Tanzim, Wood brilliance in the death seals final spot for Sylhet
Sylhet Sixers (Source: Twitter)
Dominant batting performance, followed by outstanding death bowling at the end helped Sylhet Strikers to beat Rangpur Riders by 19 runs in the second Qualifier of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League 2023 at Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. The Strikers will now face Comilla Victorians in the final, scheduled to take place on February 16th.
George Linde’s late fireworks powered Sylhet to 182
After being asked to bat first, Sylhet got off to a decent start, scoring 44 of the first six overs without any loss of wickets. In form openers, Shanto got off to a great start, with Towhid playing second fiddle with a run-a-ball at the other end. Shanto did try to up the run-rate post powerplay and got dismissed after adding a 65-run partnership for the first wicket. Towhid could not get going and ended his struggling stay with a run-a-ball 25.
Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza promoted up the order and kept the scoreboard going at a brisk pace. He was well complimented by Zakir Hasan, Ryan Burl and Thisara Perera at the other end. However, Rangpur managed to keep Sylhet quiet in the death overs, with a couple of brilliant overs from Dwayne Bravo and Hasan Mahmud, until George Linde’s last over destruction, hitting 17 runs off Dasun Shanaka and helped Sylhet to post a well above-par total.
With the ball, Rangpur’s Mahedi Hasan was impressive with his economy, giving just 25 off his four overs and taking a wicket as well. Hasan Mahmud and Dasun Shanaka scalped a couple of wickets each as well.
Talukdar’s 66 in vain as Wood, Tanzim stifles Rangpur's chase
Rony Talukdar and Nicholas Pooran (Source: Rangpur Riders)
Chasing 183, Rangpur Riders lost Sam Billings early in the powerplay but managed to keep the scoreboard going and ended with 37 for two in the first six overs. Nicholas Pooran, at four, tried to up the run-rate and smashed four sixes, before getting out to Luke Wood on 30 off 14.
Talukdar was left stranded on one end as Sylhet were successful in making breakthroughs regularly. Skipper Nurul Hasan joined Talukdar after Pooran’s wicket and kept Rangpur in the chase. The duo added 82 for the fourth wicket but Tanzim Hasan Sakib delivered at the right time and dismissed both the set batters before Rangpur got everything back in their control.
Following that, Luke Wood bowled a brilliant 19th over, giving just three runs and taking two wickets, leaving Rangpur with 28 runs to chase in the last over. Sylhet Strikers went on to win the game comfortably at the end by 19 runs. Tanzim Hasan Sakib was the pick of the bowlers for Sylhet as he gave away just 19 off his four overs and removed two match winning wickets at the end.
Brief Scores:
Sylhet Strikers: 182/7 (20 Overs)
Najmul Shanto 40 (30), Mashrafe Mortaza 28 (16);
Hasan Mahmud 2/34, Dasun Shanaka 2/45
Rangpur Riders: 163/8 (20 Overs)
Rony Talukdar 66 (52), Nurul Hasan 33 (24);
Luke Wood 3/34, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2/19
 "Kaushik Kashyap")