Shakib continues CPL hot streak

Star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan continued his fine form in the Caribbean Premier League with a stellar all-round show that helped Jamaica Tallawahs subject St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to a crushing 108-run defeat at Sabina Park on Saturday. It topped off a great two days for the left-hander from Magura after he put in a player-of-the-match display, scoring a calm 54, to take his team home against Guyana Amazon Warriors on Friday.

Shakib backed up his unbeaten 17-ball 34 late in Tallwah's first innings of 183 for six with another late burst with the ball, scalping two wickets for just two runs in two overs to send the Patriots crashing to defeat and taking the Jamaicans to second spot on the six-team table with one game in hand.

The Patriots were put to the sword by Kumar Sangakkara's sublime 47-ball 65 with seven fours and two sixes after Jamaica were asked to bat. The Sri Lankan legend put on a 74-run partnership with Rovman Powell after Jamaica were reduced to 20 for two. After Sangakkara was out in the 16th over with the score on 139, it was up to Shakib, batting at number six, to provide the finishing ballistics. And he did so in fine style, hammering five fours and a six in his unbeaten innings, which took the Tallawahs to a formidable total.

The Patriots were clueless in the face of a stiff total and a strong Jamaica bowling attack, slipping to 53 for six after losing four wickets on the same score. Pacer Kesrick Williams took three of those while Garey Mathurin picked up the other.

Then it was left to Jamaica's foreign stars in Shakib and South Africa speedster Dale Steyn.

Shamarh Brooks moved too early against the Bangladeshi left-arm spinner, who slowed his pace and dropped his length so that Sangakkara behind the stumps could do the rest and have St Kitts seven down. Sangakkara then picked up an edge from Krishmar Santokie's bat off Steyn's bowling, before a classic Shakib arm-ball scattered the bails of Tabraiz Shamsi to have the Patriots floundering at 74 for nine. Steyn then put them out of their misery a run later by cleaning up Amari Joseph.

SCORES IN BRIEF

JAMAICA: 183 for six (Sangakkara 65, Powell 35, Shakib 34 not out; Santokie 3-24, Cottrell 1-28)

ST KITTS AND NEVIS: 75 all out in 15.5 overs (Carter 23, Lewis 17; Williams 3-19, Shakib 2-2, Steyn 2-5, Russell 2-11)

Result: Jamaica won by 108 runs

Player-of-the-match: Kumar Sangakkara