Out of the first six editions of the BPL, Dhaka Platoon had played five finals. But in the ongoing version of the T20 league, they won’t be getting the privilege. Chattogram Challengers defeated them by seven wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium to knock them out of the tournament. Mahmudullah’s Challengers have no moved to the Qualifier 2, which will take place on January 15.

Shadab Khan guides Platoon to respectability

The Platoon made a horrendous start, losing wickets in heaps. Out of the top six, only Mominul Haque could cross the double-digit mark. He stood his ground until the 11th over and managed a run-a-ball 31 with three fours and a six. Rayad Emrit found his outside edge to pile more agony for the Platoon. Prior to that, Emrit also got rid of Mahedi Hasan and Jaker Ali off consecutive deliveries.

Jaker, Anamul Haque and Luis Reece couldn’t open their account. In the 13th over, Platoon were tottering at 60 for seven. But a 44-run stand between Shadab Khan and Thisara Perera (25) injected some momentum into the innings. Even after Perera got out, Shadab notched his fifty off 36 balls. Shadab stayed unbeaten on 64 off 41 balls with five fours and three sixes, taking his team to 144.

Challengers get home in a canter

The Challengers promoted Ziaur Rahman to open the batting with Chris Gayle and move paid off. The duo put on 42 runs for the opening wicket to start the run-chase. Mahedi Hasan broke the stand, removing Rahman, who got a quickfire 12-ball 25. Gayle ambled along and scored 38 off 49, but stitched a 49-run partnership with Imrul Kayes, who managed 32 precious runs off 22 balls.

Interestingly, Shadab was introduced in the 13th over and he delivered right away, getting rid of Kayes. In his second over, the tweaker also accounted for Gayle’’s wicket. After the last strategic timeout, the Challengers needed 29 off four overs. Mahmudullah (34*) and Chadwick Walton (12*) didn’t let any panic sneak in. Eventually, the Challengers chased the target down with 14 balls left.

Brief Scores

Dhaka Platoon: 144/8 in 20 overs (Shadab Khan 64, Mominul Haque 31; Rayad Emrit 3/23)

Chattogram Challengers: 147/3 in 17.4 overs (Chris Gayle 38, Mahmudullah 34; Shadab Khan 2/32)

Chattogram Challengers win by seven wickets.

Toss Update

Chattogram Challengers won the toss and elected to field first.

Dhaka Platoon Playing XI:

Tamim Iqbal, Mominul Haque, Anamul Haque(w), Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Luis Reece, Thisara Perera, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Hasan Mahmud

Chattogram Challengers Playing XI:

Chris Gayle, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah(c), Chadwick Walton, Nurul Hasan(w), Asela Gunaratne, Ziaur Rahman, Rayad Emrit, Rubel Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mehedi Hasan Rana

Match Details:

The Eliminator of the 2019-20 Bangladesh Premier League will be played between Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka Platoon at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka.

The match starts at 01:30 PM local time (07:30 AM GMT) (01:00 PM IST). This game can be viewed on the Fan Code app in India.

Match Preview for Dream11 Fantasy:

After a long stint, Chhatogram Challengers have finally made into the eliminator in BPL 2019-20. They did a convincing job in the group stage and the same would be expected in the crucial clash against Dhaka Platoon. In batting Imrul Kayes has certainly emerged as the best player for his side. He has so far muscled 405 runs in 11 games with four 50+ scores.

He will have to replicate his scintillating form in the eliminator. Meanwhile in bowling Mehedi Hasan Rana has impressed everyone with the ball. He has grabbed 17 wickets in eight games with two four-wicket hauls. If their in-form players managed to perform as per their calibre then they are expected to emerge as the winners in the upcoming game.

Dhaka Platoon has some issues with their bowling unit, who didn’t look up to the mark in the ongoing tournament. Their bowlers will have to come up with some improved display in their trait if Platoon wants to outclass in-form Challengers. On the other hand, Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque have shown glimpses of good form and they will surely look to continue with the same in the eliminator.

