Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Match Prediction

Blink, and we are at the tenth game of the 2023 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. This encounter will see the Khulna Tigers take on the Rangpur Riders at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram on January 13, 2023 (Friday) at 6:30 PM IST. This will be the second game since the tournament switched scenes from Dhaka to Chattogram.

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Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Chance of Winning

Khulna Tigers do not have a good record in the Bangladesh Premier League. Over the years, they have lost more than they have won: 47 losses and 39 wins—before this edition of the tournament got underway. Ever since, they have added two more losses to their tally, taking their win percentage to 44.9%. At the time of writing, only the Sylhet Strikers have a win-to-loss ratio that is worse off than the Khulna Tigers.

The Rangpur Riders are not all that better, winning 41 and losing 38 of their 79 games in the tournament so far, giving them a win percentage in the early 50s. Form-wise, also, the Riders have been slightly better off, winning one and losing one so far this year. That is why the scales are tipped in favour of the Rangpur Riders to climb the table, with our affiliate partners Melbet providing Khulna Tigers odds of 1.76 whereas the same is 2.01 for Rangpur Riders.

Our Prediction

This year, in general, franchises in the Bangladesh Premier League suffered the consequences of the tournament’s schedule clashing with the international calendar and other domestic tournaments. This was most evident in the player auction that was held in November, 2022. Perhaps no side has been more affected than the Khulna Tigers in this regard.

To their credit, though, they have managed to string together a more than competitive squad that has the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Azam Khan, and Wahab Riaz. The Rangpur Riders, on the other hand, seem to have a better balance about their squad. Hence, our analysis—of the squad and recent player performances—tell us that the match should go in favour of the Rangpur Riders.

• Khulna Tigers to win @ 1.76 (Melbet)
• Rangpur Riders to win @ 2.01 (Melbet)

Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Tournament Prediction & Betting Tips 2023

With the Sylhet Strikers running riot and no other team seem to have what it takes to stop them, it’s open season on the rest of the playoff slots as we inch towards the business end of the tournament. It really does feel like anyone’s tournament for the playoff spots… besides the Strikers, of course. What the Khulna Tigers will need to do to get themselves on their way is to sort out their entire lineup. But for Azam Khan’s century, no part of their squad has yet to click into gear.

The memories of their title-winning run under the leadership of Mashrafe Mortaza is still fresh for the Rangpur Riders. And so, they will be keen to push on and make the playoffs—at least the playoffs—of the Bangladesh Premier League for only the third time in their history. Captained by Nurul Hasan, they have a strange balance that is showing signs of working. The two all-rounders, Sikandar Raza and Mahedi Hasan, form the core of their squad along with the experience of Shoaib Malik. Keep an extra eye out especially for Saim Ayub, touted among the best young players to breakthrough this year.

Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Match Toss Prediction

Leading up to the tournament, the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram had hosted a total of 23 one-day matches, in which the team batting first had won 12 games and the team batting second had won 11 games. So far in this edition of the tournament, the split has not been nearly as close. Six of the eight matches so far have the team batting second winning—and all, quite comfortably. Given these statistics, under the lights, the captain winning the toss should look to put the opposition in first.

Weather Report

As things stand, the skies are in favour of an uninterrupted game. According to Accuweather, there is a 0% probability of thunderstorms in Chattogram on Friday with a 0% forecast for cloud cover and mild dew (13%) during the match time as well.

Khulna Tigers Player List

Azam Khan, Avishka Fernando, Habibur Rahman, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mohammad Saifuddin, Munim Shahriar, Nahidul Islam, Naseem Shah, Nasum Ahmed, Pritom Kumar, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Dasun Shanaka, Tamim Iqbal, Paul van Meekeren, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Ali

Predicted playing XI:

Tamim Iqbal	Batter
Sharjeel Khan	Batter
Habibul Rahman	All-rounder
Azam Khan (wk)	Wicketkeeper
Yasir Ali (c)	Batter
Sabbir Rahman	Batter
Wahab Riaz	Bowler
Nahidul Islam	All-rounder
Mohammad Saifuddin	All-rounder
Paul van Meekeren	Bowler
Nasum Ahmed	Bowler

Khulna Tigers Team Form

Khulna Tigers come into this game on the back of some bad form, losing four of their last five matches. Their only win in recent times was a 9-wicket win over Comilla Victorians in last year’s tournament.

