Opener Tamim Iqbal blasted a 45 ball-71 to help Fortune Barishal secure a comfortable 27-run win over Durdanto Dhaka in their ninth match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.
The fifth victory however propelled Barishal to the third spot of the point table, replacing Chattogram Challengers, who had same 10 points but moved down to fourth spot due to poor run rate. Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians occupied the top two spots so far with 14 and 12 points respectively.
Durdanto Dhaka tasted the ninth straight defeat after their surprising five-wicket win over defending champions Comilla in the first match.
Electing to bat first, captain Tamim, single-handedly drove the side to 186-6 as the next best 28 came from Soumya Sarkar's willow.
Pace bowlers Syed Khaled Ahmed (3-26) and Mohammad Saifudding (3-31) then shared six wickets between them to restrict Dhaka for 159-8, despite a stellar effort of Alex Ross who was not out on 89 off 49 after hitting five fours and seven sixes.
A little bit help from others could well help Dhaka to snap the losing streak but unfortunately Ross didn't find it from anyone. The next highest was Sean Williams' 12 while Naim Sheikh and Taskin Ahmed made 10 runs each. The rest of the batters were dismissed in single digit figure.
Ross came to the crease after Dhaka were slumped to 17-3 and kept Barishal bowlers on toes, hitting sixes at will. But still Barishal had no tension in their camp because the bowlers kept taking wickets at the regular intervals amid Ross' whirlwind knock.
While Saifuddin sliced the top order, Khaled took care of middle order by ripping through them in a gem of pace bowling.
Earlier Tamim provided the impetus as he struck seven fours and four sixes in his knock. He and Ahmed Shehzad paved the ground with a 76-run partnership for the opening stand and that too in 50 balls. Shehzad made 24 off 22, sending the ball across the ropes for four times.
Alauddin Babu who claimed 3-30 to be the pick of Dhaka bowlers, broke through with the wicket of Shehzad and then dismissed Tamim Iqbal.
Soumya Sarkar's 23 ball-28 runs knock however kept the flow while Saifuddin's six ball-23 not out, studded with two fours and as many sixes ensured that Barishal would end up with big total despite late order slump.
Taskin Ahmed grabbed 2-30 while Shoriful ended with 1-40 in four overs.
