Chattogram Royals 134-4 (Baig 45, Naim 30, Saqlain 2-20) beat Rajshahi Warriors 133 (Tanzid 41, Saqlain 32, Mahedi 2-20) by six wickets
Sylhet Titans 112-7 (Billings 29, Emon 18, Al-Islam 2-18) beat Rangpur Riders 111-9 (Mahmudullah 33, Khushdil 30, Khaled 4-15) by three wickets
Qualifier 1 – Chattogram v Rajshahi
A low-scoring, quietly tense evening in Mirpur ended with Mahedi Hasan punching the air, his straight six off seamer Ripon Mondol settling the first qualifier with four balls to spare. “I was only thinking of a clean swing,” the all-rounder told host broadcaster T-Sports. “The surface never let you relax, so it felt right to finish it myself.”
Chattogram, temporarily under Bangladesh Cricket Board management after their previous owner walked away on the eve of the tournament, had made the chase needlessly tricky. Openers Mirza Baig and Mohammad Naim crawled to 64 in 11.3 overs, content to see off the new ball. Baig’s 45 from 36 balls was worth more than it looked on a pitch offering variable bounce, yet it left the middle order pressed for time.
Hassan Nawaz briefly changed the mood, lifting Mondol for successive sixes, but Rajshahi’s spinners – led by left-armer Hasan Murad – dragged things back. When Abdul Ghaffar Saqlain removed Asif Ali in the 17th over, Chattogram still needed 26 from 21 deliveries. Mahedi’s calm 24 not out, plus a skimming flick for two to seal it, closed the argument.
Earlier, Rajshahi’s 133 never felt quite enough. Tanzid Hasan worked hard for a run-a-ball 41, occasionally opening the blade through backward point, yet wickets kept falling at awkward moments. Saqlain’s 32 off 15 from No. 8 gave them late impetus, although Aamer Jamal and Mahedi (two wickets apiece) prevented a final flourish. “We were 10 short,” admitted Rajshahi coach Mizanur Rahman. “Still, we have another chance and the group knows that.”
Qualifier 2 now pairs Rajshahi with Sylhet, who survived a nervous eliminator earlier in the day.
Eliminator – Sylhet v Rangpur
Chris Woakes does not play many franchise matches nowadays, but his first outing in this year’s BPL ended in familiar style: a measured new-ball spell, followed by a last-ball strike into the stands. Rangpur’s Faheem Ashraf missed his yorker by a whisker, Woakes lifted him over extra-cover, and the Titans remained in the tournament. “It’s been a while since I’ve hit one that sweet,” Woakes laughed.
The all-rounder’s analysis of 2-23 complemented Khaled Ahmed’s 4-15 as Rangpur limped to 111-9. The track, used for the earlier game, gripped noticeably. Only Mahmudullah and Khushdil Shah, both with 30-odd, manipulated the angles with any fluency. “You needed cross-bat options,” Mahmudullah reflected. “We didn’t find enough gaps.”
Sylhet’s reply was no procession. At 44-4 the favourites were on top, Aliss Al Islam’s skiddy off-breaks causing mischief. Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Sam Billings, neither chasing anything extravagant, accumulated a steady 50-run stand that pushed the requirement below a run-a-ball. Even so, when Mustafizur Rahman conceded only six from the penultimate over, Rangpur felt back in it.
The last over supplied a little chaos. Moeen Ali sliced to backward point, Khaled scampered a single, and Woakes confronted the equation: six from one. One swing later it was done. “Credit to Chris – proper composure,” Billings said. “And Khaled’s single often goes unnoticed in the scorebook, but it matters.”
Analysis
Both contests highlighted how sluggish mid-season Dhaka pitches can flatten high-profile batting line-ups. Strike rotation, usually under-valued in the BPL, proved decisive for Chattogram and Sylhet. Expect Rajshahi to rethink their top-order tempo for Qualifier 2; Tanzid’s anchoring role might be expanded with clearer support.
For Sylhet, the concern is depth. Miraz and Billings covered a wobbling middle order, yet repeated collapses will not be so easily rescued. Still, any side with Woakes, Moeen and Mustafizur possesses tools for most conditions.
The final takes place on Friday. Chattogram, homeless yet increasingly settled, will watch tomorrow’s qualifier with interest – and, if Mahedi’s grin was any guide, with a fair bit of quiet confidence.
