BPL 2019-20: Match 23, Review- Rajshahi Royals tackle Soumya Sarkar’s belligerence to script victory

The Cumilla Warriors’ campaign in the Bangabandhu BPL continued as they lost their fourth match in succession. This time around, Rajshahi Royals defeated them by 15 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Placed fifth in the table, the Warriors are almost in a must-win scenario. Meanwhile, Andre Russell and Co won their fifth game in the event and are second in the table.

Royals put up a colossal score

The Royals lost the toss, but came out all guns blazing with the bat, scoring a mammoth 190. Liton Das (24) and Afif Hossain Dhrubo (43) made sure that the Royals made use of the powerplay with a 56-run stand. Sunzamul Islam gave the Warriors their first wicket, getting rid of Liton. A few overs later, Soumya Sarkar castled the other opener, Afif, to bring the Warriors back into the game.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman rattled Ravi Bopara’s woodwork and all of a sudden, Cumilla got the Royals by the scruff of their necks. Shoaib Malik (61) and Andre Russell (37) put on 84 for the fourth wicket in 42 balls to put the Royals on the driver’s seat. Malik got to his fifty off 35 balls and the Royals scored 63 in the last four overs. Sunzamul was the Warriors’ standout bowler with an economy of five.

Soumya Sarkar strains every sinew  

The Warriors got off to a poor start as Farhad Reza accounted for Robiul Islam Robi’s wicket. Then it was Russell’s turn to deliver the body blow. The pacer got the prized wicket of Dawid Malan. Stiaan van Zyl, playing his first BPL game this season, crawled to a 23-ball 21. Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman did stitch together a 52-run stand, but took 45 balls even as the required rate went up.

Sabbir laboured his way to a 23-ball 25 before Mohammad Irfan pinned him. The momentum was fizzled out from the Warriors’ innings to such an extent that they needed 56 off the last two overs. Prior to that Sarkar got to his fifty off 36 balls. In the final 12 balls, the Warriors hammered 40 runs. Soumya ended with 88 off 48 with five fours and six sixes, but his efforts couldn’t take Cumilla home.

Brief Scores

Rajshahi Royals: – 190/4 in 20 overs (Shoaib Malik 61, Afif Hossain Dhrubo 43; Sunzamul Islam 1/20)

Cumilla Warriors: – 175/4 in 20 overs (Soumya Sarkar 88*, Sabbir Rahman 25; Mohammad Irfan 1/24)

Rajshahi Royals win by 15 runs.