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BPL 2024-25 Strikers vs Riders Highlights: Hales, Saif Hassan Overwhelm Strikers In Sylhet Run-Fest

Alex Hales celebrating his innings against Sylhet Strikers [Source: @_FaridKhan/x]Alex Hales celebrating his innings against Sylhet Strikers [Source: @_FaridKhan/x]

Rangpur Riders upstaged Sylhet Strikers to kick-off the Sylhet leg of BPL 2024-25 in match number nine of the competition. Hosted by the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Alex Hales headlined the high-scoring affair with an exhilarating run-chase special.

Here’s the timeline of how Sylhet Strikers vs Rangpur Riders panned out at Sylhet:

Strikers vs Riders Highlights: Rony Talukdar Gets Cracking At The Top

Sylhet Strikers opener Rony Talukdar made the most of the powerplay overs alongside partner George Munsey. While Munsey carved 18 runs from his 12-ball cameo before getting holed out by Azizul Hakim off Akif Javed in the fifth over, Talukdar ended up smearing seven boundaries and three sixes to race to 54 from just 32 deliveries.

Striking at 168.75, Talukdar’s fiery powerplay blitz helped the Sylhet Strikers extract 55-1 from the first six overs, and reach its team 100 in just 11 overs shortly after the cricketer was caught plumb in front by Mahedi Hasan.

Strikers vs Riders Highlights: Zakir Hasan, Aaron Jones Capitalize With Slog-Overs Hitting

Paul Stirling at number four failed to sustain Rony Talukdar-induced momentum as the Irish veteran was dismissed by Mohammad Saifuddin for just a run-a-ball 16. Zakir Hasan and USA star Aaron Jones, however, sparked Sylhet Strikers’ slog-overs fury with a sequence of extraordinary sixes.

Zakir launched four sixes in his 38-ball half-century while Jones whacked as many sixes and a one boundary during his unbeaten cameo of 38* from 19 balls. Arriving at the crease in the penultimate over of the innings, Jaker Ali also found time to smear three sixes in his five-ball 20* to blaze the Strikers to a monumental 205-4.

Strikers vs Riders Highlights: Alex Hales, Hassan Counterattack Strikers After Early Setback

Chasing 206 for a win, Rangpur Riders lost opening batter Azizul Hakim for a sluggish five-ball duck to Sylhet Strikers fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib in the first over of the innings. Overcoming the early setback, Hakim’s opening partner Alex Hales and number three batter Saif Hassan batted out the remainder of the first 10 overs to elevate the Riders to a team 100 in double-quick time.

Counterattacking the Strikers bowlers, Hassan raced to his half-century from just 31 balls with three boundaries and four sixes around the same period. Blistering English opener Alex Hales also got to his fifty a while later, albeit with seven boundaries and a six as the two cricketers brought up their 100-run partnership for the second wicket off just 56 balls.

Strikers vs Riders Highlights: Alex Hales Headlines Chase With Unbeaten Century

Alex Hales and Saif Hassan ended up sharing 186 runs together for the second wicket to take Rangpur Riders to the brink of a remarkable heist. Hassan towered over the Sylhet Strikers bowlers with 80 runs off 49 balls, whacking three boundaries and seven sixes in the process before falling to Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Hales motored on to bring up his seventh T20 century, scoring 113 unbeaten runs in all from 56 deliveries as Rangpur Riders raced to an easy eight-wicket win with an over to spare.