Gazi Group Chattogram continued their brilliant run in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup and registered their third consecutive win, this time beating Fortune Barishal by 10 runs in yesterday’s first fixture at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

It was once again their bowlers who kept their unbeaten run intact. The left-arm pace duo of national star Mustafizur Rahman and Under-19 World Cup winner Shoriful Islam bagged a combined six wickets to restrict Barishal to 141 for eight while defending 151 runs.

With three wins in as many games, Chattogram are on top of the points table while Barishal faced their second defeat in three games.

Player-of-the-match Shoriful was instrumental with the new ball, removing Mehedi Hasan Miraz with a return catch from a short ball in the fourth over. He went on to pick two more wickets to end up with figures of three for 27 from his four overs.

Barishal skipper Tamim Iqbal, who hit a match-winning 70 in the previous game, was once again the key player with the bat but since his departure after a team-high run-a-ball 32, the side lost its way.

The left-arm seamer repaid the captain’s faith and picked two more wickets when Barishal needed to accelerate. Mustafizur removed Irfan Shukkur in the 16th over and Mahidul Islam in the 18th, seriously hampering Barishal’s momentum.

Having picked up four wickets in their previous match, Mustafizur once again used his famed cutters to good effect and finished with three for 23 from four overs.

Earlier, Chattogram were asked to bat for the first time in the tournament and their two in-form openers, Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das, needed to deliverer as they did in the first two games.

Soumya was dismissed early for five off the bowling of Abu Jayed but Liton continued his brilliant form at the other end.

Chattogram’s middle-order was tested for the first time in the tournament as Barishal were at one point on top when they removed Liton for a team-high of 35. Liton’s departure initiated a lull of three wickets for 32 runs in 41 balls. However, Barishal managed to post a fighting total in the end courtesy of Mosaddek Hossain’s 24-ball 28 and Shykat Ali’s blitz of 27 off just 11 balls, which included one four and three maximums.

SCORES IN BRIEF

CHATTOGRAM: 151 for 7 in 20 overs (Liton 35, Mosaddek 28, Shykat 27; Jayed 2-42)

BARISHAL: 141 for 8 in 20 overs (Tamim 32, Afif 24; Shoriful 3-27, Mustafizur 3-23)

Result: Chattogram won by 10 runs