Comilla Victorians clinched the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), thanks to Sunil Narine who put up a stellar allround performance to help the side win the nerve-wrecking final by one run against Fortune Barishal at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Narine firstly blasted a 23 ball-57 before claiming two wickets for 15 runs from four overs but most importantly he conceded only two runs in the 18th over that titled the game towards Comilla.
It was Comilla’s third trophy, and they are the only team that won the BPL trophy thrice under same franchise. Dhaka also had three trophies but that came under two franchisees. It was Imrul Kayes’s second trophy as captain that made him only second captain after Mashrafe Bin Mortaza to win more than one BPL trophy.
Fortune Barishal needed 16 runs in the last two overs, which was at their reach but a compact bowling from Mustafizur Rahman who bowled the penultimate over and Shohidul Islam denied Shakib Al Hasan-led side the title.
Mustafizur conceded six runs in his over, giving Shohidul 10 runs to defend in the last over but the pair of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Towhid Hridoy could score just 8 runs.
Barishal eventually were restricted to 150-8, in reply of Comilla’s 151-9.
Fresh from his marauding 16 ball-57 which included 13 ball-fifty, Sunil Narine yet again came up with whirlwind batting and made another 57 runs but this time played 23 balls and hammered five fours and as many sixes.
His epic show started right from the start as he blasted Mujeeb Ur Rahman for 18 runs in the first over and continued in same vain like the last match. Dwayne Bravo only could check his natural flamboyance, resisting him from making another record.
Shakib Al Hasan gave the side first breakthrough, rattling the stump of Liton Das for 4 with an arm ball but Narine’s relentless assault meant the scoreboard was rotated rapidly.
Narine finally got to his fifty off 21 balls and then struck another six, indicating that he is perfectly placed for a quick century. However, in the next delivery he mistimed a slower of Mehedi Hasan Rana to give a catch at long-off where Shanto held it with perfect judgment and celebrated with wild dance.
Narine’s onslaught gave Comilla 72 runs in the first six overs but Barishal then took the control of the match gradually.
Mujeeb came back to his second spell to take the wicket of Faf du Plessis for 4 and in doing so gave Comilla a massive setback as they looked destined for a big total.
Dwayne Bravo got rid of Comilla captain Imrul Kayes for 12 and Mujeeb again struck to dismiss Ariful Haque for duck to cause further damage, leaving Comilla six down for 95 runs in the 11th over. After losing Narine’s wicket in the sixth over, Comilla could score only 26 runs for four wickets in the next five overs.
Moeen Ali and Abu Haider Rony then resisted and put on 54-run for the seventh wicket to propel the side past 150. Moeen hit two fours and one six for his 32 ball-38 before being run out in the last over while Rony made 19.
Comilla might have scored some more runs but they lost three wickets in the last over, bowled by Shafiqul Islam to be contended with 151.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Shafiqul Islam took two wickets apiece while Bravo, Shakib and Rana claimed one wicket each.
Fortune Barishal though lost Munim Shahriar for six ball-duck in the second over, they dominated the game, through Shykat Ali, who replaced Ziaur Rahman in the side.
Shykat kept Chris Gayle just a mere spectator to launch a spectacular attack on Comilla bowlers to give Barishal a hope to clinch the title for the first time.
Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam dismissed Shykat after he hammered 58 off 34 with 11 fours and one six. Gayle who was on 8 off 13 by the time when Shykat was dismissed, came out from shell and struck two sixes and one four in quick succession to bring up the Gayle of his old.
Then Sunil Narine stepped up and got the big scalp of Gayle who made 33off 31 with one four and two sixes. But Tanvir brought Comilla back in contention, with the wicket of Shakib Al Hasan, who made just 7 runs. Still Barishal were in dominating position.
After Shakib’s dismissal, Comilla bowler struck regularly to tilt the game towards them while Barishal batters looked to have a lack of self-confidence who brought up their ultimate demise.
Apart from Narine’s two wicket-haul, Tanvir also got two while Mustafizur and Shohidul picked up one wicket apiece.
