Riders, Vikings bid Sylhet a special adieu
A lot of high-scoring games and excitement were expected when the sixth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) moved to Sylhet last week. Although the first few matches of the Sylhet phase had disappointed the crowd in that regard, after three dull matches spectators finally found what they were looking for as the last three matches were all high-scoring thrillers.
However, arguably the most exciting day of this edition's BPL so far came on the last day of the Sylhet leg yesterday. In the day's first game Rangpur chased down a 194 against Sylhet Sixers -- the highest successful chase of the current edition -- to win by four wickets, while in the second game Chittagong Vikings won by 26 runs against Khulna Titans after posting a mammoth 214 for four, the season's first 200-plus total.
The first match contained all the elements of thrilling cricket, from dropped catches and missed chances to some incredible innings from the likes of Sylhet's Sabbir Rahman, his teammate Nicholas Pooran and Rangpur's Rilee Rossouw, who took the match award for his 61 off 35 balls. There was also a treat for the crowd as the peerless AB de Villiers played his first BPL match and contributed to Rangpur's cause with a 21-ball 34.
Sabbir, who opened the innings, authored a boundary-filled knock of 85 off 51 balls -- the highest individual score of the season.
It was, however, a small but very significant cameo of 18 runs off six balls from Rangpur all-rounder Forhad Reza at the death that proved vital in Rangpur's chase.
Missed chances cost Sylhet fearly, especially wicketkeeper Jaker Ali who dropping Roussow on one and 12. Jaker was eventually replaced by Liton Das as keeper.
In the day's second game, being sent into bat, Chittagong Vikings posted the second highest total in BPL history riding on brilliant knocks from skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali and Dasun Shanaka. After losing both openers in the Powerplay, Yasir and captain Mushfiqur struck an 83-run third-wicket partnership before the former was dismissed after scoring 54 off 36 balls. Mushfiqur was the next to fall after having scored a quickfire fifty, but a late cameo of 42 off 17 balls from Shanaka saw Chittagong finish on a high.
In chase of the daunting total, Khulna lost three quick wickets before a 26-ball fifty from skipper Mahmudullah Riyad and David Wiese's 40 took them close to the target, but eventually Khulna fell short as they could only manage 188 for eight, the lowest total of the day.
Comments