Published on 12:00 AM, December 21, 2019

Khulna flawless; Rangpur winless

Chattogram Challengers batsman Chadwick Walton flayed the Cumilla Warriors bowlers to all parts of the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday with a 27-ball 71 as the hosts rocketed to 238 for four, the highest total of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League season so far. The Challengers hit 54 runs in the last two overs and in the process finished with the second-highest total ever to be recorded in the tournament’s seven-year history. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Sports Reporter

Rangpur Rangers’ frustration in the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BBPL) continued as Mohammad Nabi’s side fell to a fourth straight defeat yesterday. This time, it was Khulna Tigers who registered a comprehensive eight-wicket win in the day’s first game at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Khulna are beaming with confidence, Mushfiqur Rahim’s side clinching their third win in as many games.

Khulna’s Shafiul Islam starred with 3 for 21. Photo: Star

It was star South African batsman Rilee Rossouw who did the damage, celebrating his blistering fifty with some dance moves in chase of a modest 138-run target which was overtaken with ease.

Rangpur’s chase got off to a rocky start as they lost opener Nazmul Hossain Shanto (1) in the second over. However, young Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rossouw carved the path to victory for Khulna with a 61-run third-wicket stand.

Rossouw and Gurbaz took a toll on the Rangpur bowlers and added the third-highest score, 81 for 1, in the Powerplay overs in the history of BPL.

Gurbaz was eventually dismissed by young pacer Mukidul Islam after scoring 37 off 22 but Rossouw continued and reached his 25th half-century in the format off just 23 deliveries.

Rossouw ensured an easy win and remained unbeaten on 66 off just 31 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes. Skipper Mushfiqur, who got the winning runs, was unbeaten on 17 as Khulna got home with 45 balls to spare.

Earlier, Rangpur made a good start as opener Naim Sheikh added 49 off 32 while Fazle Mahmud added 42, but the batting side lost wickets at regular intervals to help Khulna remain in control.

Pacer Shafiul Islam was instrumental for Khulna and picked up three wickets for 21 runs from four overs while left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir and right-arm seamer Shahidul Islam scalped two each.

A question was posed to Rossouw at the post-match press conference about whether his fancy celebration after reaching 50 was inspired by his mother, who is a dance teacher in South Africa and the top-scorer of the last edition of the BPL responded: “Everything was just hitting the middle of my bat. About the celebration, it was inspired from celebrations in FIFA (the video game series) I had told the boys I would celebrate that way if I scored a fifty.”

Meanwhile, it was learned that Rangpur were in talks to rope in Australian all-rounder Shane Watson for the latter stages of the tournament. However, it will be difficult for Rangpur to get to the latter stages as they need to win at least six of the remaining eight games to stay in contention for a playoff spot.

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