Sylhet on a roll

Arguably the first competitive game in the fifth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League took place between Comilla Victorians and Sylhet Sixers yesterday as the home side seal their second win of the tournament by four wickets at the Sylhet International Stadium yesterday. Needing 10 runs in the last over, Sylhet lost the wicket of Shuvagata Hom in the first ball but Nurul Hasan struck a six and a four off Dwayne Bravo to start the celebrations.

Once again, Sylhet openers Andre Fletcher and Upul Tharanga added 73 runs for the first wicket inside nine overs and laid the foundation for the chase of 146.

Both openers utilised the Powerplay to great effect and scored 59 runs, much like the first game when they added 51 runs against Dhaka Dynamites on Saturday. Fletcher was dismissed for 36 off 29 when Rashid Khan took a sharp catch running backwards from cover off the bowling of Bravo.

Sabbir Rahman was trapped leg-before by Comilla skipper Mohammad Nabi for just three, and his departure was followed by a mix-up involving skipper Nasir Hossain which caused Tharanga to be run out for 51 off 40 balls with five fours and two sixes.

Sylhet still looked comfortable, needing another 44 runs from 36 balls with eight wickets in hand, but after Nasir (18) was stumped by leg-spinner Rashid and Ross Whiteley (10) was run out the game went down to the wire before Nurul's hit the Sixers home.

Despite not having big names in the line-up, Nasir's Sylhet displayed a brilliant team effort and executed their game plan pretty well. However, according to Nasir there are no small teams in T20 cricket and the team spirit which helped the side to clinch the victory.

"Obviously it feels good to win two consecutive matches. I think in T20s there are no small or big teams as one or two players can change the course of the game. We may not have big names in the side but those who are playing are performing well for us," Nasir told the media after the victory on Sunday.

Earlier, Comilla definitely missed their icon player Tamim Iqbal, who is recovering from a thigh muscle injury, as West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels scored a team-high of 60 from 47 balls with two fours and three sixes. But none of the other batsmen were able to score significantly. Alok Kapali, who batted ahead of Bravo, which came as a surprise, had the second-highest score with 26.

Nasir once again led from the front with the ball, giving away just 18 from his four overs and taking the wicket of Imrul Kayes. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam -- who was on a hattrick having dismissed Liton Das off the last ball of the sixth and Jos Buttler off the first ball of the eighth -- bowled brilliantly conceding just 22 runs from his four overs. Left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie also picked up two wickets.