Mirpur pitches in T20 cricket were traditionally associated with low-scoring games, typically in the 130-140 run range. Until this season of the BPL, that narrative dominated discussions about cricket in the country. But the ongoing BPL is rewriting that story.
Since the tournament began on December 30, big scores have become the norm in Mirpur, with today delivering the highest total ever recorded in Mirpur’s BPL history. Chattogram Kings set a new record, amassing 219 runs against Durbar Rajshahi—a feat that remains unmatched on this ground in the tournament’s history.
Chattogram not only set the record but also cruised to an easy victory. Chasing the mammoth target, Rajshahi collapsed for just 114 runs. Chattogram’s 105-run win marked their first victory of this BPL season.
The record-breaking total of 219 was spearheaded by Usman Khan’s career-best innings of 123 runs. The Pakistani batter smashed 13 fours and six sixes in his brilliant knock. After losing his opening partner Parvez Hossain early, Usman carried on the onslaught single-handedly, reaching his fifty in just 21 balls.
Chattogram had already crossed the 100-run mark by the ninth over, with Graham Clark partnering Usman in a 120-run stand. Clark contributed a valuable 40 runs, the second-highest score of the innings. Usman completed his century off just 48 balls, recording the first century of this BPL season.
Contributions from Mohammad Mithun (28 off 15 balls) and Haider Ali (19 off 8 balls) added further firepower to the innings. Notably, Usman has now scored two BPL centuries, both for Chattogram, with this being his seventh T20 century overall. On the bowling front, Taskin Ahmed once again impressed, picking up 2 wickets for just 22 runs.
Rajshahi, already lacking depth in their batting lineup, faced a near-impossible task. For a successful chase, someone like Mohammad Haris or Anamul Haque needed to replicate Usman’s brilliance—but neither could. Haris got off to a fiery start, scoring 32 off 15 balls, but fell to fellow Pakistani Mohammad Wasim, effectively ending Rajshahi’s chances. Anamul, after scoring consecutive fifties in earlier matches, managed just 8 runs today.
Akbar Ali’s 18 off 12 balls was the only other notable contribution for Rajshahi, who lost wickets at regular intervals. Chattogram’s Aliss Al Islam and Arafat Sunny both claimed 3 wickets, while Shariful Islam and Mohammad Wasim Jr. took 2 wickets each. With this defeat, Rajshahi now has two losses in their three BPL matches.
Match Summary:
Chattogram Kings: 219/5 (Usman 123, Clark 40; Taskin 2/22, Sohag 1/28)
Durbar Rajshahi: 114/10 (Haris 32, Akbar 18; Aliss 3/17, Arafat 3/23)
Result: Chattogram Kings won by 105 runs.
Player of the Match: Usman Khan
