Colin Ingram’s blistering 90-run innings for controversial Sylhet Sunrisers went in vain as the side conceded a 12-run defeat to Fortune Barishal in a high-scoring affair of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 2022 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium Tuesday.
With the win, Shakib al Hasan’s Barishal maintain their lead in the top spot of the table with six victories in nine games and confirmed their top four berth while Sylhet registered their sixth loss in eight matches and are well out of the race of making the second phase of the tournament.
Former South Africa cricketer Ingram got promoted to open in the game in pursuit of 199 and started hitting from the first ball taking on Barishal spin duo Shakib and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
The left-handed batter faced 75 balls and hit 16 boundaries and one over boundary before getting dismissed to part-timer Nazmul Hossain Shanto in the 15th over, caught at long-on.
While Ingram kept one end of the crease busy, Barishal bowlers ensured taking wickets from the other end in regular intervals to cramp the chase.
Mosaddek Hossain’s 21-ball 34 was the second most in the innings while Alauddin Babu remained unbeaten on 22 off 12 balls.
The six Sylhet wickets were taken by Shakib, Dwayne Bravo and Shanto – two to each.
Earlier, Barishal were sent to bat first and despite the toss going against them, the side had half centuries from openers Munim Shahriar and Chris Gayle and cameos in the middle from Shakib and Bravo lifted the side to a big total of 199/4.
The opening stand of Munim and Gayle got 72 runs before the former departed scoring 28-ball 51 with half a dozen fours and three sixes.
Wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan departed soon after scoring just two runs and that brought Shakib into the middle.
The star all-rounder fired from the first ball and before perishing to Alauddin added 38 to the total in 19 balls.
Gayle scored his maiden half century in the BPL this season as he remained in the middle till the end of the innings on 51 off 45 with Bravo on the other end unbeaten on 34 in 13 balls.
Left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam Apu finished with the best figure in Sylhet bowling unit with a wicket conceding 14 runs in two overs.
Shakib finished with yet another Player of the Match award in the ongoing tournament, his fourth in a row.