BPL 2025: Chittagong Kings Beat Fortune Barishal to Secure Qualifier 1 Spot

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BPL 2025: Chittagong Kings stormed into Qualifier 1 of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025 with a 24-run victory over Fortune Barishal in the final league-stage match at Mirpur.

The result confirmed their second-place finish on the points table with 16 points and pushed Rangpur Riders to third, giving Chittagong a crucial second chance to reach the final if they falter in Qualifier 1.

Opting to bat first, Chittagong Kings posted a formidable 206/4, led by a breathtaking 75 off 41 balls from Parvez Hossain Emon, who was later named Player of the Match. Emon's innings featured eight sixes, including a flurry of big hits that dismantled Barishal's bowling attack.

His 70-run stand with Graham Clark (26 off 21) provided the platform before Haider Ali's explosive 42 off 23 and Shamim Hossain's unbeaten 30 off just 12 deliveries propelled the total past 200. Taijul Islam was the pick of the bowlers for Barishal, finishing with 2/46, while Ebadot Hossain and Mohammad Nabi chipped in with a wicket each.

Chasing 207, Fortune Barishal suffered an early setback when skipper Tamim Iqbal fell for a six-ball duck to Binura Fernando in the first over. Towhid Hridoy (9 off 11) followed soon after, leaving them struggling at 13/2. Dawid Malan launched a counterattack with a scintillating 67 off 34 balls, smashing five fours and six sixes to keep Barishal in the hunt. He found brief support from Mushfiqur Rahim (24 off 22), but the loss of wickets at regular intervals derailed their chase. Mahmudullah fought hard with an unbeaten 41 off 26, but the ever-climbing required rate proved too much to handle.

Chittagong's bowlers delivered under pressure, with Binura Fernando leading the attack with 2/18 in his four overs, while Al Islam (2/32) and Arafat Sunny (1/41) provided crucial breakthroughs. Khaled Ahmed (1/47) was expensive but managed to remove the dangerous Hridoy. Despite a late flourish from James Fuller (18 off 11), Barishal fell short, finishing at 182/7 in their 20 overs.

With this win, Chittagong Kings secured a top-two finish, ensuring themselves a lifeline in the playoffs. They will now face the table-toppers in Qualifier 1, with the winner advancing directly to the final. Even if they stumble, they will have another opportunity in Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator, keeping their championship hopes alive.