A yet another sterling all-round performance of Shakib Al Hasan guided Fortune Barishal to an emphatic 32-run win over Comilla Victorians in the first match of the Sylhet leg of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) today at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
In doing so, Shakib who scored a 37 ball-50 before claiming two wickets for 20 runs, took Barishal to top of BPL point table again with 11 points from eight matches.
Comilla, who earlier were in top position, now moved to second spot. They so far collected nine points from seven matches.
Opener Munim Shahriar struck a blazing 25 ball-45 to complement Shakib’s second consecutive half-century as Barishal posted 155-5 after being sent to bat first. Comilla never threatened to take the game away at any point of the match before finally being restricted to 123-9.
Right from the outset, Munim Shahriar, a promising young guy, took Comilla bowlers in disdain while his fellow opener Chris Gayle, was off color yet again.
Gayle hit two fours for his 10 before being undone by spinner Tanvir Islam. Munim continued his attacking batting but got a soft dismissal off Moeen Ali delivery. Before then he clattered four fours and three sixes.
Shakib thereafter took the onus to carry the side but just after reaching his half-century off 36 balls, he perished to an ordinary delivery of Karim Zanat. Towhid Hridoy was in the crease as a set batter but he couldn’t rotate the scoreboard fluently, meaning Barishal ended with at least 20 runs short.
But that didn’t matter much as Shakib gave Comilla a double blow to put the side in the driving seat. He took the prized scalp of Imrul Kayes and Liton Das in consecutive overs to leave Comilla 23-2.
Dwayne Bravo then dismissed Mahmudul Hasan Joy for 5 and Najmul Hossain Shanto gave Comilla further blow, getting rid of Moeen Ali for 6.
Mominul Haque battled loan for a run-a-ball-30 while the wickets were tumbling at the other hand.
Nayeem Hasan gave the finishing touch, cleaning up the tail as Comilla tasted their only second defeat in the tournament. Nayeem ended up with 3-29 while Bravo and Shakib grabbed two wickets apiece.
