Twitter Reactions: A clinical Mushfiqur helps the Chittagong Vikings rise to the top of the points table

Mosaddek and Najibullah supported him well.

Published - 23 Jan 2019, 17:40 IST | Updated - 23 Jan 2019, 17:40 IST

3 Min Read

For the first time after the BPL 2019 really kicked off, a team managed to dethrone the Dhaka Dynamites from the top spot on the points table. It is the Chittagong Vikings who managed to achieve this feat courtesy back-to-back wins in their last two matches. Powered by Mushfiqur Rahim, the side defeated the Rajshahi Kings by a 6-wicket margin to register the sixth win of the tournament.

First, the bowlers did a good job to restrict the opposition to a low score. In the chase that went down till the last over, Rahim and Mosaddek Hossain maintained their composure in difficult situations. The duo counterattacked the bowlers just at the right him shifting the pressure onto the opposition.

The efforts from Laurie Evans go in vain

The Rajshahi Kings’ innings was dictated by Laurie Evans for a majority of the time. The 31-year-old, who opened the innings, was just terrific after his team was put into bat first. Even though wickets kept falling at the other end, he never really backed off from attacking the bowlers.

Evans scored 74 runs off just 56 deliveries and struck eight fours and two sixes in his innings. Ryan ten Doeschate played a handy cameo of 28 which came off 20 balls. But it was Christiaan Jonker who provided the final impetus to the innings with an unbeaten 20-ball 36. The side finished with a mediocre total of 157 in 20 overs.

The skipper leads from the front

The Dhaka track usually tends to get better during the chase. However, the top-order of the Chittagong Vikings struggled. While Mohammad Shahzad scored 25 off 17 balls, Cameron Delport and Yasir Ali returned with single-digit scores. After the side was down to 30/3, Mushfiqur Rahim decided to take things in his own control.

With a little support from Najibullah (23 off 19 balls), he built a partnership of 41 runs. Then he decided to switch gears and had the perfect partner in the form of Mosaddek Hossain. These two mixed aggression and calmness beautifully to took the team over the line. While Rahim was unbeaten on 64 off 46 balls, Hossain played an aggressive knock of 43 off 26 balls. Arafat Sunny’s three-wicket haul couldn’t stop the Vikings from winning the game.

Twitterati was glad to see a new team taking over the top spot on the points table. They thoroughly enjoyed watching Mushfiqur Rahim and Mosaddek Hossain in action together. The fans also empathised for Laurie Evans who played a brilliant innings.

Here is how Twitterati reacted:

Laurie Evans again, after a poor start to the tournament. Now he is getting back into the natural touch.
— Johns Benny (@CricCrazyJohns) January 23, 2019

Yess!!!
Again Chittagong Vikings
Again Chittagonian.
Now we are in the Table Top…
Very brilliant knock by Mushfiqur Rahim
And also Mosaddek Hossain Saikat.
আরা চিটাইঙ্গে অক্কল যে বেয়াজ্ঞুন তুন সেরা ইবে… https://t.co/V6c6UvX8Js
— Md Ashikul Islam (@mdashikul1971) January 23, 2019

Just when I wanted to say Kamrul Rabbi should have a place in the Bangladesh squad for New Zealand series, he concedes Four 4s in one over & three 4s in next over#RKvCHV #BPL2019
— JITBE DHAKA DEKHBE DESH (@Nafiu_Shakibian) January 23, 2019