Sports Reporter :
Chattogram Challengers moved into the second qualifier beating Khulna Tigers by seven runs in the eliminator phase of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Monday. Khulna was out of the BPL Cricket.
Sent into bat first, Chattogram piled up a mammoth total of 189 for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 20 overs and then restricted Khulna to 182 for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs.
Chattogram had a shaky start as they lost their early two wickets for 16 runs.
Kennar Lewis and Chadwick Walton repaired the damage contributing together 38 runs for the third wicket partnership before Lewis was trapped leg before wicket by Nabil Samad when Chattogram’s total was 54 for the loss of three wickets.
Lewis hit a polished 39. His 32-ball innings was belted with two sixes and four fours.
Third-down Shamim Hossain (10) was trapped leg before wicket by Mahedi Hasan when Chattogram’s score was 65 for the loss of four wickets.
Then, Chadwick Walton and Mehidy Hasan Miraz rescued their team scored together 115 runs for the fifth wicket partnership before Miraz was bowled out by Khaled Ahmed when Chattogram’s total was 180 runs for the loss of five wickets.
Walton remained unbeaten with 89 runs. His 44-ball stormy innings was decorated with seven sixes and seven fours. Walton was adjudged the Man of the Match for his marvelous innings.
Miraz made 36 from 30 balls featuring two fours and a sixer.
Khaled Ahmed was his team’s most successful bowler claiming two wickets for 40 runs.
Later, Khulna had a sorrow start as they lost two wickets for 43 runs.
Opener Andre Fletcher and second-down Mushfiqur Rahim put on together 64 runs in the third wicket stand before Mushfiquir Rahim was caught behind by wicketkeeper Akbar Ali off Mehidy Hasan Miraz when Khulna’s total was 107 for the loss of three wickets.
Fletcher remained unbeaten with 80. His 58-ball innings saw four sixes and six fours.
Mushfiqur Rahim hit a sparkle 43. His 29-ball innings had four sixes and one four.
After Mushfiqur’s dismissal, Fletcher and Yasir Ali added together 65 runs for the fourth wicket partnership before Yasir Ali was caught at the deep point by Benny Howell off Shoriful Islam when Khulna’s score was 172 for the loss of four wickets.
Yasir Ali notched up a remarkable 45. His 24-ball innings was studded with four sixes and two fours.
Thisara Perera (10) was caught & bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz when Khulna’s innings came to an end.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz bagged two wickets in the space of 40 runs, while Nasum Ahmed, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury and Shoriful Islam took one wicket each for 24, 34 and 43 runs respectively.
