Moeen Ali turned the game on its head with a decisive all-round display as the Sylhet Titans claimed a crucial 20-run win over the Dhaka Titans in the Bangladesh Premier League at the Sylhet International Stadium on Thursday.

First with the bat and then with the ball, Moeen left his imprint on both innings, helping Sylhet post a challenging total of 180 for six before playing a key role in restricting Dhaka to 160 for eight in reply.

The result was Sylhet’s fourth win from eight matches, keeping them firmly in the race for the playoffs, while Dhaka’s fourth defeat in six outings pushed them into an increasingly uncomfortable position on the table.

Dhaka began their chase with promise. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Abdullah Al Mamun came out aggressively, adding 56 runs in just 5.4 overs to provide early momentum. Abdullah struck 24 from 11 balls before falling, but the foundation appeared solid.

That rhythm, however, was soon disrupted by a sudden collapse. Dhaka lost three wickets for 11 runs in the space of 18 balls, swinging the game sharply back in Sylhet’s favour. The moment was symbolised by Ethan Brookes’ stunning boundary catch to dismiss Shamim off Moeen’s bowling — a mix of athleticism and pressure that summed up Sylhet’s intensity in the field.

Gurbaz continued to fight, compiling 51 off 44 balls with three fours and two sixes, and adding 37 runs off 24 balls with Saif Hassan to keep Dhaka in the contest. But just as the chase seemed to stabilise, it unravelled again. Dhaka slipped from 104 for three to 113 for six in the space of 11 balls, losing Gurbaz and then Saif (22 off 14) in quick succession, effectively ending their hopes.

Salman Irshad led the bowling effort with three wickets for 25 runs, while Moeen’s four overs cost just 20 and brought two crucial breakthroughs.

Earlier, Sylhet’s innings had followed a similar pattern of phases, built patiently before exploding at the death. Parvez Hossain and Tawfique Khan laid the early platform with 48 runs in the powerplay, but Dhaka tightened the screws in the middle overs, reducing Sylhet to 72 for three early in the 12th over.

Ariful Islam and Azmatullah Omarzai then rebuilt with composure and intent, adding 62 runs from 37 balls to restore momentum. Ariful made 38 off 29, while Omarzai contributed 33 from 23 before Moeen took control.

What followed was a brutal finish. Moeen smashed 28 off just eight deliveries, striking two fours and three sixes to turn a competitive total into a commanding one. Support came from Ethan Brookes and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who each struck a six in the final over, as Sylhet plundered 88 runs in the last six overs despite a brief two-run over in between.

By the time the dust settled, Moeen had shaped both halves of the match — accelerating Sylhet to a winning total and then helping to choke Dhaka’s chase — underlining once again how a single all-round performance can tilt the balance of a T20 contest.

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