Chittagong Vikings batsmen Mushfiqur Rahim (L) and Yasir Ali celebrate a run during their Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 match against Khulna Titans at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. — New Age photo
Yasir Ali and Mushfiqur Rahim smashed quick-fire half-centuries while Dasun Shanaka provided a late blitz as Chittagong Vikings put a record score before crushing Khulna Titans by 26 runs in Sylhet on Saturday.
In the final match of Bangladesh Premier League Sylhet leg, Yasir hit 54 off 36 and Mushfiq added 52 off 33 balls to set up the base for a big total, which Shanaka used to perfection.
Playing his first match of the tournament, the Sri Lankan all-rounder smacked 42 off just 17 balls, guiding Vikings to 214-4, the highest total of the sixth edition of BPL surpassing Rangpur Riders’ 195-6.
Khulna received a jolt at the start of the innings when pacer Abu Jayed picked up two wickets in his first two overs and they could not overcome the shock despite the best effort of skipper Mahmudullah and David Wiese.
Mahmudullah made 50 off 26 balls, his first half-century this year, but Khulna could not go beyond 188-9 in their 20 overs to suffer their sixth defeat in seven matches, which puts their chances of qualifying in the knockout phase in serious jeopardy.
Chittagong began from where they ended in the first phase in Dhaka, when they successfully knocked off Comilla Victorians’ 184-5 as Mohammad Shahzad gave them a good start once again with the bat.
Shahzad made 33 off 17 balls before Yasir and Mushfiq added 83 runs for the third wicket with both the batsmen batting almost at the same pace.
Wiese broke the stand by removing Yasir but Mushfiq hung on for few more deliveries to bring his second successive fifty in the tournament.
When Wiese picked the wicket of Mushfiq, who struck eight fours and a six, Chittagong were already on course to a big score and with his massive power Shanaka ensured they did not lose their way.
His three fours and four sixes, coupled with Najibullah Zadran’s 16 off five balls, made Chittagong the first side to break the 200-run barrier for the first time in the current
edition.
Wiese and Taijul Islam shared 65 runs for the seventh wicket to lift Khulna from 106-6 and give Khulna an unlikely chance in the huge run chase before the dismissal of Wiese to Khaled Ahmed ended their all hopes.
Jayed claimed three wickets while Khaled and Cameron Delport claimed two wickets each for Chittagong, who have now bagged their third consecutive win and fourth overall.
SCORECARD
Chittagong Vikings innings
Shahzad c Taylor b Taijul 33
CS Delport c Wiese b Shoriful 13
Yasir c Taylor b Wiese 54
Mushfiq c Shoriful b Wiese 52
MD Shanaka not out 42
N Zadran not out 16
Extras (lb 1, w 3) 4
Total (four wickets,20 Overs) 214
Did not bat: Mosaddek, Nayeem, Sunzamul, Khaled, Jayed
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (CS Delport), 2-56 (Shahzad), 3-139 (Yasir), 4-170 (Mushfiq)
Bowling
Subashis 4 0 38 0
Malinga 4 0 44 0
Shoriful 3 0 47 1
Taijul 4 0 45 1
D Wiese 4 0 26 2
Mahmudullah 1 0 13 0
Khulna Titans innings
PR Stirling c Khaled b Jayed 0
Junaed c Mushfiq b Khaled 12
Al-Amin c Mushfiq b Jayed 5
B Taylor b Nayeem 28
Mahmudullah b Delport 50
Ariful c Shanaka b Delport 11
D Wiese c Shahzad b Khaled 40
Taijul not out 22
Shoriful b Jayed 9
L Malinga not out 5
Extras (lb 1, w 5) 6
Total (eight wickets,20 Overs)
188
Did to bat: Subashis
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (PR Stirling), 2-15 (Al-Amin), 3-18 (Junaed), 4-86 (B Taylor), 5-102 (Mahmudullah), 6-109 (Ariful), 7-174 (D Wiese), 8-183 (Shoriful)
Bowling
Jayed 4 0 33 3
Khaled 4 0 29 2
Sunzamul 4 0 46 0
Shanaka 2 0 32 0
Nayeem 2 0 22 1
Delport 4 0 25 2
Result: Chittagong Vikings won by 26 runs
Man of the match: Mushfiqur Rahim (Chittagong Vikings)
Toss: Khulna Titans
Source: New Age.