Comilla Victorians produced a stunning performance to beat Chattogram Challengers by 73 runs in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Tuesday. Will Jacks smashed an unbeaten 108 and Moeen Ali took a hat-trick as Comilla matched the joint-highest total of the tournament with 239-3 and then bowled out Chattogram for 166 in 16.3 overs.

Jacks and Moeen put on a record 128-run stand for the third wicket, the highest partnership of the season, after Liton Das had given Comilla a flying start with a 31-ball 60. Jacks hit five fours and 10 sixes in his 53-ball knock, while Moeen blasted 52 off 24 balls with two fours and five sixes.

“It was a great wicket to bat on and I just tried to hit the ball as hard as I could. Moeen played a brilliant innings as well and we had a good partnership. It was a good team performance and we are very happy with the win,” Jacks said after the match.

Chattogram’s chase never got going as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Josh Brown and Tanzid Hasan Tamim gave them some hope with an 80-run opening stand, but once they fell, the rest of the batting collapsed. Rishad Hossain was the pick of the bowlers with 4-22, while Moeen completed his hat-trick in the 17th over, dismissing Shohidul Islam, Al-Amin Hossain and Bilal Khan.

“It was a tough day for us. We didn’t bowl well and we didn’t bat well. Comilla played very well and deserved to win. We have to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger in the next match,” Chattogram captain Mahmudullah said.

This was Comilla’s fifth win in seven matches, taking them to second place in the points table with 10 points, level with leaders Rangpur Riders but behind on net run rate. Chattogram suffered their third loss in eight matches, remaining in third place with 10 points.

This was also the second hat-trick of the season, following Shoriful Islam’s feat against Comilla in the tournament opener, and the eighth overall in the history of the tournament. Comilla’s total of 239-3 was the joint-highest in BPL history, equalling Rangpur’s 239-4 against Chattogram in 2019 at the same venue.