BPL 2019-20: Match 30, Review- Mujeeb Ur Rahman sparkles to script victory for Cumilla Warriors in Super Over clash

The BPL 2019-20 match between Sylhet Thunder and Cumilla Warriors had everything one could expect for. The game was a witness to a number of twists and turns following which it needed a one-over eliminator to decide the winner. In the end, the Warriors got home with a ball to spare. Most importantly, Cumilla, led by Soumya Sarkar, kept their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs alive.

Tharanga stands tall for Warriors

After losing the toss and being out in to bat, the Warriors got off to a flying start. Upul Tharanga bossed the Thunder bowlers, scoring 45 off 31 with nine fours. The southpaw was exquisite in his shot-making, especially through the covers. Apart from him, none of the Warriors’ batter could show resistance. Sohag Gazi nipped out Tharanga in the 10th over after which the momentum shifted.

The Warriors could only manage 63 runs off the last 63 balls. Sherfane Rutherford picked up three wickets, giving away 19 runs. Ebadot Hossain was a tad expensive, but picked up three wickets. Cumilla felt the absence of Dawid Malan, their leading run-scorer this season. Mahidul Islam Ankon added 19 priceless runs in the end and took the Warriors to a respectable score of 140 in 20 overs.

Gazi’s brilliance bails Thunder out

Johnson Charles perished to Sunzamul Islam for a duck. In the second over, Mujeeb Ur Rahman trapped Rony Talukdar in front to put the skids under the Warriors. Mohamamd Mithun (15) and Sherfane Rutherford (15) tried to inject some momentum into the innings with a 27-run stand. The latter got a lifeline when an LBW call was reversed, but he edged one down the leg side to succumb.

Al Amin Hossain got rid of both Rutherford and Mithun in the seventh over. Dawid Wiese added to the wickets-column, getting rid of Andre Fletcher. Sohag Gazi went berserk to score his maiden T20 fifty off a mere 29 balls. Mujeeb removed Nazmul Hossain Milon, Nayeem Hasan and Gazi to further jolt the Warriors. With 15 runs needed off the last over, the match went down to the Super Over.

Mujeeb and Wiese star in Super Over

Andre Fletcher and Sherfane Rutherford came out to bat with Mujeeb picked as the bowler. Fletcher started with a four, but Mujeeb came back and conceded only three runs off the last four overs. Both batters swung hard with all their might and the tweaker showed immense accuracy in pressure.

The Warriors were set with a target of eight runs and the onus was on Dawid Wiese and Soumya Sarkar to get their team home. Sarkar got out to a short ball from Naveen-ul-Haq, but Wiese hit a four off the very next ball. Wiese picked up a single to see the Warriors through to a triumph.

Brief Scores

Cumilla Warriors: 140/9 in 20 overs (Upul Tharanga 45, Sabbir Rahman 17; Sherfane Rutherford 3/19)

Sylhet Thunder: (Sohag Gazi 52, Monir Hossain 16; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 4/12)

Cumilla Warriors win via Super Over.