BPL 4, Match 13, Review: Dhaka Dynamites crush Victorians despite late blitz from Mortaza

Defending champions Comilla Victorians were desperate to seek a win this season. Being the only team to have not registered a win thus far must be a disappointing feeling. They have been found wanting to get their act together. Playing against the Dhaka Dynamites, they hoped for the fortunes to change but it was not to be yet again.

They were blown away by some brilliant batting display put on by Dhaka Dynamites. Opener Mehedi Maruf joined hands with Nasir Hossain to add 84 runs for the 2nd wicket. That was the point where the Victorians lost the plot. Despite Rashid Khan’s three-for, they conceded a total close to 200. The target never looked in hand for out-of-form Victorian batsmen.

Earlier in the day, the Victorians won the toss and Mashrafe Mortaza elected to bowl first. To strengthen their batting, they drafted in Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad. They bolstered their middle order by the inclusion of Dutch all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate. Young Afghan leggie Rashid Khan was yet another overseas player to have got a look in.

The Dhaka Dynamites settled for pretty much the same side that featured in their last game. Mehedi Maruf had lost his way in the last couple of matches after having scored a brilliant fifty in the first match. He came out to bat with Kumar Sangakkara. The veteran Sri Lankan looked threatening as he hit 2 fours and a six in his 12-ball 20. He was stumped off the bowling of Al Amin in the fourth over.

Maruf was joined by Nasir Hossain. The Dynamites raced to 60 in the powerplay. Maruf looked like the same threat as he was in the first match for his franchise. Both batsmen added 84 runs for the second wicket in just 52 balls to set the Dynamites soaring in the match. Ryan ten Doeschate provided the much needed breakthrough for Comilla Victorians in the 13th over.

He got rid of Nasir Hossain on 43 off 35 balls with 5 fours. Meanwhile, Maruf brought up his second fifty of the season. His stay of 39 balls yielded 60 runs with 4 fours and 3 sixes before Rashid Khan dismissed him in the 16th over. Lower order contributions from skipper Shakib Al Hasan (24 off 13) and Dwayne Bravo (13* off 10) saw Dhaka Dynamites post a sizeable 194/5 in their stipulated 20 overs.

The Comilla Victorians had a horrid start as they lost as many as 3 wickets inside the powerplay overs. Imrul Kayes struck 3 boundaries for his 11-ball 19 before Nasir Hossain sent him packing. Mohammad Jashimuddin struggled for 10 runs that came off 14 balls before being out to Seekkuge Prasanna. Ahmed Shehzad looked promising as he hit 2 sixes in his 15 but was stumped by Sangakkara off the bowling of Mosaddek Saikat on the last ball of the poweplay.

With 47/3, the Victorians had a tough task in hand. Nazmul Hossain Shanto could not do much either as he was cleaned up by Sunzamul Islam on 16. Ryan ten Doeschate and Sohail Tanvir had a herculean task to overhaul. The Dutch all-rounder perished on 7 as Prasanna got through his defenses to have Victorians reeling on 70/5 at the half way stage.

Sohail Tanvir shared a brief partnership with skipper Mashrafe Mortaza but that never really looked good enough for them to win the match. Tanvir was dismissed on 20 off 16 by Bopara. Mashrafe kept holding on from the other end as the scoreboard just crawled.

Mortaza then decided to free his arms. He clobbered Shakib Al Hasan for 4 sixes in the penultimate over. His 34-ball 47 was studded with 5 sixes and 2 fours. The knock ended in the last over as he lost his stumps to Mohammad Shahid. The Victorians ended with 161/9 in their 20 overs and lost yet another match this season.

Dhaka Dynamites won by 33 runs.

Dhaka Dynamites 194/5 in 20 overs (Maruf 60, Nasir 43, Rashid Khan 3/28, Al Amin 1/7)

Comilla Victorians 161/9 in 20 overs (Mortaza 47, Tanvir 20, Shahid 3/34, Prasanna 2/15)