Dhaka’s Shoriful, Naim help down Comilla in BPL opener

Durdanto Dhaka got their Bangladesh Premier League 2024 campaign off to a winning start, courtesy of Shoriful Islam and Mohammad Naim, who helped down defending champions Comilla Victorians by five wickets in the tournament's opener at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.  

Left-arm pacer Shoriful starred with his maiden T20 hattrick as he picked up three in three, giving away 27 runs from his four overs to help restrict Comilla to 143 for six, while Naim scored a 40-ball 52 featuring three fours and as many sixes to help Dhaka chase down the target with three balls to spare. 

Earlier, former Comilla captain Imrul Kayes put away six fours and two sixes as he scored a 56-ball 66 and put together a 107-run second wicket stand with Towhid Hridoy, who managed a 41-ball 47 after being sent into bat. 

Dhaka pacer Taskin Ahmed sent the Comilla duo packing in the 19th over and in the following over Shoriful got in on the act and scalped three in three. 

In reply, Dhaka openers put together a 101-run stand, with Naim being the aggressor, while his opening partner Sri Lanka's Danushka Gunathilaka managed a sluggish 42-ball 41 before Comilla's left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam dismissed him. 

Dhaka's wicket-keeper batter Irfan Shukkur helped with a 16-ball 24-run cameo to help take his side on the verge of their maiden victory before Chaturanga de Silva smashed a maximum in the ultimate over to finish off proceedings.