Rangpur Riders clinched a thrilling 8-run victory over Guyana Amazon Warriors in a nail-biting Global Super League clash. Khaled Ahmed’s brilliant death-over bowling turned the tide, taking two key wickets in the 19th over. Despite Guyana needing only 9 runs in the final over, Rangpur held their nerve to secure a dramatic and hard-fought win.
The equation was simple 20 runs needed from the final 12 balls. In T20 cricket, that’s not a daunting task. Guyana Amazon Warriors looked on course as David Wiese struck a four off the first ball of the 19th over bowled by Khaled Ahmed. A couple of deliveries later, Dwayne Pretorius hammered a six. But the game turned dramatically.
Khaled Ahmed brought Rangpur Riders back into contention by taking two wickets in the last two balls of that over. With just 9 runs needed in the final over and only one wicket in hand, the pressure was on Guyana. Azmatullah Omarzai delivered with the ball, removing David Wiese on the very first delivery of the last over. Rangpur Riders sealed a thrilling victory by 8 runs and started their Global Super League 2025 campaign with a win—continuing their form as defending champions under the leadership of Nurul Hasan Sohan.
Earlier in the match, Nurul Hasan won the toss and chose to bat first against hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors at Providence Stadium. Rangpur’s playing XI featured five overseas stars: Kyle Mayers, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harmeet Singh, and Tabraiz Shamsi.
Rangpur got off to a solid start with Soumya Sarkar and Saif Hassan opening the innings. While Saif played cautiously for his 18, Soumya looked confident and aggressive. The opening stand was broken in the eighth over by spinner Gudakesh Motie, who sent Saif back. Shortly after, Motie also dismissed Soumya for 35 off 36 balls, caught at mid-wicket by Sherfane Rutherford.

Veteran spinner Imran Tahir struck a double blow in the 11th over, removing both Azmatullah Omarzai and Yasir Ali Rabbi in consecutive deliveries, which put Rangpur under pressure. Captain Nurul Hasan tried to fight back with a quick 18 off 10 balls before falling to Shamar Springer.
The real momentum came from a 76-run partnership between Kyle Mayers and Iftikhar Ahmed for the sixth wicket. Their counterattack helped Rangpur Riders post a competitive total of 162 for 7 in 20 overs.
In response, Guyana Amazon Warriors started with intent. Although Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed early for 8, Johnson Charles and Moeen Ali steadied the innings with a 48-run partnership. Harmeet Singh broke the stand by removing Charles for 40 (28), while Tabraiz Shamsi dismissed Moeen for 27.
Pacer Khaled Ahmed turned out to be the game-changer. He dismissed the dangerous Sherfane Rutherford and Shimron Hetmyer at a crucial stage and picked up two more key wickets at the death, keeping Rangpur in the hunt when Guyana seemed close to victory.
In the end, it was a match that showcased Rangpur Riders fighting spirit and Khaled Ahmed’s brilliance with the ball.
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FAQ
1. Who was the standout performer for Rangpur Riders in the match?
Khaled Ahmed was the standout performer with the ball, taking crucial wickets including two in the penultimate over, turning the game in Rangpur’s favor.
2. What was the turning point of the match?
The turning point came in the 19th over when Khaled Ahmed dismissed two Guyana batters in two balls, reducing the chase to 9 runs needed with only one wicket in hand.
3. Who were the top scorers for Rangpur Riders?
Kyle Mayers and Iftikhar Ahmed made a vital 76-run partnership for the sixth wicket, helping Rangpur post a competitive total of 162 runs.