Magical Mustafizur does it for Rajshahi Kings
Photo- BCB
|| CF Correspondent ||
Pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman pulled of a heist, unleashing a sensational last over filled with deadly cutters and yorkers to defend nine runs as Rajshahi Kings snatched a thrilling five-run victory over Rangpur Riders from the jaws of defeat on Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
In one of the most sensational last over effort the world has ever seen in the recent past Mustafizur gave away just three runs and scripted a thrilling victory for the Rajshahi, whose 135 for eight looked underwhelming against a star-studded line up of Rangpur Riders.
But that one special over of Mustafizur, adorably called as the Fizz, sank them from a seemingly good position and finally held them back to 130 for six.
While the clam presence of Rilee Rossouw made Rangpur favourites to win the game when the match went down to last over, Mustafizur had other ideas.
The fast ball was slower, a short of length and Rossouw only could pull it for one run and gave the strike to Farhad Reza, who looked clueless as Mustafizur came up with perfect cutter. The third and fourth delivery was slower cutters to which Farhad Reza only could heave a wild slog but couldn’t connect. He missed the fifth delivery also, a cutter again, but Rossouw charged and stole a bye to give him the chance of negotiating the last delivery in which a six needed even to tie the match.
Mustafizur however held his nerve and unleashed a wide yorker to which Rossouw could only dig it out into the offside for a single.
Mustafizur had no wicket to show but his 4-0-17-0 was instrumental in Rajshahi’s sensational victory.
Even though Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s strategy to open the innings with Chris Gayle backfired after the skipper got a two ball-duck, Gayle gave the side a rapid start in pursuit of 136.
For the first time in this season, a Gayle-storm seemed to have on the cards as he took paceman Kamrul Isalm Rabbi in sheer disdain to hit him two sixes and as many fours in an over.
But Rabbi after conceding 20 runs took the revenge by getting him out in the last ball of that over.
Inspired by the big wicket of Gayle, Rajshahi bowlers came up with disciplined bowling to slow down the scoring rate even though Mohammad Mithun and Rilee Rossouw looked to sail the side with serene approach.
Mohammad Hafeez then dealt a double blow in consecutive overs to claim the wicket of Mithun (30) and Ravi Bopara (2). And when Benny Howell was run out for 4 on the stroke of last powerplay, Rangpur seemed to have in real danger, reeling to 93 for five.
Rossouw and Nahidul Islam (16) somehow managed to survive in the wake of some fantastic death over bowling but the latter was out in the penultimate over, leaving Rajshahi a need to 9 runs in the last over.
However Mustafizur lived up to his reputation of deadly death over bowler on a day when it mattered most. Rossouw was unbeaten on 44 off 45.
Earlier in a sluggish Mirpur wicket, being sent to bat first, wicket-keeper batsman Zakir Hasan was key in Rajshahi’s moderate total. Zakir was unbeaten on 36 ball-42, smashing two fours and one six—an innings that helped Rajshahi gave their bowlers something to defend.
Mohammad Hafeez was the other notable scorer with 26 and added 54-run with Zakir after Rajshahi were in tittering 36 for three. The partnership looked threatening but Mashrafe MP-led Rangpur regrouped well to restrict Rajshahi in meager total. However a special over of Mustafizur at the end made all the difference.
