Elton Chigumbura and Nazmul Hossain Milon turned the corner to help Sylhet Royals post a four-wicket comeback win over Duronto Rajshahi in their second Bangladesh Premier League match on Sunday.
Replying to Duronto’s modest 147-8, Royals looked down and out when they had lost six wickets for 80 runs before Chigumbura joined Nazmul to stun Duronto, who were looking for their second win.
Instead, Royals now joined Dhaka Gladiators at the top of the table with maximum two wins, having upstaged Barisal Burners in their Friday’s opening match.
Chigumbura was unbeaten on 43 from 21 balls with four fours and three sixes adding to his 3-21 while Nazmul made unbeaten 33 from 22 balls as Royals reached 150-6 with five balls to spare.
With Royals needing 10 runs from nine balls, Duronto sensed an outside chance when Nazmul gave a catch to Taijul Islam off Abul Hassan at deep-point, but the ball was judged no-ball.
Nazmul finished the match in style with a boundary through the mid-wicket region off a Sean Ervine delivery after Chigumbura had taken them close with a four in the last ball of the previous over.
Ervine, whose last over saw three wickets fall in three balls in the last game against Chittagong Kings, could not repeat the heroics and rather let the team down conceding 18 runs in his previous over, which became the turning point.
Duronto began the match on a wrong foot when they lost skipper Tamim Iqbal in the very first ball of the innings before makeshift opener Muktar Ali departed for six.
Muktar was promoted up the order after his 22 not out against Kings had given Duronto something to fight with. Moeen played a cautious knock of 35-ball 24 to give the innings a much-needed boost while Jahirul Islam kept the scoreboard ticking with 50 from 35 balls.
Ziaur Rahman added 21 from 19 balls to take them close to the 150-run mark, which was, however, not enough this time for Duronto who had successfully defended 99-9 in their tournament opener.
BRIEF SCORES
Duronto Rajshahi 147-8 in 20 overs (J Islam 50, M Ali 25, Z Rahman 21; E Chigumbura 3-21, S Gazi 2-33) v Sylhet Royals 150-6 in 19.1 overs ( E Chigumbura 43 not out, NH Milon 33 not out, M Rahim 22; N Islam Jr 2-17).
Result: Sylhet Royals won by 4 wickets.
Man of the match: E Chigumbura (SR)
-With New Age input
