Tigers tamed by Dhaka in yet another final-over finish

Minister Dhaka needed 14 off 10, just like their previous game which they eventually lost. But this time they emerged victorious as Shuvagata Hom remained cool as a cucumber and finished things off in some style, giving his team an important four-wicket win over Khulna Tigers in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Dhaka notched up their fourth win in nine matches while Khulna succumbed to their fourth defeat. On a used wicket, Khulna gave Dhaka a run for their money as they almost defended 129.

Chasing 130, Dhaka were in a spot of bother early as they lost the in-form Tamim Iqbal. Tamim was not given out initially but the third umpire adjudged him leg-before. His partner Imranuzzaman soon followed him as he failed to ramp the ball over the third man region, only succeeding in finding the man at the boundary. 

Dhaka were under a bit of pressure at 12 for two and needed some consolidation. Jahurul Islam and captain Mahmudullah added a run-a-ball 57 to calm the nerves in the dressing room before the former went back after scoring an important 30. Ruyel Miah broke the partnership. 

Shamsur Rahman, in at five, walked out with a positive intent and raced to 23 off 10 hitting a four and two sixes before a well-set Mahmudullah holed out to long-off for 34. Dhaka then required 29 off four overs.

Shamsur followed him in the 18th over bowled by Perera. The pacer could have got another one if Khaled Ahmed held on to the catch in the next ball. The over was an eventful one and the equation got a bit tight as Dhaka needed 15 off 12.

Khaled bowled a superb penultimate over which meant Perera had ten runs to defend in the final over of the match. But Shuvagata Hom turned out to be the hero for Dhaka as he finished the game with two consecutive sixes - one straight and one over cover - off Perera. 

Earlier, Rubel Hossain, back into the XI, sent back the in-form Soumya Sarkar as the southpaw chipped the ball to Shuvagata Hom at deep midwicket in the very first over. Jaker Ali, who was promoted to number three, was run out as a result of a huge mix-up between him and Andre Fletcher. 

Fletcher too did not last long as the right-hander mistimed an inside-out shot and chipped the ball straight to the cover fielder off Arafat Sunny. Sunny bagged two in two, cleaning up Yasir Ali in the very next ball. His dismissal left Khulna reeling at 12 for four and it was just the second time in the ongoing tournament that a team lost four wickets inside the first four overs.

Dhaka's new Afghanistan recruit Azmatullah Omarzai took the all-important wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim in the seventh over. 

Sikandar Raza was the top-scorer for the Tigers but got little support from the other batters. Before getting out in the final ball of the innings, Raza played some delightful strokes - five fours and four sixes - to help Khulna post a respectable total on the board. 

Raza scored 64 off 50 deliveries while no other batter crossed 20. Khulna scored 46 in the last five overs and finished with 129 for eight. 

For Dhaka, Sunny and Omarzai scalped two wickets each. Sunny was adjudged the player of the match for his two for 15 in three overs.