Locals step up for Sixers and Kings
While yesterday's Bangladesh Premier League matches were contrasting in terms of the scores posted, they shared one similarity in that local players matched the performances of the higher-profile foreign stars for the first time in the sixth edition. Also for the first time on the fourth day of matches the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium witnessed a real humdinger as Chittagong Vikings' Robbie Frylinck nearly pulled off a great escape with four sixes in the last two overs, but Sylhet Sixers absorbed the pressure and registered their first win with a thrilling five-run victory.
Rajshahi Kings and Khulna Titans were both searching for their first win of the season in the second game of the day, and it was Rajshahi -- riding on stellar contributions from Isuru Udana, Mustafizur Rahman, skipper Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Mominul Haque -- who romped home by seven wickets with seven balls to spare in a low-scoring encounter.
In the day's first game, needing 24 runs off the last over Frylinck took the game down to the wire, striking two sixes off pacer Al Amin Hossain and at one point Chittagong needed nine runs from two balls. But Frylinck could manage just a couple and a single to remain unbeaten on a valiant 24-ball 44 as Chittagong end their 20 overs on 163 for seven in chase of Sylhet's 168 for seven.
Before that, two local youngsters in Afif Hossain and pacer Taskin Ahmed lifted Sylhet through their contributions. Electing to bat first, Sylhet faced early blows after Frylinck removed Liton Das and Sabbir Rahman early and were struggling on six for three. Afif then held the ship with skipper David Warner and added 71 runs for the fourth wicket. Warner was cautious initially while Afif was the aggressor before the latter was dismissed for 45 off 28 balls which included three sixes and five fours.
Warner then paired with player-of-the-match Nicholas Pooran and added another 70-run stand. Warner was dismissed for 59 off 47 balls while Pooran remained unbeaten on 52 off 32 balls, which featured three sixes and as many fours.
In reply, Taskin Ahmed removed Afghan opener Mohammad Shahzad in the first over before Cameron Delport and Mohammad Ashraful added 62 runs for the second wicket.
But since Delport was run out on 38 by a direct hit from Sandeep Lamichhane, Chittagong lost their way. Taskin was venomous and went on to pick three more wickets -- those of Ashraful, Sikandar Raza and Nayeem Hasan -- to finish with figures of four for 28 from his four overs.
In the second game, Mahmudullah Riyad's Khulna Titans were kept to a sub-par 117 for nine after left-arm pacers Udana and Mustafizur combined to scalp five wickets for 33 runs from their eight overs. Mustafizur started the rot after a 40-run opening stand between Paul Stirling and Junaid Siddique by dismissing the former and adding the crucial wicket of Mahmudullah. Udana dismissed Junaid, David Wiese and Subhasish Roy.
The chase was shepherded by captain Mehedi, a bowling all-rounder who promoted himself to number three and scored a cool 45-ball 51. His 89-run partnership with opener Mominul Haque decisively swung the match in the Kings' favour on a difficult wicket.
“Today was an example that batsmen need to bat sensibly. We were thinking that 140 was a good score on that wicket and no one took responsibility to do that," said Khulna coach Mahela Jayawardene after the match. "Mehedi Hasan Miraz showed how to bat on these types of wickets and there is a lot to learn from his batting."
SCORES IN BRIEF
SYLHET SIXERS V CHITTAGONG VIKINGS
SYLHET: 168 for 5 in 20 overs (Warner 59, Afif 45, Pooran 52 not out; Frylinck 3-260
CHITTAGONG: 163 for 7 in 20 overs (Delport 38, Ashraful 22, Raza 37, Frylinck 44 not out; Taskin 4-28)
Result: Sylhet Sixers won by 5 runs.
Player-of-the-match: Nicholas Pooran.
SCORES IN BRIEF
KHULNA TITANS V RAJSHAHI KINGS
KHULNA: 117 for 9 in 20 overs (Junaid 23, Malan 22; Udana 3-15, Mustafizur 2-18, Soumya 1-6)
RAJSHAHI: 118 for 3 in 18.5 overs (Mominul 44, Mehedi 51, Soumya 11 not out; Zahir 1-18, Stirling 1-9)
Result: Rajshahi Kings won by 7 wickets.
Player-of-the-match: Isuru Udana.
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