Dhaka – Chittagong Vikings rallied into the play-off stage of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) beating former champions Dhaka Dynamites by 11 runs on Wednesday.
The victory at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium after three consecutive defeats helped Vikings secure a spot in the super-four play-off stage after Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians.
They have secured 14 points from 11 matches.
Vikings, opting to bat first after winning the toss, posted 174/5 in 20 overs. Andre Russell took a hat-trick in the final over, picking up the wickets of Mushfiqur Rahim, Cameron Delfort and Sanaka in the first three balls.
It was the third hat-trick of the ongoing BPL.
For the Vikings, South African all-rounder Cameron Delport scored the match highest of 71 runs off 57 balls featuring five fours and four sixes and was adjudged the man of the match.
Chasing 175, Dynamites managed to score 163 for 9 in 20 overs. They needed 18 runs in the final over bowled by Abu Jayed Rahi with Andrew Birch and Mahmudul Hasan at the crease.
Rahi finished the over conceding six runs and taking a wicket.
Dynamites started the chase losing the first wicket of Sunil Narine with just one on the board. He fell prey to Rahi, who also took the wicket of Rony Talukdar. Rony scored six. Mizanur Rahman fell as the third batsman after being run-out by Mohammad Shahzad.
However, in the fourth wicket stand, Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul Hasan Shohan added 50 runs. They were chasing the target with a great attitude. But Nurul fell for 33 off 23 balls. Right after him, Keiron Pollard was dismissed by run-out, and Dynamites found themselves in big trouble.
Shakib and Russell’s 66-run partnership in the sixth wicket stand rekindled Dynamites’ hope. But the hosts turned things around after Dasun Shanaka’s dismissal by Russell in the 17th over.
Dynamites lost Shuvagata Hom and Shakib in successive two overs after Russell was gone, diminishing all hopes of a victory. Shakib struck 53 off 42 deliveries with six fours while Rusell hit 39 off 23 with four fours and two sixes.
Rahi took three wickets for the Vikings, while Shanaka bagged two and Nayeem Hasan and Cameron scalped one each. Cameron was adjudged the man of the match for his all-round performance.
Earlier, Russell’s hat-trick in the final over helped limit the Vikings to 174 for five wickets in 20 overs. They would have scored more but Andre Russell took a hat-trick in the final over of the innings.
In the last three balls, Vikings scored seven runs with a last-ball six by Sikandar Raza.
Vikings had a good start after winning the toss and choosing to bat. Mohammad Shahzad and Cameron put a 42-run stand in the opening partnership. Shahzad fell for 21.
In the second wicket stand, Cameron and Yasir Ali added 46 runs. But Yasir fell prey to Sunil Narine after scoring 19 off 20 balls. However, in the third wicket stand, Cameron and Mushfiqur put up 79 runs before Russell’s hat-trick. Mushfiqur scored 43 off 24 with four fours and two sixes.
Russell took three wickets for 38 runs while Sunil took two for the Dynamites for 20 runs.
Dynamites will play another two matches in the league stage on February 1 and 2 against Comilla Victorians and Khulna Titans respectively. Vikings will play their last match of league stage against Sylhet Sixers on February 1.
