After letting victory slip from their grasp in the previous match, Rangpur Riders made no such mistake this time.
Only one wicket was needed, and Mustafizur Rahman required just two balls to get it. Having already become the second Bangladeshi cricketer to reach the milestone of 400 T20 wickets, the left-arm pacer went on to claim two more wickets in his remaining three overs with disciplined bowling. Supported by Faheem Ashraf’s tight spell, Rangpur Riders returned convincingly to winning ways.
Despite the heartbreak a day earlier, Rangpur showed composure on Friday, defeating Sylhet Titans by six wickets in the second match of the day in the BPL.
At the Sylhet International Stadium, Mustafizur and Faheem laid the foundation by restricting Sylhet to 144 runs. Rangpur chased down the target with seven balls to spare.
Mustafizur finished with figures of 3 for 24 in four overs. With that, his T20 wicket tally reached 402 from 315 matches.
He became the 11th cricketer in the world to take 400 or more wickets in T20 cricket and the fastest pacer to reach the landmark. The previous record among fast bowlers belonged to Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz, who took 335 matches. Overall, the fastest to the milestone remains Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who achieved it in just 289 matches.
Before Mustafizur, the only Bangladeshi on this elite list was Shakib Al Hasan, who now has 507 T20 wickets.
Faheem Ashraf also impressed, taking 3 for 18 in four overs. With 11 wickets in three matches, the Pakistani pace-bowling all-rounder is currently the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
For Sylhet, Afif Hossain top-scored with 46 runs, striking four fours and a six in his 31-ball knock.
Mahmudullah, who had suffered the disappointment of a last-ball run-out against Rajshahi Warriors the previous day — a match Rangpur lost in the Super Over — bounced back in style. The 39-year-old played a blistering unbeaten 34 off just 16 balls, hitting five fours and a six to take his team home. He was named Player of the Match.
After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, Sylhet lost their top three batters inside the powerplay. Saim Ayub fell while attempting a six off mystery spinner Aliss Al Islam, with Faheem taking a brilliant catch at long-off.
Rony Talukdar played a few attractive shots, smashing Kyle Mayers for a six and a four, and hitting two boundaries off Aliss.
In the fifth over, Mustafizur conceded a leg-side boundary to Mehidy Hasan Miraz on the first ball, but Miraz tried to repeat the shot next delivery and was caught. That wicket brought up Mustafizur’s 400th T20 scalp.
Faheem struck in the sixth over, bowling Rony (19 off 14 balls) with a superb delivery on his very first ball. Sylhet were 39 for 3 after six overs.
Parvez Hossain Emon also failed to make an impact, getting bowled by a low delivery from Mrittunjoy Chowdhury for 15 off 19 balls.
Sylhet’s only fifty-plus partnership came for the fifth wicket, as Afif and Ethan Brooks added 66 runs. Both batters played some fine strokes — Brooks launched Aliss over deep square leg for six, while Afif followed a six off Mrittunjoy with a boundary.
The partnership was broken in the 18th over by Mustafizur. Afif hit the first ball for four before skying the second delivery and getting out.
Faheem then removed Azmatullah Omarzai and Brooks (32 off 30 balls) in the next over, conceding just five runs. Mustafizur picked up another wicket in the final over, giving away seven runs.
In the chase, despite hitting three boundaries, David Malan could not stay long at the crease. The English batter, who had scored fifties in the first two matches, was dismissed for 19, offering a return catch to Syed Khaled Ahmed.
Liton Kumar Das looked uncomfortable early on. In the eighth over, spinner Nasum Ahmed failed to hold onto a return catch, and Liton capitalized by hitting a six off the next ball. He attempted another six immediately after, but Nasum again failed to complete the catch despite getting under it. In the same over, however, Nasum bowled Towhid Hridoy.
Rangpur moved ahead through a solid partnership between Liton and Mayers. Liton was eventually dismissed for 35 off 25 balls, thanks to a stunning catch by Afif. Mayers followed soon after, getting out for 31 off 29 balls in the same over after hitting Brooks for a four and a six.
In the 16th over, Mahmudullah took control, smashing Mehidy Miraz for three consecutive fours and a six. Alongside Khushdil Shah, he finished the chase with ease.
Result: Rangpur Riders won by 6 wickets
Player of the Match: Mahmudullah