Weather Condition/Report

The weather is expected to be quite hazy but there are no chances of rain on the match day. The wind is expected to blow at a rate of between 7 and 11 Km/hr whereas the temperature will deviate from 13 to 23 Degree Celsius throughout the day according to Accuweather.

Pitch Condition/Report:

The pitch at the Shere-e-Bangla stadium has certainly been acting as a slow wicket as the tournament progressed. The spinners will play a vital role in the outcome of the match as they will get a lot of turn from the wicket. The batsmen will have to be quite attentive against the spin heads in the crucial game. Meanwhile, the side winning the toss will most probably look to bat to take some advantage of the friendly conditions in the early part of the game.

Average first innings score:– 175 [In the last five games at the venue this season]

Record of chasing teams: Won – 2, Lost – 3

Injury and Availability:

Will update if there is any news

Probable Playing XIs-

Chattogram Challengers

Junaid Siddique, Chris Gayle, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah (C), Chadwick Walton, Nurul Hasan Sohan (wk), Nasum Ahmed, Ryad Emrit,  Mehedi Hasan Rana, Liam Plunkett, Rubel Hossain

Bench –Muktar Ali, Jubair Hossain, Enamul Haque Jnr

Dhaka Platoon

Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque (C & WK), Mominul Haque, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Thisara Perera, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mashrafe Mortaza, Hasan Mahmud

Bench – Ariful Haque, Raqibul Hasan, Salauddin Sakil

Top Picks:

Imrul Kayes is an obvious pick for any fantasy side looking forward to his convincing form with the bat. He is currently the fifth leading runs scorer in BPL 2019-20 with 405 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 132.78. Rubel Hossain and Mehedi Hasan Rana will be the player to watch out with the ball in the eliminator as they have produced some brilliant performances in the ongoing tournament. Chris Gayle is a big match player and he should be picked in any Dream11 Fantasy team. However, he joined the tournament later but his match-winning ability can never be ignored.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Captain – Tamim Iqbal, Chris Gayle, Imrul Kayes

Vice-Captain – Mahedi Hasan, Mahmudullah, Chadwick Walton

Suggested Playing XI No.1 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper –  Chadwick Walton, Anamul Haque

Batters – Asif Ali, Imrul Kayes (VC), Tamim Iqbal (C), Chris Gayle

All-Rounders- Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan

Bowlers – Mehedi Hasan Rana, Nasum Ahmed, Wahab Riaz

Suggested Playing XI No.2 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper –  Nurul Hasan Sohan, Anamul Haque

Batters – Mominul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Tamim Iqbal

All-Rounders- Mahmudullah (VC), Thisara Perera, Mahedi Hasan (C)

Bowlers – Rubel Hossain, Shadab Khan, Wahab Riaz

Expert Advice:

Try to pick the in-form batsmen from both the sides with a couple of spinners in the Grand League side. It is a crucial game so the high profile players will look to come up with some breakthrough performances in the match between Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka Platoon.

Probable Winners:

Chattogram Challengers is expected to come out as the winners.

Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.

The 2019-20 edition of the Bangabandhu BPL is all set for the playoff stages. It gets underway with the Eliminator between Dhaka Platoon and Chattogram Challengers in the first of Monday’s doubleheader in Mirpur. Both teams would be coming on to their contest on the back of thumping defeats. But ahead of the must-win encounter, history seems to speak in favour of the Platoon.

Out of six seasons, the Platoon have played the final as many as five times with the only exception coming in 2015. On the other hand, the Challengers have won playoff matches only back in 2013 when they became the runners-up. In the round-robin stage, both sides found themselves at the top of the table. But they lost to Khulna Tigers and the Rajshahi Royals as the tournament progressed.

