Afridi and Narine tear Sylhet Sixers to shreds

Dhaka Dynamites destroyed Sylhet Sixers in the shortest-ever BPL chase, winning by eight wickets and 73 balls to spare. Shahid Afridi took four wickets and struck five sixes in his 15-ball 37 before Evin Lewis hit five more sixes in their chase of 102.

Sylhet, who had previously won three of their first four matches, including one against Dhaka in the tournament opener, crawled to 101 for 9 in 20 overs. A 48-run tenth-wicket stand, the highest in BPL history, carried them towards respectability after they had slumped to 53 for 9 in 13 overs.

Afridi took four wickets, his third four-for this year and eighth overall, while Sunil Narine finished with 3 for 10, which included his 300th T20 wicket, the third bowler to the landmark after Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga.

In the second over, Abu Hider had Upul Tharanga caught behind with a fine delivery that moved slightly away. He also removed Danushka Gunathilaka, who replaced opener Andre Fletcher. Narine also had Sabbir caught at slip before Ross Whiteley was stumped in his next over, Narine's 300th T20 scalp.

From the sixth over, Shahid Afridi, who arrived on Friday, took control of the game. He had Nasir Hossain top-edging a hoick to slip, before having Wanindu Hasaranga squirting a drive to cover. Tim Bresnan, on his BPL debut, was then caught at long-off.

Off the last ball of his spell, Nurul Hasan was caught in an unusual attempt to scoop the ball over the slip fielder. Delport completed his fourth catch, which gave Afridi his second BPL four-wicket haul. Khulna Titans were bowled out for 44 runs the last time he took a four-for. .

Abul Hasan struck a century on debut at No. 10. He showed more of that capability with the bat against Dhaka. He struck a six and three fours in his 26-ball 30. Taijul Islam supported him with 16 off 20 balls.

Having replaced Kumar Sangakkara, Afridi was asked to open, and he hit his stride straightaway. He smashed Tim Bresnan for two sixes in the first over of the chase.

Afridi and Lewis hit two sixes each in the fourth over, bowled by Taijul. After seven sixes in the first 24 balls of the innings, Bresnan dismissed Afridi and Delport off consecutive deliveries.

Lewis, though, finished the game with three sixes in the eighth over, bowled by Hasaranga. Lewis was unbeaten on 44 off 18 balls, which included two fours and five sixes.