The winner of the first qualifier, Fortune Barishal, will meet the winner of the second qualifier, Comilla Victorians, in the Bangladesh Premier League season 8 championship match on February 18. The final match will be held in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla cricket stadium. Both the Barishal and Comilla franchises were pre-season favorites, and they have deservedly advanced to the BPL final this year. The BPL 2022 final preview of Comilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal is discussed in this article.
BPL Season 8 Final Preview: Fortune Barishal vs Comilla Victorians
Fortune Barishal have done well under the leadership of Shakib Al Hasan, who has been in superb form throughout the competition. Oppositely, the Imrul Kayes-led Comilla Victorians have a number of world-class T20 players on their lineup. Imrul Kayes and Shakib Al Hasan will meet in the final for the second time as captains. Imrul Kayes’ Comilla defeated Shakib’s Dhaka in the 2019 BPL final. As a result, Shakib will have a wonderful opportunity to avenge that defeat. The final match of the BPL 2022 will begin At 5.30 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Comilla Victorians
The Comilla Victorians are expected to use the same playing XI that faced Chattogram Challengers in the qualifier 2 encounter. Because keeping the winning combination in the final will be the best decision.
Comilla Victorians management made the correct decision by promoting Sunil Narine up the batting order against Chattogram. The West Indian power-hitter made the most of his opportunity and delivered a crucial knock for his team. Sunil Narine scored the quickest half-century in BPL history with a 13-ball fifty. In the middle order, Narine, Faf du Plessis, and Moeen Ali will be a major worry for Fortune Barishal.
Mustafizur Rahman, Shohidul Islam, and Moeen Ali will be crucial for the Victorians in bowling. Comilla will be looking for a strong performance from them in the title match.
Predicted Playing XI
Top Order: Liton Das, Sunil Narine, Imrul Kayes (captain) Middle-Orders: Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Ariful Haque, Abu Hider Rony Lower-Order: Shohidul Islam, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
Fortune Barishal
Fortune Barishal have defeated Comilla Victorians twice out of three matches in this season’s BPL. As a result, they will be a more confident team in the final. The Barishal team is unlikely to change its winning combination for this title match.
In form, Shakib Al Hasan will be Barishal’s major weapon in the final. Munim Shahriar, Chris Gayle, and DJ Bravo will also be crucial in this encounter. Gayle has a history of decimating opponents in the final. He did it for Rangpur against Dhaka in the 2017 BPL final. Comilla Victorians will have a horrible Friday if Chris Gayle finds his best form in this match. Munim Shahriar has been a revolution, and his sparkling performances in this campaign have captured the attention of many.
Shakib, Bravo, and Mujeeb will be vital players in the bowling department. Barishal will expect their greatest players to perform to their maximum capacity in the final match.
Predicted Playing XI
Top Order: Munim Shahriar, Chris Gayle, Najmul Hossain Shanto Middle Orders: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Ziaur Rahman, Towhid Hridoy, Dwayne Bravo, Nurul Hasan (wicket-keeper), Lower Order: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Shafiqul Islam.
Pitch and Weather Report
The pitches appear to be a lot better in comparison to previous phases in Dhaka. Batters find runs on Mirpur surfaces, which is good news for both teams. Therefore, the championship match between Fortune Barishal and Comilla Victorians is set to be a run-fest. The weather forecast promises a sunny day with no chance of rain on Friday. As a result, it should be a pleasant day for a T20 match.
Verdict
The two finalists of BPL Season 8 have been confirmed after a month of excitement. Two of the competition’s favorites, Fortune Barishal and Comilla Victorians have qualified for the finals after overcoming some tough matches in the league stage and playoffs. Fortune Barishal have been in excellent form, going undefeated in their last seven matches. On the other hand, Comilla Victorians lost two successive matches before thrashing Chattogram Challengers in the second qualifier on Wednesday (February 16). As the BPL 2022 final Preview indicates, no team is favourite in the championship match. The team that plays to their full potential in the final will win the eighth season of the BPL.
Source: United News of Bangladesh