Pitch and Conditions

The pitch in Mirpur has been a sporting one thus far. Though teams have racked up scores in excess of 200, the bowlers have also had their say at various stages. Batting second should be the way forward in the crunch match. The playing conditions will be hazy with the temperature around the 24 degrees Celsius mark. The humidity will mostly be in the high 40s with cold breeze around.

Team Combination

Chattogram Challengers

For the Challengers, Imrul Kayes has 405 runs at an average of 57.85 with four half-centuries. It goes without saying that a lot will depend on him. Junaid Siddiqui has 118 runs at the top of the order. Mahmudullah Riyad churned out an unbeaten 48 last time around and is in a positive mind frame.

Chris Gayle has found the going a tad tough though. Walton and Nurul Hasan are in decent rhythm as well. Mahedi Hasan Rana didn’t play the last two games and the reasons are unknown. Rubel Hossain has 16 wickets at an economy of 7.15. Mahmudullah can also roll his arms over in need.

Probable XI

Chris Gayle, Junaid Siddiqui, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah Riyad (C), Chadwick Walton, Nurul Hasan Sohan (wk), Ziaur Rahman, Liam Plunkett, Rayad Emrit, Rubel Hossain, Nasum Ahmed

Dhaka Platoon

Mashrafe Mortaza had 14 stitches on his left-hand and has become uncertain for the next match. If he doesn’t play, Tamim Iqbal will stand in as the captain. Tamim is the Platoon’s leading run-scorer with 393 runs at an average of 43.66. Anamul Haque, his opening partner, has lost form recently.

Mominul Haque and Mahedi Hasan are in red-hot form after their previous game. Thisara Perera and Asif Ali can also wield the willow to good effect. In bowling, Mahmud and Mahedi Hasan have 21 wickets. Mahmud has been expensive though. Shadab has nine wickets at an economy of 6.50.

Probable XI

Tamim Iqbal, Mominul Haque, Anamul Haque, Jaker Ali (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Thisara Perera, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mashrafe Mortaza/Shuvagata Hom, Hasan Mahmud

Probable Top Performers

Mahmudullah – Chattogram Challengers |Tamim Iqbal– Dhaka Platoon

Broadcast Details

Online– YouTube

Match Timings – 01:00 PM IST, and 01:30 PM local time

The prediction is for Dhaka Platoon to win the match.

The Dhaka Platoon would’ve dearly wished for a victory in the previous match against the Rangpur Rangers. But that wasn’t the case and now they need a victory to finish in the top two of the table in the ongoing BPL 2029-20. The Rangers slapped them with an 11-run defeat last time around. The Platoon are next set to lock horns with the Khulna Tigers in the final round-robin game of the BPL.

The Tigers, on the other hand, beat the Cumilla Warriors by 92 runs in their last game. They are now second on the points table and have a realistic chance of even staying there if Dhaka Platoon and Rajshahi Royals lose their matches on Saturday. Mushfiqur Rahim’s Tigers lost a bit of momentum midway through the season. However, the Tigers are seeming to peak at the appropriate time.

Pitch and Conditions

The pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium has been indifferent. It has given everyone something to cheer for. The batters have played their strokes freely and the spinners have also extracted turn from the surface in Dhaka. The conditions will be hazy with the temperature around 18 degrees Celsius. The humidity will be in the 70s and the wind will be blowing at around 13 kmph.

Team Combination

Dhaka Platoon

The Platoon’s batting has played a crucial role in their success. Tamim Iqbal has been their standout performer with 392 runs at an average of 49. The likes of Mominul, Anamul Haque and Mahedi Hasan have chipped in with useful scores. Perera and Asif Ali can hit the leather a fair distance.

Even Shadab Khan has shown good form with the bat in hand. Shadab and Mahedi’s role as the spinners will hold the key. Among their regular bowlers, Shadab has been the most frugal with miserly economy rate of 6.28. Mashrafe Mortaza is gradually finding his rhythm with the ball as well.

