Sports Reporter :
Comilla Victorians notched up a big 80-run win over Khulna Titans in the 33rd match of the UCB 6th Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 cricket at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Monday.
Sent into bat first, Comilla Victorians piled up a mammoth total of 237 for the loss of five wickets in the stipulated 20 overs and then bundled out Khulna Titans for 157 off 18.5 overs.
Comilla Victorians made an auspicious start as openers Tamim Iqbal and Evin Lewis put on together 58 runs before Tamim was caught at the long-off by David Wiese off Mahmudullah Riyad.
Lewis remained unbeaten with 109. His 49-ball tornado innings was decorated with 10 sixes and five fours. Lewis was adjudged the Man of the Match for his terrific innings.
After dismissal of Tamim, Anamul Haque (0) was caught at the mid-wicket by Najmul Hossain Shanto off Riyad in the next ball when Comilla’s total was 58 for the loss of two wickets.
Then Lewis and Imrul Kayes built a worthy partnership. They contributed together 97 runs for the third wicket partnership before Kayes was trapped leg before wicket by Shoriful Islam when Comilla’s score was 155 for the loss of three wickets.
Later, Lewis and Shamsur Rahman added together 59 runs in the unbroken six-wicket stand before Comilla’s innings came to an end.
Kayes hit a captain’s knock of 39. His 21-ball knock saw four fours and two sixes.
Shamsur Rahman remained unbeaten with 28. His 15-ball innings had two sixes and one four.
Tamim made 25 from 29 balls featuring three fours and a sixer.
Mhmudullah and Craig Brathwaite bagged a couple of wickets each at the cost of 32 and 42 runs respectively.
Shoriful Islam took one wicket conceding 53 runs.
Brendan Taylor and Junaid Siddique of Khulna Titans made a fine start as the two opener put up together 55 runs in the opening stand before Junaid was caught at the long-on by Shamsur Rahman off Mahedi Hasan.
Then Khulna batsmen failed to make any remarkable partnership.
Wahab Riaz of Comilla Victorians hit a hat-trick. He dismissed David Wiese in his third ball of the third over. He removed Taijul Islam in his fourth ball of the third over and he fulfilled his hat-trick after dismissed Mohammad Saddam in his fifth ball of that over. It was the first hat-trick in the 6th edition of the BPL.
Wahab Riaz and Shahid Afridi grabbed three wickets each instead of 14 and 27 runs respectively.
Thisara Perera, Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin picked up one wicket each for 28, 28 and 29 runs respectively.
