Robi bags a fifer to help Dhaka confirm playoff spot

Robiul Islam Robi bagged a fifer to help Beximco Dhaka confirm their playoff spot in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup by beating Gemcon Khulna by 20 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.

Dhaka won their fourth match on the trot and the Mushfiqur Rahim-led side currently sit third on the table with eight points from four wins in seven games.

Robi, who started off by scalping the wicket of Zakir Hasan in his first over, went on to pick up crucial wickets of premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and Ariful Haque before wrapping up with wickets of pacer Shohidul Islam and spinner Nazmul Islam Apu in the final over of the game. The right-arm spinner ended with figures of five for 27 in his 3.3 overs, helping Dhaka bundle out Khulna for 159.   

Despite a fifty from opener Jahurul Islam, Khulna could not chase down the challenging total of 179 for seven set by Dhaka. Jahurul struck a 36-ball 53, featuring four boundaries and two maximums, but the right-hander received very little help from other batsmen. Other than Jahurul, only three other Khulna batsmen were able to reach the double-figure mark. 

Shamim Hossain, who took two brilliant catches in the game earlier, played a cameo innings of 24 off just nine deliveries that featured two fours and as many sixes. But Khulna lacked partnerships in the middle and kept losing wickets at regular intervals, succumbing to their fourth defeat in the five-team tournament. The Mahmudullah Riyad-led side had however already confirmed their playoff spot earlier. 

Earlier, Dhaka got off to a blistering start thanks to Mohammad Naim Sheikh, who struck premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for four sixes in his very first over. Naim strung a 41-run opening stand with Sabbir Rahman, who picked up his first fifty of the tournament. Sabbir struck a 38-ball 56, including five fours and three sixes, before departing in the 17th over. 

Beximco Dhaka batsman Sabbir Rahman raises his bat after scoring fifty. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Sabbir picks up first fifty as Dhaka post 179 for seven

Sabbir Rahman picked up his first fifty as he helped Beximco Dhaka post a commendable 179 for seven against star-studded Gemcon Khulna in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today. 

After a blistering start, Dhaka looked to be on course for a much bigger score but Khulna bowlers kept things tight at the latter part of the innings, giving away just 12 runs in the last three overs to help restrict Dhaka under 200.  

Sabbir, who has been in and out of the Dhaka squad for his poor run of form, reinvented himself during his 38-ball 56 that featured five fours and three maximums. With Sabbir in the groove, Dhaka looked to be heading towards a 200-plus score but the right-hander departed in the 17th over, caught while trying to hit pacer Shohidul Islam for a maximum. After that, the scoring rate for Dhaka dropped drastically. 

The Mushfiqur Rahim-led side got off to a bright start, thanks to Mohammad Naim Sheikh, who struck premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for four sixes in his very first over. Naim strung together a 41-run opening stand with Sabbir but the left-hander could not capitalize on his bright start as he departed in the fourth over after a 17-ball 36, featuring five sixes. 

Former Under-19 skipper Akbar Ali sparked up the game by hitting spinner Nazmul Islam Apu for four sixes in the 15th over but he too fell after a cameo innings of 31 off just 14 deliveries. Al Amin (Junior), who replaced former Under-19 batsman Tanzid Hasan Tamim, also contributed with a 25-ball 36 in the middle.    

For Khulna, pacer Shohidul remained the most impressive with the ball. He picked two wickets -- including the prized wicket of Sabbir -- while giving away 31 runs in his four overs. 

Beximco Dhaka captain Mushfiqur Rahim and Gemcon Khulna Mahmudullah Riyad during toss today. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Khulna elect to bowl against Dhaka

Gemcon Khulna won the toss and elected to field against Beximco Dhaka in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.

Dhaka made one change in the squad as Tazid Hasan Tamim made way for Al Amin (Junior). Meanwhile, Khulna made two changes in the squad. Pacer Shohidul Islam comes in for another pacer Al Amin Hossain and Nazmul Islam Apu replaces Imrul Kayes.   

Beximco Dhaka, with three wins from six games, will be looking to seal a place in the top four today when they take on the star-studded Gemcon Khulna, who are in second place with four wins from seven matches.

The game starts an hour early as the technical committee of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup decided to re-schedule the match timings of the rest of the games considering the dew factor and foggy weather.