Khulna Division Clinches Thrilling 1-Run Victory Over Barishal in NCL T20

In a thrilling encounter in the National Cricket League (NCL) T20, Khulna Division defeated Barishal by just 1 run in a low-scoring match at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. With this win, Khulna ended Barishal's two-match winning streak.

Khulna, having been put in to bat after losing the toss, could only manage 130 runs, losing 9 wickets in the process. Barishal's pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi was the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets for just 23 runs in his 4 overs, restricting Khulna's progress.

The highest scorer for Khulna was their captain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, who contributed 39 runs. Opener Enamul Haque Bijoy made 24 runs off 18 balls, while Amit Mojumder and Azizul Hakim Tamim both failed to score more than 6 runs each. Mohammad Mithun made 14 runs off 19 balls, while Dhrubojyoti Choudhury scored 13 off 19 balls. Ziaur Rahman contributed a quick 17 off 8 balls in the middle overs, but Khulna's innings stalled at 130/9, largely due to Kamrul's excellent spell.

In response, Barishal's chase started with an early blow, losing opener Iftikhar Hossain Ifti for 1 run in the second over. Fazle Mahmud Rabbi, who had scored 77 runs in the previous match, was dismissed for just 10 runs, trapped leg before wicket by Nahidul Islam. Nahidul claimed another wicket in the same over, dismissing Moinul Islam for just 1.

Barishal found themselves further in trouble at 54/4 after the loss of Ahrar Amin (5). However, Abdul Majid stood firm at the other end, keeping the chase alive with steady batting. Barishal's captain, Sohag Gazi, also fell cheaply for 7 runs, as Mehedi Hasan Rana struck twice in two consecutive overs, leaving Barishal at 67/6.

With 9 runs required from the last 6 balls, Barishal's task seemed daunting. Despite a valiant effort, they could only manage 7 runs in the penultimate over, leaving them needing 2 runs from the final ball. However, wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan Sohan’s determined effort behind the stumps proved vital as Khulna held their nerve to secure a thrilling 1-run victory.

This victory was a nail-biting finish for Khulna, while Barishal, despite a strong effort from Abdul Majid, fell short in their chase.