Al-Amin, Taijul fire Barisal Bulls to win over Sylhet Superstars in low-scoring thriller

Barisal Bulls bowlers have spectacularly defended a below-par total to seal an exciting 1-run victory over Sylhet Superstars in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Pacer Al-Amin Hossain and spinner Taijul Islam shared the spotlight with eight wickets between them to help the Bulls register their second straight win at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Al-Amin grabbed the first hat-trick of this edition on the way to his second five-wicket haul in Twenty20s. 

Jubair's double strike in an over caused another heartbreak for the Superstars who endured a second successive defeat by the same margin, after Monday's loss to Chittagong Vikings.

The Bulls were bundled out for just 108 with three balls to spare after they had opted to bat first. In reply, the Superstars needed eight runs in the last over but wily Taijul restricted them to 107 for 9.

Al-Amin proved ominous for the Superstars batsmen from the start of the chase as he started off with the wicket of opener Mominul Haque (2) in his first over and claimed his career's second hat-trick in the next.

The 25-year old pacer took out Ravi Bopara (4), Nurul Hasan (0) and Mushfiqur Rahim (0) on the bounce to reduce the Superstars to 18 for 4. 

Mohammad Sami, who returned 1 for 9 in 4 overs, dried up the runs at the other end.

Opener Dilshan Munaweera (36) steadied the ship by pairing with Owais Shah (11) for a 43-run stand but Taijul dealt a huge blow to the Superstars by sending both the batsman back in the 12th over.

Then, Nazmul Hossain Milon (15) and Nazmul Islam (16) kept the chase alive with a 28-run partnership. 
Pakistani pacer Sami made the crucial breakthrough with his last ball. He went through the gates of Islam before Milon fell to a fine catch by Taijul at cover for Al-Amin's fifth in the penultimate over.

Fidel Edwards (11 not out) put Al-Amin away for a boundary in his last ball but Taijul took the game away from the Superstars in the final over.

He sent back Mohammad Shahid (2) in the first ball before Edwards took three off the next two balls. Subhashis Roy wasted the fourth ball but took a single in the fifth. 

The Superstars needed four off the last ball – but West Indies’ Edwards managed a two.

Al-Amin took 5 for 36 in 4 overs while Taijul returned 3 for 23.

Earlier, the Bulls had slipped from 34 for no loss in the fourth over to 53 for 4 in the eighth.

Shahriar Nafees (12) and Rony Talukdar (20) had given the Bulls a good start but their departure in the space of three balls changed the complexion of the game.

Brendan Taylor (9) and Mahmudullah (7) perished after struggling in the middle. Taylor fell to a return catch by Nazmul Islam before Mahmudllah ran himself out.

The Bulls suffered another mini collapse, losing Sabbir Rahman (15), Seekkuge Prasanna (0) and Kevon Cooper (2) for five runs and slipped to 80 for 7 in 14 overs.

But topscorer Nadif Chowdhury (24) pushed his team past 100 before he and Sami ran themselves out. 

Shahid ended the Bulls' innings by taking out Al-Amin.

Spinner Islam was the pick of the Superstars' bowlers with 3 for 18 in 4 overs.