Russell lifts Dhaka to BPL final
Sports Reporter
Showing a steely resolve, Dhaka Dynamites yesterday defended their paltry 140 for seven to crush Khulna Titans by 54 runs in the Qualifier-1 game and confirmed their berth in the final of the BPL-4 straightway. A fine and disciplined bowling effort saw Dhaka shooting Titans out for 86 in 16.2 overs at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the capital and thereby justified the tag of most accomplished team in the tournament.
Andre Russell starred in the overwhelming victory, Dhakas first in third attempt against Titans in this season, with colossal all-round performance -- a splendid 25 ball-46 and a measly bowling figure of 4-0-16-3. Titans now will face off Rajshahi Kings in
the Qualifier-2 game at the same venue today. The winner will face Dhaka in the grand finale, slated to be held on Friday.
Dhakas passion to go to the final straightway was evidenced in their body language and attitude which sometimes went beyond the limitation. In the opening over of Khulnas chasing, Abu Jayed beat Andre Fletcher with one that hit his pad and seemed to have clipped the leg stump. The umpire, however, didnt pay heed to the appeal which made Dhaka players, including captain Shakib Al Hasan, furious.
Dhaka players soon calmed down and clawed back into the game through Shakib who stopped Fletchers storm to spark Khulnas collapse. Fletcher made 28 off 22 with four fours and one six. Andre Russell then struck twice, having removed inform Mahmudullah who top-edged a short delivery to be out on 5 and Hasanuzzman on identical score.
Sanjamul Islam continued the pressure, created by Russell and Shakib as he scalped Benny Howell for four while Mosaddek Hossain took out Abdul Majid for 7 to leave Khulna 53 for five in 10 overs.
Nicholas Pooran and Ariful Haque resisted but Abu Jayed made it short-lived, taking out Pooran for 9. With six down for 68, the game was virtually over for Khulna. Dwayne Bravo then executed the slower deliveries in emphatic fashion and Russells intriguing short stuffs cleaned up the tail to give the side an amazing victory. Bravo also claimed 3 for 10 to complement Russells performance.
Russells blistering 25-ball-46 was earlier the catalyst behind Dhakas moderate total after they tasted a top order collapse, courtesy to Junaid Khans devastating first spell -- 2-0-9-3. Junaid Khan also conceded just one run in the last over to return a figure of 4-0-24-4.
Showing a gem of fast bowling, he removed inform Mehedi Maruf for 7 to give the side a breakthrough and then dealt a mighty blow to Dhaka with double strike in his second over, dismissing Evin Lewis for 11 and Kumar Sangakkara for 7 in the space of three balls. It left Dhaka to a precarious 28 for three in the fourth over.
Dhaka captain Shakib Al Hasan so far couldnt do anything with his willow. It was the perfect platform for him to justify his tag of Bangladeshs best T20 player.
But Shakib continued his poor form with batting, making a run-a-ball-18. Andre Fletcher was the wrecker-in-chief this time as he took our Nasir Hossain (11) and Shakib in his consecutive overs.
While Junaid Khan and Fletcher took wickets at regular interval, they actually shrewdly utilised the pressure created by Mosharraf Hossain Rubel who delivered a tight four-over spell at a stretch in which he just spent 18 runs.
With the sides reputation was at stake, Andre Russell gave Dhaka Dynamites fans a reason to smile. He took little time to set him on the crease and hit the bowlers all corner of the park with enormous vigor. Such was the power that even his mishit went for sixes.
Before being out in the last ball of the penultimate over, he hit four fours and three sixes. His dismissal effectively routed Dhakas way to go past 150 runs mark.
