BPL 2019-20: Match 17, Review- Mahedi Hasan’s all-round audacity too hot to handle for Cumilla Warriors

Both Dhaka Platoon and Cumilla Warriors came into the game on the back of defeats versus Chattogram Challengers. Hanging in the middle of the points table in the Bangabandhu BPL, the teams eyed a win at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. In the end, after the pendulum swung plenty of times, Mashrafe Mortaza’s Platoon prevailed by five wickets.

Rajapaksha shines for the Warriors

Soumya Sarkar took on Mashrafe Mortaza to start Warriors’ innings, but Mahedi Hasan castled him in the very next over. Mahedi also got of Sabbir Rahman to put pressure on the opposition bowling. Bhanuka Rajapaksha got a reprieve in the 20s when Wahab Riaz got him caught in the deep off a no-ball. The southpaw made the Platoon pay, scoring 96 off 65 with four fours and seven massive sixes.

Rajapaksha got his fifty off 42 balls after which he stepped on the gas and played until the very end on a slow strip. The left-hander put on an unbeaten 103-run stand off 63 balls with Yasir Ali Chowdhury, who got a 27-ball 30 with a couple of fours. Dawid Malan had a rare off day, scoring a 17-ball 9. Mahedi was Platoon’s standout bowler, finishing with a masterful spell of 4-0-9-2.

Mahedi pins the Platoon

Dhaka didn’t have the best of starts as Anamul Haque fell prey to BPL debutant Robiul Islam Robi, trying for a shot downtown. Mahedi stepped up with the bat as well, smashing Robi for 28 runs in his third over, including four hits into the stands. The onslaught put the Platoon on the driver’s seat. Mahedi got to his fifty off 22 balls and eventually made 59 off 29 with two fours and seven sixes.

Al-Amin Hossain got rid of him, but by then the required-rate had come down under seven. Mujeeb Ur Rahman got rid of Asif Ali and Jaker Ali for ducks to exert more pressure on the Platoon batters. In the last four overs, Dhaka needed 37 runs with Mominul Haque (28*) and Shahid Afridi (28*) in the middle. The duo held their nerve, put on an unbeaten 39-run stand and took Dhaka to victory.

Brief Scores

Cumilla Warriors: – 160/3 in 20 overs (Bhanuka Rajapaksha 96, Yasir Ali Chowdhury 30*; Mahedi Hasan 2/9)

Dhaka Platoon: – 161/5 in 19.5 overs (Mahedi Hasan 59, Tamim Iqbal 34; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/22)

Dhaka Platoon win by five wickets.