Mahmudullah and Fahim storm fades Yasir's 94, Barisal starts with a great win

Mahmudullah and Fahim storm fades Yasir's 94, Barisal starts with a great win

The gates of Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium have been broken. Spectators protested after not getting tickets. This afternoon, this year's BPL started with such a commotion. However, leaving this negativity behind, cricket on the field really got off to a great start. On paper and pen, the weakest team this time, Durbar Rajshahi, had set a target of 198 runs in front of the current champion Fortune Barisal. But the star-studded Barisal crossed that target in 18.1 overs and won by 4 wickets.

Fortune Barisal lost the game early under the pressure of Rajshahi's two hundred-plus runs. Nazmul Hossain was LBW on Zeeshan's off-spin on the first ball of the innings. Another opener and captain, Tamim Iqbal, returned to the field in the next over after being LBW on Taskin Ahmed's delivery. Kyle Myers, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tawhid Hridoy—no one could stop the disaster.Fortune Barisal was heading towards a certain defeat after losing 5 wickets for 61 runs in front of a mountain-like target. But then Mahmudullah stood up to raise the barrier.

This experienced cricketer of the national team is in great form in international cricket. He seems to have brought that form to the BPL. 56 not out off 26 balls with 4 sixes and 5 boundaries. In an innings with a strike rate of 215.38, Mahmudullah got timely support from two Pakistanis, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf. He shared a 51-run partnership with Afridi for the sixth wicket in just 4.1 overs, in which Afridi's contribution was 27 off 17 balls.
Fahim Ashraf and Mahmudullah scored 88 runs in 35 balls

Even in front of Rajshahi's big target, the match slowly started turning towards Fortune Barisal. Fahim Ashraf made the task easier with the arrival of Fahim Ashraf. On one side, Mahmudullah, on the other, batted furiously. The match ended with 5 more overs and 5 balls.

Fahim, who scored an unbeaten 54 in just 21 balls with 7 sixes and a boundary, ended the match with a huge six off Mrityunjay outside the gallery. The ball landed on the roof of the grand stand. Barisal needed 58 runs in the last 5 overs. Mahmudullah-Fahim combined to create such a havoc that victory came with 11 balls to spare. Rajshahi's Sri Lankan pacer Lahiru Samarakun scored 25 runs in the 17th over. Three sixes and a four, 24 of which were from Fahim's bat.

Fortune Barisal, one of the best teams in this year's BPL, is full of local and foreign star cricketers. Among the locals, along with captain Tamim and the regular captain of the national team, Nazmul, there are two experienced cricketers Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah and young star Hridoy. The foreign names are also quite heavy. Star fast bowler Afridi is joined by another Pakistani Fahim. There are also former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi and West Indies' Myers.

However, despite being behind in strength, Rajshahi had a great start. Although they lost the team's two openers Zeeshan and Haris within 25 runs, captain Enamul and middle-order batsman Yasir Ali showed the other side of the coin to almost all of Barisal's bowlers. With their 140-run partnership for the third wicket, Rajshahi scored 197 runs in 20 overs, losing only 1 wicket.

Enamul was dismissed for 65 runs at a strike rate of 127.45 with 5 sixes and 4 boundaries. However, Yasir remained unbeaten with the scent of a century. Yasir's bat was much more aggressive than Enamul's. His unbeaten 94 came off just 47 balls. In an innings with a strike rate of 200, he hit 8 sixes and 7 boundaries.

Despite batting like that, Yasir may regret not getting a century for 6 runs. However, in the end, the biggest regret is definitely losing despite scoring 197 runs.

Brief scores

Durbar Rajshahi: 197/3 in 20 overs (Yasir 94*, Enamul 65; Myers 2/13, Fahim 1/42). Fortune Barisal: 200/6 in 18.1 overs (Mahmudullah 56*, Fahim 54*, Hridoy 32, Afridi 27; Taskin 3/31, Murad 2/42, Zeeshan 1/6). Result: Barisal won by 4 wickets. Man of the Match: Mahmudullah