BPL 2017, Match 16 Preview: Dhaka Dynamites v Chittagong Vikings

With every passing game, Shakib Al Hasan‘s Dhaka Dynamites are growing in strength are looking formidable enough to defend their title. After a dismal start to their campaign with a loss to Sylhet on the opening day, their team turned the tables with three wins in the next three matches, which sees them at the helm of the points table with an impregnable net run rate of 1.971.

Their bowling and batting departments are filled with T20 superstars, which is making life incredibly difficult for the opponents. The spin trio of Shakib, Sunil Narine and Shahid Afridi has been one of the talking points of the tournament, with these bowlers managing to tie up the batsmen with their trickery.

Not the greatest of times for the Vikings to face this massive force named the Dhaka Dynamites, but they have no other choice but to collect a couple of points. The tournament is almost touching the halfway mark and no team would want to leave a lot of work in the business end. Their middle order has been their biggest problem and if they can fire, this game will be one to watch out for.

Dhaka Dynamites (Probable XI): Evin Lewis, Shahid Afridi, Cameron Delport, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mosaddek Hossain, Nadif Chowdhury, Abu Hider Rony, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Jahurul Islam (wk), Khaled Ahmed

Chittagong Vikings (Probable XI): Luke Ronchi (wk), Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque, Dilshan Munaweera, Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Sikandar Raza, Chris Jordan, Tanbir Hayder, Sunzamul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy

Focus will be on

Kieron Pollard (Dhaka)

Kieron Pollard struck form on Tuesday with a blistering innings against the run of play. His side was struggling at 41/5 and he chipped in with a crucial half-century at this juncture. He got to his fifty at a swift pace as well, dignifying his reputation as a game changer in the shortest format of the game. Pollard in his prime is a threat no one would want to deal with.

Luke Ronchi (Chittagong)

The Vikings are a little too reliant on Luke Ronchi to score the runs and it has been clearly palpable in all the games they’ve played thus far. Although the Kiwi keeper-batsman has been doing a decent job, he can’t win their all the games. Ronchi is timing the ball really well and if the Vikings are to turn things around at this juncture, he should be playing some more crucial knocks.

Playing Combinations

Dhaka Dynamites

With the swashbuckling Evin Lewis batting alongside his Caribbean partner Sunil Narine, the Pakistani legend Shahid Afridi dropped to the number 3 spot. Cameron Delport, Shakib Al Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Nadif Chowdhury, and Jahrul Islam will be forming the middle order and it’s important on their part to keep the momentum going.

Abu Hider Rony has been the star with the ball for them, with seven wickets in four games. Yet, the whole limelight will be hogged by the spin trio of Sunil Narine, Shahid Afridi, and the skipper Shakib. Mosaddek Hossain and Khaled Ahmed are the extra options available for the skipper.

Chittagong Vikings

Their mainstays Luke Ronchi and Soumya Sarkar will be opening the innings and the reliance on these players is a little too heavy. Lankan player Munaweera will be batting at number three, with Misbah-ul-Haq, Anamul Haque, Sikandar Raza, and Chris Jordan forming the middle order.

Dilshan Munaweera chipped in with a brilliant spell with the new ball, registering figures of 2/17 in four overs. Chris Jordan, Subashis Roy, and Taskin Ahmed are their main men in the fast bowling unit and they have some decent extra options in Sikandar Raza and Sunzamul Islam.