Sports Reporter :
Comilla Victorians registered a thrilling four-wicket win over Sylhet Sixers in their first match of the UCB 6th Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Sunday.
Batting first Sylhet Sixers made a fighting total of 127 for the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
In reply, Comilla Victorians reached the winning spot scoring 130 for the loss of six wickets when they had just one ball to spare.
Comilla Victorians had a stiff start as they lost two early wickets for 21 runs.
Then Tamim Iqbal and Steven Smith added together 30 runs for the third wicket stand before Smith (16) was caught behind by wicketkeeper Liton Das off Al-Amin Hossain when Comilla’s total was 51 for the loss of three wickets.
Later, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Saifuddin put on together 37 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket partnership.
Shahid Afridi remained unbeaten with 39. His 25-ball innings was ornamented with five fours and two huge sixes.
Opener Tamim Iqbal hit a marvelous 35. His 34-ball knock saw one four and one six. Tamim was unfortunately run out by a direct throw of Nicholas Pooran when Comilla’s score was 97 for the loss of six wickets.
S Lamichhane and Al-Amin Hossain bagged a pair of wickets each instead of 16 and 27 runs respectively.
Besides, Mohammad Irfan took one wicket for 19 runs.
Earlier, Sylhet Sixers faced disaster as they lost five wickets for 56 runs.
Then Nicholas Pooran and Alok Kapali contributed together 55 runs for the sixth wicket partnership before Pooran was caught at the long-off by Abu Hider off Mihammad Shahid when Sylhet’s score was 111 for the loss of six wickets.
Nicholas hit his team’s highest of 41. His 26-ball knock was studded with five fours and two sixes.
Afif Hossain and Alok Kapali added 21 runs each to the the Sylhet Sixers total.
Mohammad Saifuddin, Mohammad Shahid and Mahedi Hasan of Comilla Victorians bagged a couple of wickets each for 13, 22 and 24 runs respectively.
Besides, Shahid Afridi got one wicket conceding 29 runs.
Shahid Afridi of Comilla Victorians was adjudged the Man of the Match for his match-winning performance.
