Chattogram Challengers vs Rangpur Riders, BPL 2023, Today Match Prediction 23 January 2023

cgc vs rgr Match Prediction & Analysis

We are halfway through the Bangladesh Premier League and there are three teams tied at 4 points. Khulna Tigers are at number 4 with 4 points from 5 matches followed by Rangpur and Chattogram.

The winner of this match would topple the Tigers and move to number 4. Both Rangpur Riders and Chattogram Challengers haven’t been in great touch lately. Their batting performances are on a decline. 

There are no reliable match finishers in the Challengers' lineup. Once they are 4 wickets down, the remaining lineup can add very little to the total. Rangpur's batting woes have also got worse since their 4-wicket win over Khulna.

Riders lost their top half of the team under 80 runs in each of their last two matches. In their win over the Tigers, Rangpur were 5 down for 90 runs. The difference between these two teams is their lower order. In Rangpur, Malik, Nawaz, and Shamim Hossain can make big contributions at the death.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Chattogram Challengers Preview

Shuvagata Hom will be expecting his top order to flourish in this match. It is crucial that Max O'Dowd and Usman Khan stay longer at the crease.

A bigger opening stand would be more critical than a quick start. This is due to the lack of any finishers lower down the order. Usman Khan and Afif Hossain added 70 runs for the 2nd wicket in the last game.

The number 3 batsman will have the biggest role in the comeback from Chattogram. In their win over Dhaka, Afif Hossain was part of a 55-runs stand for the 2nd wicket. And then with an unbeaten 103-run partnership for the 3rd wicket, he led the team to an 8-wicket win.

He has been consistent at number 3 and will be one to watch out for. Darwish Rasooli scored an unbeaten 56 off 33 balls against Dhaka. Since then, the Afghan batsman has struggled to play an impactful knock. After Rasooli, there aren’t many reliable batters in this batting order.

All-rounders Shuvagata Hom and Ziaur Rahman are capable but haven’t made an impact so far. The variety in the bowling attack is a plus point for skipper Shuvagata Hom. But, there hasn’t been any exceptional bowling performance in recent games.

Taijul Islam, Mirtunjoy Chowdhury, and Nihaduzzaman have delivered some good spells. But these were isolated performances that lacked support from other bowlers.

Chattogram Challengers Predicted Playing XI:

Usman Khan (wk), Max ODowd, Afif Hossain, Darwish Rasooli, Ziaur Rahman, Shuvagata Hom (c), Khawaja Nafay, Farhad Reza, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Nihaduzzaman, Taijul Islam

Chattogram Challengers Actual Playing XI:

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Usman Khan, Taijul Islam, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Khawaja Nafay, Darwish Rasooli, Afif Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Ziaur Rahman, Shuvagata Hom, Tawfique Khan

Rangpur Riders Preview

The batting collapses at the top have shaken the Riders up. A good-looking side that got off to a good start in the first three games now stands on a weak footing.

The top 3 batters are just not able to get it right for the Riders. Rony Talukdar, Mohammad Naim, and Mahedi Hasan are all capable of impactful knocks. With all of them out of form, Shoaib Malik’s troubles have increased. He delivered some of their early wins where he was the lone fighter.

Mohammad Nawaz and Shamim Hossain are other all-rounders expected to deliver a good finish in the lower order. However, this kind of batting form cannot win matches consistently. There is consistent pressure on the bowlers and the lower order.

Unless the top order steps up and delivers big partnerships, Rangpur Riders cannot post a competitive total. Mahedi Hasan, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Mahmud are key bowlers who will be expected to lead the comeback from Rangpur.

In their last game, the Riders conceded 238 runs bowling first. Mohammad Nawaz is another key player in the bowling department. Things look bleak for Rangpur Riders with their current form. However, they have a strong enough squad to stage a comeback at any point in the league.

Rangpur Riders Predicted Playing XI:

Rony Talukdar, Parvez Hossain Emon (wk), Mohammad Naim, Shoaib Malik (c), Mahedi Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Mohammad Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Robiul Haque, Haris Rauf, Hasan Mahmud

Rangpur Riders Actual Playing XI:

Hasan Mahmud, Parvez Hossain Emon, Rakibul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Haris Rauf, Nurul Hasan, Mohammad Naim Sheikh, Mohammad Nawaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shoaib Malik

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

It is a good batting track here at the Shere Bangla Stadium. The ball comes on the bat nicely and there have been two hundreds in the same match on this surface. The weather is expected to be sunny with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

Venue Details

Rony Talukdar scored the fastest fifty in BPL at this venue in Rangpur’s opening match this season. In Chattogram’s last match at this ground, Usman Khan scored a hundred as they chased down 179 runs. The average 1st innings score at the Shere Bangla Stadium is 150 runs from 215 domestic T20s.

Toss: To Bowl

In Dhaka, teams batting second have won 5 of the 8 matches this season. Historically this ground has favoured teams batting second in the domestic T20s. Moreover, given the current form of both sides, they are better off bowling first to get an upper hand in the game.