Iftikhar holds nerve as Rangpur beat Hurricanes despite Usama's fiery spell

GUYANA: Rangpur Riders clinched their second consecutive win in the ongoing Global Super League (GSL) 2025, defeating Hobart Hurricanes in a nail-biting finish by just one run on Sunday at the Providence Stadium.

After being put in to bat, the Riders posted a competitive total of 151/6 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a stellar knock from Kyle Mayers, who remained unbeaten on 67 off 42 balls. 

Opener Ibrahim Zadran also made a valuable contribution with 43 off 31 deliveries, while the rest of the batting lineup failed to convert their starts.

Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed was dismissed cheaply, managing only six runs.

For the Hurricanes, Pakistan leg-spinner Usama Mir was outstanding with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of 3/15 in his four overs. Fabian Allen picked up two wickets, while Odean Smith claimed one.

In reply, Hobart Hurricanes, led by Ben McDermott, fell agonisingly short, bowled out for 150 runs. Mohammad Nabi top-scored with a composed 44 off 36 balls, while skipper McDermott added a brisk 34 off 19. 

Odean Smith chipped in with 20 runs, and Usama Mir remained unbeaten on three.

Rangpur’s Khaled Ahmed shone with the ball once again, claiming 4 wickets for 26 runs in his four-over spell. 

Iftikhar Ahmed made up for his batting failure with a tidy bowling performance, taking 2/13 runs in three overs.

With this win, the Nurul Hasan-led Riders sit atop the points table with four points from two matches and a net run-rate of +0.225.

Rangpur Riders will next face Central Districts at the same venue on July 17.