MOMENTS

EYE OF AN EAGLE, FEET OF LEAD

Having reached 57 and in the midst of a 75-run partnership with Sabbir Rahman, it was imperative that Babar Azam stay at the crease if Sylhet Sixers were to reach a match-winning total instead of a middling one. In the 16th over, Sabbir played an off drive to Rangpur Riders' skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. Azam just wandered out of his crease at the non-striker's end and took his time regaining his crease when Nazmul Islam hurled it back at the stumps. Azam put in a stretch at the last second as the ball hit the stumps. The umpire called for the third-umpire to adjudicate, but Azam knew the state of play and began trudging off, not even giving a backward glance. The replays proved that the Pakistani batsman had a keen eye for line decisions. Unfortunately for Sylhet, that sharpness apparently did not extend to judging whether a throw will hit the stumps. 

STRATEGIC TIME-PASS

It will be hard to convince anyone that there is much cricketing value to the two strategic time-outs that have become staples of these 20-over matches. It is a source of irritation for spectators at home and at the ground that the flow of an innings that lasts just 20 overs is twice disrupted mainly, if we are being frank, to maximise television revenue by allowing space for commercials. Yesterday, however, it seemed to have hurt Sylhet badly. Leading up to the second time-out at the end of the 16th over they had pulled back Rangpur's scoring rate. In the over following the break, Shuvagata Hom dropped Ravi Bopara twice in the deep off Sohail Tanvir. After the first one Bopara hammered a six to rub salt into the wounds. This may be going out on a limb, but it would be fair to say that that was not the strategy being discussed during the time-out.

TAMIM'S 1-2-3 PUNCH

In the space of an over, the sixth of the innings bowled by Khulna Titans pacer Abu Jayed, Comilla Victorians captain reminded his native Chittagong crowd just why he is one of the best in the land with a show of variety in his strokemaking. The first ball was hammered over extra cover. Slip was set wide at third slip and Tamim displayed his delicate talents by gliding the fourth ball between the keeper and that fielder. Off the next ball, he hammered a pull all along the ground in front of square.