|| CF Correspondent ||

Thisara Perera came up with stellar all-round performance as Comilla Victorians defended 153 for eight to stun mighty Dhaka Dynamites by seven runs in a heated and nerve-wrecking BPL battle on Tuesday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Perera struck a 12 ball-26 with willow to help the side propel past 150 from a hopeless situation before claiming three for 14 in crucial moments to script Comilla’s fascinating victory.

Despite their second straight defeat, Dhaka remained at top by better run rate with 10 points. Chittagong Vikings and Comilla Victorians also have 10 points but they stay in second and third position.

Thanks to an Andre Russell blitz Dhaka seemed to have cruised to the victory, but a heated conversation between Dhaka captain Shakib Al Hasan and Comilla Victorians coach Mohammad Shalahuddin halfway through the innings made it a battle ground before Comilla, rode on Perera’s match-defining bowling to seal the deal by holding back Dhaka to 146 for nine.

Drama unfolded when umpire Renmore Martinesz called a delivery of Comilla Victorians left-arm spinner Mahedi Hasan wide after Darwish Rasooli chopped it down the ground with Dhaka precariously placing at 38 for three.

 It was a confusing call, prompting Comilla Victorians coach Salahuddin protest the decision by surprisingly entering into the ground. During the strategic break, Dhaka captain Shakib Al Hasan went into the edge of the boundary rope and questioned the move of Salahuddin, who is considered the all-rounder’s mentor since his BKSP life. However Shakib’s protest seemed to have angered Salahuddin and he again entered into the ground and was seen to push Shakib while going out from the ground. 

From what it was understood that the incident created a tension in the tent of the two teams.

However Russell kept Dhaka in the hunt as long as he was in the crease. He struck a marauding 24 ball-46, smashing four fours and five sixes and added a 62-run with Shakib Al Hasan.

As Dhaka sensed a victory, Thisara Perera undid Russell with a slower delivery to spark a sensational collapse that saw Dhaka losing four wickets for 10 runs in 13 balls. Shahid Afridi dismissed Shakib for 20 and Perera took out Shuvagata Hom (3) and Nurul Hasan Sohan (4), the last two recognised batsmen of Dhaka to script the side’s victory.