Comilla won the first qualifier over Sylhet.
Despite performing admirably during the league stage of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, Sylhet Strikers (SYL) have found themselves in a precarious position ahead of the mega-final. Two of their most important players, Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir have left for the Pakistan Super League and that caused a disruption in the team combination. As a result, they struggled in Qualifier 1 against Comilla Victorians (COV) and will be under intense pressure when they face the three-time champions again on February 16 at the Shere Bangla Stadium.
The Imrul Kayes-led side, on the other hand, will be far more laid back. Sunil Narine, their foreign addition ahead of qualifier 1, has done wonders for them with both bat and ball. The 34-year-old gave up only eight runs in 3.1 overs while scoring 39 runs off 18 deliveries. Andre Russell was underwhelming in the recently concluded ILT20, but on his return to the BPL, the all-rounder delivered once more, taking two crucial wickets. They won the match comfortably after restricting Sylhet to 125 runs with their brilliant bowling.
Meanwhile, Sylhet won the eliminator and advanced to the finals on Monday, defeating Rangpur Riders by 19 runs. Even though no one in particular stood out, their batting unit appeared to be in good form. Luke Wood took three wickets with the ball, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Rubel Hossain both took two. Now, despite the win, there remains a lot of room for improvement.
COV vs SYL Match Details:
Comilla Victorians vs Sylhet Strikers, Final, BPL 2023
Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Date & Time: February 16, 6:00 PM IST
Pitch Report:
The Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka has a batting-friendly surface. The captain who wins the toss should choose to field first, and anything over 170 is a good score on this wicket.
COV vs SYL Probable Playing XIs
Comilla Victorians (COV)
Johnson Charles, Litton Das, Imrul Kayes (C), Jaker Ali (WK), Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Mosaddek Hossain, Sunil Narine, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukidul Islam
Sylhet Strikers (SYL)
Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Zakir Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), Ryan Burl, George Linde, Luke Wood, Thisara Perera, Mashrafe Mortaza (C), Rubel Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Match Prediction: Comilla Victorians to win the match
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