Mehedi delivers Rajshahi stunning comeback win

Rajshahi Kings improved their chances of a top-four finish after complete a stunning comeback to register a 49-run win against Rangpur Riders. After being reduced to 43 for 7 in the 10th over, Farhad Reza and Mehedi Hasan struck an 85-run unbroken eighth wicket stand to lift Rajshahi to 128.

Rangpur managed to mirror Rajshahi's batting collapse and were bowled out for just 79 runs in 17.4 overs. Left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam and pacer Abul Hasan took three wickets each while Mehedi picked up two. Mohammad Sami and Samit Patel also contributed a wicket each.

Rangpur's batting line-up never got going in the chase. Soumya Sarkar was the first man out, stumped in the third over. Mohammad Shahzad was bounced out by Mohammad Sami.

Nasir Jamshed fell a ball later, giving Mehedi a return catch. Liam Dawson was incorrectly adjudged lbw, replays showing he had edged the ball onto his front pad. Nazmul was also lucky with his second wicket, of Shahid Afridi who was stumped off wicketkeeper Umar Akmal's pads after he had missed the delivery that kept low.

Rangpur lost mainstay Mohammad Mithun and Ziaur Rahman who was stumped in the 13th over, reducing them to 58 for 7. Rangpur were quickly skittled with Abul taking the last three wickets to fall.

Earlier, Rajshahi's slide had begun with Sunny's tumbling caught and bowled off Mominul Haque's drive, which made it 25 for 2 in the fifth over. The ball was going over his head when he managed to bring it down and complete the catch off the second attempt. In the same over, Patel edged to Shahzad.

Abul gave Sunny his third wicket in the seventh over when he holed out to deep midwicket. When Afridi took the return catch of Sabbir Rahman, Rajshahi were reduced to 43 for 7.

Farhad and Mehedi were then forced to pick up the singles to resurrect the innings. Farhad hammered Rubel Hossain over his head in the 17th over, it was the first six of the innings. Mehedi also launched Rubel for a straight six in the final over.

Farhad was unbeaten on 44 off 32 balls with two fours and two sixes, while Mehedi contributed with an unbeaten 33-ball 41 with three fours and a six. The pair added 85 runs, a new BPL record for the eighth wicket.

Rajshahi are now on ten points, equal with Rangpur and Chittagong Vikings.