Sports Reporter :
A gimmick performance by Mahmudullah Riyad helped Khulna Titans to earn a sensational four-run win over Chittagong Vikings in their match of the AKS Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 Cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.
Sent into bat first, Khulna Titans scored a modest total of 127 for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs and then they restricted Chittagong Vikings to 123 for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs.
Chittagong Vikings lost their early six wickets for 78 runs.
Then Mohammad Nabi and Chaturanga De Silva put on together 45 runs in the seventh wicket stand and they were at the crease on 121 off 19 overs.
At that stage, Chittagong needed seven runs from six balls.
But Mahmudullah Riyad dismissed Chaturanga De Silva (19) in his second delivery of his third over, then removed Abdur Razzak (0) in his fourth delivery of the same over and plucked consistent Mahammad Nabi in the last ball of his same over.
Riyad was adjudged the Man of the Match for his match-winning trick.
Khulna made a meek start as they lost their opener Hasanuzzaman (8) when Khulna’s score was 34.
Then Khulna lost their five top-order batsmen for 77.
Later, Nicholas Pooran and Ariful Haque repaired the damage contributing together 48 runs for the sixth wicket stand before Pooran was run out by Shoaib Malik when Khulna’s score was 125 for the loss of six wickets.
Pooran top-scored with 29.
Opener Riki Wessels hit a fine 28 from 17 balls featuring four fours before he was bowled out by Abdur Razzak.
Ariful Haque remained unbeaten with 25. His 16-ball innings was laced with two sixes and a four.
Alok Kapali was the other notable run getter for Khulna who scored 23.
Mohammad Nabi captured three wickets at the cost of 22 runs while Taskin Ahmed bagged a pair of wickets instead of 17 runs.
Later, Mohammad Nabi hit a quick-fire 39 from 23 balls including two sixes and two fours.
Jahurul Islam and Chaturanga De Silva added 25 and 19 runs respectively to the Chittagong innings.
Pacer Shafiul Islam of Khulna Titans grabbed four wickets at the cost of 28 runs, while Mahmudullah Riyad claimed three wickets instead of 24 runs and Kevon Cooper bagged two wickets for 17 runs.
