Opener Hazratullah Zazai smashed a 47 ball-56 not as Rajshahi Royals produced an upset by recording a comprehensive nine-wicket win over pre-tournament favourite Dhaka Platoon in Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BBPL) at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here on Thursday.
Dhaka, comprised with two A+ category players and several reputed big hitters of the world, was able to put on just 134-9 after being sent to bat first. Rajshahi made it cakewalk by reaching the winning target 136-1 in 18.2 overs overs, with Zazai hitting a powerful cover-drive for a boundary to ensure victory.
Zazai, an Afghanistan batsman hit five fours and three sixes in his knock. His fellow opener Liton Das blasted 39 off 27 with four fours and two sixes and combined for a 62-run in just 8.2 overs with Zazai.
The opening partnership indeed kept Rajshahi in good stead even though Dhaka sensed an opportunity after Mahedi Hasan dismissed Liton.
Any kind of hope of Dhaka, however, was shattered by Shoaib Mailk as the Pakistan recruit further shared a 74-run with Zazai in an undefeated second wicket stand.
Malik scored run-a-ball-36 with three fours and one six.
Returning to competitive cricket since his disappointing World Cup mission, Dhaka captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza ended another bad day in office as he failed to grab any wicket and conceded 18 runs in three overs.
Mashrafe batted well than established batsmen comparatively. His 10 ball-18 runs not out with two sixes indeed took Dhaka Platoon past 120 when it looked they would end up making less runs that they made eventually.
Rajshahi bowlers stifled Dhaka platoon for runs in a slow wicket once they put them in batting. The Dhaka batsman also contributed in digging their own graveyards by batting mindlessly.
Abu Jayed struck first to dismiss Tamim Iqbal for 5 as the opener returned to competitive cricket from a long hiatus. Farhad Reza then took out Lurie Evans for 14 to further jolt Dhaka before Anamul Haque Bijoy and Jaker Ali Anik shared 40-run and gave the side a hope to make a healthy score.
But some electrifying fielding effort saw Anik’s run-out dismissal for 21 and triggered a collapse from which they couldn’t recover. Even the big hitters like Thisara Perera and Shahid Afrid were strangled for runs and ended up scoring just 1 and 0 respectively, much to the disappointment of Dhaka fans.
Anamul’s 38 was the highest score for Dhaka. Abu Jayed Rahi claimed 2-43 for Rajshahi while Farhad Reza, Taijul Islam, Alok Kapali and Ravi Bopara grabbed one wicket apiece.
