Sports Reporter :
Reigning champions Fortune Barishal made a superb start in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Cricket defeating Durbar Rajshahi by four wickets in the inaugural match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the capital’s Mirpur on Monday.
Chasing Durabar Rajshahi’s mammoth total of 197 for the loss of three wickets in 20 overs, Fortune Barishal sailed home making 200 for the loss of six wickets when they had 11 balls to spare.
Barishal faced a calamity as they lost their five wickets for 61 runs.
Fourth-down Mahmudullah Riyad and fifth-down Shaheen Shah Afridi mended the innings contributing together 51 runs in the sixth wicket stand before Shaheen Shah Afridi was dismissed by right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed when Barishal’s score was 112 for the loss of six wickets.
Riyad remained unbeaten with 56. His 26-ball innings was ornamented with four sixes and five fours. Mahmudullah was adjudged the Man of the Match for his outstanding innings.
Shaheen Shah Afridi made 27 from 17 deliveries featuring three sixes and a fours.
Earlier, one-down Towhid Hridoy hit a remarkable 32. His 23-ball innings was belted with five fours.
After dismissal of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Riyad and Faheem Ashraf powered their team to anchor the winning spot scoring together 88 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket partnership.
Faheem Ashraf remained unbeaten with 54. He hit seven sixes and a four in his 21-ball knock.
Taskin Ahmed grabbed three wickets in the space of 31 runs, while Hasan Murad got two wickets conceding 42 runs and Jishan Alam took one wicket for six runs.
Earlier, Durbar Rajshahi had a poor start as they lost their early two wickets for 25 runs.
Opener Jishan Alam (0) was bowled out by Kyle Mayers and Mohammad Haris (13) the other opener was caught & bowled by Mayers.
One-down Anamul Haque and second-down Yasir Ali repaired the damage adding together 140 runs for the third wicket partnership before Anamul Haque was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off Faheem Ashraf when Rajshahi’s score was 165 for the loss of three wickets.
Yasir Ali remained unbeaten with 94. He struck eight sixes and seven fours in his 47-ball windy innings.
Anamul Haque notched up a polished 65. His 51-ball innings was decorated with five sixes and four fours.
After Anamul’s departure, Yasir Ali and Ryan Burl added 32 runs for the unbroken four-wicket stand.
Kyle Mayers bagged two wickets at the cost of 13 runs, while Faheem Ashraf took one wicket for 42 runs.
