Opener Tamim Iqbal blasted a 45 ball-71 to help Fortune Barishal secure a comfortable 27-run win over Durdanto Dhaka in their ninth match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Wednesday .
The fifth victory however propelled Barishal to the third spot of the point table, replacing Chattogram Challengers, who had same 10 points but moved down to fourth spot due to poor run rate. Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians occupied the top two spots so far with 14 and 12 points respectively.
Durdanto Dhaka tasted the ninth straight defeat after their surprising five-wicket win over defending champions Comilla in the first match.
Electing to bat first, captain Tamim, single-handedly drove the side to 186-6 as the next best 28 came from Soumya Sarkar's willow.
Chasing the total, Alex Ross played a stunning 89 off 48 featuring five boundaries and seven sixes in a chase of 187 runs but it all went in vain as Dhaka suffered their ninth straight defeat in the BPL.
Ross played a valiant knock, single-handedly guiding Dhaka go past the 150-run mark and eventually reaching 159-8 in 20 overs.
Apart from Mohammad Naim (10), Seam Williams (12), and Taskin Ahmed (10), none of the other batters managed to cross the double digits.
Khaled Ahmed and Mohammad Saifuddin each picked up three wickets for Barishal.
Earlier Tamim provided the impetus as he struck seven fours and four sixes in his knock. He and Ahmed Shehzad paved the ground with a 76-run partnership for the opening stand and that too in 50 balls. Shehzad made 24 off 22, sending the ball across the ropes for four times.
Alauddin Babu who claimed 3-30 to be the pick of Dhaka bowlers, broke through with the wicket of Shehzad and then dismissed Tamim Iqbal. Soumya Sarkar's 23 ball-28 runs knock however kept the flow while Saifuddin's six ball-23 not out, studded with two fours and as many sixes ensured that Barishal would end up with big total despite late order slump.
Taskin Ahmed grabbed 2-30 while Shoriful ended with 1-40 in four overs.