Match overview
Rajshahi Warriors beat Chattogram Royals by 3 wickets at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on 17 January 2026 in a BPL T20 fixture that swung sharply between the two sides. Chattogram Royals were bowled out for 125, well below the venue's average first-innings score of 179. Warriors then made hard work of a modest chase, slipping to 27/3 in the powerplay before a decisive middle-overs recovery hauled them over the line. Akbar Ali took the Player of the Match award for his role in the chase. The result levels the 2026 head-to-head at 2 wins each across four meetings.
Chattogram Royals never got going with the bat. Three wickets in the powerplay left them at 41/3, and a further four in the middle overs for 45 runs meant there was no platform from which to accelerate. The death brought 39 runs but three more wickets, and the innings closed on 125 all out. For a team in reasonable recent form, four wins from their last five matches, the batting performance was a significant step backwards.
Rajshahi Warriors' chase began in nearly as chaotic a fashion. Three wickets fell in the powerplay for 27 runs, putting the result firmly in the balance. What followed was a 72-run middle-overs partnership for just one wicket that shifted the match completely. The death overs were nervy again, three wickets falling for 27 runs, but Warriors got home with 3 to spare. Three wins from their last four outings, and this was arguably the most hard-fought.
Venue and conditions
Shere Bangla National Stadium has hosted 469 T20 matches, making it one of the most data-rich venues in the format. The average first-innings score of 179 and average second-innings score of 161 suggest chasing sides do concede ground relative to batting first, yet the chase success rate sits at 54 per cent. Teams winning the toss choose to field 59% of the time, and Rajshahi Warriors followed that trend here.
Powerplay scoring tends to run at around 39 runs on average at this ground, with death overs averaging 34 runs. The powerplay in this match was below average for both sides: Chattogram managed 41 for 3 batting first, while Rajshahi could only manage 27 for 3 in their chase. The middle overs, where spin typically exerts most control at Shere Bangla, proved the decisive phase. Rajshahi's 72 runs for one wicket between overs 7 and 15 was well above the par contribution for that phase.
Dew is a factor for evening matches at this venue, which can affect grip for bowlers. Teams fielding second may find conditions easier for their seamers in the closing stages, a variable worth accounting for in any future assessment of how teams set or chase totals here.
How to watch
The Bangladesh Premier League is available in the UK via Sky Sports Cricket. Subscribers can stream through Sky Go, and non-subscribers can access coverage through a NOW TV Sports membership. Check Sky's online schedule for precise UK broadcast times, which will account for the time difference between Dhaka and the UK.
Recent form
Chattogram Royals came into this match having won four of their previous five BPL fixtures in 2026, with defeats only to Rangpur Riders. Their form made the batting collapse to 125 all out more surprising, though conditions at Shere Bangla and the Warriors' bowling clearly made the difference on the day.
Rajshahi Warriors' recent sequence is similarly strong: three wins from four, with their only defeat coming against Chattogram Royals themselves earlier in 2026. Warriors' ability to win from difficult positions, most clearly demonstrated by their recovery from 27/3 in this match, will give them confidence heading into the remainder of the tournament. Both sides remain in contention, and with the head-to-head now level at 2-2, any further meeting this season will carry extra weight.
