Robiul Islam Robi puts Beximco Dhaka on the board

Beximco Dhaka collected their first points in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup, beating Fortune Barishal by seven wickets. Dhaka made it a little tight towards the end of their 109-run chase, but Yasir Ali settled the conest with two sixes in the penultimate over to complete the win.

Dhaka were put into a strong position after Robiul Islam Robi's 4 for 20 helped them restrict Barishal to 108 for 8. Robi, the 30-year old offspinner, trapped Saif Hassan lbw after the batsman missed a sweep in the fifth over. Next ball, Parvez Hossain Emon mistimed one to long-on, before Afif Hossain joined him back in the dugout by offering catch to long-off, in the next over.

When the captain Mushfiqur Rahim brought Robi back for his last over in the 12th over, he had Tamim Iqbal, batting on 31 with three fours and a six, caught at the midwicket boundary.

Barishal found it hard to keep Robi away from the game even after his spell was over. The next two dismissed batsmen, Irfan Sukkur and Towhid Hridoy, who top-scored with a run-a-ball 33, were both caught by Robi.

Apart from Robi's four-wicket haul, left-arm paceman Shafiqul Islam took two wickets while Nayeem Hasan and Rubel Hossain had one apiece. Barishal finished on 108 for 8 in 20 overs, a total well below the average score for teams batting first in the afternoon games during this competition.

Dhaka took a steady approach in their chase, especially after losing Robi and Mohammad Naim in 6.4 overs. Rahim held it together with his unbeaten 23, and after Tanzid Hasan fell for 22, it was left to Yasir Ali to take them home. He struck three fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 30-ball 44.

In the other game, Gazi Group Chattogram kept their 100 per cent record in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup by the skin of their teeth, thanks to a one-run win against Minister Group Rajshahi. Mustafizur Rahman managed to squeeze in a low full-toss on the last ball, off which four runs were needed, as Rony Talukdar, who had struck a six and inside-edged a four off the previous two balls, could only take two to long-on.

Rajshahi would rue the several chances they got to topple Chattogram, particularly in the penultimate over when Farhad Reza had Shoriful Islam's number, carting him for a four and a six, leaving them with 15 off eight balls. But Shoriful had Farhad caught at the long-on boundary, and then gave away a single leg-bye to finish the 19th over.

Mustafizur removed Nurul Hasan off the first ball of the last over. Rony played out two dot balls before hitting him for a straight six and a lucky four past the wicketkeeper, before Mustafizur had the last laugh.

Rajshahi's chase started quickly as Najmul Hossain Shanto and Anisul Islam Emon added 56 for the first wicket. Shanto fell in the sixth over, caught down the leg-side after a 14-ball 25. But even Emon's best efforts couldn't quite keep the same scoring rate, as it dropped from 9.88 in the first wicket stand, to a more sedentary 6.94 during the 6.2 overs of the second wicket stand.

Mohammad Ashraful's 20 off 19 balls certainly didn't help Rajshahi's cause. Mahedi Hasan struck back with two fours and a brilliantly pulled six off Mustafizur Rahman, but when he was adjudged lbw in the 17th over, Chattogram regained the foothold, only just.

Chattogram's 176-5 came mainly due to yet another great start from Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar. They put together their third 50-plus stand, when they added 62 for the first wicket, in 7.2 overs. Soumya made 34 off 25 balls with two sixes and four boundaries, before hitting one straight down the long-on fielder's throat.

The next injection of scoring came when Mosaddek Hossain joined Liton at the crease in the 13th over. He blasted two sixes and as many fours in his 28-ball 42, while Liton remained unbeaten on a 53-ball 78 that contained nine fours and a six.

Pace bowler Mukidul Islam took three wickets while Farhad Reza and Emon took one each.