New Captain Fails to Alter Noakhali’s Fortunes

The ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season continued to deliver one-sided affairs on Monday evening, with the night match following a predictable script of early batting collapses and clinical run chases. For Noakhali Express, the match against Rajshahi Warriors was framed as a fresh start; the struggling franchise dropped their previous captain, Saikat Ali, from the starting XI entirely. However, even under the new leadership of Haider Ali, the team failed to find their competitive edge, slumping to their third consecutive defeat of the tournament.

Opting to bat first after losing the toss, Noakhali’s top order appeared suffocated by Rajshahi’s disciplined bowling attack. Mahidul Islam, who has faced recent scrutiny for a lack of aggression, continued his sluggish form, scratching his way to 22 runs off 27 deliveries. While the new skipper, Haider Ali, managed a top score of 33 from 28 balls, the innings lacked the necessary momentum to set a challenging total. Aside from a brief 25-run cameo from Maz Sadaqat, the batting card made for grim reading, as the team stuttered to a modest 124 for 8 across their allotted 20 overs.

The architect of Noakhali’s misery was Rajshahi’s pace sensation, Ripon Mondol. Delivering a career-best performance in recognised T20 cricket, Mondol dismantled the middle order, finishing with extraordinary figures of 4 for 13 from his four overs. He was ably supported by Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who claimed two wickets, ensuring that Noakhali never found the boundary-clearing rhythm required on a relatively flat deck.

Match Summary: Noakhali Express vs Rajshahi Warriors

In response, the Rajshahi Warriors faced an early tremor when opener Sahibzada Farhan fell on only the second ball of the innings. However, any hopes of a Noakhali fightback were quickly extinguished by a dominant 65-run partnership between Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Tanzid Hasan Tamim. Though both were eventually dismissed—Tanzid for 29 and Nazmul for 24—the platform they laid was immovable.

The chase was shepherded to its conclusion by the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim. Showing his trademark composure, Mushfiqur anchored a 52-run stand with Yasir Ali to see the Warriors home with more than two overs to spare. Mushfiqur remained unbeaten on 28, while Yasir chipped in with 23. For Noakhali, Hasan Mahmud was the lone bright spot with the ball, taking 2 for 19, but it was too little, too late. Ripon Mondol was rightfully named Player of the Match for his devastating opening spell, as Rajshahi secured their second win in three games.