Rangpur Riders Player List

Aaron Jones, Alauddin Babu, Azmatullah Omarzai, Haris Rauf, Hasan Mahmud, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Mohammad Nawaz, Ripon Mondol, Pathum Nissanka, Nurul Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Rakibul Hasan, Rony Talukdar, Shamim Hossain, Shoaib Malik, Sikandar Raza, Jeffrey Vandersay.

Predicted Playing XI

Mohammad Naim	Batter
Rony Talukdar	Batter
Mahedi Hasan	All-rounder
Sikandar Raza	All-rounder
Shoaib Malik	All-rounder
Nurul Hasan (c/wk)	Wicketkeeper
Benny Howell	All-rounder
Azmatullah Omarzai	All-rounder
Robiul Haque	Bowler
Hasan Mahmud	Bowler
Rakibul Hasan	Bowler

Rangpur Riders Team Form

Rangpur Riders have showcased some patchy form in their recent past, winning three and losing two of their last five games in the Bangladesh Premier League. This year, too, they have been on and off. They opened with a comprehensive 34-run win over Comilla Victorians, only to be handed a comprehensive 6-wicket defeat at the hands of Fortune Barishal.

Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Head to Head

The head to head record between these two sides are quite tricky to assess. Overall, the Rangpur Riders have three of the last five clashes between these two sides. But when they met in 2022, it was the Khulna Tigers who won both times.

Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Betting Odds

RR to score more than 40 in powerplay @ 1.8 (Melbet)

In general, the batting unit of the Rangpur Riders seems like a safe shot to make money. Such is their form, especially at the top of the order and in the powerplay. In both their games thus far, they have sought to start with a bang, scoring 48 and 64 in the first six overs respectively. In other words, they have scored a rate in excess of nine in the powerplay overs on average.

Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Best batters

Azam Khan to be KT’s best batter (Melbet)

Form counts, especially in a tightly-packed T20 tournament like that of the Bangladesh Premier League. As much as he has not had much success at this tournament in the long term, the recent century will give him a lot of confidence. A 58-ball 109 at a strike rate touching 188, with nine fours and eight sixes is the kind of innings that proves to be one’s breakthrough moment. And so, he is a worthwhile bet for the upcoming game.

Shoaib Malik to be RR’s best batter (Melbet)

With 12,082 runs in T20 format, Shoaib Malik is the grandfather of the shortest version of the game. A career average of 36.06, a strike rate of 127.31, 74 half-centuries, and the wealth of experience that he brings from his international exploits should tell you enough. And he is still going strong. This year, Malik has begun well, with two solid knocks off 33 and 54 to his name.

Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders Best Bowlers

Wahab Riaz to be KT’s best bowler (Melbet)

Simply put, the Khulna Tigers’ bowling unit has suffered in both the games at this tournament so far. But they have the international experience of Wahab Riaz in the squad precisely for such a time as this. The 37-year-old veteran has 391 T20 wickets to his name at an economy rate less than 7.5. If he can step up to lead the Tigers’ attack, like he has done on many occasions for Pakistan, their fortunes should start to change.

Mahedi Hasan to be RR’s best bowler (Melbet)

Mahedi Hasan has played a huge role for whichever side he has represented in the Bangladesh Premier League. He has been consistent in his performances and in 2022, he has an economy under 6 and a strike rate which is on the downward trend of 20. I expect him to be Rangpur Riders’ best bowler.