Rangpur Riders kicked off their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025 campaign in emphatic style, registering a commanding seven-wicket victory over Chattogram Royals in their opening fixture. Chasing a modest target of 103 set by the Royals, the Riders reached the total comfortably in just 15 overs, losing only three wickets, under the astute captaincy of Nurul Hasan Sohan.
The chase began with a flourish as openers Liton Das and David Malan laid a solid foundation. Their partnership took the team tantalisingly close to the target with calculated aggression. At a team score of 91, Liton Das fell for a brisk 47 off 31 balls, including two sixes and four fours, to the bowling of Mukidul Islam. Following him, Towhid Hridoy lasted only three deliveries, scoring a solitary run before falling to the same bowler. The match was virtually in the bag when David Malan was dismissed for 51, featuring two sixes and five boundaries, leaving the Riders with just two runs to win.
Ultimately, Rangpur Riders reached the target with five overs to spare, demonstrating their batting depth and composure under pressure.
Rangpur Riders Batting Summary:
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 6s | 4s | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liton Das | 47 | 31 | 2 | 4 | Bowled Mukidul Islam |
| Towhid Hridoy | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Bowled Mukidul Islam |
| David Malan | 51 | – | 2 | 5 | Bowled Mukidul Islam |
Earlier, Chattogram Royals had elected to bat after losing the toss, but they suffered an immediate setback in the very first over. Adam Rossington offered a simple catch to Aliss Islam off Nahid Rana’s bowling, departing cheaply. Naeem Sheikh then played a spirited innings, scoring 39 runs from 20 balls before falling to Mustafizur Rahman. His dismissal triggered a collapse in the Royals’ batting line-up, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy returning to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.
In the middle overs, Fahim Ashraf seized control, running through the Royals’ order with clinical precision. He began by dismissing Mahfizul Islam Robin, then accounted for Masood Gurbaz, captain Sheikh Mahedi, and Shariful Islam. Fahim completed his five-wicket haul by removing Abu Haider Rony, leaving the Royals all out for 102 in 17.5 overs.
Chattogram Royals Batting Summary:
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naeem Sheikh | 39 | 20 | b Mustafizur Rahman |
| Mahmudul Hasan Joy | 0 | – | b Fahim Ashraf |
| Masood Gurbaz | – | – | b Fahim Ashraf |
| Sheikh Mahedi | – | – | b Fahim Ashraf |
| Shariful Islam | – | – | b Fahim Ashraf |
Rangpur Riders’ comprehensive performance with both bat and ball underlines their intent for the tournament and sets a strong tone for their BPL campaign. The combination of measured aggression in batting and ruthless bowling in the middle overs proved decisive in this opening encounter.