Sports Reporter :
Khulna Titans beat Comilla Victorians by 14 runs in their match of the AKS Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Twenty20 Cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Tuesday.
After yesterday’s outcome, Comilla Victorians secured 16 points from 11 matches, while Khulna Titans gained 15 points from 12 outings.
Electing to bat first, Khulna Titans piled up a challenging total of 174 for the loss of six wickets in the stipulated 20 overs and then they restricted Comilla Victorians to 160 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs.
Khulna made a good start as the openers Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Michael Klinger contributed together 55 runs in the opening stand before Shanto was bowled out by Al-Amin Hossain.
Shanto cracked a marvelous 37. His 21-ball innings was studded with four fours and two sixes.
After Shanto’s dismissal, Klinger and Mahmudullah Riyad built another notable partnership. They put on together 32 runs for the second wicket stand before Klinger was caught at the cover by Tamim Iqbal off Solomon Mire when Khulna’s score was 87 for the loss of two wickets.
Klinger hit a polished 29 from 28 balls.
Then Mahmudullah Riyad was caught behind by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler off Al-Amin Hossain when Khulna’s total was 95 for the loss of three wickets.
Riyad scored run-a-ball 23.
Second-down Nicholas Pooran (8) was stumped out by Jos Buttler off Shoaib Malik when the team’s score was 103 for the loss of four wickets.
After Pooran’s departure, Ariful Haque and Carlos Brathwaite added together 47 runs for the fifth wicket partnership before Brathwaite (22) was run out by Mehedi Hasan Rana when Khulna’s total was 150 for the loss of five wickets.
Ariful Haque hit a superb 35. His 21-ball innings was ornamented with four fours and a sixer. He was caught behind by Jos Buttler off Al-Amin Hossain when Khulna’s innings came to an end.
Al-Amin Hossain was the most successful bowler of Comilla Victorians. He got three wickets conceding 52 runs.
Later, Comilla Victorians had an awful start as opener Solomon Mire (0) was bowled out by Mahmudullah Riyad when Comilla’s score was just one.
Then Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes repaired the damage adding together 63 runs for the second wicket partnership before Imrul Kayes (20) was caught by Brathwaite off Benny Howell when the team’s total was 64 for the loss of two wickets.
Tamim Iqbal hit a captain’s knock of 36. His 33-ball knock was laced with six fours.
Later, Shoaib Malik and Marlon Samuels made another notable partnership. They put on together 37 runs for the fifth wicket partnership before Shoaib was caught at the point by Mahmudullah Riyad off Mohammad Irfan when Comilla’s total was 127 for the loss of five wickets.
Shoaib Malik hit a superb 36. His 23-ball innings was belted with three sixes and a four.
After Shoaib’s departure, batsmen of Comilla failed to make any notable partnership.
Marlon Samuels remained unbeaten with 25. He hit two sixes and two fours in his 16-ball innings.
Benny Howell and Abu Jayed of Khulna Titans bagged a couple of wickets each at the cost of 32 and 35 runs respectively.
Brathwaite, Mahmudullah Riyad and Mohammad Irfan took one wicket each for 15, 22 and 26 runs respectively.
Ariful Haque of Khulna Titans was adjudged the Man of the Match.
