BPL 2019-20: Match 25, Review- Mustafizur Rahman and Cameron Delport combine to thump Sylhet Thunder

The Sylhet Thunder are on the verge of getting knocked out of the ongoing BPL 2019-20. Rangpur Rangers beat them by seven wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. With the victory, Shane Watson’s men kept their hopes alive in the T20 tournament with three matches left. It was a strong all-round show that helped the Rangers topple a rather hapless-looking Thunder.

Mithun wages a lone battle

After being put in to bat first, the Thunder strained throughout and could only manage 133 for nine. Andre Fletcher perished to Arafat Sunny for a duck after which Mukidul Islam removed Johnson Charles. From there on, Mohammad Mithun (62) led the charge. He built a 57-run stand with Mosaddek Hossain to inject momentum. Mosaddek strained though before succumbing to a run out.

Sherfane Rutherford got a lifeline, but couldn’t capitalise on it, getting out on 16. Mithun went on to score his fifty off 35 balls and needed to carry on. To his dismay, he fell prey to a short ball from Mustafizur Rahman. After his dismissal, the Thunder dished out a mere 22 runs in their last 23 balls. Mustafizur was arguably the Rangers’ stand-out bowler, having gotten three wickets for 10 runs.

Cameron Delport steps up

The Rangers didn’t get off a flier, managing 31 runs in the powerplay. Ebadot Hossain castled Shane Watson to strike first blood. Cameron Delport played out six dot balls to start with, but stepped on the gas to make the game a one-sided affair. He went berserk and got to his fifty in 24 balls. By the time fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq got rid of him on a 28-ball 63, the Rangers had the upper hand.

Delport’s knock was laced with six fours and five hits into the stands. Mohammad Naim found the going tough, having scored 38 off 50. However, Delport’s onslaught went that the Rangers never went behind the 8-ball. Lewis Gregory had an off-day with the ball as he became Naveen’s second victim.

Brief Scores

Sylhet Thunder: 133/9 in 20 overs (Mohammad Mithun 62, Sherfane Rutherford 16; Mustafizur Rahman 3/10)

Rangpur Rangers: 134/3 in 17.2 overs (Cameron Delport 63, Mohammad Naim 38*, Naveen-ul-Haq 2/13)

Rangpur Rangers win by seven wickets.