Royals back from dead

A brilliant all-round performance by Elton Chigumbura snatched a four-wicket victory for the Sylhet Royals in a game that had seemed headed towards Duranta Rajshahi for most parts of the match.
Chasing Rajshahi's 147, Sylhet looked dead and buried at 80 for 6 at the end of the 14th over. But inspired batting from Chigumbura and Nazmul Hossain Milon saw them home with five balls to spare.
The duo associated in the fastest fifty partnership of the game and was particularly harsh on Sean Ervine who bowled the decisive 17th over that yielded 18 runs. It changed the complexion of the game and with 27 needed of three overs, even Tamim Iqbal's bowling changes bought no results.
With two needed off the last over, Milon drove the winning runs through mid-wicket to bring home an improbable victory for the Royals.
It had looked different for Duronto Rajshahi whose young spinning quartet had bowled spectacularly, checking both the run rate and taking wickets at regular intervals. Rajshahi's spinners bowled a total of 14 overs and took six wickets but still failed to bring home the victory as Milon and Chigumbura picked their overs well to rack up the score in style.
Earlier, batting first, Rajshahi lost Tamim Iqbal off the first ball of the game as the left-hander scooped a simple return catch to the young Shohag Gazi. Gazi struck again in the third over as he got Muktar Ali caught behind, as Rajshahi crumbled to 9 for 2 in the third over. A third wicket stand between Jahurul Islam and Moeen Ali for the third wicket steadied the innings for Rajshahi as the pair scored 63 runs in 50 balls.
Jahurul was the more elegant of the two as he stroked his way to his first half-century of the tournament.
Jahurul eventually lost his wicket in the 19th over as he was caught off Chigumbura while trying to up the rate. A few late blows from Sean Ervine and Ziaur Rahman took Rajshahi to the modest score of 147 for 8.
SCORES IN BRIEF
DURONTO RAJSHAHI: 147 for 8 in 20 overs ( Jahurul 50, Ali 24; Chigumbura 3-21, Gazi 2-33) v SYLHET ROYALS : 150 for 6 in 19.1 overs ( Chigumbura 43, Milon 33; Naeem jr 2-17, Taijul 2-20). Result: Sylhet won by four wickets.