BPL 2022: Barishal, Comilla vie for ultimate glory
Fortune Barishal are keen to keep up their dominance in Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), a franchise T20 tournament, as they take will on Comilla Victorians in the final of the tournament at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The match will start at 5.30pm and will be aired live on Gazi TV and T Sports Channel, reports BSS.
Fortune Barishal so far has been most successful team in the BPL this season, winning seven matches, and drew one out of 10 matches in the group stage. They moved to the final straightway, beating Comilla by 10 runs in the first Qualifier.
One of two defeats of Barishal in the group stage came against Comilla Victorians. Imrul Kayes-led Comilla beat Shakib Al Hasan-led Barishal by 63 runs at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at the first half of the tournament.
Of the seven wins of Barishal, six came in a row. During the course of their unbeaten run, they took a sweet revenge by defeating Comilla by 32 runs in Sylhet Cricket Stadium.
Their winning streak, however, reaches seven including the victory against Comilla in the first Qualifier.
It means out three matches against Comilla so far, in the tournament, Barishal had the advantage, leading into the final. Barishal are keen to maintain that supremacy.
“We have been in good rhythm and won some matches in a row. So we want to end with a winning note,” Barishal wicket-keeper batter Nurul Hasan Sohan said on Thursday.
“Comilla are well balanced side and played good cricket throughout the tournament. I believe the team that will play well in the final will win the trophy. So far we played as a unit. We want to unleash our team game in the final too,” he added.
It is the third time Imrul Kayes is leading Comilla Victorians. Under his captaincy Comilla won the BPL trophy last time in 2019 when the BPL was held.
Kayes said they are not taking anything guaranteed but they have the firepower to win the trophy again.
“Comilla played final twice and won a trophy. Hopefully we will clinch the trophy again. We were disappointed after losing the Qualifier against Barishal but we gained the confidence after the way we came back in the second Qualifier,” Kayes said here today.
Comilla in the last match made the victory against Chattogram Challengers a cake-walk, thanks to a marauding 16 ball-57 of Sunil Narine who brought up his half-century of just 13 balls, which is the BPL’s fastest and the second fastest fifty in the T20 history.
“Those who will be able to overcome the nervy moment and win the big moments will win the trophy. I think deserving two teams are playing the final. Both of the teams are blessed with world’s best player. We have the likes of Narine, Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali. Everyone saw yesterday what Narine could do. Faf and Moeen also could destroy any bowling line up on their day,” Kayes warned.