CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, (CMC) – Inspirational captain Darren Sammy narrowly missed out on one of the fastest-ever Twenty20 half-centuries as he helped Rajshahi Kings break a two-match losing skid with a convincing 30-run victory over Comilla Victorians here Saturday.
Opting for first knock at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Kings piled up an impressive 185 for seven off their 20 overs, with Man-of-the-Match Sammy smashing an unbeaten 47 from just 14 deliveries.
England’s Luke Wright got 42 while opener Mominul Haque chipped in with 23.
Sammy arrived at the crease at 125 for five in the 17th over and proceeded to belt a four and half-dozen sixes in a destructive innings, adding a astonishing 44 runs off 11 deliveries for the eighth wicket with Mohammad Sami (5 not out).
Significantly, the former West Indies captain also plundered 32 from the final over of the innings bowled by young left-arm seamer Mohammad Saifuddin – the most expensive over ever in the Bangladesh Premier League.
Starting the over on 17, Sammy picked up a boundary to square leg off the first delivery before depositing the second ball over the ropes at long on.
He sprinted two to deep mid-wicket off the third and then carted sixes over long-off, cover and straight overhead – off the last three legitimate deliveries of the over.
Saifuddin, who had previously proven miserly in a three-over spell, ended with three for 50.
In reply, captain Tamim Iqbal stroked 63 off 45 balls at the top of the order while Shoaib Malik chipped in with 45 from 26, but Victorians were dismissed for 155 in the final over.
Fast bowler Mohammed Sami was brilliant with four for nine from four overs while former Barbados and West Indies all-rounder, Dwayne Smith, picked up two for 27 with his medium pace.
In the feature match of the doubleheader, West Indies superstar opener Chris Gayle struck 33 as Rangpur Riders’ revival continued with a three-wicket win over Chittagong Vikings in a dramatic finish.
Set a challenging 177, Riders reached their target off the final ball of the innings when Thisara Perera clobbered fast bowler Taskin Ahmed for a six over mid-wicket, with three runs required.
Perera finished on 28 not out while Mohammed Mithum top-scored with 44 and captain Mashrafe Mortaza, 42.
Gayle faced 25 balls and counted a four and three sixes, putting on a valuable 60 for the second wicket with Mashrafe after New Zealander Brendon McCullum perished cheaply for 15 in the sixth over.
Vikings had earlier tallied 176 for seven off their 20 overs with South African Stiaan van Zyl top-scoring with 68 off 40 deliveries.