Probable XI

Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Ariful Haque, Mominul Haque, Asif Ali, Thisara Perera, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mashrafe Mortaza (C), Hasan Mahmud

Khulna Tigers

Mehidy Hasan Miraz injured himself in the last game and had to be carried off the park. If he doesn’t play then Saif Hassan may be roped in to strengthen the batting. Mushfiqur Rahim also had a bit of a niggle on Friday night. Mushfiqur has been a linchpin of their batting with 431 runs, averaging 71.83.

Rilee Rossouw has 435 runs at an average of 54.37, striking at 159.92.. Najmul Hossain Shanto is also finding his rhythm back. In the bowling department, Shahidul Islam has 17 wickets to his name. The likes of Mohammad Amir and Frylinck have also stepped up with 11 and 16 wickets respectively.

Probable XI

Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rilee Rossouw, Mushfiqur Rahim (C & WK), Najibullah Zadran, Shamsur Rahman, Robbie Frylinck, Mohammad Amir, Shafiul Islam, Shahidul Islam, Aliss Islam

Probable Top Performers

Tamim Iqbal – Dhaka Platoon |Mushfiqur Rahim– Khulna Tigers

Broadcast Details

Online– YouTube

Match Timings – 06:00 PM IST, and 06:30 PM local time

The prediction is for Dhaka Platoon to win the match.

Match Details:

The 42nd game of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2019-20 will be played between Dhaka Platoon and Khulna Tigers at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka

The match starts at 06:30 PM local time (12:30 PM GMT) (06:00 PM IST). This game can be viewed on the Fan Code app in India.

Match Preview for Dream11 Fantasy:

Khulna Tigers are still due to play two games in the group stage and they have almost confirmed as one of the sides to qualify for the play-offs. They have 12 points with six wins in 10 games and they would be eager to replicate their good form in the next game as well.

In batting, they have Najmul Hossain Shanto, Rilee Rossouw and Mushfiqur Rahim, who are in impressive form with the bat in BPL 2019-20. On the other hand, their bowling unit has also produced some brilliant performance in the previous games and the same would be expected from them in the next game against Dhaka Platoon.

Rangpur Rangers didn’t have the best of outings in the Bangabandhu BPL 2019-20. However, the team, led by Shane Watson, came out all guns blazing in their last league match. They took down Dhaka Platoon by 11 runs in Mirpur, Dhaka to end their journey on a high. For the Platoon, their last league game is of prime importance. They need a win to finish in the top two of the points table.

Gregory and Al-Amin revive the Rangers

The Rangers got off to a brisk start after Shane Watson smashed Mahedi Hasan for a four and a six. But in the very next over, Mashrafe Mortaza found Watson’s edge. Cameron Deport used his feet to Hasan only to get stumped. Mohammad Naim had a painful stay in the middle, scoring a 21-ball 17. From there on Lewis Gregory and Al-Amin (35) took the onus of bringing the Rangers back on track.

The duo put on 49 runs for the fourth wicket off 26 balls and set the platform for a breezy finish. Thisara Perera broke the stand after Gregory, who scored 46 off 32, mistimed one down the throat of long-on. Jahurul Islam (28) came out and played some delightful strokes. He put on 41 along with Al-Amin. In the last over, four wickets went down and the Rangers could manage 149 in 20 overs.

Platoon go down

The Platoon made a poor start as Al-Amin ran Anamul Haque out. Mahedi Hasan was staring to step on the gas after a slow start, but fell prey to Arafat Sunny. Mominul Haque scorched three fours and then perished to Taskin Ahmed. Thisara Perera became Gregory’s first victim. At the other end, Tamim Iqbal (34) tried to put his head down even as the home team kept losing frequent wickets.

To the Platoon’s dismay, Sunny got rid of the big fish. Asif Ali failed to up the ante, getting out to Taskin. Ariful Haque and Faheem Ashraf couldn’t make an impact either. Shadab Khan got a promotion in the lineup after his cameo last time. He managed 16 off 14 and was dismissed by pacer Junaid Khan. Mashrafe Mortaza churned out some lusty blows, but his efforts didn’t quite suffice.

