Rangpur end BPL campaign with win over Dhaka

And Rangpur Rangers go out with a win. 

In their last match of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 2019-20, Rangpur defeated Dhaka Platoon by 11 runs. This was Rangpur's fifth win of the tournament, securing 10 points for them but still not enough to ensure a playoff spot. 

Batting first, Rangpur put up a tricky target of 150 for Dhaka. In reply, Dhaka had a good start as Tamim Iqbal and Mahedi Hasan provided them with a solid foundation but they could only go on to lose a flurry of wickets to end 11 runs short on 138-9.

Winning the toss, Dhaka skipper Mashrafe Mortaza decided to field first and Rangpur, despite losing wickets in regular intervals, managed to put up a total of 149-9. 

Chasing 150, Dhaka were off to a slow start as the Rangpur bowlers put on a roll to trouble the Dhaka batsmen. Anamul Haque was the first batsman to go back in the second over as he was run out of a no-ball. Junaid Khan bowled a no-ball and some apparent miscommunication with Tamim Iqbal left Anamul stranded in the middle of the wicket and Al-Amin Jr's direct hit ran Anamul out. 

But Tamim and Mahedi Hasan showed their grit to survive Rangpur's initial storm, building a 46-run stand before Mahedi was sent back by Arafat Sunny. Sunny struck again to send the set Tamim back for 34 before Taskin Ahmed struck in the next over to send Mominul Haque back for 18. 

Dhaka's hopes started to dim as they lost three wickets in a span of 10 deliveries to see them reduced to 111-7. Lewis Gregory sent Thisara Perera back before Asif Ali was sent back by Taskin and Mustafizur Rahman got rid of Ariful Haque to pick his 20th scalp of the tournament. 

Dhaka's last hopes were killed when Junaid Khan struck twice in the 18th over to send back Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan. 

Dhaka skipper Mashrafe tried but could only manage to take his side to 138-9. Junaid, Taskin and Sunny picked up two wickets each with Mustafiz and Gregory picking up one each. 

Earlier, Rangpur were off to a shaky start as they lost skipper Shane Watson in the second over. Rangpur lost another wicket in the powerplay as Mahedi Hasan sent Cameron Delport back for 6 before Shadab Khan struck in the 10th over to send Naim Sheikh back. Lewis Gregory was solid at the other end but he too could not bat very long as he was sent back by Thisara Perera for 46 in the 14th over.

Rangpur looked like they were tumbling again but a 41-run stand between Al-Amin Jr and Jahurul Islam steadied the ship for them. Al-Amin was eventually gone in the 19th over as his slog sweep only found Ariful Haque to go back for 35 off 24 deliveries. 

Rangpur's hopes for a somewhat challenging total were diminished in the final over as Rangpur lost four wickets in the last over of the innings to reach 149/9. Thisara rattled Jahurul and Taskin Ahmed's stumps in the third and fourth delivery before Mustafizur Rahman was run out on a wide delivery. The last ball of the innings saw Arafat Sunny run out for a diamond duck as he did not ground his bat and Anamul Haque took off the bells. 

Thisara picked up three wickets with Shadab Khan picking up a couple whereas Mashrafe and Mahedi picked up a wicket each.