Bangabandhu T20 Cup: Mahedi leads Rajshahi in last-ball win over Dhaka
Red-hot Mahedi Hasan of Minister Group Rajshahi stunned Beximco Dhaka with his all-round performance in the opening game of Bangabandhu T20 Cup 2020, handing his team a win by two runs at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite hitting three sixes in the 19th over, Muktar Ali could manage to take six only runs when nine runs was required to win from the last over bowled by Mahedi Hasan. As a result, Mushfiqur Rahim-led Dhaka suffered a two-run defeat in the tournament opener, reports UNB.
Dhaka needed to score 36 runs in the last three overs to reach a target of 170 runs in 20 overs. In the 18th over, bowled by Ebadat Hossain, Dhaka managed only six runs. But they made a good comeback in the 19th over, bowled by Farhad Reza, scoring 21 runs riding on the three sixes by Muktar.
They needed nine runs in the last over. Muktar missed the first three balls bowled cleverly by Mahedi. Muktar hit a four off the fourth ball. The very next delivery was a no-ball. The right-handed Muktar disappointed Dhaka in the fifth ball as he failed to score anything of the free-hit. In the last ball, he managed a mere single.
Eventually, Dhaka ended up on 167 for five and lost the game by two runs.
Replying to Rajshahi’s 169, Dhaka posted 55 runs losing first three wickets -- Tanzid Hasan (18), Yasir Ali (9), Mohammad Naim (26). In the fourth wicket stand, Mushfiqur and Akbar Ali added 71 runs. Akbar fell prey to Farhad Reza for 34 while hitting a boundary, and Mushfiqur added 41 to the board. Mushfiqur was dismissed by Ebadat while playing a scoop.
Sabbir Rahman and Muktar remained unbeaten for five and 27 respectively. For Rajshahi, Mahedi, Ebadat, Farhad and Arafat Sunny bagged one wicket each.
Earlier, Mahedi smashed 50 off 32 balls with three 4s and four 6s to propel his team to 169 for nine in 20 overs.
Mushfiqur, the captain of Dhaka, won the toss and sent Rajshahi to bat first. Najmul Hossain Shanto, captain of Rajshahi and Anisul Islam Emon added 31 runs in 3.5 overs opening the innings.
Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed took the first wicket removing Najmul for 17 off 16 balls with two 6s. While reaching to 65 from 31, Rajshahi lost four more wickets -- Rony Talukder (6), Mohammad Ashraful (5), Emon (35) and Fazle Mahmud (0).
But in the sixth wicket stand, Nurul Hasan and Mahedi added 89 runs. Nurul made 39 off 20 balls with two 4s and three 6s. Mahedi smashed the first fifty of the event in style. Eventually, Rajshahi posted 169 for nine in 20 overs.
For Dhaka, Muktar Ali took three wickets conceding 22 in four overs while Mehedi Hasan Rana, Nasum Ahmed and Nayeem Hasan took one wicket each.
In the second game of the day, Gemcon Khulna will take on Fortune Barishal at the same venue.
The match will be marked as Shakib Al Hasan’s comeback after serving a two-year ban, with one year is suspended, which was imposed on the all-rounder by the ICC due to failing to report corrupt approaches made to him by the bookmakers.