Brief Scores

Rangpur Rangers: 149/9 in 20 overs (Lewis Gregory 46, Al-Amin 35; Thisara Perera 3/23)

Dhaka Platoon: (Tamim Iqbal 34, Mominul Haque 18; Junaid Khan 2/22)

Rangpur Rangers win by 11 runs.

Toss Update

Dhaka Platoon won the toss and elected to field first.

Dhaka Platoon Playing XI:

Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque(w), Mahedi Hasan, Ariful Haque, Mominul Haque, Asif Ali, Thisara Perera, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Hasan Mahmud

Rangpur Rangers Playing XI:

Mohammad Naim, Shane Watson(c), Cameron Delport, Lewis Gregory, Al-Amin, Jahurul Islam, Nadif Chowdhury(w), Arafat Sunny, Junaid Khan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman

Match Details:

The 39th game of the 2019-20 Bangladesh Premier League will be played between Dhaka Platoon and Rangpur Rangers at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka.

The match starts at 02:00 PM local time (08:00 AM GMT) (01:30 PM IST). This game can be viewed on the Fan Code app in India.

Match Preview for Dream11 Fantasy:

With 14 points after 10 games, the Dhaka Platoon has all but confirmed a playoff berth but the Mashrafe Mortaza-led unit would now be focussed on claiming the numero-uno spot in the points table when they take on Rangpur Rangers in what is a rematch of Wednesday’s fixture. The Platoon will be looking to do an encore of what they did on Wednesday when they swatted aside Rangers with disdain by a margin of 61 runs.

The win was set-up by opener Tamim Iqbal’s 38-ball 40 and a whirlwind unbeaten 19-ball 31 from Shadab Khan that helped Dhaka to post 9-145 after 20 overs. But, it was really the all-round performance of their bowling unit- led by Mahedi Hasan’s 3-13- and ably backed up by skipper Mortaza [2-18], Faheem Ashraf [2-26] and Shadab Khan [2-14], each of whom claimed two-wickets apiece, as they bowled Rangers out for a poultry 84 in 15.3 overs.

As for Rangpur Rangers, their chances of making it to the Playoffs, and heading into their final encounter of the season, they will hope to finish it on a high and also avenge the shellacking that they suffered at the hands of Dhaka on Wednesday.

Weather Condition/Report

It is expected to be a bright and sunny day in Dhaka on Friday. According to the weather report, bright sunny spells will grace Dhaka on Friday, with the temperatures ranging between 16 and 23 degrees Celsius while the humidity is set to be around 76%. Most importantly, there is no chance of rain.

Pitch Condition/Report:

In the last game played between these two sides at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka, batting proved to be a tricky proposition with both fast bowlers as well as spinners ruling the roost. This being a day game, the surface could well once again turn out to be on a slowish side and both sides will be looking to put runs on the board and then back their bowling to defend it later.

Average first innings score:– 159 [In the last seven games at the venue this season]

Record of chasing teams: Won – 4, Lost – 3

Injury and Availability:

(Will be updated if there is any news)

Probable Playing XIs:

Dhaka Platoon

Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque (C & WK), Mominul Haque, Mahedi Hasan, Ariful Haque, Asif Ali, Thisara Perera, Mashrafe Mortaza, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Mahmud, Shadab Khan

Bench – Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Raqibul Hasan, Laurie Evans, Shuvagata Hom, Luis Reece, Mohammad Shahid, Jaker Ali, Salauddin Sakil.

Rangpur Rangers

Mohammad Naim, Shane Watson (C), Cameron Delport, Lewis Gregory, Mohammad Nabi, Fazle Mahmud, Al-Amin, Jahurul Islam (WK), Taskin Ahmed, Arafat Sunny, Mustafizur Rahman

Bench: Nadif Chowdhury, Mohammad Shahzad, Junaid Khan, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Tom Abell, Sanjit Saha, Mukidul Islam, Rishad Hossain.

