Rangpur Riders claim inaugural GSL title

PROVIDENCE, Guyana (CMC):

THE BANGLADESH-BASED Rangpur Riders became the first team to capture the Global Super League (GSL) when they crushed Cricket Victoria by 56 runs in the final at the Providence Stadium on Friday.

Led by a blistering, unbeaten 86 off 54 balls from Player-of-the-Match and Player-of-the-Series, Soumya Sarkar, the Riders posted a formidable 178 for three from their 20 overs.

Harmeet Singh then grabbed three wickets, while Rishad Hossain, Saif Hassan and Mahedi Hasan all snared two wickets to bowl out Victoria for 122 in 18.1 overs.

The victory, though, was set up by an exhilarating opening partnership of 124 between Sarkar and Steven Taylor, who scored a brisk 68 from 49 balls.

The pair started slowly initially, scoring 11 runs from the first three overs, but by the end of the 10th over they had motored to 76 without loss.

Sarkar brought up his half-century off 33 balls with a single off Callum Stow, while Taylor reached his 50 off 44 balls by hitting the same bowler for six.

When Taylor was eventually dismissed by Karima Gore at the end of the 13th over, Sarkar ensured there would be a strong finish to the innings in which he struck seven fours and five sixes.

In their chase, Victoria were very much in the contest at 65 for one in the eighth over, until they lost six wickets for 32 runs in the space of six overs to crumble to 97 for seven.

The end came swift thereafter, giving the Riders the honour of writing their name in history’s page by winning the inaugural tournament.