Rafique conquers Sultans

Even at the wrong side of 40, Mohammad Rafique is turning in one good performance after another in the local scene. His latest exploit took out the Sultans of Sylhet yesterday in the Destiny Group National Cricket League T20s. Rafique claimed four important wickets to drive the Dhaka Dynamites to a 40-run victory at the BKSP in Savar.
The Dynamites notched up their second win in the competition as they rolled over the Sylhet side for just 93 runs in 17.3 overs after they themselves made 133-6 from their 20 overs, thanks to a 76-run sixth wicket stand between Mehrab Hossain and Jeewan Mendis.
Rafique opened the Dynamites' bowling and with his second delivery, removed the Sultans' opener Nazmus Sadat for a duck. In his next over, Rafique clean bowled Forhad Reza (7) and Dhaka were right on top after making a modest score.
Rafique's twin strikes helped ease the pressure on the other bowlers and Shahadat Hossain obliged, taking out Sultans' Pakistani recruit Faisal Iqbal (3).
Sylhet's Icon player Alok Kapali steadied the ship and kept the chase going with a calm 33. The right-hander added 42 for the fourth wicket with big-hitter Nazmul Hossain Milon, who made 21 with a four and a six, but as soon as the pair fell, Sylhet slipped badly.
Mohammad Ashraful, who had earlier suffered a first-ball duck, took three wickets while Shahadat ended up with two scalps. Taposh Baisya picked up one wicket.
Man-of-the-match Rafique came back to wrap up the Sultans with his third and fourth wickets as Sylhet suffered their first defeat in the tournament after they defeated the Cyclones of Chittagong on Monday.
The Dhaka bowlers actually made the win look a lot easier for Dhaka when it wasn't so.
Mashrafe and Nazmul Hossain began brilliantly for Sylhet, taking out the top and middle order in no time. The Narail Express zoomed back into rhythm with three wickets while Nazmul removed Ashraful. When Forhad caught Imran Nazir off Mashrafe for 16, Dhaka had slipped to 43 for five.
But the left-handed pair of Mehrab and Mendis repaired the damage. Mehrab remained unbeaten on 58 from 44 balls with five fours and two sixes while Mendis struck a 39-ball 40 with just three boundaries.
Apart from Mashrafe's triple strike, Nazmul and Rashed Hanif took one wicket each.
SCORES IN BRIEF
DHAKA DYNAMITES: 133-6 in 20 overs (Mehrab 58*, Mendis 40, Nazir 16; Mashrafe 3-24, Nazmul 1-19).
SULTANS OF SYLHET: 93 all out in 17.3 overs (Kapali 33, Milon 21; Rafique 4-7, Ashraful 3-13, Shahadat 2-10).
Result: Dhaka Dynamites won by 40 runs.
Man-of-the-match: Mohammad Rafique.