Chittagong Kings Secure Qualifier Spot with Stunning Win Over Fortune Barishal

Chittagong Kings sealed their place in the playoffs with a thrilling 24-run victory over table-toppers Fortune Barishal in their final league match. With this crucial win, Chittagong secured a spot in the top two, surpassing Rangpur Riders on net run rate, despite both teams having equal points. As a result, Rangpur dropped to third place, while Chittagong moved up to second. This victory also ensured that Chittagong would face Fortune Barishal again in the first qualifier, while Rangpur will play Khulna Tigers in the eliminator.

Chittagong Kings posted an imposing total of 207/4 in their 20 overs, with opener Parvez Hossain Imon leading the charge. He played a fantastic knock of 75 runs off 41 balls, hitting 8 sixes and only 1 four. His explosive innings was followed by valuable cameos from Shamim Hossain Patowari and Haider Ali, who ensured the team reached a big target.

Fortune Barishal, in response, could only manage 182 runs, losing 7 wickets in the process. Despite a fighting knock from David Malan (67 runs off 34 balls), Barishal fell short by 24 runs. The Kings’ pacer Binura Fernando set the tone early by dismissing Tamim Iqbal for a duck in the first over. Barishal's other opener, Tawhid Hridoy, made only 9 runs off 11 balls, and the middle order struggled to accelerate. Mushfiqur Rahim made 24 off 22 balls, but it was Malan who carried the team forward.

Malan's brilliant partnership with Mushfiqur and later with Mahmudullah Riyad briefly revived Barishal’s hopes, but Chittagong struck back with key wickets. Alis Al Islam dismissed both Mushfiqur and Malan in consecutive overs, bringing Chittagong back into the game. Malan’s 67 runs included 6 sixes and 5 fours. Arafat Sunny also chipped in, dismissing Mohammad Nabi for a duck, and Rishad Hossain was out for 11.

Earlier, Chittagong Kings had set the target thanks to their strong opening partnership between Khaja Nafe and Parvez Hossain Imon, which added 58 runs. Imon continued his excellent form, adding 70 runs for the second wicket with Graham Clark off 36 balls. Imon eventually fell for 75, caught by James Fuller off Ebadat Hossain’s delivery. Clark made 26 runs off 21 balls before being bowled out by Taijul Islam.

Captain Mohammad Mithun's stay at the crease was short-lived as he made just 1 run off 4 balls before being dismissed by Taijul. The finishing touches were applied by Haider Ali (42 off 23 balls) and Shamim Hossain Patowari (30* off 12 balls), who played aggressive knocks to lift Chittagong's total to a daunting 207.

With this victory, Chittagong Kings have made a strong statement and are set to face Fortune Barishal in the first qualifier, while Rangpur will meet Khulna in the eliminator. The playoff spots are now set for what promises to be an exciting conclusion to the 2025 BPL.