Taskin Ahmed made history with his extraordinary performance during Thursday's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, delivering the best bowling figures ever recorded in the tournament's history. Playing at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Taskin dismantled the Dhaka Capitals' batting lineup, taking 7 wickets for just 19 runs. This record-breaking performance proved pivotal as his team, Durbar Rajshahi, chased down the target of 175 runs with 11 balls to spare, securing their first win of the season.
Despite Dhaka scoring 174 runs, it was clear from the outset this would not be enough against Taskin's exceptional display. The Capitals had hoped to build on their momentum after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Early on, they faced significant setbacks as opener Litton Das fell for just 0, caught behind off Taskin's sharp bouncer. Following closely, Tanzid Hasan also went for just 9 runs, leaving Dhaka reeling at 12 for 2 wickets.
The Dhaka batting order struggled to recover, even as Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Stephen Eskinazi joined forces to stabilize the innings. Dipu managed to anchor the innings and scored 50 runs off 41 balls, contributing necessary stability to the total. Eskinazi added 46 runs off 29 deliveries. Despite these efforts, Taskin's relentless attack continued, resulting in the dismissal of key players and solidifying his record.
Taskin's record surpassed Pakistani bowler Mohammad Amir's previous record of 6 wickets for 17 runs, achieved during the 2020 BPL season. Interestingly, Taskin's performance now ranks among the top bowling figures not only in BPL history but also stands as the third-best recognized bowling performance in T20 cricket overall, following Malaysia's Syazrul Idrus' breathtaking 7 for 8 against China earlier this year.
Taskin opened his over by dismissing Das and Hasan. He showcased astonishing skill, claiming multiple wickets during the latter part of the innings, which included the dismissals of Dipu and Chaturanga de Silva during the 17th over. The final flourish of his performance came as he unbelievably secured three wickets within the last over, conceding only 2 runs, coming agonizingly close to achieving what would have been extraordinary hat-trick.
Facing the target of 175, Rajshahi's innings began shakily, as they lost Mohammad Haris early, caught off Mustafizur Rahman. Anamul Haque Bijoy, though, came to the rescue, constructing a well-paced innings as he remained not out at 73 runs off 46 balls. Anamul, initially dropped before reaching double digits, carefully maneuvered through the Dhaka bowling attack.
Ryan Burl's aggressive approach merged perfectly with Anamul’s composure. While Anamul focused on rotation and building through the overs, Burl’s counterattack provided the much-needed acceleration, bringing his fifty off just 31 balls. The two forged an invaluable partnership, ensuring the pressure stayed off the required run rate, and landed Rajshahi firmly on course for victory.
With the scoreboard ticking along smoothly, Rajshahi built momentum to cross the finish line comfortably amid growing cheers from the crowd. While Anamul fell, Burl remained steady, finishing the match with 55 runs off 33 balls. Their collective effort handed Dhaka their second consecutive defeat of the tournament and marked Rajshahi's ascent within the league standings.
Taskin’s heroics earned him the Player of the Match award, shining brightly as both teams learned lessons from the intense competition on the field.
Reflecting on this historic match, it’s clear Taskin Ahmed's performance not only made headlines but also set the tone for the remainder of the BPL season, quickly solidifying his place among the league’s elite bowlers.