Rangpur Riders secure commanding victory over Dhaka Capitals in their BPL opener

Rangpur Riders kicked off their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) campaign with an emphatic 40-run victory over Dhaka Capitals on Monday.

The second match of the opening day saw Rangpur dominate both with the bat and the ball, setting the tone for their season.

After losing the toss, Rangpur was put in to bat and posted an imposing 191/6, thanks to vital contributions from Saif Hassan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Khushdil Shah, all scoring 40+ runs.

In response, Dhaka Capitals faltered under the pressure of Rangpur's disciplined bowling attack, led by the exceptional Sheikh Mehedi Hasan, and were restricted to 151/9.

Rangpur Riders faced an early setback, losing Steven Taylor and Alex Hales within the first 20 runs. However, Saif Hassan and Iftikhar Ahmed steadied the ship with a crucial third-wicket partnership of 89 runs off 65 balls. Saif played a composed knock of 40 runs from 33 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes, before being dismissed.

Iftikhar Ahmed, displaying his experience, top-scored for Rangpur with 49 runs off 38 balls, including eight boundaries. After Saif's dismissal, Khushdil Shah took charge, forming a 23-run stand with Iftikhar before the latter was out.

The final flourish came from Khushdil and captain Nurul Hasan Sohan, who added 41 runs off just 18 balls for the fifth wicket. Khushdil remained unbeaten on 46 from 23 balls, smashing three fours and three sixes, while Sohan contributed a quickfire 25 off 11 balls, all but one of his runs coming from boundaries.

Chasing 192, Dhaka Capitals started strongly, with openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Liton Das putting up 65 runs in 7.2 overs. Tanzid scored 30 off 21 balls, including two fours and two sixes, while Liton added 31 off 27 balls with three fours and one six.

However, Sheikh Mehedi Hasan's brilliant spell turned the game on its head. Mehedi dismissed both openers in quick succession, leaving Dhaka reeling. He finished with figures of 4/27 from four overs, dismantling Dhaka's batting lineup. Mehedi's victims also included Habibul Rahman Sohan and Farmanullah Shafiq.

Other Dhaka batters failed to build partnerships or take responsibility. Stephen Eskinazi scored 17 off 21, captain Thisara Perera managed 17, Mokidul Islam Mugdho added 18, and Nazmul Islam Apu chipped in with 12. Despite some resistance, the team fell well short of the target.

Khushdil Shah supported Mehedi with the ball, picking up 2/15 in two overs, while Saifuddin, Kamrul Rabbi, and Rakibul Hasan claimed one wicket each. Although Nahid Rana didn't pick up a wicket, his economical spell of 3-0-11-0 added to Dhaka's struggles.

Earlier in the day, Dhaka's bowlers struggled to contain Rangpur's batsmen but found occasional success. Al-Amin Babu claimed 3/39, while Mokidul Islam Mugdho and Mustafizur Rahman took two and one wicket, respectively.

Rangpur Riders' all-round performance, particularly from Sheikh Mehedi Hasan and Khushdil Shah, ensured a comprehensive victory and a promising start to their BPL campaign. Dhaka Capitals, meanwhile, will look to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming matches.