Islami Bank East Zone held their nerves under pressure to race to a thrilling three-wicket win over Walton Central Zone in the second round Bangladesh Cricket League in Chittagong on Saturday. Set a target of 224 runs in just 31 overs on the fourth and final day, East Zone overcame dramatic late collapse to reach 227-7 with just one ball in hand to seal the win. Experienced batsman Rajin Saleh hit left-arm spinner Elias Sunny for a boundary in the penultimate delivery to complete the win after East Zone needed six runs in the final over.
Needing more than seven runs per over in the final session, openers Shadman Islam and Nafees Iqbal set up the win for East Zone by putting up 127 runs in just 18 overs before they were separated.
Nafees seemed to have taken inspiration from his younger brother Tamim Iqbal, who smashed a record double century against Pakistan in Khulna on the previous day.
Former Test opener Nafees made 56 off 61 balls with two fours and as many sixes while Shadman, a 20-year old promising opener, outperformed him to score 78 from 67 balls with the help of seven boundaries.
With the victory well insight, the East Zone lost four wickets in the space of seven balls to nearly spoil the openers’ good work.
Rajin and Tasamul Haque, however, kept their cool under pressure to stay unbeaten on 10 and 11 respectively to complete the win.
Earlier, Walton Central Zone declared their second innings with 348-9 after resuming the fourth day’s play with 215-5.
Number 10 batsman Sharifullah made 75 runs to lift the side, who were all out for 179 in the first innings to concede a 125-run deficit.
-With New Age input
