Rajshahi Kings edged Dhaka Dynamites by three runs in a tense last-over finish to secure their second win in this season’s BPL. Opener Mominul Haque and England allrounder Samit Patelshaped the 183 chase with rapid half-centuries, before the cool heads of Mehedi Hasan and Farhad Reza sealed the deal with one ball to spare in Chittagong.
After Patel brought Rajshahi within 29 runs of victory, Dhaka hit back with Dwayne Bravo’s double-strike. Bravo first had Umar Akmal caught and bowled before bowling Darren Sammy in his next over, the penultimate over of the match, which went only for three runs.
This left Kent seamer Matt Coles, who had conceded 25 runs in his first two overs, with eight to defend off the last over. He began strongly by having Abul Hasan holing out to long-on, and following it with a low full-toss, which went only for a single. Farhad Reza, though, hoicked a four off the third ball to narrow the equation to four off three balls. The next ball - also a full-toss - was hit to long-off for a single, and Mehedi then finished it off with a four over backward point.
It was Patel who had set it up for Rajshahi. He added 100 runs for the third wicket with Mominul after Rajshahi had lost their first two wickets in four overs. Mominul, who was earlier branded as Test specialist, showed that he has made changes to his approach. He went onto bring up his second successive half-century off 38 balls.
But it was Patel who forced the pace in the 12th over. He hammered Coles for three fours and a six, and raised his fifty off 26 balls. The stand ended in the 15th over when Mominul was bowled by Mohammad Shahid.
Patel, though, did not slow down. He lifted Shakib for a brace of straight sixes, before getting bowled while attempting a third six.
Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara led the way for Dhaka, after they opted to bat. He added 71 runs for the first wicket with Mehedi Maruf, before the latter fell to a fine catch Sabbir Rahman at long-off.
Sangakkara, though, went on to bring up his first fifty of the tournament. He relied on fast hands to hit sixes over wide long-on and deep midwicket during his 46-ball 66. Sangakkara also benefitted from two reprieves: Patel dropped him on 31 and then Mominul dropped him on 43.
Seekkuge Prasanna, promoted to No. 4, after bashing a 22-ball 53 at No. 9 on Saturday, enhanced his ball-striking reputation with 34 not out off 16 balls. He helped add 60 runs, including 22 off the last over from Abul Hasan, in the last five overs. Rajshahi, however, completed the highest successful chase in this season’s BPL.
Source: espncricinfo