Right then, that wraps up an entertaining day in the 2024/25 Bangladesh Premier League. Earlier in the day, Durbar Rajshahi returned to winning ways by overcoming the Sylhet Strikers. Later, under the lights, Rangpur Riders extended their perfect run with their 8th consecutive win, sealing a playoff spot in style. We now have a day's break before the action resumes on Sunday, 19th January, with a double-header. The first game of the day will see the Chittagong Kings taking on Fortune Barishal at 1 pm IST (7.30 am GMT). This will be followed by Durbar Rajshahi squaring off against the Khulna Tigers at 6 pm IST (12.30 pm GMT). As always, our build-up for both games will begin a lot sooner. See you then. Cheers!

The skipper of Rangpur Riders, Nurul Hasan says that they had the belief at the halfway mark. Tells that they have been receiving good support from the team management. Feels that it was difficult to bat at the start and lauds Khushdil Shah for the way he batted. Appreciates Akif Javed and says that he has a long way to go.

Khushdil Shah is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his impressive all-round showing. He says that the track was a bit tricky and their plan was to rotate the strike and take it deep. He also says that he had faith in the bowling unit and felt that they needed to reach 150. Adds that he backed his bowlers to defend at the halfway mark.

Mohammad Mithun, the skipper of Chittagong Kings says that he thought that they had control of the game in the first 10 overs and he reckoned that they could restrict them to 140 but due to their sloppiness in the field, they gave away a few runs too many. He also says that they lost many wickets in the Powerplay and ends up saying there's a lot of work to do to improve as a team.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, after being asked to bat first, the Rangpur Riders struggled to find momentum, but the arrival of Khushdil Shah changed the game. He blasted a 28-ball 59 while others struggled to get going. Despite the challenges, the Riders managed to finish strong, accumulating 51 runs off the final 3 overs, which helped them reach a competitive total of 164 on the board. A crucial moment came when Khushdil was dropped on 32 by Arafat Sunny, a mistake that proved costly as he added 27 more runs, which ultimately came back to haunt the Kings.

The acceleration never materialized, and both batters perished trying to force the issue too late, leaving the Kings well short of the target. For the Riders, Akif Javed was the star with the ball. He inflicted early damage with three crucial wickets and returned at the death to pick up another, finishing with 4 wickets.

In their pursuit of 165 runs, the Kings lost Usman Khan on the very first ball but still managed to score 50 in the Powerplay, courtesy of Parvez Hossain Emon and Graham Clark. However, both fell on either side of the Powerplay, leaving Shamim Hossain and Naeem Islam to rebuild the innings. Nurul Hasan then operated Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah in tandem, and that’s when the boundaries dried up. Naeem’s inability to accelerate added pressure on Shamim, and instead of taking calculated risks, they allowed the two Pakistani spinners to dictate terms.

A job well done from the Riders! They have shown exactly why they are the league leaders. With their 8th straight win, the Riders have sealed their place in the playoffs and become the first team to do so this season. As for the Kings, it was a case of not having a clear approach to chase and the lack of partnerships. At the top, they went too hard and lost wickets, and then in the middle overs, they slowed down considerably, leaving the acceleration too late.

Maruf Mridha is the new batter.

Arafat Sunny is the new man in.

Aliss Al Islam comes out to bat.