Mahedi stars with bat and ball

Despite a flying start courtesy of Mahedi Hasan’s all-round effort, Dhaka Platoon turned a rather easy chase into a difficult one before registering a five-wicket win over Cumilla Warriors and returning to winning ways in the day’s first game of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BBPL) at the Zahur Ahmed Chwodhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday.

Chasing a 161-run target, Dhaka were at one stage were cruising on 84 for one inside nine overs after Mahedi’s blistering fifty, but things went pear-shaped for Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s side with the loss of a few quick wickets.

But Mominul Haque and Shahid Afridi settled things down and remained unbeaten on twenties to reach the target with a ball in hand, registering their third win in five games and handing Cumilla their third defeat in five games.

Dhaka lost opener Anamul Haque for a duck in the first over but the situation was more than stabilised as Mahedi stepped on the gas with opener Tamim Iqbal making a return to the team after recovering from high fever.

It was Mahedi who took on the Cumilla bowlers and registered his maiden T20 fifty off 22 deliveries while the experienced Tamim played the supporting role at the other end.

The right-handed Mahedi, who survived a difficult return catch in the first ball of the fifth over from Robiul Islam, went on to smash one four and four consecutive sixes to take 28 runs off the over.

After Mahedi was dismissed for 59 off just 29 balls, which included seven sixes and two fours, bringing an end to an 84-run second-wicket stand with Tamim, Dhaka needed just 77 off 67 balls with eight wickets in hand.

Tamim played cautiously till the 16th over of the innings, but was unable to live up to his reputation and was dismissed for 34 off 40 balls.

The chase became harder when Cumilla’s Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed both Jaker Ali and Asif Ali for ducks.

But Mominul and Afridi added an unbeaten 39-run sixth wicket stand to reach the target in the fifth ball of the 20th over.

Earlier, it was Mahedi who picked up two wickets for just nine runs from four overs to help Dhaka restrict Cumilla to 160 for three in 20 overs.

Cumilla’s innings was boosted by an unbeaten 65-ball 96 from opener Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who was initially given out off a no-ball from Wahab Riaz when he was on 20, but was later called back after television replays revealed the error.

The right-hander then utilised the opportunity to guide Cumilla to a fighting total.

SCORES IN BRIEF

Cumilla Warriors: 160-3 in 20 overs (Rajapaksa 96 not out, Yasir 30 not out; Mahedi 2-9)

Dhaka Platoon: 161-5 in 19.5 overs (Tamim 34, Mahedi 59, Mominul 28 not out, Afridi 26 not out; Mujeeb 2-22)

Result: Dhaka Platoon won by five wickets.

Player-of-the-match: Mahedi Hasan.