|| CF Correspondent ||

Chittagong Vikings finally ended its losing-streak at their home ground, making it enough to seal the play-off spot after they snatched a 11-run victory over Dhaka Dynamites on the back of some spirited cricket on Wednesday.

The first victory at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in four matches helped Chittagong congregate 14 points, same as Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians but stayed at third position by virtue of net-run-rate.

With two matches at hands and with 10 points in 10 matches, Dhaka still have the chance to make it play off for the third straight time but they would be hugely disappointed after their fourth straight defeats in the tournament.

The day might be belonged to the Dhaka’s all-rounder Andre Russell who slammed season’s third hat-trick, getting set Cameron Delport, Mushfiqur Rahim and Dasun Shanaka in the first three balls of the last over but such was the magnitude of Chittagong’s victory in a see-saw game that his feat was hardly talked about.

However a victory could make his chancy hat-trick larger than his original effort but Russell himself sank his team down, being dismissed by an ordinary full toss delivery when his team needed his service most.  

Dhaka looked set to break the defeat-jinx by setting them well after Chittagong Vikings piled up 174 for five but crumbled at the death overs sensationally to finally be restricted to 163 for nine.

Luck was seemed to be with their side when Andre Russell got a huge reprieve, being out by a no-ball of Camreon Delport but at the end, Chittagong’s hunger for victory at their home ground made the difference.

Chittagong still shelled some easy catches, showed some lethargic fielding but never gave up the die-hard attitude.

An Abu Jayed Rahi inspired Chittagong initially hurled the baton by reducing Dhaka to 23 for three before skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul Hasan Sohan hit back with bang.

Adding 50 off 37 balls for the fourth wicket stand, they kept the side in a position of dominance. But Chittagong took the command again, dealing a double strike—firstly Delport had Nurul by leg-before after he hammered 33 off 23 with two fours and as many sixes and latter Keiron Pollard ran him out like an apprentice in the first ball he faced.

With 73 for five, Dhaka were in real trouble but still they have the firepower in Andre Russell who lived up to his reputation to turn the table again. With Shakib Al Hasan playing serenely, Dhaka again made them favourite to win the game. To their delight, Russell was reprieved on 26 when Cameron Delport got him with a no-ball delivery.

But such was Chittagong’s determination that they kept pressing hard, which finally resulted in the wicket of Russell as Dasun Shanaka had him caught by Delport at deep midwicket with a full toss delivery. Russell finally added 39 off 23 with four fours and two sixes.

Shakib stood as the last barrier for the home side and Shanaka removed him with a slower to virtually seal the deal. Shakib smote six fours in his 42 ball-53, his second fifty in the tournament.