Sylhet flay Chattogram to hit back to winning way in BPL

Sylhet Strikers hit back to winning way and went atop of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) points table once again with an emphatic seven-wicket win over Chattogram Challengers at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium here today, reports BSS.

Opener Najmul Hossain Shanto continued his rich vein of form, smashing a 44 ball-60, which was complemented by two fluent knocks of Mushfiqur Rahim and Zimbabwe recruit Ryan Burl as Sylhet gunned down Chattogram’s respectable 174-6, with 177-3 in just 18 overs.

Both Burl and Mushfiqur made identical 41 with the latter remained not out.

Sylhet lost the first game at their home ground yesterday by six wickets to Rangpur Riders and conceded their top spot to Fortune Barishal.

Shanto took the Chattogram bowlers in disdain in the chase of a big target to give the side a fast start, which was instrumental in hunting down the target with ease.

He and Towhid Hridoy who was promoted to open the innings, combined for 63 runs in just 8.1 overs but Hridoy remained off colour since his return to the team following the finger injury. He contributed 15 in the partnership before giving Sri Lankan leg-spinner Vijaykanth Viyaskanth a return catch.

Left-arm spinner Nihaduzzman got rid of Shanto after he smote six fours and two sixes for his match defining knock.

Shanto’s dismissal brought Burl in the crease and he went after the bowlers right from the word go. Burl and Mushfiqur literally threw Chattogram out of the match, taking 29 runs from an over Nihaduzzman with Burl alone hitting 26 runs.

Viyaskanth who finished with 2-27 removed Burl after he hammered 16 ball-41 with four fours and three sixes but Sylhet by then needed just 17 runs to win the game.

Mushfiqur and Zakir Hasan completed the inevitable without any fuss.

After opting to bat first, Chattogram rode on the half-century of opener Mehedi Maruf and captain Shuvagata Hom to post a challenging total but that was not enough to save them from their seventh defeat in ninth game.

Maruf made 52 off 40, hitting seven fours and two sixes while Hom gave the finishing touch astutely with 29 ball-54 not out, studded with three fours and three sixes.

Afif Hossain who accompanied Maruf in 88-run partnership for the second wicket after the first-ball-duck of Usman Khan, made 34. Mrittunjoy Chowdhury was the other batter to reach double digit figure with 15 not out.

Imad Wasim snared 2-23 for Sylhet to be the most successful bowler.