Fortune Barishal's winning streak remains intact as they secured their fifth consecutive victory by defeating Khulna Tigers in a thrilling encounter. The match, held at Mirpur, saw Barishal chase down a target of 188 with five balls remaining, winning by five wickets.

Barishal's chase did not start smoothly, but a brilliant partnership between David Malan and captain Tamim Iqbal steadied the ship. The pair put together an impressive 91-run stand for the second wicket, with Malan contributing the lion’s share. While Tamim made 27 runs, Malan played a scintillating knock of 63 runs, including 3 sixes and 8 fours, with a strike rate of 170.27. Earlier, the opening partnership of Tamim and Tawhid Hridoy added just 11 runs.

The partnership between Tamim and Malan set the stage for a Barishal victory, but things got tense in the 17th over when Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur Rahim were dismissed. With the equation standing at 36 runs from 22 balls, a thrilling finish seemed possible. However, Mohammad Nabi and Fahim Ashraf quickly quelled any doubts, putting together an unbeaten 36-run stand from 16 balls to guide Barishal to victory. Nabi remained not out on 15, while Fahim finished with 18 not out, securing the win for Barishal with five balls to spare.

Earlier, Khulna Tigers had set a target of 188 runs by scoring 187/5 in their allotted 20 overs after losing the toss and being asked to bat first. Khulna’s openers, Naeem Sheikh and captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz, provided a solid start, adding 47 runs for the first wicket. Naeem top-scored with 50 runs from 26 balls, hitting 5 fours and 3 sixes, while Miraz contributed 29 runs with 1 four and 3 sixes before being dismissed. The middle-order batters followed suit, with only Mohammad Nawaz scoring less than double digits. Alex Ross and William Bosisto both made 20 runs, while Afif Hossain added 32 runs. Mahidul Islam Ankon finished strongly with an explosive 27 not out from just 12 balls, which included 3 sixes and 2 fours.

Despite Khulna’s strong total, the lack of a major partnership after the opening stand meant the team fell short of the target, allowing Barishal to claim the win.