‌BPL 2024 | Twitter lauds Omarzai’s all-round show as Riders leapfrog Comilla in final over showdown

Going by the norm to bat first in Sylhet, Brandon King, and Babar Azam offered a watchful start to the Rangpur Riders inside the powerplay. Although,  the former did not last through field restrictions, the former Pakistan captain scored at a run-a-ball rate along with Fazle Mahmud to glue 55 runs second wicket stand. The Riders could gather just 69 runs halfway through the innings and soon after the drinks break Fazle followed suit Babar Khusdil Shah and Mustafizur Rahman capitalised on the exerted pressure. With 89/3 after 13.3 overs on the board, the lower order contributed 76 runs in the next 39 deliveries with Azmatullah Omarzai leading the assault with cameos from Mohammad Nabi and Nurul Hasan. Despite a couple of wickets during the slog overs, the Afghan all-rounder whacked three fours and a couple of sixes, summing up an unbridled 20-ball 36 to propel the Riders to 165/5 at the end of the innings.

In reply, Litton Das failed to give the desired start to the Victorians as he was dismissed for a golden duck carelessly early inside the powerplay. His opening partner, Mohammad Rizwan found it difficult to get boundaries but somehow ticked the scoreboard with good strike rotation. The Pakistani gloveman’s anchoring assist to Mohidul Islam Ankan did not last long after Mohammad Nabi outwitted him near the halfway mark of the innings. Subsequently, Ankan was supported by Towhid Hridoy as the tag team contributed 53 runs together with the former getting to a half-century. After 12 singles in as many deliveries between the 13th and 15th over, Ankan got out in an attempt to up the ante, courtesy of a brilliant catch from Babar Azam in the 17th over. While Khushdil Shah did whack two sixes the Riders’ bowlers had the last laugh with Azmatullah Omarzai and Hasan Mahmud bowling brilliantly in the slog overs. The equation was curtailed down to 29 runs required from the final over and it saw the wicket of well-set Hridoy (39 off 28 balls) and Aamer Jamal that acted as the final nail in the coffin to Comilla’s hope for victory. 

The Twitterverse followed this contest closely and here's how they responded.

Still living!

He lives in hearts

He lives everywhere  the Brand 

— Babar®azam_iN_Veins (@FazilKashmiri17) 

Big W!!

Rangpur Riders won the third victory of this year's BPL season by defeating Comilla by 8 runs. Babar scored 37, Fazle 30 and Azmatullah 36 with the bat for Rangpur. Azmatullah 2, Hasan, Shakib and Nabi took one wicket each with the ball.  

— Md Ifran Ali Bijoy 🇧🇩 (@IfranAliBijoy20) 

Interesting opinion

Pakistani cricketers always try to sink the team in whatever league they play. In BPL, Babar Azam and Rizwan think of defeating their team at any cost.

— Shashank anand (@SR_anand4) 

Good!

Babar Azam has now 63%of winning runs for his team in this BPL.. Blessing for every team ❤️👑 |  

— Babar Azam Fans (@IslamKhan17619) 

Victory!

Win For Rangpur Riders Against Comilla Victorians ✍️. Batting First Rangpur Riders Set The Total Of 165/5 In 20 Overs ✍️. In Reply Comilla Victorians Can Only Make 157-6 In 20 Overs ✍️.   

— SportsFreak_Sameer (@Sidharth_World_) 

The Babar Azam effect! 

Rangpur Riders have now won 3 out of their four matches Featuring Babar Azam. 🖤��👑    

— Muneeb Tweets (@muneeb_tweets56) 

Impactfull!

Babar Azam took 3 significant catches, 37(36)

Azmatullah Omarzai 36* (20) & 2/31

Rangpur Riders won by 8 runs 😍🥰 

— Muhammad Shoaib (@shoaibsb1) 

Congrats!

Congratulations to Babar Azam fans...

Rangpur Riders won another match by 8 runs...💥💥 

— Babar Azam 56 (@RehanWasi8) 

What a performance!

Rangpur Riders won 3 matches. in all of them Babar is the highest scorer 👑 🔥  

— Tehreem (@its_tehreem0) 

Only 1!

Rangpur Riders have only lost one game and won three since Babar Azam joined the team. As you can imagine, Babar Azam is crucial to the Rangpur Riders because he scored the most runs in the three games they won while failing to score any in the one they lost.  ♥️😍 

— Zohaib Hussain 🇵🇰 (@CricZobbiH56)