All-round Mashrafe helps Sylhet script epic win against Rangpur to reach BPL final

The match could have gone either way. Both sides had their moments in the match but eventually Sylhet Strikers - led by Mashrafe Mortaza - beat Rangpur Riders second qualifier by 19 runs to reach the all-important final of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Tuesday. This is the first time Sylhet have reached the final in BPL history.

Mashrafe was instrumental with both bat and ball in his team's victory but it was rather a collective effort by the Strikers.

Rangpur, at one point in their chase, looked very comfortable to seal the match. But Sylhet fought back strongly, thanks to Tanzim Hasan Shakib and Luke Wood who bowled the 18th and 19th over respectively to take Sylhet to the final. 

Rony Talukdar played a valiant knock of 66 off 55 balls but couldn't finish the game for his side. His innings came to an end through an intelligent run out by wicketkeeper Zakir Hasan who had a terrible day at the field until that moment of brilliance in the 18th over. Zakir missed a catch of Rony in the 10th over. 

Nicholas Pooran played a quickfire 30-run innings of 14 balls with one boundary and four maximums. Later, skipper Nurul Hasan Sohan accompanied Rony with his 33-run knock. 

But Tanzim Shakib and Wood took the game away in the 18th and 19th over. Shakib gave away only two runs and picked up a wicket of Sohan. Rony was run out in the same over. Wood conceded three runs and picked up two wickets in the penultimate over. He will be on a hattrick in the final against Comilla Victorians. 

For Sylhet, Wood picked up three wickets while Tanzim Shakib and Rubel Hossain bagged a brace each. Shakib gave away only 19 runs from his four overs. Mashrafe didn't take any wickets but he gave away 24 runs from his three overs.

Batting first, Sylhet saw a collective effort to accumulate 182/7 after their 20 overs. Opener Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored for the team while his partner Towhid Hridoy struggled early in the innings. Shanto bagged 40 runs from 30 balls where he hit five fours and one maximum. The opening duo added 65 runs from 8.5 overs.

But his innings came to a frustrating end as he was adjudged LBW despite dancing down the wicket off Mahedi Hasan's delivery. He even complained to his skipper, Mashrafe Mortaza who promoted himself to number three, while returning to the pavilion. 

Mashrafe played a 28-run innings off 16 balls. He hit a maximum in the very first ball that he faced off Mahedi. Zakir Hasan and Ryan Burl both reached the double-digit mark but couldn't stay for long. Mushfiq was the only batter to score under 10 for the Strikers. 

Strikers lost three quick wickets of Burl, Mashrafe, and Mushfiq inside three overs. It seemed they wouldn't be able to reach 180 at that point.

Sylhet later rode on George Linde's quickfire 21 off 10 balls to reach 182. Linde hit one four and two maximums and he was accompanied well by Thisara Perera who also bagged 21 off 15 balls. 

For Rangpur, Hasan Mahmud and Dasun Shanaka picked up a brace but both of them were expensive. Mahmud gave away 34 runs while Shanaka conceded 45. 

Tanzim Hasan Shakib was adjudged the player of the match for his heroics with the ball. 

Sylhet skipper Mashrafe said the team was outstanding in the win. He also mentioned his hamstring is gone and he wished the team good luck for final.

"If you look at our journey, we have been outstanding. We have bounced back really well. We needed to break the momentum. Sakib's two overs brought us back into the game. In T20s, you have to take a risk and take some chances. My hamstring is gone. I want the team to win. I am happy for the guys," Mashrafe said at the post-match presentation.