Sohan magic keeps Rangpur unbeaten in BPL
Captain Nurul Hasan Sohan hammered 30 runs in the last over to help Rangpur Riders grab an unbelievable three-wicket victory over Fortune Barishal in Bangladesh Premier League, BPL, at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on Thursday, January 9.
Requiring an improbable 26 runs to win from the last over, Sohan left everyone spellbound with his pyrotechnique as he blasted three sixes and as many fours off a Kyle Mayers to send the fans into delirium.
Barishal posted a hefty 197-5 and looked all set to win the game, when they took wickets at regular intervals to leave Rangpur needing 26 runs.
But, Sohan blasted first ball 6, then 4, 4, 6 and 4 to leave the side two runs needing in the last delivery. He eventually smote a towering six in the last over to confirm the side's sixth straight victory as Rangpur reached 202-7.
Eventually, he was unbeaten on 32 off 7, hitting three fours and as many sixes.
Inform Alex Hales was out for 1, giving Barishal a hope to take revenge of their crushing eight-wicket defeat to Rangpur in the first-leg match in Dhaka. The belief further reinforced when they took the wicket of Saif Hassan for 22 and Tawfique Khan Tushar who made 28 ball-38.
Two Pakistan recruits - Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah kept the side flowing with 91-run partnership. When Shaheen Shah Afridi broke through with the wicket of Iftikhar who made 36 ball-48 with three fours and as many sixes, Rangpur still needed 41 runs in 13 balls.
Khushdil Shah smashed Jahandad Khan two consecutive sixes before falling to him on 48, in the third delivery. The drama unfolded when Mahedi Hasan was given out for obstructing the field and Jahandad took out Saifuddin for naught, leaving Rangpur for an improbable equation to win the game.
But Sohan did the unthinkable, much to the despair of Barishal fans and specially Kyle Mayers who led Barishal's batting with unbeaten 29 ball-61.
Mayers smote one four and seven sixes in his whirlwind knock that gave the side a late impetus taking them closer to 200 .
owever, Barishal made solid start through captain Tamim and Najmul Hossain Shanto after being asked to bat first.
The duo added 81 runs in 10.1 overs for the opening stand with Shanto returning to the form with 30 ball-41, studded with five fours and one six. Inform Tamim made 40 off 34 with four fours and two sixes and in the process he became the first Bangladeshi batter to reach 8000 runs club in T20s.
After their start, Mayers carried the side even though he got little support from the middle order with Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah Riyad being dismissed cheaply. Fahim Ashraf made 6 ball-20 toward the end to consolidate somewhat.
But at the end, it was not just enough.
Source: BSS
