Zakir’s half-century helps Rajshahi to a win
Zakir Hasan’s fantastic half century helps Rajshahi Kings win against Sylhet Sixers.
Zakir struck an unbeaten 26-ball 51 to propel Rajshahi Kings to their second win in the BPL this season. Rajshahi started their chase of 147 brightly as opener and Rony Talukder took the game to the Sylhet bowlers.
Mominul Haque was in fine touch and he announced his intention early on when he hit Bresnan cleanly over mid-on for four. In the third over he went down the pitch to Nasir Hossain and hit him straight down the ground for six. Rony Talukdar joined in and hit Taijul Islam for a six and a four in the seventh over. Rajshahi lost their first wicket in the ninth over as Rony was stumped off the bowling of Nasir with the Rajshahi score on 65.
Young left arm spinner Nabil Samad then removed Samit Patel in the 10th over as the batsman tried to cut a spinning delivery away from his body.
Zakir Hasan got a bit of luck when he gave an easy catch to mid off a no-ball from Nabil. Zakir proceeded to hit the bowler for two sixes in the same over.
Mominul, who had been batting with authority then fell on the 13th over as he managed to nick a Abul Hasan delivery to the keeper while trying to guide the ball down to the third man. Mominul struck five four and a six in his 36-ball 42.
Mushfiqur Rahim picked up the gaps perfectly while at the other end Zakir kept playing his shots. Zakir’s wayward pull shot off Abul carried to the boundary for a maximum over deep fine leg. Mushfiqur took calculated risks as Sylhet slowly took hold of the chase.
Zakir finished off the chase in style as he hit back to back boundaries off Taijul Islam to bring up his fifty and the winning runs.
Earlier, Sylhet Sixers posted 146 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets against Rajshahi Kings.
Nasir Hossain led Sylhet Sixers got off to a bad start as they lost Andre Fletcher for a duck off the bowling of Mohammed Sami in the very first over. Left-handed batsman Upul Tharanga has been in fine form this season in the BPL but he was bamboozled by a well-flighted delivery from Mehedi Hasan in the fourth over. Tharanga pushed at the delivery which drifted in from wide of the crease and crashed against his stumps.
Danushka Gunathilaka, who came in at one down then tried putting the pressure back on the Rajshahi Kings bowlers when he hit Sami for back to back boundaries in the fifth over. Mehedi Hasan however was brilliant during his spell and only conceded 12 runs in his four overs.
Wicket-keeper Nurul Hasan’s scalp was taken by Kesrick Williams as Sylhet were three down for 42 runs after the ninth over. Both Gunathilaka and Nasir Hossain were dropped by Mominul Haque and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim respectively in the 12th over off the bowling off Farhad Reza. Gunathilaka took advantage and hit Reza for a six on that same over.
Nasir however could not capitalize as he tried to hit Samit Patel across the line but was bowled out for just nine. Gunathilaka fell to James Franklin in the 14th over after his innings of 37-ball 50.
Tim Bresnan and Sabbir Hossain had been biding their time in the crease looking to free their arms. They both went after Farhad Reza in the 18th over as the bowler conceded 24 in one over – Bresnan hitting two sixes before Sabbir hit a six and a four. Sabbir then hit Williams for back to back sixes in the last over before he was caught out at backward square leg. Sabbir hit one four and four sixes in his 26-ball 41. Bresnan remained unbeaten on a 17-ball 29 as Sylhet finished on a high after a slow start. Williams bagged two wickets for Rajshahi but conceeded 32 in his four overs.