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Allrounders hold key in big finale
- Updated: December 8, 2016
Match facts
Friday, December 9, 2016 Start time 1815 local (1215 GMT)
Big Picture
Though there are in-form specialist batsmen and bowlers in both line-ups, the BPL final between Dhaka Dynamites and Rajshahi Kings could boil down to one set of allrounders edging out the other.
Dhaka’s firepower is led by Andre Russell, assisted by Dwayne Bravo, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain. All of them have shown the ability to change the course of the game with their batting, their bowling and their fielding. Russell, Bravo and Shakib have done so time and again in T20 finals but Nasir and Mosaddek will have to adjust to the big occasion.
Darren Sammy will lead Rajshahi’s all-round troops, which also include Samit Patel, Mehedi Hasan, Farhad Reza, James Franklin and young Afif Hossain. It is a motley crew of veterans and rookies but they have done the job on many occasions during the BPL this year.
Rajshahi’s bowling attack also includes Kesrick Williams and Nazmul Islam, two bowlers who have been miserly whenever they have been pushed to win a game. Of course, Rajshahi would be foolish to depend solely on their middle order and bowlers. The likes of Mominul Haque, Nurul Hasan and Sabbir Rahman have to do their bit, which will also give them momentum ahead of Bangladesh’s full series against New Zealand later this month.
Dhaka’s openers Mehedi Maruf and Evin Lewis are …