Barisal Bulls cruise to six-wicket win against Comilla Victorians

Barisal Bulls have opened their account in the Bangladesh Premier League 2016 with a confidence-boosting six-wicket win over defending champions Comilla Victorians.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's Victorians suffered their second straight defeat and are still winless in the fourth edition as Barisal enjoyed their first success against Comilla in the competition on Friday.

Electing to bat first, Comilla batsmen had a tough time on a sluggish track as Barisal bowlers rallied to pick up regular wickets.

Marlon Samuels (48) then dug deep before Sohail Tanvir (30 not out) flourished at the death to post a modest 129 for eight at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

In reply, Thisara Perera fashioned a decisive 29-ball 49-run partnership with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (33) and remained unbeaten for 34 to coast to the convincing win.

Top Comilla batsmen, barring Samuels, put up a nervy show in the afternoon. Shot selections were poor and running between the wickets clumsy as some sharp work in the field left reeling them reeling on 79 for six.

Samuels saw four partners perish but held on and smashed five boundaries in his 48-ball knock. He departed in the penultimate over before Tanvir hammered two sixes in the last to give the total some respectability.

Abu Hider Rony bagged two wickets for Barisal.

The Bulls reply had a subdued start and by the time Dawid Malan (26) fell to leave them three down on 69, the asking rate rose to around 8.5 per over.

But Mushfiqur and Thisara, who had returned  1-20 in four overs earlier, then batted with poise to put paid to any worries of an impending collapse and regain impetus.

Mushfiqur smashed two boundaries and as many sixes in his 23-ball innings before departing off Tanvir. Perera then clubbed two boundaries to finish things off in style leaving Comilla to rethink their options for their next match.

The Sri Lankan allrounder was adjudged Man-of-the-Match.