Comilla win three on the trot

After a disappointing start to the season, defending Champions Comilla Victorians have seemingly shaken off the jitters as they found their third consecutive win on Thursday beating Dhaka Dominators by 33 runs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Batting first, courtesy of Khushdil Shah’s late carnage, Comilla put 184-4 on board. Khushdil, the eventual player of the match, scored 64 off just 24 balls, which allowed them to post a strong total.

In reply, Dhaka skipper Nasir Hossain stayed unbeaten on 66, but without any quick-scoring innings in their lineup, they stopped on 151-4, losing by 33 runs.

Courtesy of Khushdil’s late blast, Comilla managed an immense 81 runs in the final five overs, something which Dhaka skipper Nasir believed was the reason behind their defeat.

“The last five overs (with the ball) really pegged us back. Khushdil Shah batted really well. It was always going to be difficult for us after the top-order failed,” he said.

Dhaka lost the game in the early stages as despite chasing a big total, they could only manage 34 runs losing a couple of wickets, something Comilla coach Mohammad Salahuddin spoke about after the match.

“The wicket got a lot better in the second innings. If they scored quickly in the powerplay, then they could have had a chance at winning,” he said in the post-match press conference.

Winning the toss, Dhaka skipper Nasir opted to field first and they were off to a flyer as Liton Das, the player of the match from Comilla’s last two games, was caught at third man for a duck off Taskin Ahmed’s bowling.

Mohammad Rizwan and skipper Imrul Kayes then put together a 47-run stand to settle the nerves, before the latter was dismissed for 33 off 26 balls by counterpart Nasir.

Johnson Charles failed to get going as he scored 20 off 19 balls before Mohammad Imran got rid of him, but in came Khushdil, and his splendid knock ensured that Comilla had a strong total on board.

Khushdil hit seven fours and five sixes and ended with an astounding strike rate of 266.66 as he was dismissed by Soumya Sarkar.

His compatriot Rizwan, at the other end, went slow and steady and picked up his fifty to stay unbeaten on 55 off 47 balls, hitting a four and three sixes.

In reply, Dhaka faced a similar fate with one of their openers as Soumya Sarkar was sent back for a duck by Hasan Ali, and English-Bangladeshi batter Robin Das was stumped off Tanvir Islam’s bowling.

Their other opener, Ahmed Shehzad, managed to get a start, but the star of the day Khushdil managed to run him out, which pegged Dhaka back.

Nasir, coming at five, put together a 51-run stand with Mohammad Mithun, who scored 36 off 34 balls, to provide some clarity to the Dhaka batting, but that only pushed down the hopes of chasing the Comilla total down.

Ariful Haque smashed a four and two sixes to score 24 off 17 balls at the end after Mithun departed, while Nasir picked up his fifty off 36 balls, and ended on 66 off 45 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes.

His and Ariful’s partnership was quick as they put together 66 runs off 41 balls, but by then it was too little, too late.