Tamim-Asif storm takes Dhaka to 174-5

Fireworks from Tamim Iqbal and Asif Ali have taken Dhaka Platoon to a strong total of 174-5 against Rajshahi Royals in the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 2019. 

Batting first, Dhaka were in some trouble early on as they lost five wickets within the 13th over. But from then on, Tamim and Asif put on a show as they formed a 90-run partnership off just 46 deliveries to take Dhaka to a strong position. 

Winning the toss, Rajshahi skipper Andre Russell decided to bowl first. Batting first, Dhaka were off to a slow start. Their start took a turn towards worse when Anamul Haque was sent back by Russell. 

Anamul was given not out by the umpire, but Russell reviewed and replays showed that the ball kissed the bat before it went into Liton Das' gloves, thus the decision was overturned and Anamul had to go back for 10. 

Dhaka lost Luis Reece in the sixth over for nine as Russell took a simple catch off Shoaib Malik to reduce Dhaka to 35-2. 

Tamim Iqbal and Mahedi Hasan put up a quick stand of 37 runs to accelerate, but Mahedi was sent back by Ravi Bopara to break the stand. Mahedi had hit Bopara for a six in the previous delivery and tried to repeat it again but it proved to be one shot too many as he was comfortably held at the cover boundary by Taijul Islam to send the batsman back for 20 off 11 deliveries. 

Ariful Haque was the next to go for 7 as Farhad Reza came into the attack and went through his defences to clutter Ariful's stumps. Dhaka Platoon skipper Mashrafe Mortaza came in to bat at no.6 as a surprise but went back on his first delivery for a duck to gift Farhad Reza his second scalp of the game. Reza eventually missed out on his hat-trick, but two wickets in two deliveries pegged Dhaka back a bit. 

Coming in at no. 7, Asif Ali was on the fourth gear from the word go. He hit two fours and a six in Farhad Reza's 15th over but a gave a chance to Kamrul Islam Rabbi in the 16th over on 23 which the bowler managed to miss hilariously. Asif attempted another slog off Rabbi but only managed to skew it up in the air. The bowler, Rabbi himself went for the catch but at the very last moment, he pulled back and let go of a simple chance to get the dangerous Asif out. 

Getting a life, Asif continued to wreak havoc and brought up the 50-run stand with Tamim in 50 deliveries. Tamim brought up his fifty off 44 deliveries and got an opportunity in the next over as Afif Hossain dropped Tamim at the mid-wicket boundary. 

Asif soon followed with his fifty off 24 deliveries and the two batsmen continued to wreak havoc on the Rajshahi bowlers.Tamim stayed unbeaten on 68 off 52 deliveries with Asif being unbeaten on 55 off 28 deliveries. The last 10 overs of the innings produced 101 runs, which took them to a commendable total of 174-5. 

Reza picked up a couple of wickets with Russell, Bopara and Malik picked up a wicket each.