The Sylhet International Stadium played host to a sporting spectacle of the highest order on 28 December 2025, as the Sylhet Titans edged the Noakhali Express by a single wicket on the final delivery. In a match that appeared to be a foregone conclusion for the hosts, a historic hat-trick by Noakhali’s Mehedi Hasan Rana nearly derailed the chase, plunging the stadium into a state of stunned silence. However, a chaotic final over—defined by a pivotal no-ball and a desperate leg-bye—ensured that the Titans secured their maiden victory of the season in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
The day began with the Sylhet bowling unit justifying their decision to field first by dismantling the Noakhali top order with surgical precision. Khaled Ahmed was the standout performer, extracting significant bounce and movement to finish with figures of 4 for 23. Noakhali’s innings was plagued by a lack of momentum from the outset, with three of their top four batsmen failing to trouble the scorers. It was only through a resilient, unbeaten 61 from Mahidul Islam and a brisk 29 from Jaker Ali that the Express were able to post 143/7, a total that looked fragile until the closing stages of the match.
Match Statistical Summary: Titans vs Express
| Metric | Noakhali Express | Sylhet Titans |
| Final Score | 143/7 (20 Overs) | 144/9 (20 Overs) |
| Leading Runs | Mahidul Islam (61*) | Parvez Hossain (60) |
| Leading Wickets | Mehedi Hasan Rana (4/34) | Khaled Ahmed (4/23) |
| Hat-trick Hero | Mehedi Hasan Rana (18th Over) | N/A |
| Outcome | Defeat by 1 Wicket | Victory by 1 Wicket |
Sylhet’s pursuit of 144 was spearheaded by a fluent 60 from Parvez Hossain, whose 83-run partnership with captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz placed the Titans within touching distance of the target. Requiring just 27 runs from the final 27 balls with seven wickets in hand, the result seemed inevitable until Mehedi Hasan Rana’s 18th over. Rana claimed the ninth T20 hat-trick by a Bangladeshi, removing Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, and Khaled Ahmed in consecutive deliveries. This sparked a staggering collapse where Sylhet lost five wickets for a mere eight runs, leaving them requiring 13 from the final over.
The concluding over, bowled by Sabbir Hossain, was a masterclass in tension. After two initial dot balls, a high no-ball handed Ethan Brookes a free hit, which he emphatically dispatched for six, followed by a crisp boundary. Despite Brookes being run out on the penultimate ball, a wide from Sabbir tied the scores before Salman Irshad scrambled a leg-bye off the final delivery. An LBW review from Noakhali was unsuccessful, confirming a one-wicket win for Sylhet and leaving the Noakhali Express to reflect on their second consecutive defeat of the campaign.
