Rangpur eyeing to continue their hunt for a berth in the knock-out
Photo - BCB , Roton Gomes
|| CF Correspondent ||
Rangpur Rangers will be looking to continue their new-found form in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League against Rajshahi Royals as the tournament’s Sylhet phase starts today.
The third phase of the tournament begins at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and Rangpur will be looking forward to carry on their winning momentum to revive their hopes of qualifying in the knock-out phase.
Rangpur, who began the tournament on a disappointing note losing their first four matches, got back on the track by winning two successive games and if they can win in three out of their next four matches they can still have a chance to qualify beyond the group stage.
Pacer Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed showed their sign of coming back to form in the previous matches although their star foreign recruit Shane Watson has failed to make his mark yet in the tournament, scoring just 13 runs in three matches.
Mustafiz, who took only four wickets in the first four matches, claimed eight wickets in the next four matches with two back-to-back three-wicket haul while Taskin finished with 4-29 in his side’s previous match against Rajshahi.
Rangpur will be eyeing to put water on the controversy surrounding them as according to media reports all is not well in the Rangers camp.
It was reporters that Rangpur sponsors meddling in the pre-match selection and captaincy talks. BCB director Enayet Hossain Siraj, who shifted from Rajshahi Royals to the Rangpur side after his company, Incepta Pharmaceuticals, became Rangpur's sponsors, has admitted that he has taken charge of team affairs. Whispers of Siraj disregarding coach Mark O'Donnell's suggestions for the playing XI are also gathering strength.
Rangpur has changed captains three times already, a sign of things not really going well. They began the season with Mohammad Nabi in charge before appointing Tom Abell, and then turning to Shane Watson, under whom they have won their last two games.
Rajshahi, on the other hand, conceded two consecutive defeats in their previous two matches after making a dream start in the tournament winning five out of their first six matches.
In the other match of the day, Sylhet Thunder will face Cumilla Warriors as they would like to end their three-match losing streak in their own backyard.
Sylhet is currently at the bottom position of the points table with just one win in eight games which already took them out of contention from the race of play-off round.
Cumilla, who won their last match in a last-ball thriller, will try to add two more points by beating Sylhet in the contest to rise their qualification chances.
