The third edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) in 2015-16 featured six franchises competing in an exciting tournament that showcased both domestic and international cricketing talents.
The tournament took place from 22 November 2015 to 15 December 2015, and it delivered some of the best performances in the competition’s history. Here’s a detailed look at the group stage, playoffs, final, and top performers.
Group Stage
The group stage of BPL 2015-16 was a round-robin format, where each team played 10 matches. Comilla Victorians emerged as the top team, winning 7 of their 10 matches, with 14 points and an impressive net run rate (NRR) of +0.788. Barisal Bulls, also with 14 points, finished second due to a slightly lower NRR (+0.063), while Rangpur Riders, with the same number of points, occupied third place with a NRR of +0.693.
Dhaka Dynamites and Sylhet Super Stars both had disappointing campaigns, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Dhaka won 4 matches, while Sylhet managed to win only 3, leaving them with 8 and 6 points respectively. Chittagong Vikings had a tough season, securing only 2 wins out of 10 matches, ending up in sixth place with just 4 points.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Comilla Victorians | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | +0.788 |
| 2 | Barisal Bulls | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | +0.063 |
| 3 | Rangpur Riders | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | +0.693 |
| 4 | Dhaka Dynamites | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | −0.010 |
| 5 | Sylhet Super Stars | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | −0.710 |
| 6 | Chittagong Vikings | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 | −0.828 |
The top four teams, Comilla Victorians, Barisal Bulls, Rangpur Riders, and Dhaka Dynamites, advanced to the playoffs, while the remaining teams were eliminated.
Playoffs
The playoffs consisted of three key matches: Qualifier 1, Eliminator, and Qualifier 2. In Qualifier 1, Comilla Victorians dominated Rangpur Riders, posting a competitive total of 163/7. Rangpur was bowled out for just 91 runs, and Comilla won by 72 runs, securing a place in the final.
| Qualifier 1 | Comilla Victorians | 163/7 | Defeated | Rangpur Riders | 91/10 |
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In the Eliminator, Barisal Bulls faced Dhaka Dynamites. Barisal posted a total of 135/5, and Dhaka could only manage 117/8 in their chase, with Barisal winning by 18 runs to advance to Qualifier 2.
| Eliminator | Barisal Bulls | 135/5 | Defeated | Dhaka Dynamites | 117/8 |
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Qualifier 2 saw Barisal Bulls take on Rangpur Riders. Barisal posted 163/5, and despite a valiant effort from Rangpur, who managed to score 160/9, Barisal Bulls won by 3 runs, advancing to the final.
| Qualifier 2 | Barisal Bulls | 163/5 | Defeated | Rangpur Riders | 160/9 |
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The Final
The final took place between Comilla Victorians and Barisal Bulls. Comilla Victorians batted first, setting a target of 158/7 in their 20 overs. Barisal Bulls fought hard, but they fell short in their chase, finishing with 156/4, just 2 runs behind. Comilla Victorians won the match and secured their first-ever BPL title in a thrilling contest.
| Final | Comilla Victorians | 157/7 | Defeated | Barisal Bulls | 156/4 |
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Top Performers
In terms of batting, Kumar Sangakkara of Dhaka Dynamites was the highest run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 349 runs in 10 matches with a highest score of 75. Imrul Kayes of Comilla Victorians finished second with 312 runs in 10 matches, including a top score of 67.
Other notable run-scorers included Tamim Iqbal (Chittagong Vikings) with 298 runs, Mahmudullah Riyad (Barisal Bulls) with 279 runs, and Tillakaratne Dilshan (Chittagong Vikings) with 260 runs.
| Player | Team | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kumar Sangakkara | Dhaka Dynamites | 10 | 10 | 349 | 75 |
| Imrul Kayes | Comilla Victorians | 10 | 10 | 312 | 67 |
| Tamim Iqbal | Chittagong Vikings | 9 | 9 | 298 | 69 |
| Mahmudullah Riyad | Barisal Bulls | 13 | 12 | 279 | 51 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan | Chittagong Vikings | 10 | 10 | 260 | 67 |
On the bowling front, Kevon Cooper of Barisal Bulls emerged as the highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in 9 matches, including a best bowling performance of 5/15. Abu Hider of Comilla Victorians was the second-best wicket-taker with 21 wickets in 12 matches, with best figures of 4/19.
Other standout bowlers included Thisara Perera (Rangpur Riders) with 18 wickets, Shakib Al Hasan (Rangpur Riders) with 18 wickets, and Ashar Zaidi (Comilla Victorians) with 17 wickets.
| Player | Team | Mat | Inns | Wkts | BBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevon Cooper | Barisal Bulls | 9 | 9 | 22 | 5/15 |
| Abu Hider | Comilla Victorians | 12 | 12 | 21 | 4/19 |
| Thisara Perera | Rangpur Riders | 12 | 12 | 18 | 5/26 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | Rangpur Riders | 11 | 11 | 18 | 4/16 |
| Ashar Zaidi | Comilla Victorians | 11 | 11 | 17 | 4/11 |
Conclusion
The BPL 2015-16 was an exciting season that witnessed Comilla Victorians claim their first title after a thrilling final against Barisal Bulls. The tournament was filled with outstanding performances with both bat and ball, and the top players showcased their immense talent.
With the success of this edition, the BPL continued to grow as one of the most popular T20 leagues in the world, attracting global stars and providing a platform for local talent to shine.