BPL 2015 Match 18: Chittagong Vikings Vs Sylhet Superstars Played at ZACS Chittagong on 2 December 2015
Chittagong Vikings 140/0 (TM Dilshan 67* and Tamim Iqbal 67*) beat Sylhet Superstars 139/9 (Shahid Afridi 62, Shafiul Islam 2/37)
Player of the Match: TM Dilshan
In a do or die match of two bottom teams of point table, Chittagong Vikings came out with flying colors and Sylhet Superstars is all but out of the third edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Vikings cruised home by 10 wickets chasing Superstars set target of 140. Tamim and Dilshan finally delivered together in tandem. When that happens no bowling attack seems to be strong enough to shackle them.
Earlier riding on luck boom boom Afridi alone rescued Superstars with a characteristic hurricane innings of 62 off 41 deliveries. His team was looking miserable at 6/63 in the 11th over. If Taskin could hold on to an easy catch of Afridi early on Superstars could even be all out at the lowest total of BPL3 rather than scoring 139/9. 7th wicket partnership between Afridi and Sohail Tanvir produced 60.
It was the battle between two bottom dogs and it was for survival. Superstars losing the fight are almost out of the contest. Vikings will have to win Thursday and some more to keep alive their journey deeper.
Wickets in Chittagong is showing a character that teams batting first are having trouble in confronting the pace and movement early on. That is prompting captains opting for bowling first after winning the toss. Tamim looked separate for winning as nothing was going according to plan in two earlier matches. It was “do or die” situation on Wednesday. In Amir, Taskin and Shafiul they have arguably the strongest pace attack. Moreover, on the day luck also favored a bit. Two run outs and couple of careless strokes of Superstars top order put them on the back foot. Five of the batsmen went back before the team toal could even reach 50 and the sixth was gone on 63. Pakistan T20 captain Afridi off late did not have good time with the bat. He was struggling even yesterday early on. Couple of times his offered opportunity were grassed by Vikings fielders. In between he savaged the bowling striking four characteristic over boundaries and five boundaries in his 41 balls 62.
He found a competent partner in his Pakistan team mate Sohail Tanvir. The two added valuable 60 runs in the 7th wicket. Tanvir’s contribution was 17. Six of the 10 who batted could not even reach double digit. The match could be over much earlier if Afridi was not given reprieve in at least three occasions. All five Vikings bowlers were among the wickets with only Shafiul getting 2/37.
Viking openers Tamim and Dilshan were in their true elements and when that happens in tandem no attack in the cricket world can shackle them. They matched stroke for stroke and entertained the home crowd finally with record setting unfinished first wicket partnership of 140. Both remained unconquered on identical score of 67. Vikings won big and kept its hopes alive for qualification to round two while Sylhet Superstars journey in BPL 2015 is almost over. Vikings came out of ICU with new heart transplanted while Superstars are still struggling with Oxygen infusion.
Superstars included Sohail Tanvir and Shahid Afridi yesterday. Both delivered with the bat yesterday. But it was their terribly poor batting that cost them the match. A team must not expect winning a major match losing 5 top order batsmen within the first 6 overs for not much in a T20. Sylhet is now atoning for narrowest margin losses in earlier matches. They may even qualify but that depends on them winning all remaining matches and other results going in their favor.
BDST: 1013 HRS, DEC 03, 2015
SR/SMS
