Rajshahi win over Sylhet

---

Jahurul Islam's unbeaten 49-run knock led Duronto Rajshahi to post a commanding 5-wicket win over the league leaders Sylhet Royals in their 9th match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 Season 2 at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the city Tuesday, reports UNB. Jahurul Islam Aumie, who came in the 6th over with Rajshahi chasing 148 reduced to 51 for 2, guided Rajshahi home (152-5) with two balls to spare. Jahurul played a 37-ball 49 that featured two fours and two sixes as he was ably supported by number seven Mukhtar Ali, who came in when 42 runs were required off 30 balls. Mukhtar remained not out on 26 off 17 balls. He hit two sixes and a four which were very vital on that occasion with Rajshahi's prime opener Tamim Iqbal surprisingly padded up as the next batsman to come. Dilshan Munaweera (21 off 16 balls) and Charles Coventry (20 off 17) opened the bat for Rajshahi providing a decent start. After the first wicket stand of 38 runs off 22 balls, Rajshahi slumped as the total on the score board was 58 for 4 in 7.3 overs. Jahurul then steadied the chase with a 48-run partnership (off 44 balls) in the 5th wicket with Ziaur Rahman who scored 19 off 24 balls. And the rest was done by the Mukter-Jahurul pair. Sylhet medium pacer Dwayne Smith claimed two wickets for 25 runs while Sohag Gazi took one wicket for 11 runs in 2 overs. Earlier, put to bat first, Sylhet Royals posted 147 for 8 riding on couple of partnerships. After Paul Stirling's (6) dismissal in the first over, Dwayne Smith put up a solid foundation with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim in the 2nd wicket stand. The pair added 51 runs off 35 balls as Smith got out in the 7th over (total 58-2). Smith scored 24 off 21 balls with three fours and a six. Sylhet Royals, fumbled afterwards as Rajshahi bowlers kept on chipping the wickets. Two tiny partnerships of 26 and 18 runs in the 6th and 9th wicket respectively pull Sylhet ahead then taking the run rate over seven-an-over. Mushfiqur Rahim scored 34 off 23 balls hitting three fours and a six. Number seven Mohammad Nabi scored 17 (off 17 balls) and number nine Suhrawardi Shuvo scored 18 (off 11 balls). Rajshahi off break Dilshan Munaweera finished with 19-2 in 4 overs while slow left-arm Monir Hossain 35-2 in 4 overs. Jahurul Islam claimed two back to back Player of the Match awards as Duronto Rajshahi earned 10 points from nine matches to cement their place up in the league table.