Nasum’s Record-Breaking Spell Secures Sylhet Victory on Moeen’s Debut

Sylhet Titans’ long-awaited evening finally arrived with the debut of England all-rounder Moeen Ali, affectionately dubbed “Dula Bhai” by local supporters. The nickname stems from his Bangladeshi heritage through marriage, with his wife’s family home based in Sylhet—a connection the franchise embraced enthusiastically on social media ahead of the match. While Moeen’s first appearance in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) for Sylhet was met with excitement and warmth, it was local left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed who ultimately stole the spotlight and rewrote the record books.

Although Moeen Ali contributed modestly with bat and ball, Sylhet’s emphatic six-wicket victory over Noakhali Express was driven almost entirely by Nasum’s astonishing bowling performance. His figures of five wickets for just seven runs dismantled Noakhali’s batting line-up and paved the way for a swift and clinical chase at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Batting first, Noakhali Express were bowled out for a mere 61 runs—the fourth-lowest total in BPL history. Yet the collapse was not immediately apparent. After three overs, Noakhali were cruising at 24 without loss, seemingly well placed to build a competitive innings. The turning point arrived in the fourth over when Nasum was introduced into the attack. With his very first delivery, he removed Soumya Sarkar, and before the over concluded, Munim Shahriar followed him back to the pavilion.

The pressure intensified in the subsequent over when Khaled Ahmed induced an aggressive shot from Habibur Rahman, who scored 18 off 16 balls, only to find Nasum safely positioned for the catch. Nasum then closed the powerplay with a miserly over, conceding just one run and further tightening Sylhet’s grip on the match.

Returning in the 11th over with Noakhali struggling at 45 for four, Nasum once again conceded a single run while trapping Haider Ali leg-before wicket. His spell reached its dramatic climax in the final over of the innings, where he dismissed Mehedi Hasan and Jahir Khan in consecutive deliveries before claiming Bilal Sami with the last ball. The crowd erupted as Nasum completed his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.

Remarkably, this was Nasum’s first five-for in a T20 career spanning 146 matches. The performance also elevated him to the top of the list among Bangladeshi spinners in BPL history, surpassing Shakib Al Hasan’s previous best of five for 16 set in 2017. Across all bowlers, however, the record remains with Taskin Ahmed, who claimed seven wickets for 19 runs last season.

Sylhet’s chase was little more than a formality. They reached the target in just 8.4 overs, despite losing three wickets. Towfiq Khan Tushar led the way with an unbeaten 32 off 18 deliveries, while Moeen Ali finished on one not out from a single ball, having earlier bowled two economical overs for six runs.

The victory marked Sylhet Titans’ third win in six matches, while Noakhali Express remained winless after four outings—deepening concerns about their campaign.

Match Summary