Sports Reporter :
Fortune Barishal posted a massive eight-wicket win over Minister Group Rajshahi in their match of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup Cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Tuesday.
Chasing Rajshahi’s mammoth total of 220 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs, Barishal reached the winning target making 221 for the loss of two wickets when they had 11 balls to spare.
Fortune Barishal made a happy start as they openers Saif Hassan and Tamim Iqbal put up 44 runs in the opening stand before Saif Hassan was caught by Arafat Sunny off Mohammad Saifuddin.
Then Tamim Iqbal and Parvez Hossain Emon contributed together 117 runs for the second wicket partnership before Tamim Iqbal was run out by a joint-effort of Najmul Hossain Shanto and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan when Barishal’s score was 161 for the loss of two wickets.
Parvez Hossain hammered a terrific 100. He struck seven sixes and nine fours in his 42-ball hurricane innings. It was the second century of this ongoing shorter version cricket competition. Parvez was adjudged the Man of the Match for his outstanding batting performance.
Tamim Iqbal hit a quick-fire 53 from 37 balls with five fours and a sixer.
After Tamim’s dismissal, Parvez Hossain and Afif Hossain guided their team to reach the winning spot adding together 60 runs for the unbroken third wicket partnership.
Afif Hossain remained unbeaten with 26. He hit three fours in his 16-ball innings.
Mohammad Saifuddin got one wicket conceding 40 runs.
Earlier, Minister Group Rajshahi made a solid foundation as openers Najmul Hossain Shanto and Anisul Islam put on together 131 runs in the opening stand before Anisul Islam was caught by Afif Hossain off Sumon Khan.
Najmul Hossain Shanto played a captain’s knock of 109. He hit 11 sixes and four fours in his 55-ball marvelous innings. It was the first century in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup Cricket.
Anisul Islam cracked a superb 69. His 39-ball innings was ornamented with three sixes and seven fours.
After Anisul’s dismissal, Shanto and Rony Talukdar contributed 49 runs for the second wicket partnership before Talukdar (18) was caught & bowled by Sumon Khan when Rajshahi’s total was 180 for the loss of two wickets.
Later, Shanto and Nurul Hasan added 30 runs in the four-wicket stand before Nurul Hasan (12) was caught by Saif Hassan off Kamrul Islam Rabbi when Rajshahi’s score was 210 for the loss of five wickets.
After Nurul Hasan’s departure, Shanto could stay at the crease for a short period as he was caught by Tamim Iqbal off Kamrul Islam Rabbi when Rajshahi’s total was 210 for the loss of five wickets.
Kamrul Islam Rabbi grabbed four wickets at the cost of 49 runs, while Sumon Khan bagged two wickets instead of 43 runs. Rabbi hit a hat-trick.
