Chattogram Challengers’ new ball bowlers showcased precision as Shuvagato Hom, winning the toss, opted to field first. Al-Amin Hossain displayed adept length variations, and early on, Danushka Gunathilaka had to retire hurt after a length delivery struck his helmet.
Saif Hassan and Mosaddek Hossain also departed within the powerplay. Durdanto Dhaka struggled to amass only 25 runs within the field restrictions. Attempts to accelerate resulted in the dismissals of Mohammad Naim and Alex Ross before the drinks break, leaving the scoreboard at 31/4.
In a crucial move, Lasith Croospulle replaced Gunathilaka as a concussion substitute and played a pivotal role, counter-attacking with a 31-ball 46 until Curtis Campher dismissed him in the 16th over. Irfan Sukkur (27) fell to Bilal Khan, and contributions from the tail guided Dhaka to 136/8.
In response, Chattogram Challengers commenced their innings energetically, propelled by Avishka Fernando’s three fours and Tanzid Hasan’s graceful strokes. Despite losing a couple of wickets, Shahadat Hossain and Tanzid ensured a solid start, reaching 54/2 by the powerplay’s end.
The pair constructed a 53-run partnership for the third wicket, setting the tone for the chase before Najibullah Zadran joined in. Initially supporting Tanzid, Zadran showcased sensibility on a challenging surface, falling just one run short of his fifty.
Danushka Gunatilake retired hurt in BPL pic.twitter.com/HOnhTAqX3u
— CricWire (@CricWireLK) January 22, 2024
The defending side aimed to control the run rate by limiting boundaries, but their strategy faltered when Zadran smashed consecutive sixes, reducing the required runs to 9 off 14 deliveries. With no further setbacks, the left-handed batter sealed the victory with ten balls to spare, concluding with a six and a double in the penultimate over.