Run-fests await at Chattogram

The Chattogram phase of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League starts today with the match between Chattogram Challengers and Khulna Tigers, and after low-scoring day clashes in Dhaka, run-fests and fireworks can be expected in the port city.

The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, unlike Dhaka, is known to be an ideal ground for the Twenty20s in Bangladesh. The stadium offers pitches that produce high-scoring affairs, supported by recent statistics.

The first phase of the ongoing BPL was a two-sided affair as day matches produced sub-par scores almost every time, whilst the matches at night were high-scoring.

In four matches played under sunlight, the highest first innings score was 129-8, with teams getting bowled out for 100 or below twice. On the other hand, the first match under lights saw Khulna Tigers chase down 184 pretty comfortably.

In the last edition of the BPL in 2019-20, Chattogram hosted 12 matches, and in only three matches neither team could score beyond 150. The average first innings score at the ZACS in those matches was 178, with 200 achieved five times.

On two occasions, both teams scored beyond 200. The first was between Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka Platoon, where the former scored 221-4, and Dhaka were bowled out for 205. In the other, Chattogram scored 238-4, and in reply, Cumilla ended on 222-7.

The highest chase at the ZACS in the last BPL was 190 when Khulna Tigers chased down the total after Rajshahi Royals posted 189-4.

There were a lot of run chases completed in Chattogram last time around. In nine matches out of 12, the team batting second won, and six of them came while chasing more than 160.

In the last three Twenty20 internationals at the ZACS, twice the team chasing won, and in the other, Bangladesh managed to pile up 175-7 in the first innings against Zimbabwe.

Ahead of the action, the curator at the ZACS, Zahid Reza Babu, told The Business Post that it should be action as usual.

“You can look at the record of this stadium. The pitch should play out like it always has,” he told TBP.

Cricketers are also expecting batting-friendly wickets at Chattogram. Chattogram Challengers batsman Will Jacks, who has not played at this stadium to date, said, “I have heard that scores on this ground are usually quite higher. 200 is often chased down. Personally, it’s something I’m looking forward to. We have a really good bowling attack, so hopefully, we can put the runs on board and defend it.”

Fortune Barishal’s wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan hoped for competitive matches on good wickets.

“The wickets at Chattogram are generally very good. We have lost the last two matches and are on the back foot, so we will want to come back strong. As the wickets are supposed to be good, I hope there will be competitive matches, and of course, we will take the field to win,” Sohan told the media on Thursday.