Shakib Al Hasan hit a blistering unbeaten fifty to power Fortune Barsishal to a 12-run victory over the defending champion Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League on Saturday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
Shakib hit a whirlwind 45-ball 81, with the help of eight fours and four maximums, to amass a challenging 177-6 in the stipulated overs.
In response to the target, the titlists were restricted to 165-7, thanks to the tight bowling spells from their counterparts' bowlers.
Comilla’s Pakistani campaigner Khushdil Shah was the top scorer, making a robust unbeaten 27-ball 43, while Tanvir Islam was the standout bowler for the side, scalping 4-33.
Sent to bat, Barishal lost their opener Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the second delivery of the fourth over after he gave a catch behind the stumps to Liton Das for a sluggish 9-ball six by Tanvir Islam.
In the second wicket stand, Anamul Haque Bijoy and his Sri Lanka teammate shared a 24-run stand before the latter was dismissed by Nayeem Hasan for a stormy 12-ball 21, leaving the side at 50-2.
Shakib, who scored a fifty in their first encounter against the Sylhet Strikers, went big guns from the very first ball as he smacked Khushdil a boundary soon-after he appeared at the strike.
Later, the ace all-rounder struck Nayeem two fours and a maximum in the very next over to boost their team total with his partner Bijoy.
However, the latter couldn’t make his way for a long with his star campaigner after Khusdil rattled his stumps for a run-a-ball 20.
Still, Shakib looked desperate, which fueled him to stand tall against the ceaseless blows from the Comilla bowlers and shared a crucial 38-ball 50 with Ibrahim Zadran, followed by Iftikhar Ahmed a 38 off 23 balls stand, before the duo fell to Tanvir for 27 and 5 runs, respectively.
Aftermath in the tale, Karim Janat added a 9 ball-17 with Shakib that aided them in setting a challenging target for the defending champions.
In response, Comilla got off to a good start, with Pakistani star performer Mohammad Rizwan arriving just minutes before the match via helicopter alongside local master class Liton Das.
However, the pair managed a 33-ball, 42-run stand before the former was dismissed by Kamrul Islam Rabbi on 18 off 11 balls, followed by the latter for a flurry of 26-ball, 32 before being run-out inside the power play.
Mosaddek Hossain and Khusdi's all-out batting display in the sixth wicket stand gave the title holders a chance to earn their maiden victory, but it was shattered when the former was bowled by Janat.
Although Khushdil went unscratched until the final delivery, it just reduced the run difference.
