In a dominant display at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, the Rangpur Riders demolished the Chattogram Challengers by 53 runs in a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) encounter on Saturday, reports UNB.
An explosive batting performance, driven by half-centuries from Reeza Hendricks and James Neesham, propelled Rangpur to an imposing total of 211/3, the first 200-plus total by any team, in their 20 overs. It was the debut match for Neesham in the BPL.
The Challengers' chase faltered from the outset as Josh Brown fell cheaply to Shakib Al Hasan. Shykat Ali hit a half-century, though a bit slowly, but wickets tumbled around him.
A late flurry from Shuvagata Hom (31*) provided scant consolation for Chattogram. Shakib (2/24) and the irrepressible James Neesham (2/32) starred with the ball for Rangpur, smothering any chances of a comeback.
Neesham's all-around brilliance was pivotal. His blistering unbeaten 51 included two fours and an astounding five sixes, injecting crucial momentum into the Riders innings. Before him, Reeza Hendricks set a solid foundation with 58, while Shakib chipped in with an important 27.
Salauddin Sakil proved Chattogram's most economical bowler, claiming the wickets of Shakib and Hendricks.
The Challengers simply never recovered from their early losses, even with Shykat's defiant knock. Ultimately, the target proved insurmountable, and the Riders cruised to a comfortable victory.
This win has cemented Ranpgur’s place at the top of the points table. They have now amassed 12 points from six wins in eight matches. In contrast, Chattogram is still among the top three teams. They have 10 points from five wins in eight matches.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
