For weeks, Rangpur Riders maintained that they didn’t want to disrupt their winning combination, even as questions arose about giving Nahid Rana a rest. But when they finally did tweak the lineup, it seemed to backfire. The Global T20 champions, who had won 8 consecutive matches to secure a playoff spot, suddenly lost their rhythm—ending the league stage with four straight defeats.

Rangpur Riders’ Team Director, Shanian Taneem, believes that breaking the winning combination cost them their momentum at a crucial stage. "We always wanted to maintain our winning momentum. We avoided resting any key players except for Nahid, which was for national team interests. Unfortunately, things didn’t go our way. Losing four games in a row was a major setback. However, we have bounced back from similar situations before, like in Guyana, where we recovered and won the final," he said.

Nahid Rana, who had been one of Rangpur’s key bowlers, seemed to lose his edge towards the end of the tournament. Despite that, the team remains fully supportive of him. "Nahid is a national team player—he knows how to make a comeback. Every player goes through ups and downs. We support each other, and there’s no point in blaming anyone. We win together, we lose together. Just because a bowler concedes 70 runs in 4 overs doesn’t mean we should point fingers," Shanian added.

With the playoffs approaching, Rangpur Riders must rediscover their lost momentum if they want to reclaim their dominant form and challenge for the title.