CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh, CMC – A Player-of-the-Match performance from ambidextrous West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers propelled Fortune Barishal to an 18-run win against Sylhet Strikers in the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament yesterday.
The left-handed batsman struck three sixes and three fours in 48 from 31 balls and shared a half-century stand with Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim to power Barishal to 183 for six after they decided to bat in the match at the ZAC Stadium.
The diminutive Rahim hit the top score of 52 from 32 balls that included three fours and three sixes and put on 84 with Mayers for the fourth wicket to revive Barishal after they stumbled to 65 for three in the ninth over.
Mayers took the new ball for Barishal with his right-arm medium-fast bowling, took two wickets in the first over of the chase, and ended with a flattering three for 12 from his allotted four overs, and the Strikers were restricted to 165 for eight in reply.
The Barbadian all-rounder bowled Ireland batting linchpin Harry Tector with the second ball of the chase for a duck, and he got Bangladesh international Najmul Hossain Shanto for a third-ball duck, and Strikers struggled to 29 for three at the close of the Power Play.
Mayers returned to remove Strikers captain Mohammad Mithun for 10 in the seventh over, and this triggered a collapse in which the Strikers lost two more wickets before the halfway stage of the innings and were teetering on 40 for five.
A stand of 108 between Ariful Haque, whose 57 off 31 balls was the top score, and world traveller Benny Howell, 53 off 32 balls, brought Strikers back into the match, but the early damage caused by Mayers left them with too much to do down the stretch.