A Final match should have the character, as Comilla Victorian and the Fortune Barishal played on Friday in the Bangabandhu BPL at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
It was a final that spectators enjoyed till the last ball of the match, which turned into thriller and full of action from the middle of Barishal innings that the cricket lovers relished real flavor of the game.
Both the teams had some world class stars when one or two performers were good enough to turned the match result in their favor but on the day, it was almost a collective efforts displayed from both sides, though fortune favors Comilla.
Considering the star value, Comilla Victorians had better credibility but Fortune Barisal were more steady in terms of their performance throughout the tournament of this edition, therefore the chance for both sides to win the final was 50-50 and equally deserved to be the champions.
However, who knew on the day ‘Fortune’ would not favor the Fortune Barisal, despite qualifying for the final as the top team obtaining highest 15 points in the group stage and outplayed Chattogram Challengers to move into final.
At the early stage of the final also for Barisal it looked would be an easy going, as after booking Victorians on 151 runs, opener Shykat Ali and experienced Chris Gayle exposed with too muscularly attitude. It seemed they would reach the winning target without any trouble and would not left any excitement of a final for the fans. Unfortunately Barishal collapsed completely after the departure of Shykat Ali and Gayle when both batsmen lived hopes in the Fortune tent with their sublime batting.
But the ‘Fortune’ betrayed with Barisal, as they had to settle with the ill-fate of suffering one run defeat when just three runs left to win the match from last ball and the match was packed up with huge excitement. Then fate of the match was like pendulums swings, Shohidul Islam of Comilla was the bowler, Barisal batter Hridoy could manage one run when his powerless drive went to covers and fielder sent to keeper Liton Kumar Das, who broke the stumps to run Mujib out at the strike end and Comilla Victorians overwhelmed all with one run win.
Might be it is the most enthusiastic and pulsating with closest contested final of the Bangladesh Premier League, the fans watched ever of its kind since introducing in domestic cricket of Bangladesh.
Comilla Victorians celebrated their third BPL title after pulling off a thrilling one-run victory over Fortune Barishal in an electrifying action-filled final.