Sylhet Super Stars laboured to a four-wicket win against Comilla Victorians and register their first points in this year’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Mushfiqur’s 47 and Bopara’s 50 were the cornerstone for Sylhet’s success against the strong Comilla side.

For the Victorians, Abu Hider was a treat for cricket fans, and nearly took Comilla home with his four wickets for 28 from 3.4 overs. Kulasekara took two for 31.

Nazmul Hossain struck the fourth ball from Hider over the fence to send his team into wild celebrations at ZAC stadium.

Shehan Jayasuriya was bowled neck and croft by Hider to give his team a chance of an upset.

Captain Mashrafe trusted Abu Hider with the last over and the young Bangladeshi pacer sent back Ravi Bopara with his second ball.

Bopara nearly took his team home, but fell at the cusp of victory for 50 runs from 38 balls. He struck four fours and a six in his knock.

Hammad Azam came after the fall of Mushy and swung his bat around for 13 runs from six balls, and brought the equation in favour of Sylhet.

The match became more interesting when Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed in the 17th over by Comilla’s Sri Lankan player Nuwan Kulasekara.

Mushy looked to make room to play his stroke but was late on the ball. The ball deflected off the pad and onto the stumps. Sylhet captain scored 47 useful runs from 31 balls with four fours to his name.

By the end of the 16th over, their stand reached 68 and came at a good pace.

The fifty-run stand between captain Mushfiqur Rahim and Ravi Bopara gave Sylhet Super Stars the optimism to overcome Comilla’s challenging total.

Mushy was more aggressive than his partner, and began to open up his shoulders selectively. 

Comilla Victorians removed the dangerous Dilshan Munaweera in the eight over to pull things back in the match.

Munaweera was looking good, smashed 36 from 26 before Abu Hider dismissed the Sri Lankan allrounder against the run of play.

Sylhet overseas recruit entertained the crowd with three fours and two sixes during his 37-minutes stay at the wicket.

Earlier, unbeaten 53 from only 36 balls from Ashar Zaidi drove Comilla Victorians to a competitive total of 164 for five after 20 overs.

Zaidi provided the fireworks late in the innings, and smashed five fours and two sixes to the delight of the Comilla fans.

Imrul played the anchor role with 48 from 45 balls. Liton started in a blistering manner, and blasted 42 from 24 to give Comilla a solid start.

For Sylhet, Ravi Bopara was the wrecker-in-chief as he took four wickets for only 18 runs in four overs. None of his teammates managed to pick up a wicket tonight.

Ravi Bopara returned in the 17th over and broke the crucial partnership of 62 runs between Imrul Kayes and Ashar Zaidi.

Kayes mistimed his slog and the ball went high up in the air. Thankfully for Sylhet, Nazmul Hossain kept his eyes on the ball and completed a terrific catch.

Kayes missed his fifty by two runs, faced 45 balls and struck a four and two sixes during his stay at the crease.

Sylhet were firmly in control of the match after Ravi Bopara struck for the third time and sent back Shuvagata Hom for a duck.

Shuvagata targeted the leg-side with a pull, but only managed to drag on the delivery back of a length onto his stumps.

Ravi Bopara brought back his team Sylhet Super Stars into the match with his second strike to remove Comilla batter Mukhtar Ahmed for one.

Mukhtar tried to drive the ball pitched up outside off, however the bat turned in his hand. The ball went to Bopara for a simple return catch.

Ravi Bopara gave Sylhet the first breakthrough when the English allrounder trapped Comilla opener Liton in the seventh over.

Liton Das came out to bat like a man possessed and took the attack to the Barisal bowlers.

He hammered 42 runs from only 24 balls with six fours and a six to his name.

Comilla Victorians openers were solid to begin with against Sylhet Super Stars in the 14th match of BPL-2015 at ZAC stadium.

Table-topper Comilla would like to carry the momentum of victories at Mirpur to the Chittagong-phase of this T20 competition.

On the other hand Sylhet sit bottom with four loses from four games, and their skipper Mushfiqur Rahim knows that every game from now is a must-win for the Super Stars.

Mushfiqur would want to bounce back, and the rub of the green might just turn the tide for his luckless team.

Comilla Victorians Team

Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Sunzamul Islam, Shuvagata Hom, Abu Hider, Alok Kapali, KMDN Kulasekara, Mashrafe Mortaza (Captain), Ashar Zaidi, Mukhtar Ahmed, K Santokie, Ariful Haque, Naeem Islam jnr, SP Narine, Ahmed Shehzad, Dhiman Ghosh (Wicketkeeper), DI Stevens and Mahmudul Hasan

Sylhet Super Stars Team

EMDY Munaweera, JJ Cobb, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain, Wicketkeeper), RS Bopara, Nurul Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Milon, Nazmul Islam, Mohammad Shahid, Nasum Ahmed, FH Edwards, Rubel Hossain, Subashis Roy, OA Shah, Hammad Azam, DSNFG Jayasuriya, Junaid Siddique and Suhrawadi Shuvo

Most of the Comilla batsmen are in good nick in BPL-2015. File Photo: STAR