Ctg confirm play-off berth first

Chattogram Challengers ensured their play-off berth as the first BPL team when they mauled Khulna Tigers by six wickets in their low-scoring leg-ending fixture of the Akash-DTH Bangabandhu-Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at the beauty scenic Sylhet International Cricket Stadium at the Lakkatura area of Sylhet yesterday.

By virtue of triumphing the low-scoring affair, Chattogram leapfrogged Dhaka Platoon and Rajshahi Royals and ascended the pole position in the BPL standings with highest 14 points. This was their second meet. Khulna won their first clash with eight wickets against Challengers, who took their sweet revenge thrashing them comfortably. Chasing the paltry 122-run target to win, Lendl Simmons and Zunaid Siddique gave a sublime start to Chattogram Challengers as the duo put on 69 runs before  breaking the stand. Off-spinner Aliss Al Islam broke the stand when he caught and bowled West Indies stroke-maker, who stroked 28-ball 36 that laced with two big shots over the boundary and three fours.

Mehedi Hasan Miraj then removed Zunaid Siddique in the same fashion just 14 runs after Simmons’ dismissal. Zunaid clobbered four boundaries and a maximum in his 39-ball 38.

Fast medium pacer Robbie Frylinck slowed the progress of Chattogram with his double strikes when he bowled debutant Asela Gunaratne for first-ball duck and Chadwick Walton in two successive over. Walton chipped in with a run-a-ball seven.

Together with wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan, stand-in captain Imrul Kayes slotted the team home with 11 balls to spare. Sohan ensured the top-spot regaining victory with a boundary. He remained unbeaten on six. Imrul Kayes clubbed two sixes and as many fours in his indefatigable 27-ball 30.

Pace-bowler Mehedi Hasan Rana, who chalked up the highest 17 wickets, once again was named for the player of the match award for his sublime bowling performance.      

Earlier, Khulna Tigers managed to score a measly 121 for all-out against Chattogram Challengers despite Rilee Rossouw’s 48. Khulna fell into initial trouble coming to bat first after losing the toss on Lakkatura’s renovated pitch where they mislaid both the openers-Mehidy Hasan Miraj and Hashim Amla inside three overs when they were teetering at 13-2.

On-song young pacer Mehedi Hasan Rana was accountable for Mehidy Hasan Miraj, who was trapped leg-before wicket and debutant Hashim Amla, who was bowled, when he removed them in the same over.

Experienced national pacer Rubel Hossain joined hands with Rana when he eliminated Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, the wicket that slipped them further to 3-14.

Together with Rilee Rossouw, captain Mushfiqur Rahim attempted to arrest the batting woes with some aplomb shots. The duo hit a fluent 49 for the fourth-wicket stand but he was bowled to play reverse sweep to Ziaur Rahman.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, Mushfiq, slammed three boundaries and a maximum in his 24-ball 29.  While Rilee Rossouw was waiting for his fourth half-century as he was just two runs away from his fifty, West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams shattered his high hopes when Rossouw drove his bat but the ball took a bit bounce and turn that dismantled his stumps.

The South African batsman, who was the highest scorer in the last franchisee-based BPL, hammered 40-ball 48 that studded with two sixes and as many fours. Williams, who got down bowling his last match for Chattogram Challengers because he along with Lendl Simmons returned to West Indies, made a possibility of making a credible hat-trick by removing debutant Pakistan all-rounder Aamer Yamin though it didn’t finally happen.

Rubel picked his second wicket when he bowled debutant pacer Alauddin Babu cheaply. Mehedi Hasan Rana halted all the possibility of compiling a big total on the board when he got rid of Robbie Frylinck and grabbed his three-wicket haul. After Rana’s feat, Rubel also claimed the identical three scalps when he clean bowled Tanvir Islam. Later Rubel in association with Nasum Ahmed pinned down Alice Al Islam and restricted Khulna to a paltry 121 with one ball to spare.

