Jishan’s ton not enough to seal deal for Sylhet

Opener Jishan Alam smashed a blistering century, but that was not enough to resist his side, Sylhet, from a six-wicket defeat to Dhaka Division in the first-round match of the NCL T20 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.

Jishan struck 100 off just 52 balls with four fours and 10 sixes, the second highest sixes for a Bangladesh player in recognized T20 cricket after Tamim Iqbal and Najmul Hossain Shanto, who both hit 11 sixes in a century-plus innings as Sylhet racked up 205-4.

He was dismissed in the immediate next delivery just after reaching his century. The highlight of his century was seven sixes in eight balls, including five straight sixes in an over off Arafat Sunny Junior.

But Ariful Islam trumped his century with 94 off 46, an innings laced with six fours and eight sixes as Dhaka reached the victory target (207-4) in the last ball of the innings.

While Ariful missed the century, he set a good platform for the side. Using that platform, Mahidul Islam Ankan and Shuvagata Hom shared an unbeaten 63 runs off just 37 balls to help the ease past the target.

Shuvagata was not out on 31 from 18 balls while Ankan played 23 balls for his unbeaten 30. (BSS)