Tamim Iqbal and Kyle Mayers shone with the bat as defending champions Fortune Barishal executed a record run-chase to retain their BPL title, beating Chittagong Kings by three wickets in a thrilling finish to the Bangladesh Premier League final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
Tamim smashed nine fours and a six for his 29-ball 54 and Mayers put away three four and as many sixes in a 28-ball 46 before Rishad Hossain (18 off six balls) helped to finish things off for Fortune Barishal who chased down 194-3 — the highest total chased in a BPL final — with three balls to spare. Three-time finalists and two-time winners, Fortune Barishal surpassed Comilla Victorians’ record of chasing down 175 against the Sylhet Strikers in the final of BPL 9 in 2023
The contest was nothing short of a thriller as both sides went toe-to-toe, especially with the bat. Barishal were motoring along at 76 for no loss after eight overs but Chittagong pacer Shorfiul Islam (4-34) removed Tamim and Dawid Malan (one) in the ninth over to get his side back into game. He managed to get another double in the 18th over when he dismissed Mayers and Mahmudullah (16) which saw Barishal require 20 runs in the last two overs.
Barishal’s Rishad Hossain then smashed a six off Binura Fernando in the first delivery of the 19th over to bring the odds in his side’s favour. Binura dismissed Mohammad Nabi (four) in the last ball of the same over but Barishal took 12 runs of that over and needed eight in the ultimate over.
Chittagong was penalized for their slow over-rate and were allowed only four fielders outside the 30 yards in the last over. Rishad his second maximum in the first ball from Hussain Talat to set the game for their side as they reached the target with three balls to spare.
Earlier in the first innings, Khawaja Nafay and Emon propelled the opening partnership with a lot of authority from early in the innings. In the process, the Chittagong opening duo produced the highest-ever opening stand in a BPL final with a 121-run stand, overtaking the 76-run stand by Tamim Iqbal and Mehedi Hasan Miraz in last year’s BPL final.
The Powerplay saw Emon take control, hitting Kyle Mayers for boundaries to get the innings motoring along. He would hit left-arm spinner Tanvir for two big sixes in the fourth over to put real momentum to the innings. As the Powerplay finished at 57 for no loss, Nafay finally came to the party after a slow start.
With Emon completing a 30-ball fifty, Nafay hit Rishad for back-to-back sixes to complete his own fifty. After 12 overs, Chittagong were 115 for no loss and it looked like they would get over 200 in the all-important final.
Ebadot Hossain broke the partnership with the wicket of Nafay, out for a 44-ball 66, nicking a delivery to wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim. However, the acceleration in the death overs was slightly stifled by Barishal bowlers.
Emon and Graham Clark picked off Tanvir for a 22-run over but Mohammad Ali bowled the 17th and 20th overs, conceding just 10 runs. Despite Emon’s unbeaten 49-ball 78 and Clark’s 23-ball 44, Chittagong reached 194 for three with Ali being the pick of the Barishal bowlers with 21 for one in four overs.
