Barishal hold nerve to seal playoffs, Rajshahi bow out

Fortune Barishal held their nerve to clinch a two-run win over Beximco Dhaka, and subsequently, the fourth and final playoff berth in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Saturday. 

The two sides will now square off in the Eliminator at the same venue Monday.

A loss meant Dhaka finished in third place, behind second placed Gemcon Khulna, who will now take on table-topper Gazi Group Chattogram in Qualifier 1 Monday.

Bottom side Minister Group Rajshahi and Barishal both needed to win their respective last group stage match to stand a chance for the playoffs, but the former started the day with a 36-run loss against high-flying Chattogram.

As a result, Rajshahi finished with four points from eight games, leaving Barishal with the chance to seal a place in the top four, and Tamim Iqbal and Co obliged, managing a two-run win.

Chasing 194 for victory and a place in the top two, Dhaka just fell short, managing 191 for the loss of six wickets in their stipulated 20 overs.

Dhaka opener Mohammad Naim played a sublime innings of 105 off only 64 balls with eight fours and seven sixes.

Player of the match Naim and the in-form Yasir Ali formed a brilliant 110-run stand for the fourth wicket to turn the tide in Dhaka’s favour after the loss of early wickets, but when the former was out in the 19th and penultimate over, Barishal bowlers came back and scripted a narrow win.

Left-arm spinner Sohrawardi Shuvo was the star performer with the ball for Barishal as he picked up three wickets conceding just 13 runs.

Barishal opening batsmen earlier made a decent start as they put on 59 in seven overs before captain Tamim was dismissed in the eight over.

The other opener Saif Hasan played a crucial 50-run innings at the top, while youngsters Afif Hossain and Towhid Hridoy later put the finishing touch as Barishal posted a challenging 193 on the board losing three wickets in their allotted 20 overs. 

Both Afif and Hridoy struck half-centuries and added 91 off just 38 deliveries.

The left-handed Afif was unbeaten on a 25-ball 50 with one four and five sixes while the right-handed Hridoy was undefeated on 51 off just 22 balls with a couple of fours and four maximums.

In the first game of the day, Rajshahi disappointed as they failed in their pursuit of 176 against Chattogram.

Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s Rajshahi lost regular wickets in their chase and were eventually restricted to 139 for eight in their 20 overs.

Rajshahi got off to the worst possible start as skipper Shanto and opener Aminul Islam Emon departed for 11 and four respectively.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan (28) and all-rounder Mahedi Hasan (26) hammered some lusty blows but it was too little, too late as Rajshahi registered 139/8 in 20 overs.

Chattogram were indebted to their prolific openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar as the port city outfit posted 175.

Both these batsmen scored brisk fifties to lay the platform for Chattogram.

Liton made 55 off 43 balls with five fours and a six while Soumya scored 63 off 48 deliveries with three fours and four sixes.

Right-hander Shamsur Rahman chipped in with a 18-ball 30 in the late stage of the innings.

19TH MATCH, GGCvMGR

GAZI GROUP CHATTOGRAM INNINGS    R    B

Liton b Rejaur                 55    43

Soumya c Nurul b Anisul Emon        63    48

Mithun c Shanto b Anisul         2    3

Shamsur not out            30    18

Mosaddek c & b Saifuddin        3    4

Ziaur not out                10    7

Extras (lb 3, nb 3, w 6)            12

Total (20 Ov, RR: 8.75)            175/4

Fall Of Wickets

1-122 (Soumya), 2-126 (Liton), 3-126 (Mithun), 4-132 (Mosaddek)

Bowling

Saifuddin 4-0-32-1, Mahedi 3-0-27-0, Arafat 1-0-13-0, Rejaur 3.3-0-38-1, Sanjamul 2-0-17-0, Mukidul 3-0-24-0, Anisul 3.3-0-21-2

MINISTER GROUP RAJSHAHI INNINGS    R    B

Shanto c Mosaddek b Nahidul         11    10

Anisul st Liton b Nahidul         4    3

Rony c Ziaur b Nahidul             16    14

Fazle lbw b Rakibul             19    20

Nurul c Ziaur b Mustafizur         28    28

Mahedi c Nahidul b Shariful         26    17

Saifuddin c Liton b Ziaur         9    4

Sanjamul c sub (Sanjit) b Ziaur         12    7

Arafat not out                7    7

Rejaur not out                3    10

Extras (lb 2, w 2)            4

Total (20 Ov, RR: 6.95)            139/8

Fall Of Wickets

1-10 (Anisul), 2-23 (Shanto), 3-33 (Rony), 4-69 (Fazle), 5-103 (Mahedi), 6-115 (Saifuddin), 7-119 (Nurul), 8-133 (Sanjamul)

Bowling

Shariful 4-0-28-1, Nahidul 4-0-19-3, Rakibul 4-0-31-1, Mustafizur 4-0-23-1, Mosaddek 2-0-19-0, Ziaur 2-0-17-2

Gazi Group Chattogram won by 36 runs

MoM: Nahidul Islam (GGC)

20TH MATCH, BDvFB

FORTUNE BARISHAL INNINGS    R    B

Saif c Mushfiq b Rubel         50    43

Tamim c Sabbir b Al-Amin    19    17

Emon c Naim b Muktar         13    13

Afif not out            50    25

Hridoy not out            51    22

Extras (b 5, lb 2, w 3)        10

Total (20 Ov, RR: 9.65)        193/3 

Fall Of Wickets

1-59 (Tamim), 2-82 (Emon), 3-102 (Saif)

Bowling

Rubel 4-0-28-1, Robiul 4-0-40-0, Nasum 3-0-14-0, Shafiqul 4-0-51-0, Al-Amin 1-0-5-1, Muktar 4-0-48-1

BEXIMCO DHAKA INNINGS    R    B

Naim c sub (Tanvir) b Sumon     105    64

Sabbir c Sumon b Shuvo        19    11

Mushfiq lbw b Shuvo        5    7

Al-Amin c Ankon b Shuvo    0    2

Yasir run out (Ankon/Kamrul)    41    28

Akbar not out            9    6

Muktar c Hridoy b Kamrul     6    2

Robiul not out            0    0

Extras (w 6)            6

Total (20 Ov, RR: 9.55)        191/6

Fall Of Wickets

1-52 (Sabbir), 2-62 (Mushfiq), 3-62 (Al-Amin), 4-172 (Naim), 5-178 (Yasir), 6-185 (Muktar)

Bowling

Taskin 4-0-48-0, Miraz 4-1-33-0, Sumon 4-0-44-1, Shuvo 3-0-13-3, Afif 2-0-12-0, Kamrul 3-0-41-1

Fortune Barishal won by two runs

MoM: Mohammad Naim (BD)