Sizzling Shanaka takes Cumilla to 173-7
Batting first, Cumilla were 89-6 in the 14th over. But Shanaka played a real captain’s knock as his team scored 84 from the last 37 balls, courtesy of some incredible power-hitting.
It was Shanaka show at Mirpur Sher-E-Bangla National Stadium as the Cumilla Warriors skipper wreaked havoc on the Rangpur Rangers bowlers to take his team to 173-7, scoring an unbeaten 75 in the process.
Batting first, Cumilla were 89-6 in the 14th over. But Shanaka played a real captain's knock as his team scored 84 from the last 37 balls, courtesy of some incredible power-hitting.
Winning the toss, Cumilla skipper Dasun Shanaka decided to have a bat under lights. But that decision backfired in the very first delivery as opener Yasir Ali Chowdhury saw his stumps rattled by an inside edge off the bowling of Rangpur skipper Mohammad Nabi.
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Soumya Sarkar and Bhanuka Rajapaksa looked to rebuild and both of them displayed a few brilliant shots, but that was until Mustafizur came to bowl in the last over of the powerplay.
'The Fizz' deceived Soumya with a cutter which the left-handed batsman tried to pull, but managing only to find short mid-wicket on 28.
The very next over, Sanjit Saha trapped Bhanuka LBW but was not given. Nabi decided to review and hawkeye suggested that it was hitting middle stump, which meant Bhanuka had to go back for 15.
Dawid Malan, along with Sabbir Rahman, tried to steady the ship for the Cumilla Warriors, but Malan was also sent back by Sanjit in the 12th over. The English batsman was deceived by the off-spinner and Mohammad Shahzad nicked the bails off to send him back on 25.
Mustafiz came back for his second over and sent national teammate Sabbir back instantly. Sabbir was beaten by another brilliant delivery from Mustafiz, and Sabbir's edge only managed to find Sanjit at point on 19.
Mahidul Islam Ankon did not last long either, as his stumps were clattered by Lewis Gregory and Rangpur reduced to 89-6.
Everyone expected Cumilla to bundle out for a small total, but Cumilla captain Dasun Shanaka had other ideas.
He put up a 35-run stand with Abu Hider Rony before the latter was sent back by Gregory, but it was then when Shanaka unleashed the beast.
He hit Mustafiz for four consecutive sixes to bring up his fifty, including a hit which led to the ball being sent out of the park. In the last over from Junaid Khan, Shanaka hit another three sixes and a four to pick up 23 runs to end the innings on 173-6.
Shanaka was unbeaten on 75 from 31 deliveries, hitting an astonishing nine sixes and three fours.
Mustafiz, Sanjit and Gregory picked up a couple of wickets with Nabi picking up the other one.
Brief score:
Cumilla Warriors: 173-7 (Shanaka 75*, Soumya 28, Malan 25, Mustafiz 2-37, Sanjit 2-26, Gregory 2-25)
