Mashrafe laments dropped catches after Chattogram loss

Sylhet Strikers skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza pointed at the dropped catches as the reason behind their seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Chattogram Challengers in their opening game of the Bangladesh Premier League 2024 (BPL) in Mirpur on Friday. 

Chattogram were struggling at 59 for the loss of three while chasing the 178-run target but it was Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Najibullah Zadran's unbeaten fifties that sealed a comfortable win.
The duo put together a match-winning 121-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Sylhet, however, have themselves to blame as they dropped Zadran on three occasions that diminished their chances.

"You all saw where we lost the game. We dropped three catches in a very short time. In T20s, if you drop too many catches, it's tough to make a comeback. The wicket was getting better as the dew factor came into play and we needed to grab those opportunities which we were unable to do. In T20s, even the good balls are being hit and when you drop catches, not one but three, then it's always tough to come back," Mashrafe told the media after the game.

Zadran remained not out on 61 off just 30 deliveries, while young Dipu, who made his BPL debut on the day, was unbeaten on 57 off 39 balls as he struck four sixes and as many fours.

"I tried to bat according to the demand of the situation since we lost a few quick wickets. I tried to ensure we didn't lose any more wickets and bat through to the next three-four overs. I was waiting to play my strokes whenever I got it multiple favourable zones, like square leg or down the ground," Dipu said after the match. "Zadran told me that if we could play a few overs initially and get seven-eight runs an over, then once we get set, we will get bad deliveries which we can punish."

Dipu, 21, who was a member of the 2020 ICC U-19 World Cup winning side, played just eight T20s before his BPL debut.