Afif, Rasooli power Chattogram to second win

Chattogram Challengers registered their second win of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, riding on fifties from Afif Hossain and Darwish Rasooli as the hosts went on to clinch an eight-wicket win over Dhaka Dominators in Saturday's second fixture of the BPL at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Chasing 159 runs, Chattogram had no problem whatsoever and reached the target with 14 balls to spare courtesy of an unbeaten 103-run third-wicket stand between Afif and Rasooli.

Afif remained unbeaten on 69 off 52 balls, his innings featuring seven fours and a six while Rasooli was not out for a blistering 33-ball 56 run, which featured four sixes and three fours.

Chattogram lost their opener Al Amin in the first over bowled by Taskin Ahmed before Usman Khan, along with Afif, added 55 runs in the second wicket partnership. Usman, however, was dismissed for 22 by Arafat Sunny but Afif reached his fifty off 35 balls.

Earlier, Dhaka posted 158 for six in 20 overs after electing to bat, with Afghan opener Usman Ghani top-scoring with 47 off 33 balls.

Dhaka got a steady start as Ghani, along with Mizanur Rahman, scored sixty runs before the latter was dismissed for 28 off 33 balls by Nihaduzzaman.

The left-arm spinner went on to remove Ghani in the next over and since then Dhaka lost way. Soumya Sarkar once again failed with the bat and was dismissed for four while Mohammad Mithun also perished for nine.

Skipper Nasir Hossain scored 30 off 22 balls while Ariful Haque remained unbeaten on 29 off 18 deliveries to help Dhaka go past the 150-run mark, but it was not enough in the end to avoid their second defeat in three games.