Ctg phase to start with Khulna-Rangpur match
MD ABU TALHA SARKER, Ctg
With the match of Khulna Titans and Rangpur Riders, the third and most crucial phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) fifth edition will take place at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong at 2:00pm today. Virtually, the top teams of the BPL 2017, who will be sorted out for the next round of the BPL from this third stage. So, each team is focused much on their game and attempted their utmost best to triumph it by recruiting new overseas players or bringing chances in teams combination.
So far Rangpur Riders played one match less than Khulna Titans. Its effect has also been fallen in their placement on the points table. Khulna are languishing at third position on the points table just after the leaders Comilla Victorians, who chalked up 10 points off six matches and Dhaka Dynamites, who grabbed nine points off eight outings.
Rangpur Riders on the other hand are in the fifth position with six points just above the rock-bottom Chittagong Vikings (3) and second-bottom Rajshahi Kings (4), the duo who are on the points table with three and four respectively.
Even though Khulna Titans lost their BPL opener to Dhaka Dynamites by 65 runs, they clawed back in winning ways beating their respective rival Sylhet Sixers. But the opposite things happened in the event of Rangpur Riders, who though won their opener lost therefore their back-to-back matches in Sylhet and Dhaka correspondingly.
Riders, who abruptly changed their complexion in team after coming under the new ownership, revived their BPL billing after hiring two marquee T20 players-Chris Gayle and Brendon MacCullum in their tent.
The points table being thought to be interesting now. What I think is that each match is very crucial for all the BPL franchisee, said Titans captain Mahmudullah Riyad, who made a significant contribution to the Titans last two matches.
It is better to think match by match because all the teams are powerful. Anything can be happened at any time. Actually, there is no scope to underestimate any other team. Riyad told newsmen On the opponent team, Titans captain said that they have to showcase their best performance to thrash them on the ground.
Rangpur is very good side. They are playing better brand of cricket. So, we have to play better cricket (to beat them), he thought.
Its normal things to have big names in the team. They have some more quality players. Weve to play our better brand of cricket to beat them in tomorrows game, he added.
It is a good sign for us to have such player in the team. The batsman like Ariful Haque in our lower-middle order gives us impetus in our batting line-up. Always I would have believed that Ariful is a match-winning player. The matter he proved in the last match of the second phase in Dhaka. Hopefully he will maintain its continuation, he responded to a media query.
Rangpur Riders also held their pre-match day practice at the venue ground, in where pacer Rubel Hossain spoke to media, stating that they erupted from a precarious situation that had been created after the loss of three consecutive matches. Winning is actually needed for us. We went to backfoot after losing three matches on the trot. Alhamdulillah, we staged a stunning comeback. The performance from all was very crucial in such match winning, said Rubel Hossain, who is trying to learn a new action from Lasith Malinga.
If you mark you will see that everybody bowled well. Some additional things will be needed to employ in case of win in such low scoring match. Thisera Perera bowled outstanding in the penultimate over. Along with this, the luck also favours us, he said.
