Fortune Barishal vs Rangpur Riders Prediction: Rangapur has better head-to-head record against Barishal

Fortune Barishal and Rangpur Riders are going head to head in the Qualifier 2 Match of Bangladesh Premier League at Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh on 28 Feb 2024. Rangapur has a better head-to-head record against Barishal in the tournament so far. Who will win this game of cricket?

Fortune Barishal exhibited exceptional form in the eliminator round of the BPL. The Chattogram Challengers, batting first, posted a total of 135 runs in their allotted twenty overs, losing nine wickets in the process. Fortune Barishal easily chased down this target in 14.5 overs, losing three wickets. Kyle Mayers, who delivered a remarkable fifty in 26 balls and also took two wickets during the Chattogram inning, was rightfully named Player of the Match. Mayers, along with Mohammad Saifuddin, emerged as the standout bowlers for Fortune Barishal.

The successful Fortune Barishal chase was anchored by the fifties from Tamim Iqbal and Kyle Mayers. Tamim Iqbal contributed 52 runs from 43 balls, while Kyle Mayers achieved his fifty in 26 balls, featuring five sixes and three fours. In this upcoming contest, key contributors for Fortune Barishal are expected to be Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Soumya Sarkar, while leading bowlers are anticipated to be Mohammad Saifuddin, Obed McCoy, and Mohammad Imran. These players are poised to play pivotal roles in Fortune Barishal's performance.

Tamim Iqbal (c), Kyle Mayers, David Miller, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Soumya Sarkar, James Fuller, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Obed McCoy, Taijul Islam

The Rangpur Riders participated in their most recent match of the competition against Comilla Victorians on February 26th at this venue. Serving as the first qualifier of the tournament, the Riders opted to bat first and posted a total of 185 runs, losing six wickets within their allotted twenty overs. In response, the Comilla Victorians successfully chased down this target in 18.3 overs, losing four wickets. Now, the Rangpur Riders face the task of overcoming Fortune Barishal to secure a spot in the final of the 2024 BPL season.

James Neesham played a pivotal role in the Rangpur inning, delivering a stellar performance with 97 runs from just 49 balls, featuring seven sixes and eight fours. Captain Nurul Hasan also contributed significantly with a valuable 30 runs from 24 balls in this game. Fazalhaq Farooqi, the opening bowler for Rangpur during Comilla's innings, made a notable impact by picking up two wickets and maintaining a reasonable economy rate. The key players to keep an eye on in this upcoming game for Rangpur include Shakib Al Hasan, James Neesham, Babar Azam, and Mahedi Hasan.

Shamim Hossain, Rony Talukdar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Nicholas Pooran, James Neesham, Nurul Hasan (c) (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Abu Hider, Hasan Mahmud, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Thus far, Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka has hosted an impressive total of 249 domestic T20 games. Out of these, the team batting second has emerged victorious in 136 matches. Therefore, it is probable that the toss-winning captain will choose to field first on this pitch. Overall, the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch is characterized as flat, likely favoring the batsmen throughout the game. However, there might be some assistance for spinners in the later stages, creating potential challenges for batsmen as the ball may slow down and not come onto the bat as effectively.

The anticipated weather conditions for this contest include clear skies and sunshine. The temperatures are expected to hover around 28 degrees, with relatively low humidity and dry weather prevailing throughout the game. There is no forecast for showers during this contest. Both participating teams have exhibited commendable performances to reach this stage in the competition. However, the Rangpur Riders have showcased slightly superior cricket throughout the tournament. Therefore, we predict that the Rangpur Riders will emerge victorious in this contest. The competition remains closely contested, with both teams currently in good form.