Khushdil powers Comilla to third straight win in BPL

Pakistan recruit Khushdil Shah hammered a brutal 24 ball-64 as defending champions Comilla Victorians recorded a hat-trick of victory with a 33-run win over Dhaka Dominators at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Thursday.

Thanks to Khushdil's powerful knock which included seven fours and five sixes, Comilla posted a massive 184-5, a score that their bowlers defended comfortably by restricting Dhaka to 151-4.

Comilla's another Pakistan recruit Mohammad Rizwan contributed 55 not out which came off 47 balls and with a meager strike rate of 117. That could have made a bad impact but Khushdil who was dismissed at the penultimate over, made up his celebrated compatriot's slow knock with aggressive innings.

It was Comilla's third straight victory after a hat-trick of defeat in the first three matches. The reigning champions indeed won all of their three matches in Chattogram and it put them in to the third spot in the point table.

Opener Liton Das who played two match-winning knocks in the last two matches was dismissed for second-ball-duck after Comilla were asked to bat first. Rizwan and captain Imrul Kayes shared 47-run for the second wicket stand which was dominated largely by Kayes, who made 33 off 26 with three fours and two sixes.

Rizwan then added another 40 with Johnson Charles (20) before Khushdil joined him and turned the game impeccably. The duo indeed combined for an 84-run for the fourth wicket and took the game away from Dhaka. Such was Khuhdil's impact that Rizwan contributed just 20 runs in the partnership.

Taskin Ahmed, captain Nasir Hossain, Mohammad Imran and Soumya Sarkar took one wicket apiece for Dhaka.

Nasir Hossain also top-scored for the side with 45 ball-66 not out which studded with seven fours and two sixes.

Chasing a mammoth target on slow pitch, Chattogram received a major setback in the second over, as Soumya Sarkar continued his bad patch, being caught out by Charles off Hasan Ali for duck.

Bangladeshi born England batter Robin Das also got duck in the immediate next over, bowled by Tanvir Islam as Dhaka were left to 12-2. The situation compounded after the dismissal of Ahmed Shehzad for 19 in the first ball after the first powerplay.

Captain Nasir Hossain and Mohammad Mithun shared 51-run but lacked the pace that needed to gun down such big target. Mosaddek Hossain Saikat broke through with the wicket of Mithun after he made 36 off 34. But the asking run rate was increased to such extent that Dhaka's defeat was ensured long before the official end of the game.

The 66-run partnership of Nasir and Ariful Haque for the unbeaten fifth wicket only reduced the margin. Haque was not out on 24.

For Comilla, Hasan Ali, Tanvir Islam and Mosaddek Hossain claimed one wicket each.

The defeat meant Dhaka languished at the bottom of the table with just one win from five matches.

Source: BSS