Shamsur, Nasir win it for Rangpur

Rangpur Riders batsman Nasir Hossain pulls one during his unbeaten 45-run knock against Chittagong Kings in their BPL T20 match at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday. Photo: STAR

It was an all-round performance from the Rangpur Riders that led the newest team in the Bangladesh Premier League to a six-wicket victory over the Chittagong Kings at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday.
Some good bowling by the Riders restricted the Kings to a below-par total of 132. Recovering from early losses, Rangpur rode on a half-century fourth-wicket stand between Nasir Hossain (45 not out off 33 balls) and Shamsur Rahman (52 off 45 balls). The aggressive partnership led to Rangpur needing just 37 off the last five overs, a task which they completed with relative ease despite Shamsur departing in the last ball of the 18th over with ten still needed. Nasir hit the winning runs off the third ball of the last over bowled by Jacob Oram.
Rangpur began their chase in the worst possible way when Imrul Kayes was caught behind off Shaun Tait in the very first over. They slumped to 55 for 3 after 10 as both the O' Brien brothers, Niall and Kevin, were dismissed while attempting to up the rate.
What followed was a well-measured stand, 68 off 49 balls, for the fourth wicket between Nasir and Shamsur. While Shamsur dispatched the slower bowlers, Nasir took on the faster bowlers. The latter's eye catching front foot hit off Shaun Tait over long off in the 14th over was easily the best shot of the day.
Earlier, Chittagong, after starting slowly recovered to post a respectable total courtesy of an unbeaten 51-ball 65 by Brendan Taylor. His 73-run stand with skipper Mahmudullah Riyad for the fourth wicket lifted the team from a nervy 21 for 3 after 6 overs.
Taylor was the only batsman for Chittagong who looked settled and he consistently dispatched the bowlers to all corners of the park. From pulling the pacers to the fine-leg region to a reverse sweep through point for 4, he employed a wide array of shots. The highlight of his innings though came in the last over, as he smacked Dimitri Mascarenhas for two huge sixes down the ground.
Rangpur looked good on the field as they plugged the runs and took their catches. The catch of the match, and perhaps the tournament, was taken by Rangpur's Taposh Ghosh as he ran from deep square leg and dived full-stretch at deep fine leg to send Naeem Islam packing.
Their bowling attack, which received a boost with the inclusion of Fidel Edwards, was also on target. He picked up the crucial wicket of Oram who was beginning to look dangerous. Mascarenhas, Abdur Razzak and Kevin O' Brien also maintained steady economy rates of around 6 and made it difficult for the batsmen to score runs off them.
SCORES IN BRIEF
CHITTAGONG KINGS: 132 for 5 (Mahmudullah 34, Taylor 65 not out, Oram 12; Edwards 1-24, k O'Brien 1-18)
RANGPUR RIDERS: 135 for 4 (Shamsur 52, N O'Brien 21, Nasir 45 not out; Oram 2-21)
Result: Rangpur Riders won by six wickets.
Player-of-the-match: Nasir Hossain.