All-round Narine makes the difference

Comilla Victorians’ Sunil Narine displayed an all-round performance in the final against Fortune Barishal to bring home the third Bangladesh Premier League title for the side.

Opening the batting, he struck a magnificent 57-run knock of just 23 deliveries, and then with the ball, he took two crucial wickets for just 15 runs to turn the tide for them.

Narine had scored 57 off just 16 deliveries against Chattogram Challengers in the second qualifier. And on Friday, he followed that up with yet another brilliant knock.

Opening the batting, he was relentless against the Barishal bowlers. He smoked Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for two sixes and a four and then did the same to Shafiqul Islam in the next over.

He hit Shakib for three boundaries in the fifth over and picked his fifty off just 21 deliveries. He then hit another six off Mehedi Hasan Rana’s bowling in the next over but perished in the same over trying to hit another one.

But by then, he had struck five fours and five sixes to give his team a strong start.

Comilla could not capitalise on that start and only managed 151-9, but Narine changed the game again with the ball.

He couldn’t take a wicket in his first two overs, but in his third and the 12th over of the Barishal innings, he trapped Chris Gayle LBW after the 42-year-old Caribbean had just started to free his hands.

But his masterstroke came in the 18th over as he came on to bowl with Barishal requiring 18 off 18 deliveries. Narine gave away just two runs and dismissed Dwayne Bravo to peg Barishal back.

He ended with figures of 2-15, and his teammates ensured that they got the title with a one-run win.