The last quarter of the third phase of the ongoing Akash-DTH Bangabandhu-Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Twenty20 Cricket Tournament will resume with two important matches after a day break today.

The second match is more important than the first match, where the two bottom-placed teams-Sylhet Thunder and Rangpur Rangers-will fight each other, the teams who have been mathematically derailed from the race of the four-team play-off berth for their successive losing streak. The match- a day affair-will kick-start at1:30pm.

Star-studded Dhaka Platoon will lock horns with Rajshahi Royals in the vital second match, scheduled to be begun under the floodlights at 6:30pm. Platoon were turned up to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) ground in morning session to hone their batting and bowling skills at net for a longer period.

Dhaka captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza joined the practicing Platoon contingent at the fag’s end of the pre-match day session, where he drilled for lofty shots. Platoon Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz and his compatriot leg-spinner Shadab Khan followed Mashrafe’s suits, while their head coach Mohammad Salahuddin was supervising them. Later Salahuddin spoke to the media about their next match against Rajshahi, who thumped them in their first clash by comprehensive nine wickets.    

Salahuddin billed Royals as the balanced side, saying that they will get down in the field to win the match because they have no option to survive in the tournament without winning it.

“I think Rajshahi have been playing better brand of cricket in the tournament. They’re balanced side. I think they’re one of the favourite teams in the BPL. So, the match against them is very important for us. There is nothing alternative to win the match for us to survive in the tournament. Hopefully we’ll play better cricket,” said Mohammad Salauddin.

“We did not play better in the last match. I think if our batsmen can do a bit better, we could do better further. The bowling department we’ve is balanced. I’m not concerned about my bowling department. I think we have a bowling attack to defend any total. But they have to do well a bit. Along with that, the batting department especially top-order if they could start a bit better, we can then do well,” Salahuddin told media.

However, Sylhet and Rangpur were also appeared at the NCA ground at different sessions to sharpen skills. Though they lost so many matches on the trot, Rangpur head coach Mark O’Donnell said they will get down in the field to triumph the match against Sylhet tomorrow (Monday).

O’Donnell also said they need to do their basic a little bit better with bat and ball to back in winning ways.

“Obviously, [we will go] to win the match. But go in most of them. Just to noise what we have here useful, obviously, all are world class players. What we could do a little bit better, a little bit longer both bat and ball. That’s very simple,” said Mark O’Donnell.

“I think it’s hugely influential on good players on both sides, good players are getting in and going. And I think this will be one of the good games. Every team is scoring 170-plus and 180-plus. We did one or two scores well. We have done low-scoring and big-scoring in matches. Key guys have to contribute more than useful 30 and do the same with the ball. The games we played in the middle of the tournament that was nice and beautiful. It’s one of the top-order batting ID,” O’Donnell told media before the kick-off of their intense pre-match day practice session at the NCA ground yesterday.

“We just need to do the basics a little bit better and a little bit longer but bat and ball. Last game, for example, [there were] a lot of multi-boundary overs. Too many multi-boundary overs have been made on slow surface. I think Sherfane Rutherford does very well in the game, wicket-to-wicket and pace to pace of the ball. We need to dread, just need to be a little bit quicker. 180-odd on slow surface is hard target we push. We lost wickets in the middle. So, we needed to improve 10-15 generally in very good situation,” he added.