Afif guides Royals to pick up easy win over Warriors
With the win of the Royals, the Chattogram-phase of BPL came to an end for this season. Now, the most prestigious T20 event of the country will resume in Dhaka from December 27.
Afif Hossain hit 76 off 53 balls to help Rajshahi Royals pick up an easy win by seven wickets against Cumilla Warriors in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium here on Tuesday.
With the win of the Royals, the Chattogram-phase of BPL came to an end for this season. Now, the most prestigious T20 event of the country will resume in Dhaka from December 27 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Replying to Warriors' 170 for eight in 20 overs, Royals made a flying-start as Liton Das and Afif amassed 60 runs in 6.5 overs. But in the last ball of the seventh over, Liton was removed by Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Shoaib Malik of Pakistan came at number three but failed to impress with the bat as he fell for one this time. Royals lost two wickets in a span of 10 runs. However, in the third wicket, Afif and Ravi Bopara added 62 runs.
Afif fell prey to Al-Amin Hossain for 76 off 53 with eight fours and two sixes. In the fourth wicket stand, Andre Russell and Ravi Bopara made a 39-run stand to seal the game by seven wickets.
Both Bopara and Russell remained unbeaten for 40 off 22 and 21 of eight respectively.
Al-Amin Hossain took two wickets conceding 49 runs in four overs while Mujeeb bagged the other wicket.
Earlier, Royals won the toss and sent Warriors to bat first. Warriors lost their first wicket when Bhanuka Rajapaksa fell for 10 off eight balls. He was removed by Afif Hossain. Despite this early blow, they put up 170 runs riding on the century of Dawid Malan.
Royals kept losing wickets on a regular basis, but Malan was firm at the other end of the wicket. Sabbir Rahman (5), Soumya Sarkar (20) failed once again with the bat and Dasun Shanaka (11), Yasir Ali (0) and Mahidul Islam (4) also followed them to the dressing room.
However, Malan kept the scoreboard afloat. He ended on unbeaten 100 off 54 with nine fours and five sixes.
Andre Russell, the captain of the Royals, used nine bowlers in the game. Russell, Mohammad Irfan and Abu Jayed Rahi bagged two wickets each while Afif Hossain and Ravi Bopara took one wicket each.
Before this game, Royals played four games and won three of them while Warriors played five games and won two of them.
Both the teams will face each other in their next respective match on December 28 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
