Fortune Barishal aced a tall chase of 221 against Minister Rajshahi, a game that lit up the Bangabandhu T20 Cup. Rajshahi would be wondering what they would have to do to turn their fortunes around after suffering their fourth straight defeat, despite their captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hitting 109. But it was Parvez Hossain Emon, the Under-19 World Cup-winner, who struck the winning runs with a cover-driven boundary, that took him to his maiden century and Barishal home with 11 balls to spare.

Having arrived at the crease in the fifth over, Emon had a rampant Tamim Iqbal at the other end, who had already added 44 runs in 4.3 overs with Saif Hassan, the latter blasting 27 off 15 balls. Emon struck nine fours and seven sixes in his 42-ball hurricane that contained plenty of power-hitting down the ground, as well as well-timed cross-bat shots. He didn't let up on picking up the ones and twos.

Tamim later said that when Emon struck Farhad Reza for three sixes and a four in the 13th over, reducing the runs required to win to 62 from 86, he brisk hitting got Barishal back in the game. Emon's batting was particularly impressive after Tamim's dismissal, when Barishal still needed 60 runs in 6.4 overs.

Tamim, who had struck five fours and a six in his 37-ball 53, while adding 117 runs for the second with Emon, fell in the 14th over. It was followed by Emon and Afif Hossain adding 60 runs for the unbroken third-wicket stand, with the latter contributing an unbeaten 26 off 16 balls.

Rajshahi had posted the formidable 220 for 7 in 20 overs following a 131-run opening stand. Shanto equalled Tamim's record of 11 sixes in a Bangabandhu T20 Cup match, most by a Bangladeshi batsman, during his 55-ball 109. His opening partner Anisul Islam Emon made 69 off 39 balls with seven fours and three sixes, before Kamrul Islam Rabbi took his first T20 hat-trick in the last over.

Barishal and Rajshahi are now level on points with one playoff place still undecided.