You might seem flawless on one day and horribly inaccurate the other, that is just how T20 cricket works. And that is probably the thought that Chittagong Vikings skipper Tamim Iqbal was using to console himself after his side went down to Rangpur Riders by nine wickets in an unexpected defeat in their Bangladesh Premier League match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.
In the day’s afternoon game, Khulna Titans skipper Mahmudullah Riyad produced a magical final over which netted three wickets and condemned Rajshahi Kings to a three-run defeat.
Back to the evening match, while Chittagong seemed on top of their game on Tuesday when they comfortably beat Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s Comilla Victorians, Tamim’s team seemed out-of-sorts both with the bat and ball yesterday.
It would however be unfair to talk just about the negatives of Chittagong in yesterday’s game. Truth be told, Rangpur Riders outfoxed the Vikings in every department.
Batting first, the Vikings were bundled out for just 124 in 19.4 overs thanks to a disciplined performance from the Rangpur bowlers. In reply, a brilliant unbeaten 80 from the entertaining Afghanistan opening batsman, Mohammad Shahzad, led Rangpur home.
Shahzad and Soumya Sarkar shared an opening stand worth 77 and that gave Rangpur the edge. By the time Soumya was caught behind off Tymal Mills in the 10th over, Rangpur needed just 48 runs off 10 overs with nine wickets in hand. That is a task that they accomplished in just 15 overs.
That Shahzad loves to play his shots is not news. He has a habit of moving away from the wicket swinging his bat. He also employs the helicopter hit often. However, his inconsistency has been the most frustrating aspect of his career.
Yesterday though, Shahzad clicked and that gave Rangpur a huge edge in the chase. He began by cutting Razzak wide of slip for a four.
His favourite bowler was Dwayne Smith, whom he dispatched for four boundaries, almost all of which were chops and cuts. Eight fours and one six later Shahzad reached his half-century in the 12th over off 41 balls. After that he just went berserk.
He even took the attack to Tymal Mills, a bowler who regularly bowls at 150 kmph and dispatched both his fiercely fast and painstakingly slow deliveries for boundaries. It was a sign of a man who had grown in confidence.
Taskin Ahmed, one of Bangladesh’s premium pacers was not spared either. He was whipped for a six from outside the off-stump to over mid-wicket by Shahzad in the second ball of the 15th over and then pulled for a four in the next.
Shahzad levelled the scores by pulling Taskin for a six over midwicket in the same over. He eventually finished the game with a helicopter flick and took a single. An emphatic Shahzad finished on an unbeaten 80 with 11 fours and three sixes.
Earlier in the day, a good bowling show from Rangpur’s spinners ensured that the Vikings didn’t get away with the game. It was an attack of former national players and luckily for Rangpur they all bowled brilliantly.
Shohag Gazi, who should have gotten rid off Tamim in the first ball of the day – the left-hander was trapped plumb in front but the umpire did not raise his finger — eventually finished with two for 18 in three overs. He removed both Tamim and Smith in the third over.
Arafat Sunnny looked effective with his new action and got the crucial scalp of Jahurul Islam, finishing on one for 19. Shahid Afridi was the most economical of the lot with figures of one for 12 in four overs.
Unfortunately for the Vikings both their set batsmen, Anamul Haque who scored 25 and Shoaib Malik, who posted 30, were run out at different points of the game and their batsmen just could not get a move along.
Source: The Daily Star
