Rajshahi boost playoff chances with victory over Sylhet

Uncertainty surrounding wages, a last-minute instruction to switch hotels on match day—on such a day, Rajshahi's foreign players decided they would not play. Despite the upheaval, the indomitable Rajshahi side, with a domestic eleven arranged under special provisions by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), defeated Rangpur Riders. Riding high on that victory, the team secured another win today, keeping their playoff hopes alive by defeating Sylhet Strikers.

On Monday, in a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Rajshahi triumphed over Sylhet by 5 wickets. This was Rajshahi's final league-stage match. With 6 wins in 12 games and 12 points, Taskin Ahmed's team currently occupies third place on the table.

This win has strengthened their playoff chances, although they now have to wait for the results of other matches. Chattogram Kings, who have 10 points, still have three matches remaining, while Khulna Tigers, who currently have 8 points from 4 wins, could potentially reach 12 points with two games to go. For Rajshahi, it is now a matter of wait and watch.

With 8 wins each, Rangpur Riders and Fortune Barishal have already secured their playoff spots. Among the remaining five teams, all except Sylhet are still in contention for the playoffs. Rajshahi's victory the day before confirmed Sylhet's elimination from the tournament, where they have been stuck in a cycle of losses.

With just two wins in 11 matches, they sit at the bottom of the table. Today's match carried no stakes for Sylhet, and neither does their upcoming match against Chattogram Kings—their final fixture this season.

Today, Sylhet Strikers, having lost the toss, were sent in to bat first. None of their batters managed a significant contribution, as they were restricted to 117 for 9. Ahsan Bhatti was their top scorer with 25 runs, followed by Zakir Hasan with 24, Zakir Ali Anik with 17, and Sumon Khan with 20. None of the other players managed to reach double digits.

Rajshahi's SM Meherab bowled brilliantly, taking 4 wickets for just 15 runs in his 4 overs. Left-arm pacer Mrittunjoy Chowdhury picked up 3 wickets for 33 runs in his quota of 4 overs, while Taskin Ahmed and Aftab Alam claimed one wicket each.

Chasing the modest target, Rajshahi's top order crumbled early. However, Akbar Ali and Ryan Burl steadied the innings and guided their team to victory. After losing 4 wickets for just 22 runs, the duo stitched together a 75-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Akbar scored 43 off 38 balls, hitting 5 fours and 2 sixes, while Zimbabwean all-rounder Burl remained unbeaten with 48 off 34 balls, including 5 fours and 2 sixes. Opener Jishan Alam contributed 11 runs, but no other batter reached double figures. Rajshahi clinched the win with 19 balls to spare. For Sylhet, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and John-Russ Jaggesar took 2 wickets each.