Bangladesh Premier League 2024 – Match 1 – Fortune Barishal vs Durbar Rajshahi to be played on 30th December at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka.

Fortune Barishal (FB) will face Durbar Rajshahi (DR) in their first match during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024–25. This match is scheduled to take place on Monday, December 30, at the Shere-E-Bangla National Stadium.

Fortune Barishal are the defending champions of Bangladesh Premier League. They won the final match against Comilla Victorians by 6 wickets. The highest run-scorer for Fortune Barishal in the previous edition of Bangladesh Premier League was Tamim Iqbal with 492 runs. The highest wicket-taker for Fortune Barishal in the previous edition of Bangladesh Premier League was Mohammad Saifuddin with 15 scalps scored.

The league consists of seven teams, with Durbar Rajshahi making its debut under this name. The tournament comprises 46 matches, including the playoffs, and the matches will be played at three different venues.

Match Preview

Fortune Barishal

Experienced Tamim Iqbal will steer this ship. The captain hit 39 runs from 26 balls in the 2024 BPL final and a half-century against Chattogram Challengers in the Eliminator. Tamim plays alongside the stylish Pathum Nissanka.

The opening batting partnership offers a mix of explosive hitting and stylish run-scoring. Known for his consistency in the white-ball formats, Dawid Malan brings stability to the top order. Towhid Hridoy's youthful exuberance brings energy to the middle order. Mahmudullah's versatility and experience are crucial when he goes to the wicket.

The team has all-round ability in Mohammad Nabi. The experienced campaigner from Afghanistan can decide matches with both the bat and the ball. He has more than 6000 runs and more than 350 wickets to his name in T20s.

Wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim brings tactical skill and reliability with bat and gloves. He was the star with 47 runs not out from 38 balls and four catches against Rangpur Riders in the second qualifier of last season.

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi's swing and pace with the new ball will tear apart most top orders in the powerplay. In one of his last T20Is against South Africa, he scored three from 22. Tanvir Islam and Nayeem Hasan provide variety of spin with left- and right-arm angles.

Durbar Rajshahi

Durbar Rajshahi will play its first match under this name on December 30, 2024 in the opening match of the season against defending champions Fortune Barishal. They have played under different names in the past such as Duronto Rajshahi and Rajshahi Royals with the latter winning the title in the 2019–20 BPL season.

The franchise did not play against any team from the 2019 BBL to the 2024 season but now after being taken over by the Valentine Group, the Rajshahi franchisee will make a comeback in the Bangladesh Premier League Edition 11. They will replace last year's finalists Comilla Victorians. Durbar Rajshahi has assembled a good team under the leadership of Taskin Ahmed. They will have Anamul Haque as the wicket-keeper. Taskin Ahmed will lead the bowling attack for Durbar Rajshahi along with Akbar Ali, Hasan Murad and Shafiul Islam. Yasir Ali and Mizanur Rahman are key batters for Durbar Rajshahi.

Despite playing under a different name, Dharbar Rajashahi have reached the playoffs multiple times in 2012, 2013, 2016 (runner-up) and 2019-20 where they won their first BBL title. They have a tough first game against the defending champions and will be looking to set the tone with a win in this season opener.

Pitch Report

The 1st match of the 2024–25 BPL season will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The pitch at this venue is known to be balanced and offers advantages to both batsmen and bowlers. The wicket is usually flat and offers good range, making this venue a high-scoring pitch. In the last few matches, the pitch has favoured spin bowlers as the ball was spinning significantly.

Toss Prediction

The conditions in Dhaka are excellent for both batting and tossing. In the 63 T20Is played at this venue, the winning ratio for the teams batting first and the teams chasing was almost 50-50. In the shorter format of the game, it is preferable to bowl first in such situations. The team that wins the coin toss should bowl first.

Weather Report

On the match day, the Shere Bangla National Stadium is expected to witness pleasant weather with clear skies and no chance of rain. Temperatures will range between 25°C and 14°C, perfect conditions for a T20 cricket match.

Head to Head

The teams have not played against each other in 2024. The last time they met was in 2016 under the names Barishal Bulls and Rajshahi Kings. The team from Barishal won that encounter by 17 runs.

Match Prediction

Fortune Barishal is a well-established team that won four games in a row last season to secure their mid-table title. They have an excellent squad and are balanced in batting and pitching as well. Durbar Rajshahi plays under a different name and is re-entering after five years. They may need a few games to get into the swing of things in the tournament. We believe Fortune Barishal will have an upper hand over Durbar Rajshahi in this match.

We predict Fortune Barishal to beat Durbar Rajshahi.

Venue Details

The venue for the match is the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Established in 2006, the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium has replaced the Bangabandhu National Stadium as the main cricket stadiums in Bangladesh. It is one of the most famous cricket stadiums in the world and has hosted numerous Tests, ODIs and T20 matches. It has also hosted several World Cup matches and is a major venue in the Bangladesh Premier League. The stadium has a capacity of about 25,000 spectators.

Betting Tips

Fortune Barishal should be the clear favourites to be crowned BPL 2024 champions after a terrific win. They have once again entered the tournament with some excellent names in T20 cricket. Tamim Iqbal is an experienced and title-winning captain, which will come in handy as the team looks to dominate again.

Bet on Fortune Barishal to win this game.

Probable Playing XI

Fortune Barishal Playing XI

Tamim Iqbal (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Taijul Islam, Dawid Malan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Pathum Nissanka, Ebadot Hossain, Mohammad Nabi, Shaheen Afridi.

Durbar Rajshahi Playing XI

Taskin Ahmed (c), Akbar Ali, Anamul Haque (wk), Mizanur Rahman, Jishan Alam, Mehrab Hossain, Mohor Sheikh, Saad Nasim, Sabbir Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Yasir Ali.

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediction

Fortune Barishal Key Players

Towhid Hridoy – He is a world-class top-order batsman who can play long innings. Hridoy is expected to be the best batsman for Fortune Barishal in the upcoming matches.

Durbar Rajshahi Key Players

Taskin Ahmed – He is an experienced bowler who can provide early breakthroughs for his team and put pressure on the opposition.