BPL | Twitter reacts as Chattogram spurn chance to lead playoff race with 18-run loss to table toppers Rangpur

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Chattogram Challengers remained tied in a three team mid-table deadlock on 10 points after failing to chase 187 against Rangpur Riders. Shakib Al Hasan headlined the latter's batting effort with his 62 before Dwaine Pretorius struck thrice in the powerplay to put the game beyond the hosts' reach.

Brief scores: RR 187/8 [Shakib 62(39), Mahedi 34(17); Shepherd 3/27] defeat CC 169/6 [ Shepherd 66(30), Bruce 24(24); Pretorius 3/14] by 18 runs

‌Rony Talukdar made up for Reeza Hendricks' sluggish start to help Rangpur Riders cruise through the first four overs but Chattogram Challengers pegged back soon after to dismiss both in the space of four balls, leaving the scoreline reading 40/2 at the end of the powerplay. Brandon King and Nurul Hasan followed suit for a combined seven runs after facing nine deliveries each to further hand the momentum to the hosts and leave Rangpur in dire straits at 71/4 after 11 overs. However, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan sparked life bat into the innings with a swashbuckling 68-run partnership at exactly two runs a ball, the former eventually ending up on 62 off just 39 deliveries. Even after the pair departed at the death, Shamim Hossain kept the momentum going with a 17-run blitzkrieg before Hasan Mahmud struck fours on each of his two deliveries to cap off the innings and post a handsome total of 187/8 after 20 overs.

The Challengers' chase followed a similar narrative as their rivals, only without the middle-order saviours. Dwaine Pretorius proved to be the wrecker-in-chief as he scalped the top three within the powerplay while conceding just 14 runs in his full quota to have the opposition reeling at 39/3 after six overs. Thereon it was a huge uphill struggle for Chattogram despite the generous offering of dew at the stadium. By the time Tom Bruce and skipper Shuvagata Hom succumbed to Mahedi in the 12th over after scraping their way into the 20s, the required run rate had already touched 14 an over. Shepherd gave the innings some late impetus with a lightning 66 but it was only enough to get his team to 169/6.

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