Top Picks:

Dhaka Platoon– Tamim Iqbal, with 358 runs in 9 games at an average of 51.14, has been the lynchpin of the Platoon batting unit. The southpaw scored a crucial 40 in the last game, and along with Mominul Haque [157 runs at 39.25] will lead the batting unit. The all-round bowling performance by the bowlers was at the heart of Platoons’ victory in the last game. Mahedi Hasan claimed three wickets while each of Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, and Mashrafe Mortaza claimed two apiece.

Rangpur Rangers- Mohammad Naim [342 runs at 34.20] has been the leading run-scorer for the Rangers in the season. He, along with Lewis Gregory [216 runs at 24.0] and Cameron Delport [170 runs at 21.25], Shane Watson [83 runs at 13.8] has blown hot and cold throughout the tournament. But, he is too good a player to ignore. You can place a punt on him by opting for the Australian as the captain/vice-captain of your Grand League fantasy team.

As far as bowling is concerned, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed claimed three wickets apiece in the last game while Mohammad Nabi chipped in with two.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Captain – Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Naim, Mahedy Hasan

Vice-Captain – Lewis Gregory, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nabi

Suggested Playing XI No.1 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper – Anamul Haque

Batters – Tamim Iqbal [C], Mominul Haque, Shane Watson, Mohammad Naim

All-Rounders – Thisara Perera, Lewis Gregory [VC]

Bowlers – Mahedi Hasan, Shadab Khan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed

Suggested Playing XI No.2 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper – Anamul Haque (VC), Jahurul Islam

Batters – Mominul Haque, Shane Watson, Mohammad Naim

All-Rounders – A Haque, Lewis Gregory (C), Thisara Perera

Bowlers – Mahedi Hasan, Shadab Khan, Taskin Ahmed

Expert Advice:

There is a lot of uncertainty around the playing XIs in the BPL. Teams make unexpected changes. It would be better to wait for the playing XIs to be announced before finalizing your Fantasy teams. Also, you can visit CricTracker website after toss for the updated team.

Probable Winners:

Dhaka Platoon is expected to come out as the winners.

Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.

Dhaka Platoon have already qualified for the playoffs in the 2019-20 Bangabandhu BPL. Mashrafe Mortaza And Co last beat the Rangpur Rangers by 61 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Dhaka’s only concerns remains to be finishing in the top two. Another win would take them to the top of the table and put them in a comfortable position as far as playing the Qualifier 1 is concerned.

The Platoon also boast of the best run rate, +0.827 among the seven participating teams. Their penultimate round-robin game is against the Rangers itself at the same venue in the first of Friday’s doubleheader. The Rangers, on the other hand, have already been eliminated after the drubbing in the previous game. Shane Watson’s men will look to end the T20 tournament on a winning note.

Pitch and Conditions

The pitch in Dhaka has shown tendency of slowing down of late. Spinners have gotten the leather to grip on the surface and extract prodigious turn. Scoring runs in the powerplay with the ball being hard and new will be crucial. The conditions will be a bit hazy. The temperature will be around the 22 degrees Celsius mark with the humidity in the 50s and 60s. The wind will blow at 13 kmph.

Team Combination

Dhaka Platoon

Tamim Iqbal has 358 runs at 51.14, but he needs to work on his strike-rate of 114.01. Anamul has given the occasional starts and now needs to show consistency. Mahedi Hasan has gotten a couple of fifties and then has started to flounder. With the ball, he has nine wickets at an economy of 6.52.

Asif Ali and Thisara Perera’s role lower down the order will also be important. Dhaka’s batting depth came to the fore last time after Shadab Khan’s cameo. The tweaker also has sic wickets at an economy of 6.29. Mashrafe Mortaza got his form back with an excellent spell on Wednesday night.

