Maruf powers Dynamites

A blistering Mehedi Maruf half-century drove Shakib Al Hasan's Dhaka Dynamites to a winning start in the fourth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League, comprehensively beating Mushfiqur Rahim's Barisal Bulls by eight wickets in the evening match of the rescheduled opening day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

Maruf's stroke-filled 45-ball 75 made short shrift of Barisal's total of 148 for six as the Dynamites cantered home with four overs to spare, when Mosaddek Hossain hit the last ball of the 16th over for four. Maruf hit five fours and as many sixes in a blistering unbeaten innings.

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In the afternoon match, which was the opening match of the rescheduled tournament after Cyclone Nada washed out the scheduled opener on November 4, a Tamim Iqbal special and a Mohammad Nabi four-for led Chittagong Vikings to a 29-run win over defending champions Comilla Victorians, led by Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. 

In the evening match, in chase of a modest yet competitive total Maruf started like a house on fire, putting on 88 runs in just 8.4 overs for the first wicket with Sri Lanka batting legend Kumar Sangakkara. The Sri Lankan great was more a spectator than a star as Maruf declared the fireworks open with a swivel-pulled six off the second ball of the innings delivered by Al-Amin Hossain.

A huge six over midwicket followed in Al-Amin's next over, before Maruf and Sangakkara combined to hit three boundaries in the next over bowled by off-spinner Mahedi Hasan. The last of those, hit by Maruf, was a delectable back-foot cover drive that sped to the boundary on a slow outfield. Thisara Perera got the same treatment in the sixth over, this time with Sangakkara hitting two and Maruf one.

Sangakkara eventually departed for a 24-ball 30 when a ball from left-arm spinner Taijul Islam kept low and bowled the Sri Lankan, who was shaping to pull. But the opening stand did the damage. Skipper Shakib Al Hasan came out to the middle and supported Maruf, who reached his half-century from 30 balls in the over following Sangakkara's departure.

He had settled down with the target in sight, and added 48 runs with Shakib, the partnership ending when the skipper was bowled by Monir Hossain in the 15th over with just 13 runs to get. 

Earlier, skipper Mushfiqur Rahim put on an 82-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shahriar Nafees to take Barisal Bulls to 148 for six.

The pair came together at 44 for three after Dhaka Dynamites skipper Shakib Al Hasan called correctly at the toss and was rewarded by Mohammad Shahid having Shamsur Rahman caught at slip in the third over. That was soon followed by a screamer of a take by Nasir Hossain at point to have Dishan Munaweera caught off Dwayne Bravo in the sixth over. A powerful cut seemed to be destined for the boundary, but Nasir dived to his left and plucked the ball out of thin air. 

Dawid Malan then holed out to Bravo at deep midwicket off Shakib in the eighth over. Barisal seemed in trouble on a tough pitch and a slow outfield, but the subsequent 82-run stand between Nafees and Mushfiqur gave them a fighting chance. Nafees was the aggressor in the partnership, scoring a 34-ball 55 with seven fours and two sixes. His dismissal, bowled by Shahid, ended the 51-ball association.

Thisara Perera soon followed with the score on 129 in the 18th over, before Shahid claimed his third wicket by having Rayad Emrit caught by Nasir at deep midwicket. Mushfiqur however carried on, taking the side to a competitive total with an unbeaten 36-ball 50 with four boundaries and two sixes.