MIRPUR: A tight bowling display, followed by Kyle Mayers’ 46 in the run chase powered Fortune Barishal to beat Comilla Victorians by six wickets and claimed their first-ever Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title on Friday.
Put into bat first, the Victorians managed to pile 154/6 on the board despite Andre Russell’s late fireworks.
The Victorians had a dismal start to their innings in the BPL 2024 final as they lost three wickets inside the batting powerplay with just 42 runs on the board.
Wicketkeeper batter Mahidul Islam Ankon then partnered briefly with Johnson Charles (15) for an anchoring 23-run partnership.
But the Victorians then lost two more wickets in quick succession and consequently slipped to 79/5 in 11.5 overs.
Ankon then joined forces with Jaker Ali for an important 36-run partnership before finally perishing in the 17th over.
He remained the top-scorer for the Victorians with a 35-ball 38, laced up with two boundaries and two sixes.
Later, Russell bolstered the Victorians’ total with a belligerent 27-run cameo which came off just 14 deliveries and featured four sixes.
Ali, on the other hand, scored an unbeaten 20 off 23 deliveries, hitting two boundaries.
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James Fuller led the bowling attack for Fortune Barishal with 2/43, followed by Mohammad Saifuddin, Kyle Mayers and Obed McCoy, who picked one apiece.
Chasing 155, Fortune Barishal amassed 157 for the loss of four wickets and six balls to spare, courtesy of strong contributions from the top order.
Barishal openers Tamim Iqbal and Mehidy Hasan Miraz laid a solid foundation for the run chase with a 76-run partnership.
The opening stand lasted in the eighth over Moeen Ali castled Tamim on 39. His 26-ball knock featured three boundaries and as many sixes.
Miraz followed his opening partner an over later after scoring an anchoring 29 off 26 balls.
Following the back-to-back dismissals, Kyle Mayers took the reigns of Fortune Barishal’s run chase and put together a one-side partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim before both perished in the 17th over.
Mayers remained the top scorer for Barishal with 46 off 30 balls, hitting five boundaries and two sixes while Rahim made an 18-ball 13.
But their 59-run stand had already put Fortune Barishal in touching distance, needing a further 11 runs in 18 deliveries.
Mahmuduallah (seven) and David Miller (eight) combined for a sensible 13-run partnership and steered Fortune Barishal to their first BPL title.
For the Victorians, Moeen Ali and Mustafizur Rahman claimed two wickets each.
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