Dhaka win four in a row

Beximco Dhaka beat Gemcon Khulna by 20 runs and registered their fourth win on the trot in the 17th match of the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup at Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday. 

Sabbir Rahman, Naim Sheikh and Akbar Ali starred with the bat for Dhaka and the bowlers put up a great display to beat Khulna comprehensively. Off-spinner Robiul Islam Robi picked up a five-wicket haul.

Jahurul Islam top-scored for Khulna with 53 off 36. But he had little support from his teammates. Khulna couldn't really up the ante after his dismissal. Shamim Hossain came out and played a few extravagant shots but couldn't quite carry on as he got out scoring 24 off 9. Eventually Khulna were bowled out for 159 in 19.3 overs. 

The bowlers were in terrific form. Robiul Islam Robi, the off-spinner, was the best bowler on the show as he picked up five scalps. He returned with figures that read 3.3-0-27-5. Rubel Hossain and Muktar Ali took two wickets apiece.

 Put in to bat, Dhaka were off to a flying start with Naim Sheikh going all guns blazing. The southpaw took 26 runs off the second over of the innings bowled by Shakib Al Hasan which included four sixes. But he threw away the superb start in the 4th over when he holed out at mid on. His belligerent 36 off 17 contained five sixes.

Al-Amin Jr. came in at number three and built a useful partnership with Sabbir Rahman. They put on 64 off 42 for the second wicket and kept the scoreboard moving before Al-Amin departed in the 11th over scoring a decent 36 off 25. Shamim Hossain took a superb catch at the cow corner boundary.

Shamim put an end to skipper Mushfiqur Rahim's brief stay as he took a spectacular catch at point. Mashrafe Mortaza accounted for the wicket. Yasir Ali followed his skipper after falling victim to a run-out with the score being 116 for four in the 12th over.

Akbar Ali came out with a positive mindset. Four sixes off the 15th over bowled by Nazmul Islam Apu was the highlight of his 14-ball-31.

Sabbir Rahman reached fifty in the 17th over but perished in the same over. His knock of 56 off 38 balls was studded with five fours and three sixes. 

Khulna bowlers pulled things back big time after Sabbir's dismissal. Hasan Mahmud and Shahidul Islam bowled superbly at the back end as Dhaka could score only 29 off the last five overs. They finished with 179 for seven after 20 overs.

Pacers bowled pretty well but the spinners were very expensive. Shahidul picked up a couple while Mashrafe Mortaza, Hasan Mahmud and Nazmul Islam took one each.

Sabbir Rahman was named player of the match for his brilliant knock of 56 off 38.

Gazi Group Chattogram, Gemcon Khulna and Beximco Dhaka have already made the playoffs.

Brief scores: Beximco Dhaka 179/7 (Sabbir Rahman 56, Naim Sheikh 36, Akbar Ali 31, Shahidul Islam 2/31, Hasan Mahmud 1/23, Mashrafe Mortaza 1/26)
Gemcon Khulna 159 (Jahurul Islam 53, Shamim Hossain 24, Mahmudullah 23, Robiul Islam Robi 5/27, Rubel Hossain 2/30, Muktar Ali 2/35)