Fortune Barishal clinch victory with a strong finish over Khulna Tigers

Fortune Barishal clinched a thrilling 5-wicket victory over Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. In a chase of 188, Barishal faced a tense situation after losing two key wickets in quick succession, but a solid partnership between Mohammad Nabi and Faheem Ashraf saw them home with 5 balls to spare.

Barishal's chase got off to a good start, but the loss of Mahmudullah, run out off Mahmudul Hasan's direct throw, followed by Mushfiqur Rahim's dismissal on the next ball, left them needing 36 runs from 21 balls with 5 wickets in hand. This put them under pressure, but Nabi and Ashraf steadied the ship. In the 17th over, bowled by Abu Haider, Nabi took a single to give Faheem the strike. Faheem then smashed two boundaries—one four and one six—to pick up 10 runs off just two balls.

With 25 runs required from 3 overs, Khulna's pacer Hasan Mahmud struggled, bowling two wides as he attempted Yorkers. Although he conceded a six off the final ball, Barishal's equation was down to 13 runs from two overs. Nabi then hit a six off the first ball of Nasum Ahmed's next over, putting Barishal in the driver's seat. They finished the chase with composure, securing the victory with 5 balls to spare.

The player of the match was Dawid Malan, who top-scored with a brilliant 63 runs off 37 balls, anchoring Barishal's innings. Other valuable contributions came from Tamim Iqbal (27 from 25 balls), Mushfiqur Rahim (24 from 17 balls), and Mahmudullah (24 from 13 balls). Nabi remained unbeaten on 15 from 10 balls, and Faheem Ashraf played an important cameo, adding 18 runs off 6 balls.

Earlier, Khulna Tigers posted a challenging total of 187/5 in their 20 overs. Mohammad Naim was the standout batter, scoring 51 runs off 27 balls, including 5 fours and 3 sixes. Afif Hossain (32) and captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz (29) also made useful contributions. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mahidul Islam played a crucial cameo, remaining unbeaten on 27* from 12 balls, helping Khulna add 37 runs in the final 15 balls. Despite their efforts, Barishal's bowlers, particularly Faheem Ashraf, kept the chase within reach.

The win brought Barishal to 8 points from 10 matches, moving them level on points with Rangpur Riders in the standings. However, Rangpur remained at the top due to a better net run rate. Khulna, with 8 points from 10 games, remained in fifth place.

BriefScore:

Khulna Tigers: 187/5 in 20 overs (Naim 51, Afif 32, Miraz 29, Mahidul 27*, Rass 20, Bessisto 20*; Faheem 2/49)
Fortune Barishal: 188/5 in 19.1 overs (Malan 63, Tamim 27, Mushfiq 24, Mahmudullah 24, Faheem 18*, Nabi 15*; Haider 2/35)
Result: Barishal won by 5 wickets.
Player of the Match: Dawid Malan.