Sports Reporter :
Fortune Barishal reached the final of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Cricket defeating Comilla Warriors by 10 runs in the first qualifier at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Monday.
Put into bat first, Barishal made a fighting total of 143 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the stipulated 20 overs and then restricted Comilla to 133 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Barishal made an auspicious start as the openers Munim Shahriar and Chris Gayle put on together 58 runs in the opening stand before Gayle was caught at the mid-off by Imrul Kayes off Shohidul Islam.
Then, Barishal baters failed to build any notable partnership.
Munim Shahriar hit a superb 44. He hit four sixes and two fours in his 30-ball innings before he was trapped leg before wicket by Tanvir Islam when Barishal’s score was 84 for the loss of two wickets.
Gayle, Ziaur Rahman and Dwayne Bravo added 22,17 and 17 runs respectively to the Barishal total
Shohidul Islam grabbed three wickets in the space of 25 runs, while Moeen Ali bagged two wickets at the cost of 23 runs.
Sunil Narine and Tanvir Islam took one wicket each for 16 and 33 runs respectively.
Comilla had a good start as Liton Das and Mahmudul Hasan Joy put on together 62 runs for the opening partnership before Joy was bowled out by Mahedi Hasan.
Later, Moeen Ali and Faf du Plessis built another notable partnership scoring together 36 runs in the four-wicket stand before Moeen Ali was bowled out by Bravo when Comilla’s total was 104 for the loss of four wickets.
Liton Das top-scored with 38 runs. He hit four fours in his 35-ball knock.
After Moeen Ali’s departure, batters of Comilla could not make any notable partnership.
Moeen Ali, Faf du Plessis and Mahmudul Hasan Joy contributed 22, 21 and 20 runs respectively to the Comilla total.
Mahedi Hasan, Shafiqul Islam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman bagged two wickets each for 15, 16 and 33 runs respectively. Mahedi Hasan was adjudged the Man of the Match.