Sublime Shakib destroys Sylhet Sixers
Photo - BCB
|| CF Correspondent ||
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan smashed a sublime 41 ball-61 not out before snaring two for 34 as Dhaka Dynamites got back in winning-track with a bang whacking hosts Sylhet Sixers past by six-wicket on Friday at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
The captain’s imperious all-round performance was key in the side’s fifth win in sixth matches that widened their lead on point table.
Andre Russell played a perfect foil to him, shellacking 40 off 21 with two fours and four sixes, two of which landed at the third tier of the stadium, forcing to new ball come in the match. However his last six with a pull over deep midwicket sealed the deal with Dhaka posting 163 for six in 17 overs after Sylhet piled up 159 for eight, thanks to skipper David Warner’s 43 ball-63.
The target was slightly tricky but such was Dhaka’s firepower that they made a mockery with it, giving an indication that the 20-run loss in a low-scoring affair against Rajshahi Kings in the last match was a one-off incident just.
Sunil Narine got off the chase with a flier, playing a 10 ball-20 cameo even though Dhaka lost Mizanur Rahman who replaced Hazratullah Zazai in opening position, cheaply.
Pace bowler Taskin Ahmed and Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichane pegged back Dhaka’s innings, claiming the wicket of Narine and Rony Talukdar (13), what left them in a precarious 37 for three.
As Sylhet sensed a victory in front of a cheering crowd, Shakib gave a statement ‘write off Dhaka at your own peril’—batting with a sheer aggression for the first time in the tournament.
His timing was spot on. He even dispatched good deliveries with utter disdain to keep runs flowing. With Afghanistan recruit Darwish Rasooli, he added 75 off 48 to help Dhaka claw back into the match and later his 27 ball-51 runs partnership in an unbroken fifth wicket stand with Russell brought up the victory with incredibly ease.
Russell dominated in the partnership with marauding batting but Shakib was a full package—playing with holder and aggressor at the same time to ensure Dhaka would face no hiccup in any point of the game. Shakib struck eight fours and two sixes in his first half-century of the tournament.
David Warner seemed to leave a rich legacy before his departure from the BPL. For the second consecutive time he brought up half-century in the Sylhet phase of the tournament to give the side an impetus.
More than his batting his passion for victory and Sylhet was a sight to behold. Even with that elbow problem, he never hesitated to dive at full length when it was a matter to save just single or four. His energetic fielding saved some runs but Dhaka’s batting firepower was too much to handle.
However with same passion and panache he ran between the wicket and eventually hit eight fours and one six in his 63 off 43, his second straight and third half-century in the tournament in six matches.
Liton Das gave the side a flying start with 27 off 14, smashing four fours and one six but SIxers’ middle order couldn’t capitalize on it, leaving the onus on Warner.
Zaker Ali came up with support for the captain and the duo shared 62 runs to pave a platform of propelling the side past 150. Zaker Ali made 25 off 18.
Dhaka’s South African pacer Andrew Birch, playing his first match, scalped three for 42.
