Rangpur reaches 182-6
Naim Sheikh top-scored with 55 whereas Afif Hossain picked up a couple of wickets.
It looked like as if Rangpur Rangers had lost it after a good start, but Jahurul Islam and Al-Amin Jr with a blistering stand ensured that they set Rajshahi Royals a tough target of 183 in their match in the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 2019.
Rajshahi were dealt an early blow as their skipper Andre Russell was hurt and left the field in the middle of the over. Before that Naim had already hit a four and a six off the Rajshahi skipper's over and Rangpur were off to a flyer. They notched up 37 runs in the first three overs with Naim Sheikh being relentless and overshadowing Watson. Their opening stand between Naim and Watson broke on the fourth over as Afif Hossain struck to send Watson back for 7.
Naim, alongside Cameron Delport, went on as Rangpur accumulated 52 runs in the powerplay. These two continued to score freely for the next overs as Delport also got in his groove. Delport unleashed himself on Afif in the 11th over to hit two sixes and a four but it was Afif who had the last laugh as the 20-year old got rid of Delport on the last delivery of the over for 31 off 17 deliveries, Afif taking the catch off his own bowling.
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Naim by the time brought up his fifty off 40 deliveries but was soon gone as he gave a simple return catch to Kamrul Islam Rabbi on 55. Lewis Gregory though was aggressive from the word go and was given a lifeline when Rabbi dropped a sitter at third man when Gregory was on 26.
But Rangpur were dealt a blow as they lost three wickets within seven balls and two runs. Mohammad Irfan struck twice in the 17th over to send back Lewis Gregory and Fazle Mahmud whereas Farhad Reza struck in the next over to send Nabi back for 16.
But a quickfire partnership between Al-Amin Jr. and Jahurul Islam of 34 from 15 deliveries ensured that Rangpur reached a commendable total of 182-6. Jahurul was unbeaten on 19 from 8 with Al-Amin being unbeaten on 15 from 10 deliveries. Rangpur scored 107 runs in their last 10 overs with 51 coming from the last five.
Afif and Irfan picked up a couple of wickets with Rabbi and Reza picking up one each.
