Najibullah Zadran, an Afghan recruit for Chattogram Challengers, overcame sleep deprivation and jet lag to score 61 off 30 balls to lead his team to a seven-wicket victory against Sylhet Strikers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka yesterday.
Najibullah, who smashed three fours and five sixes in his scorching innings, contributed to the first-ever double Super Over in a Twenty20 International between Afghanistan and India on Wednesday night.
The all-rounder claimed that after the match, he travelled to Dhaka and hardly slept for two nights.
“I didn’t sleep for the last two days. I arrived from India. I arrived here and observed the first few balls. “After the ball got wet, it came easily onto the bat,” Najibullah stated during the post-game award ceremony.
Najibullah had an undefeated 121-run partnership with BPL debutant Shahadat Hossain Dipu, who scored 57 off 39 balls, including four fours and the same amount of sixes.
Najibullah appreciated the Bangladeshi youngster’s contribution to the winning partnership.
“I just advised him to be optimistic and attack the bowlers. When they give you a loose ball, punish it and then rotate the strike. “He played exceptionally well.”