Fortune Barishal secured a 6-wicket victory in the second qualifier of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Wednesday, eliminating Rangpur Riders and advancing to the final.
Despite Shamim Hossain`s electrifying 20-ball fifty, the Riders` target of 150 proved insufficient. Barishal`s measured response, anchored by a composed 47 not-out from Mushfiqur Rahim, saw them reach the target with nine balls remaining.
It was two consecutive wins for Barishal, who beat Chattogram Challengers in the eliminator to make their way to the second qualifier.
This marks Barishal`s fourth BPL final appearance (Barishal has multiple teams in BPL’s different seasons, and it is the second final for the Fortune franchise), while former champions Rangpur missed a golden opportunity to replicate their success. Their dominance in the league phase, with nine wins out of 12 matches, made their consecutive qualifier defeats a bitter pill to swallow.
Though the Riders` 150-run total seemed modest, their bowling attack sought to make things difficult for Barishal. Despite losing openers Tamim Iqbal and Mahedy Hasan Miraz early, Barishal never seemed in danger of collapsing.
Fazalhaq Farooqi and Abu Hider posed occasional threats, but their efforts weren`t enough to defend the total. Kyle Mayers and David Miller joined Mushfiqur, providing the necessary impetus to their innings to maintain the run rate and seal the win.
Earlier, Shamim`s blistering 20-ball half-century propelled Riders to a challenging total in what looked like an unlikely finish just two overs prior.
Rangpur struggled early, reaching only 112 runs with three wickets remaining after 18 overs. However, Shamim`s explosive 19th over against Obed McCoy changed the game. He smashed 26 runs, including three sixes and two fours, single-handedly boosting the Riders to a competitive total.
While Shamim`s late-innings heroics were the highlight, the rest of the Riders` batting lineup faltered.
The top three batters contributed a mere 11 runs, and the following three added only 43. Shamim remained unbeaten on 59, with James Neesham the second-highest scorer at 28.
Fortune Barishal`s bowlers shined, with James Fuller taking three wickets and Mohammad Saifuddin claiming two.
Barishal will now face the Comilla Victorians, who defeated the Riders in the first qualifier, in the final on March 1. While Comilla boasts a record number of BPL titles, Barishal seeks their first championship victory.
