Fizz sinks Vikings

Chittagong Vikings fought till the bitter end were unable to chase down the huge 199-run target set by Rajshahi Kings, succumbing to a seven-run defeat in a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) encoutner at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday.

Needing 13 runs off the last over to win, it was Rajshahi's left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman who scalped the Vikings' last two wickets, helping the side clinch their fifth win in ten games. This was Chittagong's second consecutive defeat but the port-city outfit remain on top of the points table with six wins in nine games.

Yasir Ali top scored with 58 runs off 38 balls while opener Mohammad Shahzad added 49, however, it was not enough as Chittagong fell short in the end.

Mustafizur was yet again the pick of the bowlers for Rajshahi, bagging three wickets for just 28 runs from his four overs while Kamrul Islam and Mehedi Hasan Miraz took two wickets each.

Earlier, Rajshahi posted the tremendous total riding on a 43-ball 55-run knock from opener Johnson Charles while Chris Jonker added a quickfire 17-ball 37-run, laced with three sixes and a four, later in the innings.

In the day's first game, Sylhet Sixers kept their hopes for a spot in the playoffs alive by registering a comprehensive 58-run win over Khulna Titans.

In chase of a huge 196-run target, Khulna were all-out on 137 in 18.1 overs without a fight. Brendon Taylor's 34 was the highest score for the batting side while left-arm spinner Nabil Samad was the pick of the bowlers for Sylhet, bagging three wickets for 20 runs from his four overs.

Sylhet posted 195 for four, courtesy of a flying start from Liton Das and Afif Hossain as the two added 71 runs for the opening wicket. Liton was dismissed after scoring 34 off 22 balls while young Afif top scored with 49 off 37 balls, however, after their departure Sylhet lost their way at the middle.

It was then Sabbir Rahman and Mohammad Nawaz who added a blistering 89-run unbeaten fifth-wicket stand as Sylhet gained the momentum, scoring 76 runs in the last five overs.

Sabbir remained unbeaten on 44 runs off 29 balls, including two sixes and four fours, while Nawaz was not out on 39 runs off 21 balls featuring two sixes and three fours.

With four wins in ten games, Sylhet will have to win their next two games and also depend on favourable results in the other teams to get a place in the playoff.

SCORES IN BRIEF

RAJSHAHI KINGS v CHITTAGONG VIKINGS

RAJSHAHI: 198 for 5 in 20 overs (Charles 55, Soumya 26, Evans 36, Ten Doeschate 27, Jonker 37; Khaled 2-32)

CHITTAGONG: 191 for 8 in20 overs (Shahzad 49, Yasir 58, Mushfiqur 22, Raza 29; Kamrul 2-44, Mehedi 2-25, Mustafizur 3-28)

Result: Rajshahi won by 7 runs.

Player-of-the-match: Mustafizur Rahman