Comilla Victorians all-rounder Shahid Afridi secured a winning start for his team by clinching a nervy win against Sylhet Sixers during their Bangladesh Premier League sixth season match in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Sunday.
Chasing 128, Comilla reached their target with just one ball to spare, thanks to a brisk innings by experienced Pakistani Afridi, who was unbeaten on 39 off 25 balls.
Comilla started their chase with Tamim Iqbal and Evin Lewis.
Regular wickets on a relatively slow pitch kept Comilla in check.
Comilla captain Steven Smith managed to score 16 off 17 balls, but his dismissal paved the way for a controversy as he was given caught behind via DRS that did have neither hotspot nor snickometer.
Tamim carried the innings from one end, and got out in the 17th over as Nicholas Pooran’s brilliant direct throw ran him out.
Sylhet created some pressure at that time, but Afridi made sure Comilla would have the last laugh.
Australian batsman and captain of the @SylhetSixers @davidwarner31 expressed some frustration at the third umpires’ decision regarding his run-out, though he said he would have to accept the umpires decision.https://t.co/d1XkVa8lij#CRICKET #BANGLADESH #BANGLADESHCRICKET #WARNER
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) January 6, 2019
The right hander smashed five fours and two sixes in his match-winning innings, and was adjudged man of the match.
Sylhet spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was impressive with the ball as he took two wickets conceding 16 runs.
Earlier, Comilla opted to field and got success in the second over when Sylhet opener Liton Das lost his wicket.
Soon, Sylhet skipper Warner got run out after a mix up with Towhid Ridoy.
TV replays created confusion as to was out as both batsmen were at the same end simultaneously, but eventually Warner (14 off 13 balls) was given out.
Pooran scored some useful runs (41 off 26 balls) in the later stages and it helped Sylhet to 127 for the loss of eight wickets in their 20 overs.
3RD MATCH, CVvSS
SYLHET SIXERS INNINGS R B
Liton c Smith b Mahedi 1 5
Warner run out (Shahid/Imrul/Malik)14 13
Towhid lbw b Afridi 8 24
Afif b Saifuddin 19 16
Sabbir c Anamul b Mahedi 7 5
Pooran c Haider b Shahid 41 26
Kapali c Tamim b Saifuddin 19 20
Taskin b Shahid 4 7
Lamichhane not out 1 2
Al-Amin not out 1 2
Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 3) 12
Total (20 Overs) 127/8
Fall Of Wickets
1-1 (Liton), 2-23 (Warner), 3-46 (Afif), 4-46 (Towhid), 5-56 (Sabbir), 6-111 (Pooran), 7-122 (Kapali), 8-124 (Taskin)
Bowling
Haider 2-0-10-0, Mahedi 4-0-24-2, Malik 4-1-20-0, Shahid 3-0-22-2, Afridi 4-1-29-1, Saifuddin 3-0-13-2
COMILLA VICTORIANS INNINGS R B
Tamim run out (Pooran) 35 34
Lewis c Afif b Al-Amin 5 9
Imrul b Irfan 0 4
Smith c Liton b Al-Amin 16 17
Malik c Sabbir b Lamichhane 13 20
Anamul b Lamichhane 5 5
Afridi not out 39 25
Saifuddin not out 5 6
Extras (b 1, lb 5, nb 1, w 5) 12
Total (19.5 Overs) 130/6
Fall Of Wickets
1-16 (Lewis), 2-21 (Imrul), 3-51 (Smith), 4-75 (Malik), 5-83 (Anamul), 6-97 (Tamim)
Bowling
Taskin 4-0-31-0, Irfan 4-0-19-1, Al-Amin 4-0-27-2, Afif 1-0-7-0, Kapali 2.5-0-24-0, Lamichhane 4-0-16-2
Comilla Victorians won by four wickets
MoM: Shahid Afridi (CV)
