BPL 2022 | Tactical disaster-class throws Chattogram out of the competition

After storming into the Qualifiers of the Bangladesh Premier League by defeating Khulna Tigers in the first knockout game, Chattogram Challengers fell victim to their own madness on Wednesday, February 16.

After posting a below par total of 148 runs in a good pitch, Challengers were thrown out of context in the first 6 overs after Sunil Narine took them out of the park.

Not only did Narine score the fastest BPL half century in the game, he also helped Comilla post the highest powerplay score of 84 runs in the competition. With just 65 required off the last 84 balls, it was a walk in the park for a batting line up that houses the likes of Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali.

Both the international batters remained not out after Narine’s dismissal and won the game with 7 wickets and 43 balls remaining.

While Moeen scored 30 off 13, Faf scored the same number of runs in 23 balls.

Challengers were themselves to be blamed for the awful planning as they fed Sunil Narine three overs of spin in the powerplay. The elite spin hitter, who is known for this very specific skill set all over the world hit the fastest 50 ever scored in the history of BPL and in Bangladesh to put Comilla in an undefeatable position inside the first 5 overs.

Narine - as expected got out to pace in the sixth over of the game scoring 57 off 16.

From their it was just about game management and risk free cricket as 

After electing to bat first in the first innings, Chattogram straightaway had to deal with the initial new ball movement from Abu Hider and Mustafizur Rahman. Despite starting well in the first over, opener Will Jacks looked frustrated with the amount of movement the pacers were extracting and played a rash shot against Shohidul Islam in the fourth over right after getting beaten by a jaffa in the earlier ball.

This ensued a flurry of wickets, all of them where batters looked impatient early in the game. Right after Jacks was Chadwick Walton who was caught plumb in front trying to sweep spinner Tanvir Islam. 

And then came the worst bit. A double wicket maiden in the final over of the powerplay from Moeen Ali dedicated the terms to Chattogram straightaway. 

And this is where the think tank and the players need to be blamed. When the game demanded stability, Chattogram batters got out via schoolboy errors, either trying to hit a ball that was never in the arc or trying to step down and then missing the ball.

It was only for late hitting of Akbar Ali and Mritunjoy Chowdhury that brought Chattogram a decent total before they were wrapped up in the first ball of the final over.

However, it would turn out to be too low as tactical failure early in the second innings of the game would make it a cake walk for Comilla who would go on to seal the game by 7 wickets.