Sports Reporter :
An unprecedented 126 (not out) by Chris Gayle powered Rangpur Riders to earn a resounding eight-wicket victory over Khulna Titans in their Eliminator phase of the AKS Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Twenty20 Cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Friday.
By virtue of yesterday’s victory, Rangpur Riders move into the Qualifier-2, which is scheduled to be held on December 10. Khulna Titans were eliminated from the title race.
Gayle cracked 14 sixes and six fours in his extra-ordinary 51-ball innings. It was Gayle’s 19th T20 century. Chris Gayle was adjudged the Man of the Match for his match-winning innings.
Chasing Khulna Titans fighting total of 167 for the loss of six wickets in the allotted 20 overs, Rangpur Riders stormed into the winning spot making 171 for the loss of two wickets when they had 28 balls to spare.
Rangpur had a shaky start as they lost two wickets for 25 runs.
Then Chris Gayle and Mohammad Mithun contributed 146 runs for the unbroken third wicket stand and brought the victory for their team.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Mithun remained unbeaten with 30. His 36-ball knock saw three fours.
Jofra Archer of Khulna Titans bagged a pair of wickets at the cost of 30 runs.
Khulna Titans faced an early jolt as they lost three wickets for 56 runs.
Then Michael Klinger and Ariful Haque put on together 26 runs for the fourth wicket partnership before Klinger was cleanly bowled out by a yorker of Ravi Bopara when Khulna’s score was 82 for the loss of four wickets.
After Klinger’s dismissal, Ariful Haque and Nicholas Pooran built another notable partnership. They contributed 40 runs in the fifth wicket stand before Ariful Haque was caught by Ravi Bopara off Rubel Hossain when Khulna’s total was 122 for the loss of five wickets.
Ariful Haque hit a polished 29. His 30-ball innings was laced with three fours.
After Ariful’s departure, Nicholas Pooran and Carlos Brathwaite added together 33 runs for the sixth wicket partnership before Pooran was trapped leg before wicket by Lasith Malinga when the team’s score was 155 for the loss of six wickets.
Pooran cracked an elegant 28. His 22-ball knock was studded with two fours and a sixer.
Brathwaite remained unbeaten with 25. His windy nine-ball innings was decorated with three fours and a sixer.
Klinger, Mahmudullah Riyad added 21 and 20 runs to the Khulna’s total respectively.
Lasith Malinga of Rangpur Riders got a couple of wickets conceding 49 runs.
Ravi Bopara, Nazmul Islam, Sohag Gazi and Rubel Hossain took one wicket each for 15, 19, 24 and 33 runs respectively.
An unprecedented 126 (not out) by Chris Gayle powered Rangpur Riders to earn a resounding eight-wicket victory over Khulna Titans in their Eliminator phase of the AKS Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Twenty20 Cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Friday.
By virtue of yesterday’s victory, Rangpur Riders move into the Qualifier-2, which is scheduled to be held on December 10. Khulna Titans were eliminated from the title race.
Gayle cracked 14 sixes and six fours in his extra-ordinary 51-ball innings. It was Gayle’s 19th T20 century. Chris Gayle was adjudged the Man of the Match for his match-winning innings.
Chasing Khulna Titans fighting total of 167 for the loss of six wickets in the allotted 20 overs, Rangpur Riders stormed into the winning spot making 171 for the loss of two wickets when they had 28 balls to spare.
Rangpur had a shaky start as they lost two wickets for 25 runs.
Then Chris Gayle and Mohammad Mithun contributed 146 runs for the unbroken third wicket stand and brought the victory for their team.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Mithun remained unbeaten with 30. His 36-ball knock saw three fours.
Jofra Archer of Khulna Titans bagged a pair of wickets at the cost of 30 runs.
Khulna Titans faced an early jolt as they lost three wickets for 56 runs.
Then Michael Klinger and Ariful Haque put on together 26 runs for the fourth wicket partnership before Klinger was cleanly bowled out by a yorker of Ravi Bopara when Khulna’s score was 82 for the loss of four wickets.
After Klinger’s dismissal, Ariful Haque and Nicholas Pooran built another notable partnership. They contributed 40 runs in the fifth wicket stand before Ariful Haque was caught by Ravi Bopara off Rubel Hossain when Khulna’s total was 122 for the loss of five wickets.
Ariful Haque hit a polished 29. His 30-ball innings was laced with three fours.
After Ariful’s departure, Nicholas Pooran and Carlos Brathwaite added together 33 runs for the sixth wicket partnership before Pooran was trapped leg before wicket by Lasith Malinga when the team’s score was 155 for the loss of six wickets.
Pooran cracked an elegant 28. His 22-ball knock was studded with two fours and a sixer.
Brathwaite remained unbeaten with 25. His windy nine-ball innings was decorated with three fours and a sixer.
Klinger, Mahmudullah Riyad added 21 and 20 runs to the Khulna’s total respectively.
Lasith Malinga of Rangpur Riders got a couple of wickets conceding 49 runs.
Ravi Bopara, Nazmul Islam, Sohag Gazi and Rubel Hossain took one wicket each for 15, 19, 24 and 33 runs respectively.
