding on Mohammad Naim’s century, keep their hope alive to reach the play-off stage of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Cricket with one match to spare beating Rangpur Riders by 46 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday. Despite of the day’s 4th consecutive defeat, Rangpur Riders reached the best two team’s “qualifiers” from the seven-team league alongwith league leader Fortune Barishal securing 16 and 18 points respectively, playing 12 and 11 matches. Khulna Tigers have secured 10 points from 11 matches to stay in the race and will play their remaining match with lowly Dhaka Capitals on February 1. BPL Cricket: Fortune Barishal take solo lead to reach qualifiers crushing Dhaka Capitals by 5 wickets Chittagong Kings and Durbar Rajshahi are ahead of Khulna Tigers collecting 12 points each playing 10 and 12 matches respectively.  However, Chittagonmg Kings playing lowly Sylhet Strikers Thursday evening and will face league leader Fortune Barisal on February 1. In the day’s do or die match, Khulna Tigers batted first after winning the toss and piled up a huge total of 220 runs for 4 in stipulated 20 overs featuring a brilliant century by opener Mohammad Naim. Mohammad Naim hammered 111 runs off just 62 balls featuring seven four and eight sixes and was adjudged the player of the match. Besides, William Bosisto (36), Mahidul Islam Ankon (29), captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz (21), and Alex Ross (12) were the other notable scorers for Khulna Tigers. BPL Cricket: Chittagong Kings almost assures play-off berth beating Rangpur Riders Akif Javed, Iftikar Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan took one wicket each  In reply, Rangpur Riders were forced to fold their innings at 174 for 9 in quota 20 overs with national colored opener Soumya Sarkar contributing the team highest 74 runs off 48 balls hitting six four and five sixes. Besides, Mahedi Hasan (27),. Iftikar Ahmed (19) , Mohammad Saiffun (18), Rakibul Hasan 14) were main scorers for Rangpur Riders reaching double digit runs. Musfik Hasan grabbed three wicket for 24 runs while Mohammad Newas took two for 8 runs.   

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) reaches its midway point with thrilling performances and a shakeup in the standings. With a two-day break before the next phase in Chattogram, now is an opportune moment to reflect on the standout performers who have shaped the tournament thus far.In the batting department, several players have shone brightly. Mohammad Naim of Durdanto Dhaka stands tall as the leading run-scorer, amassing an impressive total of 266 runs in 9 innings with a highest score of 71. Despite his individual consistency, his team faces early elimination from the playoff race. Record Alert: Teenager Scores 320 Runs in BCB’s Age-Level Tournament Rangpur Riders' Babar Azam left a lasting impression with his elegant stroke play, accumulating 251 runs in just 6 innings at an outstanding average of 50.20. His adaptability and finesse made him a vital cog in the Rangpur Riders' batting lineup. However, Babar has left the BPL due to other commitments. Comilla Victorians' Tawhid Hridoy has also played a pivotal role, displaying raw power and aggressive intent. With 250 runs in 7 innings, including a memorable century, Tawhid has emerged as a dynamic middle-order batter capable of changing the game in a flash. BPL 2024: Historic losing streak ends Dhaka's playoff hopes On the bowling front, Shoriful Islam of Durdanto Dhaka leads the wicket-taking charts with 17 scalps in 9 innings. His left-arm pace and subtle variations have troubled batters throughout the tournament, though his efforts weren't enough to avoid his team's early elimination. Spinners Mahedi Hasan of Rangpur Riders and Tanvir Islam of Comilla Victorians have also excelled, claiming 12 and 11 wickets respectively. Their turn, flight, and guile have made them formidable opponents for any batting lineup. Like a duck to water: Neesham reflects on stellar BPL debut After a strong start, Rangpur Riders hold the top spot with six wins. Defending champions Comilla Victorians remain in hot pursuit, while the Chattogram Challengers are fierce competitors in third. Fortune Barishal and the Khulna Tigers battle for playoff contention. The Chattogram phase of the BPL kicks off on Tuesday, February 13th, and concludes on February 20th. The final phase will then shift to Dhaka, starting on February 23rd. The final of the season will take place on March 1 in Dhaka.

Riding on the half-centuries of Mohammad Naim and Liton Das, and a tremendous innings of 49 off just 15 balls by Nurul Hasan Sohan, Bangladesh defeated Oman A in a warm-up match by 60 runs on Friday. It was an unofficial practice match for the Tigers ahead of the T20 World Cup, which  is set to begin on October 17 in the Gulf state. The hosts won the toss in Friday’s match and opted to bowl first. But they conceded 207 runs in 20 overs. READ: T20 World Cup warm-up match: Bangladesh take on Oman A Friday Naim and Liton amassed more than 100 runs in the opening stand. Naim was slow and steady, while Liton played power cricket as he scored 53 off just 33 deliveries with six fours and one six.  However, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim and Afif Hossain failed to impress with the bat. While Soumya and Afif scored 8 and 6 respectively, Mushfiqur suffered a golden duck.  Sohan came in at number six and quickly put up 49 runs off just 15 balls with seven big sixes. Shamim Hossain also did well, scoring 19 off 10. Naim was the highest scorer for Bangladesh, posting 63 off 53 with three hours and two sixes. Bangladesh totalled 207 for four wickets. However, Oman tumbled for 147 for nine wickets in 20 overs. Left-handed Bangladeshi pacer Shoriful Islam bagged three wickets while Mohammad Saifuddin took two. Nasum Ahmed, Mahefi Hasan and Afif scalped one wicket each. READ: Nazmul becomes BCB president for next four years Bangladesh will play two official warm-up matches against Sri Lanka and Ireland on October 12 and 14, respectively, ahead of the World Cup in the UAE. In the first round of the World Cup, Bangladesh will take on Scotland, Oman and Papua New Guinea.

 

After the 20-match league phase, the Bangabandhu T20 Cup 2020 is all set to enter the playoff phase on Monday. Apart from Minister Group Rajshahi, the other four teams have qualified for this round. 

New faces in Bangladesh ODI set-up, Afif Hossain and Mohammad Naim, said they are hopeful to have the ODI cap in the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe starting from March 1 at Sylhet International Stadium.