Match overview
Dhaka Capitals beat Noakhali Express by 7 wickets at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on 7 January 2026, in a Bangladesh Premier League T20 fixture that was settled comfortably inside the middle overs. Noakhali Express posted 133/6 after a difficult start with the bat, losing 3 wickets in the powerplay for just 19 runs. Dhaka, in contrast, blazed 64 runs in their own powerplay and never let the asking rate climb. Nasir Hossain took the Player of the Match award. The result levels the head-to-head between the two sides at one win apiece after Noakhali had won the earlier meeting by 41 runs at the same ground.
Dhaka's chase was built in the powerplay and the middle overs. After reaching 64/2 in the first six overs, the middle phase added a further 70 runs for just 1 wicket, meaning the death overs were never required. Dhaka ended on 134/3, using no overs beyond what was needed.
For Noakhali Express, the powerplay damage proved irreparable. Three wickets for 19 runs in the opening phase left the middle order to reconstruct the innings, which they did creditably: 64 runs for 2 wickets in the middle overs and 50 runs for 1 wicket at the death. But 133 on a ground where the average first-innings score across 104 matches is 172 was always going to be a difficult total to defend.
Venue and conditions
Sylhet International Cricket Stadium has staged 104 T20 matches and carries clear patterns. The average first-innings score of 172 runs puts Noakhali's 133 roughly 39 runs below par, a deficit that shaped the match decisively. The average second-innings score of 157 means chasing sides win here slightly more often than not: the venue's chase success rate is 53%.
The toss data is particularly striking. Fielding first is the choice of toss-winners in 75% of matches at Sylhet, and Dhaka Capitals followed that instinct here. The average powerplay total at the ground is 41 runs, which Noakhali Express fell well short of while also losing three wickets, while Dhaka surpassed it significantly with 64.
The death-overs average at Sylhet is 36 runs. Noakhali's 50-run death contribution kept them competitive on that measure, but the powerplay collapse meant the innings total was already compromised well before the final few overs.
How to watch
The Bangladesh Premier League is not carried live on Sky Sports in the UK. Fans seeking coverage should check T Sports, which holds broadcast rights for BPL matches, and any streaming platforms with South Asian cricket rights available in the United Kingdom. Rights arrangements can shift between seasons, so it is worth confirming the current broadcaster before the next fixture.
For general Bangladesh cricket coverage, BBC Radio's Test Match Special occasionally comments on major series involving Bangladesh, though BPL domestic T20 coverage is not typically included.
Recent form
Neither side arrived at this match in strong form. Noakhali Express had lost their previous four BPL fixtures, falling to Sylhet Titans (twice), Rajshahi Warriors, and Chattogram Royals. This victory for Dhaka is therefore perhaps less about Noakhali's weakness than might appear; the Express were due to find some resistance.
Dhaka Capitals' own record was not much better. Four losses in five matches before 7 January, including defeats to Rangpur Riders, Chattogram Royals, and Sylhet Titans in 2026, make this a rare positive result rather than evidence of a sustained upturn. Their only win in the previous five came against Rajshahi Warriors in 2025. The manner of this particular win, with wickets and overs in hand, will offer some encouragement, but consistency remains elusive for both sides in this edition of the BPL. Their next fixtures will test whether either team can build on their recent form or remain rooted in the bottom half of the standings.