Titans felled by Dynamites

Defending champions Dhaka Dynamites bounced back strongly after their defeat to the Syhlet Sixers in the Bangladesh Premier League opener as they handed the Khulna Titans a comprehensive 65-run defeat at the Sylhet International Stadium yesterday.

After having managed to put only 136 runs on the scoreboard in the loss to Sylhet the previous day, a 116-run second-wicket stand between Evin Lewis and Cameron Delport -- who blitzed to his 50 off just 21 balls --guided Shakib Al Hasan's side to a mammoth total of 202 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted overs.

Khulna never seemed like threatening their opponents coming into the chase and were bundled out for just 137 after 18.1 overs. Jofra Archer scored a team-high 36 while none of the others had any contribution of significance.

From a bowling point of view Dhaka managed to move on from their disappointing showing in the previous game, with left-arm seamer Abu Hider being the pick of the bowlers after bagging three wickets for just 13 runs in three overs. Shakib, Sunil Narine and Khaled Ahmed took two apiece as the Dynamites wrapped up an easy win.

After Mahmudullah Riyad had the sent the Dynamites in to bat, Kumar Sangakkara nicked Shafiul Islam to the keeper in the four over and returned with the score on 38. However, while Lewis looked sedate by his explosive standards the stage was set for Delport to fly.

Having reached nine off six at the start of the eighth over, he hit Archer for two boundaries, the second of which was a dropped chance at long on. From then, Lewis and Delport went after the bowling, with the latter outscoring the former in their fruitful nine-over partnership.

The duo ensured that there was at least one boundary each over and Lewis soon reached his 50 off 31 balls in the ninth over after edging Carlos Brathwaite to third man for four.

Delport, then on 21 off 11, took just 11 more deliveries to reach his half-century in the 12th over, with the first of two sixes and a four in that over bowled by Mosharraf Hossain.

Shafiul finally managed to send Lewis back the next over, having him caught at cover with the score on 154. The left-hander scored a 40-ball 66 punctuated by seven fours and three sixes.

In the 15th over, Abu Jayed trapped Delport in front after a 31-ball 64 studded with four boundaries and five sixes.

However, Dhaka were unable to launch after Delport's departure despite having a solid platform as Shakib (1) and the big-hitting Kieron Pollard (5) departed cheaply. Only some lusty blows at the end from Narine saw them surpass the 200 mark.

Pacer Abu Jayed was the only notable performer with the ball for Khulna, but his figures of 2 for 29 from four overs failed to make a dent as the other bowlers were blasted all around the field.