Fortune Barishal successfully defended their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title by chasing a thrilling win against Chittagong Kings, emerging victorious by three wickets, with just three balls to spare. In the final match held at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, while chasing 195, Barishal executed the second-highest chase in men’s T20 final history. The roller coaster of emotions kept the drama intact throughout the match.
Key Performances Propel Barishal to Victory
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The match saw vital contributions from several Barishal players, with captain Tamim Iqbal setting the tone early with an explosive fifty. Kyle Mayers took charge in the middle overs, ensuring the chase remained on track. However, it was Rishad Hossain’s composure in the final overs, hitting two crucial sixes, that sealed the win for Barishal. It ended in three balls when the wide delivery came from Chittagong’s bowlers which proved to be their end and disappointed the Chittagong Kings.
With Barishal having the required depth and consistency, they consecutively went on to successfully defend the title for the second year. 11 wins in the 14 matches proved how well they had performed in the tournament.
Chittagong’s Strong Opening Stand
The Chittagong Kings were given the task of batting first and got off to a blistering start, courtesy of their openers, Parvez Hossain Emon and Khawaja Nafay. The pair built a match-changing opening partnership of 121 runs. Emon, who remained unbeaten on 78*, anchored the innings, while Nafay played aggressively, striking three sixes off Rishad Hossain’s initial overs. Nafay scored his half-century, that being his third in the tournament, and really gave Chittagong a great platform for a big score.
But Barishal responded well with timely wickets when Ebadot Hossain broke the partnership in the 13th over. Graham Clark scored a quick-fire 44 off 23 balls, but Chittagong’s momentum slowed. Mohammad Ali kept the scoring in check, finishing with 1 for 21, and the Kings were restricted to 194/3, which, in the end, proved to be insufficient.
Tamim Iqbal Makes a Bang for Barishal
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Barishal’s chase had a blistering start with the captain Tamim Iqbal. He was attacking the Chittagong bowlers right from the word go, thumping three boundaries off Binura Fernando in the first over. Then he once again went berserk against Shoriful Islam. Tamim raced to his fifty in 24 balls and set up the tone for the chase. By the seventh over, they had reached 70 runs already and were pretty well ahead of the required run rate.
Chittagong Stages a Good Comeback Through Key Breakthroughs
Chittagong’s bowlers mounted a fightback, with Shoriful Islam playing a crucial role in slowing Barishal’s charge. In the ninth over, Shoriful dismissed Tamim, who was caught at long-off, and then struck again, removing Dawid Malan for just 1. Shortly after, Towhid Hridoy fell for 8, reducing Barishal to 96/3 in the 11th over. Despite the setbacks, Barishal’s chase remained intact, with Mayers continuing to anchor the innings.
Mayers and Hossain Drive Barishal through the Middle Overs
With the match in the balance, Kyle Mayers came in to keep the chase going. He faced Hussain Talat, hitting two sixes in the 12th over. Even after Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed for 16, Mayers kept the pressure on, hitting a four and a six off Shoriful in the 15th over. By the time Mayers struck two more fours off Binura Fernando, Barishal was well-placed to chase down the target.
There was a brief reprieve in the 17th and 18th overs as both Mahmudullah and Mayers failed to score boundaries. Shoriful exploited the situation to his advantage with the wicket of Mayers for 46 off 28 balls and then Mahmudullah for 7 off 11 balls.
Rishad Hossain’s Match-Winning Sixes
With only 10 runs left to be scored in the last over, Barishal had its hero in Rishad Hossain. He stepped up when it mattered the most by hitting two towering sixes off Binura Fernando and Hussain Talat that brought victory to Barishal. The wide delivery off the Chittagong bowlers brought an end to the match, and Barishal claimed its second successive BPL title. The best efforts by Chittagong were futile in stopping Barishal from clinching the trophy.
A Well-Deserved Victory for Barishal
The 2025 BPL final was a win for Fortune Barishal, cementing their status as one of the most powerful teams in the tournament. They showed depth and resilience in the final, where Tamim Iqbal, Kyle Mayers, and Rishad Hossain came up with important contributions. It was their second successive BPL title, showing consistency throughout the tournament, thus making them one of the strongest teams in BPL history.
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