Dhaka seal play-off spot
Dhaka Platoon ensured a play-off spot in the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BBPL) with a 61-run victory against Rangpur Rangers under the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium floodlights in Mirpur yesterday. For Rangpur, their sixth defeat in 11 games meant that they were out of the race with a game left.
Chasing a modest 145 for nine, Rangpur lost two of their best batsmen -- Mohammad Naim and skipper Shane Watson -- in the very first over.
Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan had Naim caught before having Watson trapped in front in successive deliveries, leaving Rangpur at four for two. A batting collapse ensued and Rangpur were bundled out for a meagre 84 in 15.3 overs.
Dhaka skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who has had a quiet tournament so far, returned economical figures of two for 18 from four overs. It was however Mahedi who, having initiated Rangpur’s downfall, also ended Rangpur’s misery when he removed Mustafizur Rahman in the 16th over and finished with impressive figures of three for 13 in 3.3 overs.
Earlier, Dhaka stuttered in the beginning as only stalwart Tamim Iqbal was able to score some runs at the top. Tamim, who usually plays the anchor role, scored a team high of a 38-ball 40 while only four other batsmen were able to get to double digits.
Rangpur’s right-arm pacer Taskin, who removed Tamim in the 14th over, shone with the ball, returning figures of three for 32. After struggling for most of the innings, it would not have been possible for Dhaka to post a decent total without an unbeaten 19-ball 31 cameo from Shadab Khan at the death.
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