Mashrafe dazzles despite injury as Comilla Victorians seal third straight win

Braving with a hamstring injury, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has conjured up a career-best haul for domestic Twenty20s, topped off by a cameo, to propel Comilla Victorians to their third successive win in the Bangladesh Premier League 2016.

The defending champions, who are teetering on the brink of elimination, eased past third-placed Khulna Titans by five wickets with eight balls to spare at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Bowling with a shortened run up, Mashrafe grabbed 3-16 from four overs to help Comilla restrict Khulna to 141-6. He then blasted 20 off 11 balls before Marlon Samuels and Liton Kumar Das guided the side to the win.

The charge may have come a little too late, however, as Comilla’s hat-trick of wins follows just one win from their first eight matches, while Khulna have now plunged to their fifth defeat in 11 matches. Both teams have one match to go in the pool phase.

The Victorians will be out of contention if Rajshahi Kings, who have one match in hand, or Rangpur Riders, who have two matches to go, get a win from their remaining games.

Comilla’s chase took a blow in the first over when in-form Ahmed Shehzad walked back for a duck. Samuels then picked things up with a 49-run stand with Imrul Kayes (20).

But the chase was dented when Kayes and Khalid Latif (3) perished in quick succession.

But in came Mashrafe who had other ideas.

With the Titans' bowlers threatening to push the asking rate, Mashrafe regained impetus by clubbing two sixes off Mahmudullah and another off Benny Howell who got his man in the last ball of the 12th over. Comilla still needed 58 from 42 balls.

It was time for Samuels to take over and he did in some style. The West Indian stroked 69 with eight boundaries from 57 balls and carried his team home after pairing up with Liton for an unbroken 42.

Liton cracked 24 off 11 balls smashing five fours.

Electing to field first, Mashrafe shone the brightest among Comilla bowlers.

He picked out Abdul Mazid (18) with a slower in his first ball after coming off a reduced run up. The 33-year-old pacer then took out Hasanuzzaman (29) and Nicholas Pooran (14) in successive overs to complete the haul.

Khulna captain Mahmudullah scored an unbeaten 38-ball 40 to help his team to the competitive total.

Mohammad Sharif, Mohammad Saifuddin and Rashid Khan also picked up a wicket each.