Shaheen Afridi, Faheem Ashraf shine as Fortune Barishal secure BPL opener victory

Defending champions Fortune Barishal pulled off a stunning victory over Durbar Rajshahi in the opening match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024-25 season, thanks to standout performances from Pakistan stars Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf.  

Asked to bat first, Rajshahi faced an early setback as Kyle Mayers dismissed Jishan Alam for a duck in his first over. Mohammad Haris followed soon after, scoring just 13 runs, leaving the team struggling at 25/2 in 3.1 overs.  

The innings gained momentum with a brilliant 140-run partnership between skipper Anamul Haque and Yasir Ali for the third wicket. Haque scored a steady 65 off 51 balls before falling at 165/3 in the 18th over.  

Yasir Ali then stole the spotlight with an explosive unbeaten 94 off 47 balls, featuring seven fours and eight towering sixes. His heroics powered Rajshahi to an impressive total of 197/3 in 20 overs.  

Kyle Mayers stood out among Barishal’s bowlers with impressive figures of 2/13 from his three overs, while Faheem Ashraf chipped in with a wicket. Shaheen Afridi, on his BPL debut, bowled his full quota of four overs but remained wicketless.  

Barishal’s chase got off to a shaky start as Najmul Hossain Shanto fell on the very first ball, and skipper Tamim Iqbal followed soon after, managing only seven runs. Key batters Kyle Mayers (6), Mushfiqur Rahim (13), and Towhid Hridoy (32) departed quickly, leaving Barishal reeling at 61/5 in 8.1 overs.  

In a game-changing moment, Mahmudullah and Shaheen Afridi forged a crucial 51-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Shaheen contributed a brisk 27 off 17 balls before being dismissed at 112/6 in 12.2 overs.  

The match turned decisively when Faheem Ashraf joined Mahmudullah for an unbeaten 88-run stand that secured victory for Barishal. Mahmudullah’s composed 56 off 26 balls, combined with Faheem’s blistering 54 off 21 deliveries, featuring seven sixes, ensured a successful chase as Barishal reached 200/6 in just 18.1 overs.  

Taskin Ahmed led Rajshahi’s bowling with figures of 3/31 while Hasan Murad (2/42) and Jishan Alam (1/6) provided support. However, their efforts were overshadowed by Barishal’s remarkable batting display.