That's it from our end from this BPL clash. After losing six games in a row, the Noakhali Express have finally opened their account. Meanwhile, the Rangpur Riders have lost a game after winning three in a row. See you after a day's break for another big day in the BPL 2025/26.
This is Arjun Bhalla, signing off on behalf of Mohammad Anab and Ashok Dayma.
Haider Ali (Noakhali Express Captain): "Thanks to the Almighty. We won after losing six matches; credit goes to the whole team. We have defeated a big team today. We wanted a win desperately. This win will motivate the whole squad. Hasan Mahmud has bowled brilliantly, especially with the new ball. We had a lot of confidence in him."
Hasan Mahmud (POTM): "Good to have a win tonight. Hopefully, we will register more victories in the remaining games. I was swinging away from Liitton Das but then decided to do something different and luckily got his wicket.
(Bowling at death) I was trying to bowl at the 4-6 metre length to stop the batters from hitting boundaries. We planned to bowl slower ones to Khushdil Shah and other batters during the slog overs."
Player of the Match: Hasan Mahmud
Time for post-match presentations...
Nurul Hasan (Rangpur Riders Captain): "We were a bit off colour tonight. We should have chased down this target. The Noakhali Express has some good bowlers. They bowled brilliantly, especially in the death overs. Kyle Mayers is recovering well from the injury. Don't have any update yet but hopefully he returns in the next game."
10:16 PM IST, 10:46 PM Local Time: Noakhali Express have opened their account with a win over the Rangpur Riders, who have failed to chase down 149 runs. A brilliant performance with the ball by Noakhali.
The Express had a brilliant start with the new ball by removing Litton Das and Dawid Malan early with the new ball. But Ifthikhar Ahmed and Towhid Hridoy stitched a superb partnership for the third wicket with a 63-run stand.
When it looked like things were tilted away from Noakhali, Zahir Khan was brought in, and the left-arm leg-spinner removed Ifthikhar Ahmed. It initiated a collapse in the middle overs, as the bowling side tasted blood. Zahir took one, while Bilal Sami and Mahedi Hasan Hasan scalped one each.
Khushdil Shah, then, came out being all determined to chase down the score, and he went behind Hasan Mahmud in the 18th over. Bilal Sami returned to bowl an eight-run second last over, before Mahmud came a grand comeback to take three wickets in the final over.