Probable XI

Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Ariful Haque, Mominul Haque, Asif Ali, Thisara Perera, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mashrafe Mortaza (C), Hasan Mahmud

Rangpur Rangers

The Rangers’ bowling has found its mojo. Mustafizur Rahman is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 19 scalps. Taskin Ahmed also generated pace and picked three wickets in the last game. Mohammad Nabi is also in excellent form with the ball with 11 wickets at an economy of 6.65.

Nabi has been disappointing with the bat though. Gregory has been the Rangers’ stalwart with 216 runs and 14 wickets. Shane Watson is yet to deliver against a quality bowling attack. Mohammad Naim remains to be the prime weapon in their batting. Delport has had his fair share of success as well.

Probable XI

Mohammad Naim, Shane Watson (C), Cameron Delport, Lewis Gregory, Fazle Mahmud, Al-Amin, Mohammad Nabi, Jahurul Islam (wk), Arafat Sunny, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman

Probable Top Performers

Shadab Khan – Dhaka Platoon |Cameron Delport– Rangpur Rangers

Broadcast Details

Online– YouTube

Match Timings – 01:30 PM IST, and 02:00 PM local time

The prediction is for Dhaka Platoon to win the match.

Dhaka Platoon became the third team after Chattogram Challengers and Rajshahi Royals to qualify for the playoffs in the BPL. Mashrafe Mortaza and Co managed to script victory by 61 runs and also knocked the Rangpur Rangers out of the tournament. With four game left in the round-robin stage, one playoff spot is up for grabs and Khulna Tigers and Cumilla Warriors would be fighting for it.

Shadab’s blitzkrieg guides Platoon to respectability

The Platoon stuttered after being put in to bat first. On a seemingly slow strip, their batters lost frequent wickets and could only post 145 in their 20 overs. Tamim Iqbal had a painstaking stay in the middle. But he got 40 vital runs off 38 balls with the help of five fours. The opener perished to Taskin Ahmed in the quest to up the ante. Taskin and Mustafizur Rahman were tough to pounce on.

Both the fast bowlers picked up three wickets each and halted the Platoon’s surge. With the hosts straining to find their feet, Shadab Khan strolled out with intent. He smacked three sixes and a four to notch 31 off 19. Mashrafe Mortaza also cleared the rope once before getting out. For the Rangers, apart from Mustafizur and Taskin, Mohammad Nabi was also impressive, having picked two wickets.

Rangers huff and puff

The Rangers were never in the run-chase, losing wickets way too frequently. Mahedi Hasan got rid of Mohammad Naim in his very first over to strike first blood. Then the tweaker pinned Shane Watson plumb in front. Cameron Delport deposited Faheem Ashraf for two sixes, but got out to the same bowler. Lewis Gregory and Fazle Mahmud couldn’t make an impact and the Rangers slumped.

Al-Amin got a 22-ball 23 to get some momentum back. To his dismay, he succumbed to a bumper from Mashrafe. Then it was Shadab Khan’s turn to send back Jahurul Islam and Arafat Sunny off consecutive balls. At the other end, Mohammad Nabi felt the pressure. The veteran gave Faheem his second wicket. After his dismissal, the game was all over bar the shouting and the Platoon got home.

Brief Scores

Dhaka Platoon: 145/9 in 20 overs (Tamim Iqbal 40, Shadab Khan 31*; Taskin Ahmed 3/32)

Rangpur Rangers: 84 all out in 15.3 overs (Al-Amin 23, Cameron Delport 20; Mahedi Hasan 3/13)

Dhaka Platoon win by 61 runs.

Match Details:

The 38th game of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2019-20 will be played between Dhaka Platoon and Rangpur Rangers at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka.

The match starts at 02:00 PM local time (8:00 AM GMT) (01:30 PM IST). This game can be viewed on the Fan Code app in India.

