Fortune Barishal took them one step away to retain the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title as they clinched the Qualifier-1 game with incredible ease, thrashing Chittagong Kings by nine wickets at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Monday.
While they reached their second straight final, Chittagong Kings will get another shot at eventual destination when they take on Khulna Tigers in Qualifier-2, a virtual semifinal, which will be held on Wednesday.
Towhid Hridoy and Mohammad Ali shined in batting and bowling respectively to make the victory a cake-walk. Hridoy played a scintillating 56 ball-82 not out with nine fours and two sixes before Pakistan recruit Ali claimed his career-best 5-24.
Ali’s effort restricted Chittagong to a moderate 149-9 and the fate was sealed given the dew effect later at night. Hridoy just hastened the victory with typically aggressive fashion, guiding Barishal to 150-1 in 17.2 overs.
Their effort largely overshadowed the lone battle of Shamim Patwari, who contributed 60 percent in team’s total by smacking his career-best 47 ball-79. His knock ensured the bowlers would get at least something to defend. But it turned out to be just one-sided affair as Hridoy sent the Chittagong bowlers in receiving end by taking them in disdain.
The opener who was key in Barishal’s success in last year with avalanche of runs, this year found him in wanting. But he stood tall when it mattered most by hitting his first fifty plus knock in this season and preciously it came in knock out phase.
He and Captain Tamim Iqbal added 55 runs for the opening stand, denying Chittagong any early breakthrough that could have given the opponents any sniff.
Syed Khaled Ahmed broke through with the wicket of Tamim who made 29 but that was the end of the world for Chittagong.
Dawid Malan joined Hridoy and steamrolled the bowlers with array of improvising shots that saw them mustering the remaining 95 runs off just 50 balls to drive the side to the victory. Malan was not out on 34.
Patwari who smashed nine fours and four sixes was the one of the two batters from Chittagong to reach double digits after they were asked to bat first. The other batter was opener Parvez Hossain Emon who made run-a-ball-36.
The duo shared 77-run for the fifth wicket to take the side closer to 150, before Chittagong experienced a collapse in either side of their partnership.
That Chittagong couldn’t put up a good total on the board was due to Pakistan pacer Mohammad Ali, who claimed 5-24, moving the ball admirably in both ways.
He took the prized scalp of Patwari, ending his bold stay in the crease before cleaned up the tail to deny them a good total.
Kyle Mayers who took 2-27, gave the initial blow, getting the better of Khawaja Nafay and Graham Clark for single digit figure after which Rishad Hossain and Ebadot Hossain stepped up to further derail Chittagong, leaving them at precarious 34-4.
Thanks to Patwari and Emon, Chittagong got a glimmer of hope to finish on high, but Rishad broke through with the wicket of Emon.
Mohammad Ali then came up with a fine display of death bowling to deny Chittagong post a challenging total.
