Pollard and Afridi combine to flatten Rajshahi
It was Evin Lewis, though, who laid a platform for Dhaka Dynamites' big win, with 64 off 38 at the top of the order
The first wicket partnership lasted just 4.1 overs but Afridi and Lewis added 53 runs in that short time. Afridi made 15 off eight balls and then Jahurul Islam, promoted to No. 3 after his heroics in the previous match, struck a four and a six in his six-ball 13. But it was Lewis who kept up the scoring rate soaring with his 38-ball 65 that had ten fours and a six. He fell in the tenth over and at 99 for 3, Dhaka were set for a big score.
Rajshahi took some wickets in the middle but their fielding let them down. They dropped four catches in total, Nadif Chowdhury and Pollard being the beneficiary twice each. While Nadif didn't capitalise, Pollard did, big time. Two of his sixes went high over long-on and the third over midwicket, which gave him his 500th six in T20s. He also struck five fours in his 25-ball 52 and shared a crucial 62-run sixth wicket stand with Kumar Sangakkara, who contributed 28 off 22 balls.
There was no respite for Rajshahi even when they batted. Left-arm pacer Hider removed Rony Talukdar and Samit Patel early, and while Zakir Hasan and Mominul Haque looked to get the chase back on track, Afridi stepped in; he ended a 49-run third-wicket stand for his first scalp of the afternoon - Mominul. Zakir, who top scored with 36 off 23 balls, was Afridi's second wicket before he also added Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to his haul to complete his second four-for in the tournament in three games. Shakib Al Hasan took two wickets and Mohammad Saddam had one before Hider came back to finish off Rajshahi.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84