Special Correspondent, Sylhet

Rangpur Riders by 7 wickets and 5 balls in hand in a BPL match in Sylhet. With this win, Nazmul Hossain Shantar's team has risen to number two on the points list, while Rangpur Riders have dropped to third.

The target was 179 runs. Although Tanjid Hasan Tamim (3) failed, Shanto and Wasim had no trouble getting the victory for Rajshahi. Wasim-Shant put on a 105-run partnership of 51 balls for the second wicket to take the match out.

Shanto was dismissed for 76 runs off 42 balls with 6 boundaries and 4 sixes. Wasim hit 7 fours and 4 sixes in an unbeaten 87 runs off 59 balls.

Earlier, Rangpur Riders' Towhid Hridoy batted brilliantly against Rajshahi Warriors. However, despite raising the possibility, he did not see the century.

He needed 3 runs for his century on the last ball of the innings. Jimmy Neesham's yorker ball hit Hridoy's bat but it was a dot. Hridoy was unbeaten on 97 runs. Rangpur stood up with a challenging total of 178 runs on his innings.

Rangpur entered the field after losing the toss at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Kyle Myers fell victim to Ripon Mondal (8 for 6 balls). Captain Liton Das and Iftikhar Ahmed could not take advantage either. Liton made 11 off 14 balls and Iftikhar returned with 8 runs off 15 balls.

After losing 3 wickets for 72 runs, Hridoy and Khushdil Shah put up a huge partnership for the fourth wicket. They added 105 runs off 51 balls.

Khushdil was out for 44 off 29 balls. But Hridoy was moving towards his second century in the BPL. It did not happen.

Hridoy hit 8 boundaries and 6 sixes in an unbeaten innings of 97 runs off 56 balls.

Rangpur Riders: 178/4 in 20 overs (Hridoy 97*, Khushdil 44, Liton 11; Lamichhane 1/21, Neesham 1/17). Rajshahi Warriors: 179/3 in 19.1 overs (Wasim 87*, Nazmul 76; Akif 2/43). Result: Rajshahi Warriors won by 7 wickets. Man of the Match: Nazmul Hossain.