Pooran half-century puts Sixers over the top

Trinidad and Tobago’s Nicholas Pooran.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Nicholas Pooran.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – West Indies star Nicholas Pooran slammed an unbeaten half-century to extend his run of excellent recent run of form, as Sylhet Sixers edged Chittagong Vikings in the Bangladesh Premier League here Wednesday.

West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran.

Opting to bat first at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Sixers were propelled by captain David Warner who top-scored with 59 off 47 balls while Pooran blazed late in the innings for his 52 off 32 deliveries.

Nineteen-year-old Bangladesh batsman Afif Hossain struck 45 from 28 balls.

Sixers suffered a nightmare start when they slumped to six for three in the third over but Warner initiated the revival when he put on 71 for the fourth wicket with Afif.

The Australian, currently serving a ban from international cricket for ball tampering, notched two fours and a six in a patient knock while Afif attacked, belting five fours and three sixes.

When Afif fell in the 11th over, Pooran arrived to put on an exhibition of stroke-play, striking three fours and three sixes as he dominated a 70-run, fifth wicket partnership with Warner.

In reply, Vikings made a good fist of it but 24 runs off the final over proved a mountain too high to climb.

South African Robbie Frylinck, who had earlier grabbed three wickets with his seam, top-scored with an unbeaten 44 off 24 deliveries, with two of his four sixes coming in the final over.

Fellow South African Cameron Delport chipped in with 38 off 22 balls while Zimbabwean Sikandar Raza struck 37 from 28 deliveries.

Delport and Mohammed Ashraful (22) staged a 57-run, second wicket stand to get Vikings up to 63 for one in the eighth over but the innings lost momentum when a plethora of wickets fell.

CMC er/ed/19

Opting to bat first at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Sixers were propelled by captain David Warner who top-scored with 59 off 47 balls while Pooran blazed late in the innings for his 52 off 32 deliveries.

Nineteen-year-old Bangladesh batsman Afif Hossain struck 45 from 28 balls.

Sixers suffered a nightmare start when they slumped to six for three in the third over but Warner initiated the revival when he put on 71 for the fourth wicket with Afif.  The Australian, currently serving a ban from international cricket for ball tampering, notched two fours and a six in a patient knock while Afif attacked, belting five fours and three sixes.

When Afif fell in the 11th over, Pooran arrived to put on an exhibition of stroke-play, striking three fours and three sixes as he dominated a 70-run, fifth wicket partnership with Warner.

In reply, Vikings made a good fist of it but 24 runs off the final over proved a mountain too high to climb.

South African Robbie Frylinck, who had earlier grabbed three wickets with his seam, top-scored with an unbeaten 44 off 24 deliveries, with two of his four sixes coming in the final over.

Fellow South African Cameron Delport chipped in with 38 off 22 balls while Zimbabwean Sikandar Raza struck 37 from 28 deliveries.

Delport and Mohammed Ashraful (22) staged a 57-run, second wicket stand to get Vikings up to 63 for one in the eighth over but the innings lost momentum when a plethora of wickets fell.