Three Alis run the show as Dhaka pick up second win

Beximco Dhaka's three Alis -- Yasir, Akbar and Muktar -- ran the show today as they helped their side seal a 25-run victory over Minister Group Rajshahi under lights at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. 

After a brilliant batting display from Yasir and Akbar, it was pacer Muktar who shone with the ball to ensure Mushfiqur Rahim's side bundled out Rajshahi for 150 while in chase of a commendable 175 for five. 

Muktar, the right-arm pacer, mixed it up with occasional slower deliveries as he was rewarded with four crucial wickets -- those of Rony Talukdar (40 off 24), Fazle Mahmud (58 off 40), Mahedi Hasan (1 off 4) and Forhad Reza (14 off 4). The right-armer ended with figures of four for 37 in his four overs. 

Dhaka picked up three quick wickets which left Rajshahi reeling at 15 for three at one stage of the game. After that, Rony, Fazle and Forhad tried to stage a comeback but were left undone by Muktar. 

Earlier, Yasir scored a blistering 39-ball 67 and Akbar remained unbeaten for 23-ball 45 to ensure Dhaka piled up a commendable total. The duo also strung together a crucial 100-run fifth-wicket partnership to help Dhaka's cause.

Yasir, Akbar power Dhaka to 175 for five against Rajshahi 

Thanks to a blistering fifty from Yasir Ali and another solid unbeaten knock from young Akbar Ali, Beximco Dhaka posted a commendable 175 for five against Minister Group Rajshahi in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today. 

Yasir was however dropped on 31 by Anisul Islam off a Forhad Reza delivery in the 17th over. The right-hander cashed in on that opportunity as he scored 67 off 39 deliveries, featuring nine fours and a maximum.   

Yasir was well accompanied by young Akbar as the duo strung together a crucial 100-run fifth-wicket stand in just 61 deliveries, compensating for their steady start after being asked to bat. Akbar played an unbeaten 23-ball 45-run knock, laced with three boundaries and two maximums. 

Earlier, Dhaka sent spinner Nayeem Hasan to open the innings with regular opener Naim Sheikh. But that trick did not work as Nayeem, who usually bats down the order, departed in the first over after scoring just one. 

Dhaka skipper Mushfiqur contributed with a 29-ball 37 in middle before the duo of Akbar and Yasir powered their side to a commendable total, scoring a total of 62 runs in the last five overs. 

For Rajshahi, Mahedi Hasan remained the pick of the bowlers. He ended with miserly figures of one for just 23 runs in his four overs. 

Rajshahi elect to bowl against Dhaka

Minister Group Rajshahi won the toss and elected to bowl against Beximco Dhaka in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today. 

Both the sides go unchanged from their previous matches. Dhaka won comfortably by seven wickets against Fortune Barishal in their last game while Rajshahi suffered an agonising one-run defeat against table toppers Gazi Group Chattogram. 

This is a repetition of the opening fixture of the five-team tournament in which Najmul Hossain Shanto's Rajshahi got the better of Mushfiqur Rahim's Dhaka. Courtesy of an all-round performance from Mahedi Hasan -- who hit a fifty and then defended nine runs off the final over -- Rajshahi sealed a two-wicket victory against Dhaka in that game.