Hosts Sylhet Strikers once again rose to the top of the Bangladesh Premier League points table after outclassing Chattogram Challengers by seven wickets Saturday to take a step closer to sealing a playoff berth.
Chasing Chattogram's 174/6, Sylhet reached their destination with two overs to spare, riding on a 44-ball 60 from opener Nazmul Hossain Shanto and quickfire 41s from unbeaten batter Mushfiqur Rahim and Zimbabwean Ryan Burl.
The Strikers now lead the standings with 14 points from nine games, while the Challengers are second from bottom with four points from nine matches.
Shanto, the tournament's top scorer with 350 runs from nine innings at an average of 50, gave the home side the perfect start to the chase, smashing half a dozen fours and a couple of sixes.
Mushfiq, whose 26-ball 41 was his highest BPL score this season, and Burl, who only faced 16 balls in his whirlwind innings, then took their side home comfortably.
Batting first, Chattogram earlier posted 174/6 after fifties from captain Shuvagata Hom (54 off 29) and opening batter Mehedi Maruf (52 off 40).
Comilla Victorians' Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot against Khulna Tigers Liton, Rizwan inspire Comilla victory
Openers Liton Das and Mohammad Rizwan struck half-centuries as Comilla Victorians recorded their fifth straight victory with a slender four-run success over Khulna Tigers at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Rizwan top-scored with 54 while Liton made 50, steering Comilla to a challenging 165/2 before their bowlers bowled with discipline to restrict Khulna to 161/6, reports BSS.
Liton, who was key in rejuvenating the side after three defeats in a row in the beginning of the tournament, once again gave the Victorians a fluent start after being asked to bat first.
His fifty came off 41 balls with the help of nine boundaries but he fell to Nahidul Islam's spin immediately after completing the feat.
Liton's dismissal broke the 65-run opening partnership between him and Rizwan who was more inclined to keep his wicket intact, instead of charging the bowlers.
Johnson Charles took charge and hit five sixes for his 22-ball 39 and combined for a 60-run stand for the second wicket with Rizwan.
Left-arm pacer Wahaz Riaz got the better of Charles as the Caribbean looked set for more carnage in the last powerplay.
Rizwan then came out of his shell but still failed to rotate the scoreboard as expected.
However, he remained not out on 54 after striking four fours and one six.
Naseem Shah was the go to bowler of holders Comilla with two for 29 runs.
The right-arm Pakistan speedster trapped Tamim Iqbal in front for 11 to give the side a good start and then in the penultimate over, took the key wicket of Shai Hope.
The Hope wicket was particularly vital at that moment as Khulna needed 25 runs in the last two overs with the West Indian connecting the ball better than any other batters.
Before his timber was rattled by Naseem, Hope made 33 off 32 with three fours and one six.
Khulna thereafter were unable to go for big shots despite the presence of skipper Yasir Ali, who was eventually not out on 30 off 19 with three fours and one six.
Yasir got the chance to play the captain's knock as Khulna needed 17 runs off the last over.
He could hit two boundaries in that over bowled by off-spinner Mosaddek Hossain, managing 12 runs.
Pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who returned to the team, and spinner Tanvir Islam, played their part well by bowling four tight overs each.
Both of them picked up one wicket with Mustafizur conceding just 15 and Tanvir giving away 19.
Opener Andy Balbirnie scored team-high 38 for Khulna, who tasted their fifth defeat in eight matches and are now placed in fifth position.
Comilla retained third spot with 10 points from eight games.
