Riding on opener Liton Das's blistering 48 ball-70 and a dazzling allround performance of captain Thisara Perera, Dhaka Capitals registered their second victory in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) when they clinched six-run win over Sylhet Strikers in a keenly contest game at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium here.
Liton and Captain Thisara Perera added 81 off just 28 balls for the fifth wicket, which was key in steering the side to a hefty 196-6. Sylhet replied with opener Rony Talukdar's 68 and some cameos from Jaker Ali Anik and Captain Ariful Haque but eventually fell short which forced them to replace Dhaka to the bottom of the table.
Liton who clobbered four fours and as many sixes registered his third 50 plus knock in the last four innings, which hinted that he is on the way to regain the consistency that selectors wanted from him.
A few hours after being dropped from the Bangladesh's Champions Trophy-bound squad, Liton smashed a record-breaking century, which was followed by a 73-run knock. Now the 70-run knock is believed to keep him at good stead to earn the trust of the selectors again.
Electing to bat first, Sylhet lost Tanzid Hasan Tamim early after he scored 22. Even though Liton kept the scoreboard ticking, Dhaka lost Mosaddek Hossain Saikat and Namibia recruit JP Kotze for single digit figure.
Sabbir Rahman and Captain Thisara Perera thereafter gave Liton the required support to steady the ship. With Sabbir, who made 24, Liton shared 42 runs before he added 81-run with Perea who bludgeoned the bowlers all corner of the part to blast 17 ball-37. Perera smote three fours and same number of maximums for his knock.
Their partnership indeed took Dhaka closer to 200-run mark.
Tipu Sultan and Samiullah Shinwari picked up two wickets apiece for Sylhet.
After a death over carnage, Thisara Perera took two crucial wickets of Rony and Aaron Jones to tilt the game toward Dhaka.
Sylhet lost George Munsey and Zakir Hasan cheaply to be reduced to 32-2 but Rony and Joned shared 80 runs for the third wicket to keep the side in the hunting.
Perera broke the partnership by removing Jones for 36 and in his next over he got the better of Rony who belted nine fours in his 44 ball-68.
These two dismissals in consecutive overs strangled Dhaka to such extent that rapid knock from Jaker Ali and Ariful were not enough to get them to the victory.
Jaker struck 13 ball-28 while Ariful, who was dismissed in the last over when 23 runs were needed for a victory, made 29 off 13.
Mustafizur Rahman who defended 23 runs in the last over finished with two wickets also.
Source: BSS
bd-pratidin/Rafid
