Pacer Abu Hider Rony made an instant impact with a five-wicket haul on his first match in this Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T-20 as Rangpur Riders edged Fortune Barishal past by one-wicket in a thrilling contest at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Tuesday (Feb 18). Having won the match, Rangpur are firm on top spot with 18 points from 11 matches and confirmed as one of the top two teams in group phase. Rangpur also took revenge of their five-wicket defeat to Barishal in its first match. Barishal retained third spot with 12 points from 11 matches.
Despite made a fluent start, which raised the prospect to post a total closer to 200, Barishal were restricted to 151-9, largely due to Hider who registered his career-best 5-12.
Rangpur looked to have a comprehensive victory before tasting a collapse which raised Barishal's hope to win the game, however, their lower order held the nerve eventually to confirm the victory with three balls to spare as they put up 155-9 with Hasan Mahmud hitting a boundary to sign off the game.
Mominul Haque, playing his first game in this season, was out for two-ball duck but Brendon King and Shakib Al Hasan kept the side going, hitting boundaries at regular interval. They added 53 off just 23 balls to make the side heavily favourite to win the game with ease.
Offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz removed both of them in his consecutive overs to spark the collapse.
King hammered 45 off 22, smashing three fours and four sixes while Shakib blasted 15 ball-29 with four fours and one six.
Kyle Mayers joined Miraz to further derail Rangpur but James Neesham hit 17 ball-28 to edge the side closer.
Obed McCoy got the better of Neesham to give the side a hope further before Dwaine Pretorius, Shamim Patwari and Hasan Mahmud all held the nerve to sail the side home.
Miraz and Mayers took three wickets apiece for Barishal.
Earlier after electing to bat first, Barishal's top three batters got going strongly to help the side reach 110-2 in 11 overs. Thereafter Hider triggered a collapse as they lost eight wickets for just 41 runs in last nine overs.
Captain and opener Tamim Iqbal made 20 ball-33, his fellow opener Tom Banton scored 26 while Mayers bludgeoned the bowlers for his 46 off 27.
