Seasoned Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik displayed calm amidst the chaos to salvage a win for compatriot pacer Hasan Ali and thwart West Indies' Sunil Narine's all-round heroics as Comilla Victorians surged to the top of the points table of the Bangladesh Premier League after beating Dhaka Dynamites by four wickets in an exciting, low-scoring match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
23-year old Punjab pacer Hasan completed staggering figures of 3.3-0-20-5 to wrap up the high-flying Dynamites for 128. Opener Evin Lewis got out cheaply and Kieron Pollard was victim of a senseless run-out and although fellow West Indian Narine hit a 45-ball 76 as an opener, it was not enough to put up a challenging total.
It was a match full of action, from the chaos surrounding the Comilla team sheet to the cheeky match-winning single by Malik, who deserves special credit for the patience displayed in his unbeaten 53-ball 54 that clinched the win with two balls to spare.
Comilla Victorians captain Tamim Iqbal showered praise on Malik during the post-match press conference. "There is a lesson to learn for young players from the way he [Malik] handled the situation and I expected something like that from him. He showed that T20 is not all about hitting fours and sixes. He is an asset in our team. Hasan took five wickets and all five batsmen were bowled out. I don't think anybody did that before. Hasan bowled in a very simple manner but there was a plan."
The 35-year-old Malik took 26 singles and three twos apart from the four boundaries and a six, and his patience and calm were critical as the side kept losing regular wickets around him. With nine required off the last over, Malik smashed pacer Mohammad Saddam for a four over point in the very first ball and was lucky in the third ball as an inside-edge to the fence levelled the scores before scampering for a single to end the match that saw Dhaka captain Shakib Al Hasan lose his temper twice.
In reply to the modest target, Liton Das was dismissed attempting an ugly slog against pacer Abu Hider while Tamim charged Narine, only to miss it for wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara to do the rest. Imrul Kayes and Darren Bravo then added 35 for the third wicket before the former was undone by Saddam's slower and Narine dismissed Bravo with a beautiful delivery.
It was then Mohammad Amir who put Comilla in real bother dismissing Jos Buttler and Mohammad Saifuddin in the 17th over, with Comilla still needing 30 runs to win.
Earlier it was Hasan's five for 20 that saw Dhaka bundled out for 128 after being 104 for two in the 13th over. Apart from Hasan's heroics, Sangakkara and Pollard's dismissals were the major setbacks for Dhaka Dynamites, who lost their first match in Dhaka this season.
