Bangabandhu T20 Tournament 2020.
6th Match. Fortune Barisal VS Minister Group Rajshahi
Played at SBNCS, Dhaka on 28 November 2020
Barisal 136/5 in 19 Overs (Tamim Iqbal 77, Pervez Hossain Emon 23, Towhid Ridoy 17, Mukidul Islam 2/27) beat Rajshahi 132/9 (Mehedi Hasan 34, Fazle Mahmud 31, Nazmul Hossain Shanto 24, Anisul Islam Emon 24, Kamrul Islam Rabbi 4/21, Mehedi Hasan Miraj 2/18) by 5 Wickets.
Player Of the Match: Tamim Iqbal.
It required Tamim using his wealth of experience in steering his team Barisal earning 5 wickets win over spirited Rajshahi in a low scoring day night T20 match.
On a low gripping wicket with ball stopping on the wicket Rajshahi struggled scoring 132/9 surviving two clusters wickets falling 3rd to 5th (Score 61-63) and 6th to 9th (Score 128-132). Even then they bowled and fielded smartly to try defending. It required Tamim taking out all the tricks in his hat guiding his team to 5 wickets win with only a over to spare scoring unbeaten 77. Rajshahi was defeated but not disgraced by any means. Their star batsman Ashraful was again unlucky getting unfortunately run out scoring 6. Rajshahi tested their first defeat in 3 matches while Barishal recorded their first win playing two. The tournament has just started getting interesting with only Chattogram remaining unbeaten so far.
Earlier sent into bat two youngsters Captain Nazjmul Shanto and Anisul Emon gave Rajshahi a slow but steady start of 39 in 6.1 over when Abu Jayed struck the first blow removing Shanto for 24. Two experienced Rajshahi batsman Rony Talukdar and Mohamad Ashraful could not deliver. Mehedi Miraj priced out Talukdar for 6 and Ash was unfortunately run out also for 6. Miraj also removed Emon for 24. Then Kamrul Rabbi started his wicket taking grabbing his first scalp Nurul Hasan. Wicket number 3,4 & 5 fell for the addition of 1 run only breaking the backbone of Rajshahi batting. Fazle Mahmud (31) and budding all-rounder Mahmud Hasan (34) tried rescuing the innings against very probing bowling of Rabbi, Taskin and Sumon. Their partnership adding 66 runs was looking to take the team to a comfort zone when again Rabbi and Taskin triggered another collapse. Wickets number 6,7,8 & 9 went down for the addition of only 4 runs from 128 -132. Rabbi took 4 for 21 and Miraj took 2 for 18. Another 20 runs if added could be a different story. Rajshahi scored 132/9.
Barisal in reply witnessed a very determined and well-resolved Tamim Iqbal. He was not in a hurry on a wicket where playing strokes was not at all easy. Miraj failed with the bat again. But Pervez Emon another impressive youngster stayed with Tamim long enough to produce a very useful 61 runs second wicket partnership. Not that Tamim doing Boom Boom usual self unlike his Pancho Pandob mates Shakib and Riad earlier on the day. After Emon left scoring 23 another youngster Tawhid Ridoy 46 runs with Tamim for 3rd wicket taking Barisal close to the target. Two wickets of Afif (0) and Irfan Sukkur fell quickly creating some drama as Rajshahi showing never say die attitude did not make it easy at all for Barisal. But Tamim batting responsibly took his team across the rope playing a brilliant anchoring unbeaten innings of 77, the highest score so far recorded by any batsman in 6 matches played so far in this Bangabandhu T20 tournament.
Barishal win makes the race for top four a bit interesting. Rajshahi never gave up at any stage. But it was Tamim standing like Mount Everest stood in between. His 77 not out in 61 balls perhaps rescued Barisal in the mission survival in the tournament after Barisal lost the first match against Khulna dramatically. Matches on 30 November would be very interesting now.
BDST: 1234 HRS, NOV 29, 2020
SMS
