Another Superstars heartbreak

Another low-scoring match, another intense finish and yet another teasing defeat for the Sylhet Superstars; the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), so far, hasn't been too kind to Mushfiqur Rahim and co.

After a four-wicket haul from Mohammad Shahid helped them restrict Shakib Al Hasan's Rangpur Riders to just 109, they would have thought that this was the game that would break the jinx for them. However, the Rangpur Riders scrambled to a six-wicket win.

Skipper Shakib led from the front with a three-wicket haul. He got the crucial wickets of Josh Cobb and Dilshan Munaweera within the first four overs and set the tone after the exchange.

Sylhet seemed to be on the verge of a revival when Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim were at the crease. Mominul hit a few beautiful drives off Shakib and looked set. However, he was trapped in front off Thisara Perera in the eighth over. Replays though suggested an inside edge.

From there on, Sylhet lost wickets consistently. While Mushfiqur did hold his side, he could do little as his partners whizzed by one after the other.

By the time the 17th over arrived, Sylhet required 22 runs off 18 balls and were poised at 88 for 7. Nurul Hasan and Mohammad Shahid lost their wickets after hitting a boundary each and that brought number eleven Ajantha Mendis to the crease. With one wicket in hand, Mendis and Mushfiqur needed 10 runs off the last nine balls.

Surprisingly enough Mushfiqur allowed Mendis to take a single off the last ball of the 19th over.

While that meant that Sylhet required seven runs off the last over, it also meant that Mushfiqur wasn't going to be on strike.

The move eventually backfired as Mendis was caught at long-on with the second ball of the last over and the game was over.

"It does not make sense why we took that single, but I guess the two batters out there were guessing every run is crucial," said Sylhet's Ravi Bopara after the match.

"But it's not down to the two last batsmen, your top six needs to score. I thought our batting today was terrible," he added.

Earlier, a resolute 37-ball 33 from Shakib, helped Rangpur cross the 100-run mark. Shakib, who smacked one six and two fours, looked good but -- except for Thisara Perera's 21 -- he barely received any support from the other end.

"I felt good after hitting that six. It didn't even come from the middle of my bat. But yes, the fall of wickets at the other end brought me down. But I think this is an innings that will help me with my recovery because I spent enough time in the middle," said Shakib after the match.