Sports Reporter :
Rangpur Riders beat Khulna Titans by six wickets in the 25th match of the UCB 6th Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Tuesday.
Chasing Khulna’s competitive 181 for the loss of six wickets in the allotted 20 overs, Rangpur Riders cruised into the winning spot making 183 for the loss of four wickets remaining with three deliveries.
Rangpur Riders made a formidable start as openers Chris Gayle and AD Hales put on together 78 runs before Hales was bowled by Yasir Shah when Rangpur’s total was 78.
Hales notched up a superb 55. His 29-ball innings was laced with eight fours and three sixes.
Chris Gayle also shone with the willow. He hit a marvelous 55 from 40 balls featuring five sixes and two fours.
After Hales removal, Gayle and AB de Villiers built another worthy partnership. They added together 43 runs in the second wicket stand before Villiers was trapped leg before wicket when Rangpur’s score was 121 for the loss of two wickets.
Villiers scored a remarkable 41. His 25-ball innings was belted with four sixes and three fours.
Then Gayle and Mohammad Mithun put on together 50 runs for the third wicket partnership before Gayle was caught at the long-on by David Wiese off Junaid Khan when Rangpur’s total 171 for the loss of three wickets. Later, RR Rossouw and Nahidul Islam helped their team to reach the winning spot.
Yasir Shah bagged a pair of wickets at the cost of 47 runs, while Mahmudullah Riyad and Junaid Khan took one wicket each for 28 and 37 runs respectively. Earlier, Khulna Titans faced an early debacle as they lost two wickets for 29 runs.
Then Brendan Taylor and Najmul Hossain Shanto contributed together 49 runs for the third wicket partnership before Taylor was caught at the long-on by Nahidul Islam off Chris Gayle when Khulan’s total was 78 for the loss of three wickets.
Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 48. His 35-ball innings had three sixes and two fours.
Taylor hit a quick-fire 32. His 20-ball knock saw four fours and a sixer.
After Taylor’s dismissal, Shanto and Mahmudullah added together 56 runs in the fourth wicket stand before Mahmudullah was caught at the mid-wicket by Nazmul Islam off Farhad Reza when Khulna’s score was 134 for the loss of four wickets.
Mahmudullah made 29 from 20 balls featuring one four and one six.
After Mahmudullah’s departure, Shanto was caught & bowled by Farhad Reza in his next ball when Khulan’s total was 134 for the loss of five wickets.
David Wiese and Ariful Haque put on together 28 runs for the sixth wicket partnership before Ariful Haque (6) was caught at the long-on by AD Hales off Farhad Reza when Khulna’s score 152 for the loss of six wickets.
Then Wiese and Yasir Shah contributed together 29 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket partnership before Khulna’s innings came to an end.
Wiese remained unbeaten with 35. His 15-ball windy innings decorated with three fours and two sixes.
Farhad Reza grabbed four wickets at the cost 32 runs, while Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Chris Gayle took one wicket each for 17 and 23 runs respectively. Farhad Reza was adjudged the Man of the Match.
