September 7, 2024

BPL Week 2: Nawaz Powers Unbeaten Khulna; Sylhet Winless – Bangladesh Premier League

Oman’s Bilal Khan emerged as Chattogram’s unexpected hero, while Barishal’s Shoaib Malik suddenly exited the BPL.

During the second week of the BPL’s 2023-24 season, all eight matches took place in Sylhet, widely considered the country’s top batting venue. The Khulna Tigers continued their unbeaten streak with four wins from four games. At the same time, the Sylhet Strikers remained winless after five attempts. Here are some of the week’s highlights.

Table-toppers Khulna continued their winning streak from the previous week with two more victories this week. Meanwhile, the Chattogram Challengers have also been in solid form, securing three consecutive wins just below Khulna. The Rangpur Riders rebounded from an early-week loss with two crucial wins.

Guided by Anamul Haque and a strong West Indies presence, Khulna defeated Rangpur by 28 runs before demolishing Durdanto Dhaka by ten wickets in a 131-run chase, which they achieved with over five overs to spare. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz was exceptional for Khulna in both matches, scoring 55 off 34 balls, taking two wickets against Rangpur, and then claiming 3 for 15 against Dhaka. Alongside Nawaz, Khulna has also benefited from the steady performances of Anamul and Evin Lewis.

Chattogram also won both of its matches this week. They narrowly defeated Fortune Barishal by ten runs while defending a total of 193 and then convincingly overcame Sylhet by chasing down 138 with eight wickets and 14 balls remaining. Sylhet, the finalists from last season, experienced their fifth consecutive loss, including heavy defeats to Comilla Victorians and Barishal and a loss against Chattogram.

Sylhet’s poor performance may have been partly due to the absence of the injured Mashrafe Mortaza, who continued to play and captain the team despite not bowling regularly. Mashrafe has now taken a break from the tournament to focus on his political responsibilities, having previously acknowledged that it was “not ideal” for him to remain in the squad.

The shift in venue from Mirpur in the first week to Sylhet in the second may have influenced the trend of wins for teams batting first. All eight matches in Mirpur were won by the team chasing. In contrast, dew appeared less of a factor at the scenic Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, leading to most victories for the sides batting first.

Meanwhile, an ongoing off-field debate surrounded Barishal’s Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik. The previous week, Barishal owner Mizanur Rahman expressed frustration over Malik’s performance, particularly his three no-balls in an over against Khulna. Rahman attributed the loss to those errors, as Khulna comfortably chased down 188.

Shortly after, on January 26, Malik unexpectedly departed from the BPL after playing just three games, despite Mizanur Rahman stating that Malik’s contract was valid until February 14. This sparked speculation about a potential rift within the team, although Malik later clarified that there was no such issue.

Player of the Week

Rangpur’s Babar Azam hit his second fifty of the season with a crucial 62 off 46 balls in a victory over Dhaka. He then delivered a more than a run-a-ball 37 against Comilla, topping Rangpur’s score in their eight-run win.

Although Babar may not overwhelm bowling attacks with a barrage of boundaries, he consistently plays a steady role in forming crucial partnerships. For example, against Dhaka, he forged a 50-run partnership with Nurul Hasan after Rangpur lost two wickets in the powerplay. In the match against Comilla, he also combined for a 55-run stand for the second wicket with Fazle Mahmud.

Babar Azam has two half-centuries in the BPL so far this season•Raton Gomes/BCB

Player of the Week

A top-six bowler in all-time ODI averages with at least 50 wickets quietly entered the BPL. Bilal Khan, a star from Oman, has significantly impacted Chattogram. The left-arm quick has claimed eight wickets at an average of 18.25, leading the BPL bowling charts. His standout performance included a 3 for 24 against Sylhet, earning him the Player-of-the-Match award.

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