The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has finally started, and it produced some good cricket in the first two matches of the opening day. The excitement among the fans is only going to increase, with four teams set to feature in Mirpur on Wednesday.
Here is a look at both the matches
Rajshahi Kings vs Khulna Titans
Both the teams missed the last edition of the competition, and they will be more than determined to announce their comeback with a great performance in their first match of BPL 2016. The Kings might not have big names like that of other teams in the competition, but they cannot be taken lightly at any cost.
All eyes will be on the young Mehedi Hasan, who was sensational in the last Test series for Bangladesh against England, where he floored the Englishmen with his art of spin bowling. They will also look for Sabbir Rahman and other foreign stars such as Mohammad Sami, Upul Tharanga to shoulder major responsibility.
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On paper, The Titans look a well-balanced unit. They seem to have their bases nicely covered. The Titans have some good T20 players including Andre Fletcher and Lendl Simmons, and with decent bowlers like Mohammad Asghar and Ben Laughlin, they will be a strong team. With Mahmudullah leading the side, his experience playing in such conditions in Bangladesh will come handy.
Chittagong Vikings vs Rangpur Riders
The Vikings will come into this match as a confident unit, after a 29-run win over the defending champions Victorians in the first match of the BPL. With batsmen like Tamim Iqbal and Shoaib Malik already showing some good form, they will be a huge threat against any team. And they have a bowling line-up capable of bowling out opposition as they have the experienced DR Smith, Abdur Razzaq and also youngsters like Taskin Ahmed, who will be an instrumental player in this Vikings side.
The Riders are aware of the threat Vikings possess in their first match of the BPL. But they have some entertaining characters in the game like Mohammad Shahzad, who is an explosive batsman. This will give him another chance to shine against some of the world's finest bowlers in the competition. The Riders have a strong batting line-up, with Sharjeel Khan and Soumya Sarkar in the mix.
But they cannot depend on their batsmen alone, bowlers like Shahid Afridi and Rubel Hossain have to deliver with the ball.
Where to watch live
Rajshahi Kings vs Khulna Titans match is scheduled for 2 pm local time (1:30 pm IST) start, and Chittagong Vikings vs Rangpur Riders clash will take shape from 7 pm local time (6:30 pm IST). TV and live streaming options can be found below for the matches.
India: TV: Sony Six and Sony Six HD. Live Streaming: Sonyliv.
Bangladesh: TV: Channel Nine BD
Pakistan: TV: Geo Super
