BPL 2015 Match 27 Sylhet Super Stars Vs Dhaka Dynamites Played at SBNCS, Dhaka on 9 December 2015

Sylhet Super Stars 162/4 (RS Bopara 55, Junaid Siddique 51, Sohail Tanvir 19, Farhad Reza 2/42) beat Dhaka Dynamites 157/5 (KC Sangakkara 48, Farhad Reza 31, Nasir Hossain 31, Abdur Razzak 2/9) by 6 wickets

Player of the Match: Ravi Bopara (Sylhet Super Stars)

DHAKA: BPL 2015 has witnessed three heartbreaking shocking defeats of Sylhet Super Stars at the initial stage of the tournaments. Two matches were lost by 1-run each and one by six runs. Yesterday in the do or die match against Dhaka Dynamites they won a close match by six wickets on the penultimate ball from two consecutive sixes by “boom boom Afridi”.

This win has opened up the race of qualification for semi-final. Rangpur Riders, Comilla Victorians and Barisal Bulls have already booked their berth. Now with one match left for each team Dynamites and Superstars have different permutations and combinations to go in their favor. A win by Superstars and a loss by Dynamites in their last match will put them on level in the points table. The net run rate will then decide which fourth team goes to semi-final.

Batsmen of both teams batting sensibly yesterday proved that run making is still possible on Sher-e-Bangla wickets if batsmen bats cautiously without hurry and setting their eyes in. Dynamites put into bat set up a reasonably challenging target of 157 for the Super Stars. It was a do or die match for the Super Stars. A defeat would have sealed their fate for BPL 2015 and the win would have confirmed the semi-final for the Dynamites. Super Stars were cruising through a dynamic partnership of Junaid Siddique and Ravi Bopara.

Both scored quality half centuries but both failed to finish the match losing wickets to Yasir Shah and Farhad Reza at crunch times. Mysterious Mustafiz teased the batsmen with his deadly accurate cutters taking the match down to the wire. Afridi for reasons best known to him held back Mushfiqur. After a very tight 19th over by Mustafiz Farhad Reza came in to bowl the very important make or break last over. He removed Sohail Tanvir with the second ball with Super Stars still needing 9-run for the win.

In came Mushfiqur as if he is a tail ender. He took single in the third ball. Afridi back in strike struck two consecutive 6’s on the fourth and fifth delivery to rescue his team with lifesaving drugs. The tournament itself has gone to the wire to settle the semi-final berths.

The wicket for a pleasant change looked much better yesterday. Ball was coming on to the bat and batsmen were positive in their mindset. Though veteran Bangladesh spinner Abur Razzak struck two early blows with his classical left arm spinners removing Yasir Shah and Mohammad Hafiz, Sangakkara and Nasir Hossain put together a dynamic fourth wicket partnership of 69. They could take the match beyond the reach of Super Stars if they did not lose their wickets at crucial times. Top quality batsmen like them are expected to finish the innings well after getting set. Sangakkara (48) fell to steady Shahid and Nasir was picked up by Rubel Hossain. Later order batsmen failed to maintain the momentum. Dynamites could post still a challenging target of 158 for Superstars to “Do or Die”.

Joshua Cobb and Junaid Siddique started cautiously. After Cobb left at 36 in the 5th over, Bopara and Junaid batted sensibly setting up the launching pad for the late order batsmen to have a crack at the target. Both scored quality half centuries. Junaid (51) was first prized out by Yasir Shah. The fans wanted Mushfiqur to come and deliver. But Afridi for reasons best known to him held back the most dynamic Bangladeshi batsman in this situation promoting Sohail Tanvir. The decision worked and Tanvir struck some hefty blows. But the match went down to wire after Bopara and Tanvir both got out. Mustafiz bowled two high quality tight overs at the end. Farhad Reza bowled three good deliveries in the last over but Afiridi struck two characteristic sixes from the fourth and fifth to snatch victory from the jaws of the Dynamites.

Superstars had lifesaving drugs at ICU to live and fight. Ravi Bopara of Super Stars was adjudged the player of the match.

Super Stars will have to win big and Dynamites have to lose for any chance of former qualifying for the semi-finals. It is great that the tournament has enlivened from the match. Otherwise, everything would have been settled after yesterday’s match with a Dynamites victory.

BDST: 0953 HRS, DEC 10, 2015
SR