CHATTOGRAM, Jan 22, (V7N)— Fortune Barishal made a significant leap towards the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) playoffs after clinching a 7-run victory against Khulna Tigers in a thrilling match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

This victory propelled Barishal into second place with 12 points from eight matches, while Khulna slipped to fifth place with just six points from the same number of matches.Barishal set a target of 167-9, thanks to veteran Mahmudullah Riyad, who scored a patient 50 runs off 45 balls, and a rapid 39 runs off 19 balls from Rishad Hossain. The bowlers then successfully defended the total, restricting Khulna to 160-6, despite a valiant innings of 77 runs off 59 balls by opener Naim Sheikh.

Naim Sheikh fought valiantly amid a batting collapse, as Khulna struggled from the outset. His fellow opener, Imrul Kayes, was dismissed for a duck on the second ball, leading to a disastrous start for Khulna. Skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz partnered with Naim to form a 59-run partnership, contributing a slow 33 runs off 29 balls.However, after Miraz’s dismissal by Mohammad Nabi and the fall of Alex Ross for just 4 runs, Khulna was left at 74-3. Naim and Afif Hossain tried to accelerate the innings, but the partnership was broken by Jahandad Khan, who dismissed Afif for 27 runs off 17 balls.Naim, who hit four fours and six sixes, was ultimately dismissed in the final over, unable to guide his team to victory.

Jahandad Khan was instrumental for Barishal, taking 2 wickets for 20 runs. Nabi, Rishad, and Ripon Mondol each contributed with one wicket.Earlier, Mahmudullah's innings helped stabilize Barishal after they were reduced to 16-3 in the third over. Alongside Towhid Hridoy, who scored 36 runs, they built a 47-run partnership to recover from the early collapse.Khulna captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz was impressive with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 35 runs, dismissing both Tamim Iqbal and Dawid Malan for ducks in consecutive deliveries.

Rishad Hossain's explosive knock of 39 runs off 19 balls helped Barishal reach a respectable total after a shaky start. Salman Irshad also contributed with the ball, taking 2 wickets for 19 runs.This match showcased the resilience of Fortune Barishal as they strive for a playoff position while leaving Khulna to reassess their strategy moving forward in the tournament.

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