Sports Reporter :
A terrific 92 (not out) by Chris Gayle powered Barisal Bulls to storm into the semifinals of the 3rd Bangladesh Premier League by beating Chittagong Vikings by eight wickets in their Twenty20 cricket match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.
Gayle struck nine sixes and six fours in his 47-ball splendid innings. Gayle was adjudged the Man of the Match for his extra-ordinary batting performance.
Batting first Chittagong Vikings made 135 for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
In reply, Barisal Bulls sailed home scoring 141 for the loss of two wickets remaining 30 balls.
Barisal Bulls gained 12 points from nine matches while Chittagong Vikings remained with four points from 10 matches.
Barisal made a sorrow start as opener Rony Talukdar (1) was run out by TM Dilshan when Barisal’s score just 2.
Then Chris Gayle and Mehedi Maruf contributed 29 runs for the second wicket stand before Mehedi Maruf (18) was bowled out by Taskin Ahmed when Barisal’s score was 31 for the loss of two wickets.
Then Chris Gayle and Mahmudullah Riyad rescued their team contributing together 110 runs for the unbroken third wicket partnership.
Mahmudullah Riyad remained unbeaten with 19.
Taskin Ahmed of Chittagong Vikings got one wicket conceding 23 runs.
Earlier, Chittagong Vikings had a positive start as Anamul Haque and TM Dilshan, the two openers put on together 52 runs in the opening stand before TM Dilshan was caught behind by wicketkeeper Rony Talukdar off Al-Amin Hossain.
TM Dilshan made 28 from 22 balls featuring two sixes and two fours.
Anamul Haque hit 28. He hit two fours and two sixes before he was bowled out by Sohag Gazi when Chittagong’s score was 60 for the loss of two wickets.
Later, the batsmen of Chittagong failed to build any notable partnership.
Second-down Umar Akmal scored 25 off 30 balls before he was caught behind by Rony Talukdar when Chittagong total was 105 for the loss of five wickets.
Earlier, one-down Yasir Ali (11) was caught at the point by Sabbir Rahman off Kevin Cooper when Chittagong’s score was 72 for the loss of three wickets.
Then Jeevan Mendis (3) was trapped leg before wicket by Mahmudullah Riyad when Chittagong’s total was 85 for the loss of four wickets.
Four-down Naeem Islam (4) was caught behind by Rony Talukdar when Chittagong’s score was 112 for the loss of six wickets.
Six-down Asif Ahmed (17) tried to cut the ball but he was caught behind by Rony Talukdar from a delivery of Mohammad Sami and Chittagong’s innings came to an end.
Kevin Cooper and Mohammad Sami begged two wickets each at the cost of 24 and 31 runs respectively.
Besides, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sohag Gazi and Al-Amin Hossain took one wicket apiece.
