The New Nation - Internet Edition

Agency, Chandigarh

Dhaka Warriors continued their march up the table with their third straight victory, beating Ahmedabad Rockets by 13 runs.

Dhaka, who after four games were at eighth place and seemingly out of contention for the semi-finals, have now stormed to No. 2 in the points table.

Nazimuddin gave Dhaka a manic start with a couple of boundaries in the first over. Jason Gillespie struck in the next, removing Shahriar Nafees, but the runs continued to flow. Four sixes came in the space of seven balls as even the mis-hits flew over the boundary; Dhaka were 42 after 3.3 overs.

Aftab Ahmed fell soon after and the tempo flagged with left-arm spinner Sumit Kalia sending down a couple of tidy overs.

Nazimuddin still had a couple of sixes left in him before he holed out to midwicket for a 29-ball 48. Alok Kapali made 26 but Habibul Bashar struggled to maintain the momentum.

Dhaka reached a formidable total thanks to Mahbubul Karim's late blitz. He used his feet well against the spinners, repeatedly coming down the track and hitting them inside out over long-off.

Reetinder Sodhi's shorter deliveries were dispatched to the square boundaries while Gillespie was lofted over midwicket.

Sixty-three runs came off the last six overs and Ahmedabad were left needing 182 for victory.

Their openers, Murray Goodwin and Ryan Campbell, had raced to 27 after three overs before Campbell was bowled by Tapash Baisya.

Goodwin slammed Mohammad Sharif for three fours in the next over and Sodhi, pushed up the order, launched Mohammad Rafique over midwicket. The next ball from Rafique was a quicker one which foxed Sodhi, crashing into his off stump.