 

Ctg confirm play-off berth first

Chattogram Challengers ensured their play-off berth as the first BPL team when they mauled Khulna Tigers by six wickets in their low-scoring leg-ending fixture of the Akash-DTH Bangabandhu-Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at the beauty scenic Sylhet International Cricket Stadium at the Lakkatura area of Sylhet yesterday. By virtue of triumphing the low-scoring affair, Chattogram leapfrogged Dhaka Platoon and Rajshahi Royals and ascended the pole position in the BPL standings with highest 14 points. This was their second meet. Khulna won their first clash with eight wickets against Challengers, who took their sweet revenge thrashing them comfortably. Chasing the paltry 122-run target to win, Lendl Simmons and Zunaid Siddique gave a sublime start to Chattogram Challengers as the duo put on 69 runs before breaking the stand. Off-spinner Aliss Al Islam broke the stand when he caught and bowled West Indies stroke-maker, who stroked 28-ball 36 that laced with two big shots over the boundary and three fours. Mehedi Hasan Miraj then removed Zunaid Siddique in the same fashion just 14 runs after Simmons dismissal. Zunaid clobbered four boundaries and a maximum in his 39-ball 38. Fast medium pacer Robbie Frylinck slowed the progress of Chattogram with his double strikes when he bowled debutant Asela Gunaratne for first-ball duck and Chadwick Walton in two successive over. Walton chipped in with a run-a-ball seven. Together with wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan, stand-in captain Imrul Kayes slotted the team home with 11 balls to spare. Sohan ensured the top-spot regaining victory with a boundary. He remained unbeaten on six. Imrul Kayes clubbed two sixes and as many fours in his indefatigable 27-ball 30. Pace-bowler Mehedi Hasan Rana, who chalked up the highest 17 wickets, once again was named for the player of the match award for his sublime bowling performance. Earlier, Khulna Tigers managed to score a measly 121 for all-out against Chattogram Challengers despite Rilee Rossouws 48. Khulna fell into initial trouble coming to bat first after losing the toss on Lakkaturas renovated pitch where they mislaid both the openers-Mehidy Hasan Miraj and Hashim Amla inside three overs when they were teetering at 13-2. On-song young pacer Mehedi Hasan Rana was accountable for Mehidy Hasan Miraj, who was trapped leg-before wicket and debutant Hashim Amla, who was bowled, when he removed them in the same over. Experienced national pacer Rubel Hossain joined hands with Rana when he eliminated Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, the wicket that slipped them further to 3-14. Together with Rilee Rossouw, captain Mushfiqur Rahim attempted to arrest the batting woes with some aplomb shots. The duo hit a fluent 49 for the fourth-wicket stand but he was bowled to play reverse sweep to Ziaur Rahman. The wicketkeeper-batsman, Mushfiq, slammed three boundaries and a maximum in his 24-ball 29. While Rilee Rossouw was waiting for his fourth half-century as he was just two runs away from his fifty, West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams shattered his high hopes when Rossouw drove his bat but the ball took a bit bounce and turn that dismantled his stumps. The South African batsman, who was the highest scorer in the last franchisee-based BPL, hammered 40-ball 48 that studded with two sixes and as many fours. Williams, who got down bowling his last match for Chattogram Challengers because he along with Lendl Simmons returned to West Indies, made a possibility of making a credible hat-trick by removing debutant Pakistan all-rounder Aamer Yamin though it didnt finally happen. Rubel picked his second wicket when he bowled debutant pacer Alauddin Babu cheaply. Mehedi Hasan Rana halted all the possibility of compiling a big total on the board when he got rid of Robbie Frylinck and grabbed his three-wicket haul. After Ranas feat, Rubel also claimed the identical three scalps when he clean bowled Tanvir Islam. Later Rubel in association with Nasum Ahmed pinned down Alice Al Islam and restricted Khulna to a paltry 121 with one ball to spare.