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du Plessis, Delport fifties fashion hat-trick of wins for Victorians


Published : 31 Jan 2022 09:59 PM

Comilla Victorians completed a hat-trick of wins, which took them to the top of the points table, with a 52-run demolition of Chattogram Challengers, who have been rocked by a captaincy row in the last 48 hours.

Only Will Jacks defied Comilla with his second half-century in the competition, but Chattogram had already been derailed by the tenth over when they slipped to 72 for 6 in reply to Comilla's 183 for 3.

Comilla relied on two big partnerships to reach their total. Litton Das and Faf du Plessis added 80 runs for the second wicket after they had lost Mahmudul Hasan Joy in the second over. Litton, in his first BPL appearance of the year, made 47 off 34 balls before giving long-off a simple catch off Nasum Ahmed.

After a brief lull, du Plessis and Cameron Delport tore into the Chattogram attack, adding an unbroken 97 for the fourth wicket, which came in just over eight overs. du Plessis made his first half-century this season, hitting 83* off 55 balls, while Delport struck 51* off 23.

du Plessis found most of his runs down the ground. All three of his sixes were hit over long-off, while seven of his eight fours came in the area between wide long-off and wide long-on. du Plessis had a couple of breaks - a catching chance that went past the slip fielder, while the other, an lbw decision, was struck down by DRS.

Delport was late to the party, but scored important runs in the last five overs. He too concentrated on scoring majorly down the ground, hitting all but one of his boundaries in that region, while bringing up his fifty off 22 deliveries.

During the run chase, Jacks dominated Chattogram's powerplay but saw wickets falling regularly at the other end. Nahidul Islam took three of the first four wickets, and Mustafizur Rahman, Tanvir Islam and Shohidul Islam came to the party with two wickets apiece.

Comilla captain Imrul Kayes and Joy were the only ones to get out cheaply in their innings but they were well covered by the other three batters.

As for Chattogram, Kennar Lewis continued to struggle, while the likes of Afif Hossain and Sabbir Rahman, who has shown decent form, managed only 4 and 5, respectively. Benny Howell too couldn't bring out his big hits.