Khaled, Omarzai take Rangpur Riders home in one-run thriller

Azmatullah Omarzai and Khaled Ahmed helped Rangpur Riders successfully defend a total of 151 - by one run - against Hobart Hurricanes.

Rangpur, the defending champions, now sit at the top of the GSL 2025 points table with wins in both their games. Hurricanes are third with a 1-1 win-loss record.

Mohammad Nabi top-scored for Hurricanes with a 36-ball 44 and almost completed a stellar recovery but was dismissed by Omarzai off the final over's fourth ball. Earlier in the over, his six had brought the equation down to six runs off the last five balls. Opener Ben McDermott (34) and No. 7 Odean Smith (20) played useful hands but Hurricanes were plagued by regular wickets through the middle overs, Iftikhar Ahmed picking up two of those for 13 runs.

Hurricanes let the chase meander, hitting only one four and two sixes in the last 30 deliveries. When they needed three off the final ball, they could get only one run, with Billy Stanlake run-out looking to tie the game. Khaled collected consecutive four-fors in GSL 2025 by taking 4 for 26 as a follow-up to his 4 for 36 against Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Rangpur's batting performance also had its share of wobbles but No. 3 Kyle Mayers' unbeaten 42-ball 67 held the innings together. He was involved in a partnership of 34 for the second wicket with Ibrahim Zadran (43), who had done most of the hitting in the powerplay.

Usama Mir's 3 for 15 in four overs, though, had strangled Rangpur's scoring through the middle overs and it needed the big hits from Mayers in the back end to post a total that eventually turned out to be just enough. His innings comprised eight fours and two sixes, with the majority of those coming in the last five overs where Rangpur added 54 to their total. In comparison, Hurricanes scored only 40 in their final five.