Mosharraf burst takes Dhaka to doorstep of semifinals

Dhaka Dynamites 121/8 (Amir 3-18, Shafiul 3-21) beat Chittagong Vikings 76/9 (Mosharraf 4-16, Mustafizur 2-7) by 45 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Dhaka Dynamites all but confirmed their place in the BPL's last four, even as Chittagong Vikings became the first team to be eliminated from this year's competition. The margin of victory was 45 runs after Dhaka had made a modest 121 for 8. Chittagong were nine down for 76, their second sub-100 score this season, with Ziaur Rahman not coming out to bat because of an injured shoulder.

Mosharraf Hossain's four-wicket haul helped Dhaka get back to winning ways and move up to eight points with two matches in hand. The win came as a rejuvenating effect to a side that had slumped to three successive losses in the competition.

Dhaka's total proved more than a hanful as Chittagong who lost half their side in just 11.1 overs of their 122-run chase. Dilshan was the first to go, bowled off an inside edge in the second over. Mustafizur Rahman had Tamim Iqbal lbw in the third over, although the ball appeared to have bounced a bit too much.

Tamim clearly was unhappy as he walked off after making eight. Yasir Ali was run out after trying to complete a single called in by Anamul Haque in the fifth over and by the end of the ninth over, Anamul himself was gone, well caught off his own bowling by Yasir Shah. Mosharraf's first wicket was Umar Akmal, Chittagong's last batting hope, stumped for 14 off 22 balls.

In the 14th over, Mosharraf took three wickets in the space of four balls. He first removed Elias Sunny with a leg-before and Mohammad Amir caught at deep midwicket before taking his fourth a ball later, Shafiul Islam was caught at cover to complete his second four-for in T20s.

Dhaka sent Yasir Shah to open the batting for the first time in his T20 career. It was a move that seemed to be in response to Chittagong's decision to send them in on a sluggish Mirpur pitch. The experiment didn't last long as he was stumped off Asif Hasan in the third over. His opening partner Shykat Ali holed out to mid-on in the next over for three before the most anticipated battle of the game took place though it lasted just four balls.

Mohammad Hafeez, Dhaka's latest signing, faced Mohammad Amir for the first time after publicly stating his refusal to play for Chittagong as it meant he would have to share a dressing room with Amir. While he dealt with the first three deliveries of the fifth over, Hafeez fell as an attempted leave to an away swinger took the outside edge on way to wicketkeeper Anamul Haque. Amir celebrated with glee as Hafeez left the scene quickly.

When Nasir fell shortly after, Dhaka were in serious trouble at 35 for 4 in the eighth over. Sangakkara and Mosaddek then put together the 56-run stand that lkept Chittagong at bay. Sangakkara, who remains the team's best batsman, fell in the 17th over to Shafiul Islam for 38 off 36 balls with three fours and a six. When Mosaddek fell for a 29-ball 24 in the next over, Dhaka had undone the repair job undertaken by these two batsmen.

But just when it looked like Dhaka had lost their way, Malcolm Waller's 10-ball 19 included three fours and a six to get them past the 120-mark in the last over. While there were fears over the total, the bowlers ensured Dhaka did not have to fret for long.

Chittagong's last match is on December 9 against the Barisal Bulls.