Rangpur Riders are favored to win this match based on their recent strong performance, having scored 178/4 in their last meeting against Rajshahi Warriors on January 11, 2026, with Tawhid Hridoy's explosive 97-run innings. Noakhali Express showed vulnerability in their recent match against Rajshahi, managing only 124/8, indicating Rangpur's superior batting depth and form this season with DexWin - Best Odds on Your Favourite Sports.

The match starts at 1:00 PM local time (GMT+6:00) on January 18, 2026, which corresponds to 7:00 AM UTC. The first session runs from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM local time with a 20-minute interval before the second session begins at 2:50 PM.

The match will be played in Sylhet, Bangladesh, following the Bangladesh Premier League 2025-26 tournament schedule. The venue is the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, which has hosted multiple BPL matches this season after the tournament initially considered relocating to Chattogram before returning to Sylhet.

Rangpur Riders are predicted to win this encounter given their superior recent form and batting firepower. Tawhid Hridoy has been in exceptional form with a 97-run unbeaten innings in their last match, while Noakhali Express struggled against similar opposition, with Haider Ali managing only 33 runs in their recent fixture. Rangpur's consistent performances throughout the tournament position them as strong favorites.

In their recent head-to-head encounter on January 21, 2026, Rangpur Riders faced Rajshahi Warriors and scored 178/4, demonstrating their batting strength. Noakhali Express's recent match against Rajshahi Warriors on January 15, 2026 saw them score 125/4 in response to 124/8, showing competitive cricket but less dominant performances compared to Rangpur's recent displays this season.