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Published : 09 Jan 2026, 07:28 PM
Chattogram Royals held their nerve to claim a dramatic last-ball victory over Rajshahi Royals in the Bangladesh Premier League, preserving their place at the top of the table after a match that swung relentlessly until the final delivery.
On Friday at the Sylhet International Stadium, Rajshahi posted 128 in 20 overs before Chattogram scraped home by two wickets in a chase that lurched from control to collapse and back again.
The climax came in the final over when Hasan Nawaz hit a boundary off SM Meherob’s full toss.
With two runs needed from the last ball, Nawaz drove it to long-off while non-striker Shoriful Islam sprinted for the winning runs, sending his bat flying in celebration.
Chattogram’s dugout erupted as the Royals held their nerve, while Rajshahi fell agonisingly short despite a spirited fight.
Rajshahi, batting first, were powered early by Mohammad Wasim, who struck consecutive sixes off Abu Haider in the second over.
The team reached 21 runs from three overs, a partnership that proved to be their highest stand of the innings.
Spin brought a shift in momentum in the fourth over, when Tanvir Islam bowled Wasim for 19 from 14 balls.
Najmul Hossain Shanto made a brief start with a boundary but failed to accelerate, while captain Mushfiqur Rahim was caught attempting a slog sweep off Nawaz by Aamer Jamal at long-off.
Before this BPL, Nawaz had little experience with the ball, having bowled just three T20 overs for 42 runs without taking a wicket. Yet he dismissed Moeen Ali and Shanto in consecutive matches in the tournament.
At the other end, Tanzid Hasan struggled in the powerplay, scoring only three from nine balls.
Meherob made 19 off 19 and Burl 11 off 10, but the pair failed to steady the innings, while Akbar Ali, debuting this season, fell for 17 from 16 balls.
Tanzim remained unbeaten on 14 from 14, but no other lower-order batsman could contribute significantly.
Chattogram’s chase mirrored Rajshahi’s start, reaching 20 runs in three overs before spin changed the game.
Meherob took two wickets in one over, and Adam Rossington, in fine form, was dismissed for 17 from 15 balls.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy, the previous match’s man of the match, offered a simple catch on the third ball.
Chattogram’s innings teetered as Mohammad Naim Sheikh departed for 7, with Shadman Islam also dismissed in the over.
From 24 without loss, the Royals slumped to 28 for four. Sheikh Mehedi and Nawaz rebuilt the innings carefully, keeping the required run rate in check.
When the partnership reached 40, Mehedi fell to a brilliant delivery from Sandeep Lamichhane, scoring 28 from 25 balls.
Nawaz and Asif Ali carried the chase steadily, needing 32 runs from the last four overs, and Nawaz sealed the win on the final delivery.
Scorecard (brief):
Rajshahi Royals: 128/9 in 20 overs (Tanzid 5, Wasim 19, Shanto 7, Mushfiq 12, Meherob 19, Burl 11, Akbar 17, Tanzim 14*, Ripon 1, Lamichhane 5, Binura 3*; Shoriful 4-0-20-2, Abu Haider 2-0-20-0, Tanvir 4-0-26-2, Sheikh Mehedi 4-0-21-1, Nawaz 2-0-13-1, Jamal 4-0-23-3)
Chattogram Royals: 128/8 in 20 overs (Naim 7, Rossington 17, Joy 4, Nawaz 35*, Sadman 0, Sheikh Mehedi 28, Asif 27, Jamal 8, Abu Haider 1, Shoriful 1*; Binura 4-1-18-3, Ripon 4-0-33-1, Meherob 3-0-25-2, Tanzim 4-0-25-1, Lamichhane 4-0-21-1, Burl 1-0-6-0)
Result: Chattogram Royals win by two wickets
Man of the match: Hasan Nawaz
