Shakib Al Hasan picked up his fifth consecutive player of the match award of the ongoing edition of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League as Fortune Barishal finished the league stage with a dominating eight-wicket win over Minister Dhaka on Friday.
This kept Dhaka’s chances to qualify for the play-offs hanging on the balance as they now have nine points from 10 matches. They will need either or both of Chattogram Challengers or Khulna Tigers to lose on Saturday to qualify for the play-offs. Barishal, on the other end, top the table with 15 points.
Chasing 129, Shakib hit his third fifty of the ongoing edition and stayed unbeaten on 51 off 29 deliveries, hitting six fours and two sixes. He also picked up a wicket giving away just 21 runs in his four overs, playing a crucial part in restricting Dhaka to 128-9.
Batting first, Dhaka lost opener Mohammad Naim, who returned to the XI with this match, early for 6. Tamim Iqbal held on to one end with 66 runs off 50 deliveries, but lack of support from the other meant Dhaka could not put up a strong total.
In reply, Barishal had a slow start and lost Chris Gayle (7) in the fifth over. Munim Shahriar (37) impressed once again but was undone in the seventh over when he holed out to mid-wicket trying to slog Qais Ahmed for the third six of the over.
From there on, Shakib took charge along with Najmul Hossain Shanto. They were steady at first, but everything changed in the 12th over.
After getting on strike in the second ball, Shakib cut Azmatullah Omarzai for a four before smashing the Afghan for a six over long-off. The next two were sumptuous scoops from the Barishal skipper, and both resulted in boundaries.
And in the final delivery, Shakib creamed a length ball through cover to make it 23 off the over and ensure that the chase did not slip away.
Shakib got to his fifty with a flick down legside, and a wide next ball meant that Dhaka would now have to hope for either Chattogram or Khulna to slip on Saturday.