Match Preview for Dream11 Fantasy:

Rangpur Rangers have almost been ruled out from the tournament as they have to win all their games left and will have to wait for games of other teams in the tournament to go in their favour and their situation looks quite stiff. However, keeping the above things aside, they won their last game and will look to replicate the same performance against Platoon. They have the services of Mohammad Naim, Shane Watson and Cameron Delport and their presence makes Rangers batting line up look quite strong. Also, their bowling has also given some impressive performances in the last couple of games.

Dhaka Platoon is just a win away from qualifying into the semi-finals of BPL 2019-20. They will not want to lose this golden opportunity and are expected to come up with some brilliant performances against Rangers in the next game. There openers Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque are in great form and are expected to source some good knocks in the crucial game for their side.

Weather Condition/Report

There are no chances of rain on the matchday but humidity is expected to be quite high around 55%. The wind will blow at 7 km/hr and the temperature might deviate between 14 and 24 Degree Celsius throughout the day according to Accuweather.

Pitch Condition/Report:

The pitch at Shere Bangla Stadium has nothing much to offer for the fast bowlers and the batsmen will have a good time facing them, who can compile some good runs in the next match. But, spin heads will play an important role in the game as they will get ample turn from the track and batters might find difficult to play their strokes. Coming onto the toss, it is expected that the side that wins it might opt for batting as the teams have found it difficult to chase on this ground.

Average first innings score:– 162 [In the last six games at the venue this season]

Record of chasing teams: Won – 4, Lost – 2

Injury and Availability:

(Will update if there is any news)

Probable Playing XIs:

Rangpur Rangers

Mohammad Naim, Shane Watson (c), Cameron Delport, Lewis Gregory, Mohammad Nabi, Fazle Mahmud, Al-Amin, Jahurul Islam (WK), Taskin Ahmed, Arafat Sunny, Mustafizur Rahman

Bench: Nadif Chowdhury, Mohammad Shahzad, Junaid Khan, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Tom Abell, Sanjit Saha, Mukidul Islam, Rishad Hossain.

Dhaka Platoon

Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque (C & WK), Mominul Haque, Mahedi Hasan, Ariful Haque, Asif Ali, Thisara Perera, Mashrafe Mortaza, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Mahmud, Shadab Khan

Bench – Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Raqibul Hasan, Laurie Evans, Shuvagata Hom, Luis Reece, Mohammad Shahid, Jaker Ali, Salauddin Sakil.

Top Picks:

Mohammad Naim is the leading scorer for his side in BPL 2019-20. He is in red-hot form with the bat and has muscled 349 runs 10 games with 2 half-centuries. He is an obvious pick for any Dream11 Fantasy Side. Tamim Iqbal has muscled 318 runs in the ongoing tournament with three 50+ scores and he should not be ignored while picking fantasy team. Mustafizur Rahman will be a player to watch out in the next game with a ball. He has already taken 16 wickets in his 10 outings in the tournament and leaving him out might turn out to be a risky decision.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Captain – Mohammad Naim, Tamim Iqbal, Shane Watson

Vice-Captain – Lewis Gregory, Thisara Perera, Cameron Delport

Suggested Playing XI No.1 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper – Anamul Haque

Batters – Tamim Iqbal (C), Mohammad Naim, Shane Watson (VC), Cameron Delport

All-Rounders – Thisara Perera, Lewis Gregory, Mahmud, Al-Amin

Bowlers – Hasan Mahmud, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed

Suggested Playing XI No.2 for Fantasy Cricket:

Keeper – Anamul Haque, Jahurul Islam

Batters – Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Naim (VC), Cameron Delport

All-Rounders – Thisara Perera, Lewis Gregory (C), Mohammad Nabi

Bowlers – Hasan Mahmud, Shadab Khan, Mustafizur Rahman

Expert Advice:

Cameron Delport hasn’t managed to play a good knock with the bat. He has earned a reputation of brilliant opener across the globe. In the game between Dhaka Platoon and Rangpur Rangers, Delport might play a justified knock with his bat. He could be a risky pick for any Grand League side but will be worth for the same.

Probable Winners:

Rangpur Rangers is expected to come out as the winners.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.