Mohammad Ali’s Five-Wicket Haul and Tawhid Hridoy’s Heroics Secure Fortune Barishal’s Spot in the BPL Final
With a dominant performance, defending champions Fortune Barishal crushed Chittagong Kings to reach the BPL final once again. Mohammad Ali’s brilliant five-wicket haul set the stage, while Tawhid Hridoy’s stunning knock sealed a massive victory.
Pakistan’s Fahim Ashraf had to leave for national duty, but Mohammad Ali ensured his absence wasn’t felt. Meanwhile, Kyle Mayers returned from the ILT20 and immediately showcased his swing bowling magic. Tawhid Hridoy, searching for form, chose the perfect stage to shine. The result? A commanding win that booked Barishal’s place in the final.
In the first qualifier, Barishal stormed past Chittagong Kings with a crushing 9-wicket win, setting up their title defense. This marks their third final in the last four seasons.
Mayers’ Swing Gives Barishal a Dream Start
At Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Barishal bowled first and restricted Chittagong Kings to 148 runs. Chittagong struggled as Mayers’ exceptional swing bowling wreaked havoc early on. His very first ball was driven for four, but the next delivery swung in sharply and shattered the stumps. He soon removed Graham Clarke with a brilliant diving catch by Dawid Malan.
Mayers bowled a four-over spell upfront, conceding just 24 runs for two wickets. His return from the ILT20 was nothing short of spectacular as he troubled Chittagong’s top order.
Chittagong Stumble Under Pressure
Chittagong’s struggles worsened when captain Mohammad Mithun mistimed a pull shot and was caught at the boundary for just 1. Haider Ali played a reckless shot and was bowled for 7. By then, Chittagong had lost four wickets for just 34 runs.
Parvez and Shamim Rebuild the Innings
Parvez Hossain Emon and Shamim Hossain tried to bring stability, forming a crucial 77-run partnership in just 50 balls. Shamim’s aggressive stroke play pushed the innings forward, smashing boundaries at regular intervals. He was the clear aggressor, scoring 49 off 28 balls, while Parvez played a steady hand with 36 off 36 balls.
However, once Parvez fell attempting a big shot, Chittagong had no recognized batsmen left to anchor the innings. Shamim fought on, scoring a career-best 79 off 47 balls, but his dismissal left the team vulnerable.
Mohammad Ali’s Magical Over
At the start of the 19th over, Mohammad Ali had just one wicket for 22 runs. But what happened next was nothing short of sensational.
- First ball: A slower delivery bowled Syed Khaled Ahmed.
- Third ball: Shamim’s brilliant innings ended as he mistimed a reverse scoop.
- Fifth ball: Arafat Sunny fell to a spectacular return catch.
- Final ball: Another slower one cleaned up Aliss Al Islam.
Ali finished with 5 wickets for just 24 runs, making history as the first bowler in BPL to take four wickets in a single over.
Barishal Chase Down the Target with Ease
Chasing 149 on a batting-friendly wicket, Barishal’s batsmen made light work of the target. Tamim Iqbal and Tawhid Hridoy gave them a steady start, putting up 55 runs for the opening stand. Tamim scored a composed 29 off 26 before getting out.
Then came the finishing act. Hridoy and Malan took control, adding 95 runs in just 52 balls to take Barishal home with 16 balls to spare.
Hridoy, who had struggled earlier in the tournament, finally found his rhythm, reaching his first fifty in 45 balls. He accelerated brilliantly, smashing 32 runs in his last 11 balls to finish unbeaten on 82 off 56. Malan played the perfect supporting role, remaining not out on 34 off 22 balls.
Match Summary:
- Chittagong Kings: 149/9 in 20 overs (Shamim 79, Parvez 36, Mayers 2/24, Ali 5/24)
- Fortune Barishal: 150/1 in 17.2 overs (Hridoy 82*, Tamim 29, Malan 34*)
Result: Fortune Barishal won by 9 wickets
Player of the Match: Mohammad Ali
With this win, Fortune Barishal take one step closer to defending their title. Can they lift the trophy once again? We’ll find out in the final!
