Sylhet Titans Secure Last-Ball Victory After Hat-Trick Drama

In a match that redefined the concept of a sporting rollercoaster, the Sylhet Titans clinched a breathless one-wicket victory over the Noakhali Express at the Sylhet International Stadium on 28 December 2025. What initially appeared to be a routine chase for the home side transformed into a chaotic thriller that was only decided by a leg-bye on the final delivery. The win marks Sylhet’s first success of the campaign, while Noakhali suffered their second consecutive defeat in a match where the momentum swung violently until the very last second.

The contest was set up by an exceptional performance from the Sylhet bowling unit, led by Khaled Ahmed. After being put in to bat, the Noakhali Express suffered a catastrophic start, with three of their top four batsmen dismissed for ducks. Khaled was the primary architect of this destruction, finishing with clinical figures of 4 for 23. A resilient, unbeaten 61 from Mahidul Islam and a brisk 29 from Jaker Ali managed to drag the Noakhali total to 143/7, a score that felt slightly below par but ultimately proved difficult to chase under the mounting pressure of the local derby.

Titan vs Express: Statistical Match Overview

Sylhet’s pursuit of 144 was spearheaded by the in-form Parvez Hossain, whose fluent 60 off 41 balls placed the Titans in a position of absolute comfort. Alongside captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz, who contributed 33, Parvez shared an 83-run partnership that brought the requirement down to a mere 27 runs from 27 balls with seven wickets in hand. However, the stadium fell silent in the 18th over when Noakhali’s Mehedi Hasan Rana produced a sensational hat-trick—the ninth by a Bangladeshi in T20 history—dismissing Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, and Khaled Ahmed in successive balls to trigger a collapse of five wickets for just eight runs.

The final over began with Sylhet needing 13 runs and Noakhali holding all the psychological cards. After two initial dot balls from Sabbir Hossain, a pivotal no-ball gave Ethan Brookes the opportunity he needed; he dispatched the free hit for six and followed it with a boundary. Despite a chaotic run-out on the fifth ball, a wide from Sabbir tied the scores before Salman Irshad scrambled a leg-bye off the final ball. Although Noakhali appealed desperately for an LBW, the decision stood, sparking wild celebrations in the stands as Sylhet crossed the line with their final pair at the crease.