Sleepless for two nights, Najibullah wins it for Chattogram

Chattogram Challengers' Afghan recruit Najibullah Zadran fought off sleep deprivation and jet lag to hit a 30-ball 61 to power his side to a seven-wicket win over Sylhet Strikers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka yesterday.

Najibullah, who hit three fours and five sixes in his blistering innings, was part of the first ever double Super Over in a Twenty20 International between Afghanistan and India last Wednesday night.

After the match, he flew to Dhaka and hardly got a wink of sleep for two nights, revealed the all-rounder.

"I didn't sleep for last two days. I came from India. I came here, I saw the first few balls. After the ball got wet, it was coming easily onto the bat," Najibullah said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Najibullah formed an unbeaten 121-run partnership with BPL debutant Shahadat Hossain Dipu, who made 57 off 39 balls with the help of fours fours and the same number of sixes.

Najibullah praised the Bangladeshi youngster for his role in the match-winning partnership.

"I just told him to play positive and target the bowlers. When they will give a loose ball, you will punish the ball and then you have to rotate the strike. He played really well."