Sammy, Sami lead Rajshahi to vital win

An all-round performance gave Rajshahi Kings a vital win against Comilla Victorians in their BPL 2017 match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Cricket Stadium Saturday. Rajshahi, riding on captain Darren Sammy’s brilliant power hitting at the end, posted a challenging total of 185 runs before bundling Comilla out for 155 to clinch their third win of the campaign. Chasing a challenging total, Comilla made a shaky start as they lost the wicket of opener Fakhar Zaman (two) and Imrul Kayes (nought) within two overs. After two overs, the scoreboard read 4/2. But the other opener and captain Tamim Iqbal and Pakistan recruit Shoaib Malik formed a prolific 87-run partnership for the third wicket and brought Comilla back into the game. But Rajshahi medium-pacer Dwayne Smith made the crucial breakthrough, picking up the important wicket of Malik (45 off 26 balls). Tamim then added 34 brisk runs with England’s Jos Buttler for the fourth wicket. But pacer Mohammad Sami bowled a brilliant over in the 15th and took three wickets to halt Comilla’s charge. Sami first bagged the vital wicket of Tamim in the second ball and then got the scalps of the veteran Alok Kapali and youngster Saifuddin in the same over. Tamim struck his maiden half-century of BPL 5, scoring 63 off 45 balls with four fours and three sixes. Eventually Comilla were all out for 155 in 19.1 overs. Sami was the best bowler for Rajshahi, taking four wickets conceding only nine runs in his quota of four overs. Earlier, Sammy opted to bat first. Handy contributions by the top four batsmen guided them past the 150-mark. However, it was Sammy who stole the show at the end as he played an outstanding innings to lift Rajshahi to a challenging total. Rajshahi were batting on 157 for the loss of seven wickets after 19 overs with Sammy and Sami unbeaten on 17 and five respectively. But Saifuddin conceded 32 in the last over as Rajshahi eventually finished on 185. Sammy hit four sixers, a four and a couple in the 20th over, and remained undefeated on 47 off just 14 balls with a boundary and half a dozen sixes. Saifuddin took three wickets for Comilla while seamer Hasan Ali picked up a couple. Sammy was adjudged man of the match for his extraordinary hitting. Despite the loss, that came after five consecutive wins, Comilla remained second in the points table with 10 points.BRIEF SCOREComilla Victorians 155 in 19.1 overs (Tamim 63, Sami 4/9) lost to Rajshahi Kings 185/7 (Sammy 47*, Wright 42) by 30 runs WHAT THEY SAIDLuke Wright, Rajshahi Kings all-rounderDarren Sammy doing that made a huge difference. I think if we just got 150, we would have probably lost. And then Mohammad Sami with the ball was amazing, but I think Sammy put massive pressure on them, which helped take those wickets in the end. The tournament has not gone the way we wanted it so far. We knew coming in here that we have to take it game by game. I think momentum is obviously very big, but to beat Comilla - a very good side - gives us a lot of confidence. We've been a bit unlucky with injuries, which hasn't helped. It was nice with Mustafizur [Rahman] and myself getting to play, hopefully it helped. We take a lot of confidence from [yesterday].Al Amin Hossain, Comilla Victorians pacerI think the Sami over was the difference, we lost three wickets in that over. Otherwise, we were in the match till then. It can happen that in an over, 30-32 runs are taken, it's part of cricket. Each of their bowlers gave away 11 or 12 runs an over, only Sami bowled four overs for nine runs and took four wickets. I think that was the difference. He [Saifuddin] has bowled very well in the last six or so matches in the BPL, giving away five-six runs an over, one match can go the other way. If you get hit for a four or six in the first ball, it is tough to come back. He is bowling well in this tournament, I hope he will make a good comeback in the next match.