BPL 4, Match 16, Review: Mohammad Nabi steals the show as Vikings get back to winning ways

Chittagong Vikings desperately looked for a win when they turned up against the Rajshahi Kings today. The Vikings had started their tournament on a high by beating the defending champions. However, things turned sour for them when they lost their next 4 matches. Playing against the Rajshahi, they fancied their chances of breaking the losing spree. A special effort is what was needed for the Vikings.

Rajshahi Kings skipper Darren Sammy had no hesitation in opting to bowl first after winning the toss. With the likes of hard hitters like Umar Akmal, Sabbir Rahman, Sammy and Samit Patel in their lineup, they fancied their chances of chasing. The pitch looked flat and promised to be a run fest. The Vikings brought back Dwayne Smith in the playing eleven at the expense of Tymal Mills. Skipper Tamim Iqbal hoped to turn the tables in this encounter.

Tamim and Dwayne Smith look like a powerhouse opening pair on paper. But they have failed in the season thus far. The story was no different today either. Tamim fell cheaply on 5 in the second over as Mehedi Hasan accounted for the wicket. Anamul Haque was the new man in the middle for Chittagong Vikings. Haque and Smith led the counter attack and took a few risks in the powerplay. Smith departed in the 5th over after scoring a brisk 34 off 19 balls with 6 fours and a six. Abul Hasan cleaned him up with a beauty. With 44 on the board in the first 6 overs, Vikings looked struggling.

Grant Elliott and Jahurul Islam perished in quick succession and Samit Patel was the man sending them back to the dug out. In walked the Afghan national Mohammad Nabi. What followed from that stage was an absolute carnage for the bowlers. Nabi looked in sublime hitting touch. The way he hit scoring shots at will was a treat for the crowds. Nabi and Haque put on 105 runs off mere 55 balls for the 5th wicket. The partnership was eventually broken in the penultimate over soon after Haque had reached his fifty.

Haque was dismissed Farhad Reza on 50 off 40 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. Few overs earlier, Nabi had outplayed his partner to reach his fifty as well. Nabi looked solid for a ton but missed out on it. He remained unbeaten on 87 off just 37 balls with 6 sixes and 6 fours to his name. The Chittagong Vikings posted a mammoth 190/5 in their 20 overs.

The target was stiff one but the Rajshahi batting boasted of some big names. Sabbir Rahman had hit a classy ton earlier a couple of matches ago. The chase began with Mominul Haque and Junaid Siddique giving a brisk start to the Kings. Barring Mohammad Nabi, no other Vikings bowler looked to unsettle the Kings opener. The 44-run opening stand was broken in the 5th over by Taskin Ahmed. Mominul departed after scoring 22 off 14 balls.

Sabbir Rahman joined Junaid at the crease and the run flow continued as Kings added 49 in the powerplay. Junaid’s 38 off 28 balls was laced with 3 sixes and a four. He was dismissed by Grant Elliott in the 10th over. Umar Akmal announced himself in style as he hit 2 fours and a six in his 12-ball 21. Taskin Ahmed sent him packing in the 13th over to have Kings on 112/3 in 12.4 overs.

Sabbir Rahman hit 4 sixes en route his 30 ball 46 and looked threatening for the Chittagong Vikings. It was Imran Khan, who got rid off him in the 16th over. Samit Patel departed soon after to bring in two new batsmen at the crease. Skipper Darren Sammy was joined by Milind Siriwardana with a task of finishing the game. 57 was needed off 27 balls.

Both of them could not do much and the Rajshahi Kings eventually ended up with 171/9 in their 20 overs. Taskin Ahmed rocked the lower order as he bagged a five-for for the season. He finished with 5/31 as Chittagong Vikings won by 19 runs.

Brief Scores:
Chittagong Vikings 190/5 in 20 overs (Nabi 87*, Haque 50, Patel 2/21, Hasan 1/18)

Rajshahi Kings 171/9 in 20 overs (Rahman 46, Siddique 38, Taskin 5/31, Imran Khan 2/28)