Gazi Group Chattogram continued their early dominance of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup, clinching their third consecutive win. This time they beat Fortune Barishal by 10 runs, a slightly tighter contest than their two big wins previously over Beximco Dhaka and Gemcon Khulna.
Chattogram’s left-arm duo of Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam strangled Barishal, particularly in the last five overs when they conceded just 39 runs when 50 was required for Barishal to win. They took three wickets each, apart from Mosaddek Hossain and Soumya Sarkar taking one each.
Barishal’s 152-run chase was on track till the 11th over when the captain Tamim Iqbal, who had single-handedly won them their previous game against Minister Group Rajshahi, fell trying to clear long-on. Tamim made a run-a-ball 32 with two sixes and a four, but the momentum shifted as soon as he left the scene.
Towhid Hridoy tried to accelerate, hitting two fours and a six in his 10-ball 17, while Afif Hossain hung around till the 17th over for his 24. The rest of the batting, however, just fizzled out in front of accurate left-arm quick bowling from Rahman and Islam.
Earlier, Liton Das and captain Mohammad Mithun had given Chattogram a decent powerplay when they reached 52 for 2. The Barishal bowlers slowed down the scoring rate somewhat in the following 12 overs, as well as taking the wickets of Liton, Shamsur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman.
It was the penultimate over that set Chattogram for a 150-plus total. Shykat Ali slammed Abu Jayed for three sixes in an over that went for 21 runs. Ali finished with an unbeaten 11-ball 27 while Das top-scored with 35.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo