Riders set 99-run target for Vikings

Defending champions Rangpur Riders batsmen could not even post 100 runs against the Chittagong Vikings in the opening match of the sixth season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Saturday.

Vikings’ South African medium pacer Robbie Frylinck played a lead role in restricting the Riders batsmen to 98 runs in their 20-over.

Frylinck took four wickets giving away only 14 runs in his four overs while off-spinner Nayeem Hasan and Abu Jayed picked up two wickets each.

Rangpur’s Ravi Bopara (44) and Sohag Gazi (21) were the only players to score a few runs for them.

Earlier, Vikings captain Mushfiqur Rahim won the toss and invited Rangpur to bat first at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The Vikings finished the last BPL bottom at the points table. This time, they are hoping to write a new history as their skipper Mushfiqur Rahim said a day before the match.

On the other hand, the Riders captain Mashrafe Mortaza insisted they are all set to fight to defend the title.