Mushfiqur Rahim smashes 1000-run barrier in BPL

Dhaka, Nov 15 (IANS) Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim has become the first batsman to notch 1000 runs in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

He helped Barisal Bulls beat Chittagong Vikings to go top of the table with their third win here on Monday, reports bdnews24.com.

Set a 164-run target, Barisal achieved it to win in the last over with seven wickets to spare at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The match boiled down to Barisal needing seven from the final over with Mushfiqur (10 not out) on strike.

The 29-year-old stroked a double and then struck a boundary to become the first batsman to reach 1000 runs in the competition and level the scores. He then cracked another boundary to wrap things up with two balls to spare.

Staking his claim to be one of the best batsmen of the competition, the diminutive batsman now has 1005 runs from 35 innings, including seven half-centuries at 41.87.

Mushfiqur smashed through the 1000-run barrier with the following pack all cruising in the 700s.

Shakib Al Hasan is second behind his Test captain with 775 runs with Anamul Haque (762) and Australian Brad Hodge (756) closely following Shakib. Mahmudullah Riyad is fifth with 743, ahead of Nasir Hossain (727), Shahriar (721) and Jahurul Islam (706).

--IANS

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