Sylhet emerged victorious in a close-fought match at Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura, defeating Rangpur by four wickets. The star of the game was undoubtedly Rejaur Rahman Raja, who played a pivotal role with both bat and ball, claiming six wickets across both innings and hitting a critical half-century in the fourth innings to guide Sylhet to victory.

The match began with Rangpur being bowled out for 158 runs in their first innings, to which Sylhet responded with 189, securing a slender lead. Rangpur mounted a comeback in their second innings, scoring 220 and setting a target of 192 for Sylhet.

Starting the fourth day at 51/2, Sylhet required another 141 runs to win. Rejaur Rahman Raja, who had come in as a nightwatchman on the third day, put up a resilient performance with the bat. Raja, alongside opener Pinak Ghosh, added 56 crucial runs for the third wicket, taking Sylhet past the halfway mark. Pinak was dismissed for a well-fought 42 off 101 balls with Sylhet at 106.

Despite the loss of Pinak, Raja continued to build momentum, adding another 50 runs in a key partnership with Amit Hasan. Raja was eventually dismissed by Mukidul Islam after scoring an invaluable 59 runs off 117 balls, an innings laced with five fours and a six. His half-century kept Sylhet firmly in the chase.

Mukidul Islam gave Rangpur a glimmer of hope with a flurry of wickets, dismissing Raja, Mubin, and Rahatul in quick succession. However, Amit Hasan and Asadullah Galib held their nerve, securing the remaining runs without further loss. Amit remained unbeaten on 37, and Galib on 23, as Sylhet sealed the match with a four-wicket victory.

Raja’s stellar all-round performance, including his six-wicket haul and decisive 59-run knock, earned him the Player of the Match award. His contribution proved essential in Sylhet’s successful run chase and provided a memorable win for the team.