Bowlers rescue Rajshahi in tense five-run win over Sylhet

Rajshahi Warriors flirted with trouble but held their nerve in the end as their bowlers sealed a five-run victory over Sylhet Titans at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Chasing 148, Sylhet’s innings got off to a rocky start as Ripon Mondol and Binura Fernando struck early, removing Tawfique Khan and skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz respectively.

Opener Parvez Emon kept Sylhet afloat with a fluent 41 off 30 balls, while Mominul Haque anchored the other end. However, once Emon fell in the 10th over with Sylhet at 64 for three, Rajshahi clawed their way back, tightening the screws and choking the run flow.

The pressure told as Afif Hossain fell for 16 off 15 balls, followed soon after by Mominul, who made a sluggish 31 off 36 deliveries. 

With Sylhet strugglling to find a footing, Moeen Ali injected late drama into the chase. With 25 required from the final two overs, he struck Ripon Mondol for consecutive sixes off the first two balls of the penultimate over to swing the momentum.

However, Tanzid Hasan Tamim took a superb catch at deep backward point to dismiss Moeen for a rapid 27 off 12 balls, a moment that proved decisive. The tension peaked in the final over when Binura cramped up before the last delivery with Sylhet needing eight runs. Struggling physically, Binura sent down two wides to momentarily revive Sylhet’s hopes but held his composure to fire in a pinpoint yorker to dismiss Ruyel Miah and seal the win for Rajshahi. Ripon was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of four for 34.

Earlier, Rajshahi were rocked by the early dismissals of openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim (nine off seven) and Sahibzada Farhan (14 off 12). Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim then steadied the innings with a 56-run partnership.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz broke the stand by trapping Shanto leg-before for a 21-ball 34, triggering another collapse. Mushfiqur, who held the innings together with a 30-ball 40, departed to Nasum Ahmed, and further setbacks followed as Akbar Ali (two off four) and Ryan Burl (nine off 16) fell cheaply, leaving Rajshahi reeling at 127 for seven in the 18th over.

A late cameo of 16 off 11 balls from Abdul Gaffar Saqlain lifted Rajshahi to 147 for eight. For Sylhet, Nasum Ahmed returned figures of two for 30, while Moeen Ali was economical, conceding just 16 runs in his four overs and picking up a wicket.

The win propelled Rajshahi to the top of the table with 14 points from nine matches, two clear of second-placed Chattogram Royals, who have played eight games.