Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Najibullah Zadran led Chattogram Challengers to a facile seven-wicket victory over Sylhet Strikers in their first game of the Bangladesh Premier League at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Friday.
Zadran blasted an unbeaten 30-ball 61 with three fours and five sixes while Dipu was not out on 57 off 39 with four fours and as many sixes as Chattogram gunned down Sylhet's 177/2 with 180/3 in 18.3 overs.
The match-winning duo added 121 for the unbroken fourth wicket stand.
Sylhet were in the ascendency early in Chattogram’s reply, reducing the port city outfit to 59/3 in the eighth over but the dew had an adverse impact on the bowlers as the innings progressed.
Sri Lankan opener Avishka Fernando gave Chattogram a flying start with a 23-ball 39 before Mashrafe Bin Mortaza led Sylhet scythed down the top-order.
Sylhet's Zimbabwe recruit Richard Ngarava broke through with the wicket of Tanzid Hasan Tamim (two) and then Nazmul Islam cleaned up Fernando before bringing out his signature “Nagin” dance.
Playing his first competitive game after 250 days, Mashrafe got a wicket in his first ball when he removed Imranuzzman for 11.
But that mattered little at the end.
Earlier, asked to bat first, Sylhet rode on Zakir Hasan's undefeated 43-ball 70 after opener Mohammad Mithun gave them a rapid start with 28-ball 40.
Nazmul Hossain Shanto made a 30-ball 36 while Harry Tector was not out on 26.
2ND MATCH
Sylhet Strikers 177/2 (Zakir 70*, Mithun 40) lost to Chattogram Challengers 180/3 in 18.3 overs (Zadran 61*, Dipu 57) by 7 wickets
