Khulna Titans hit the new lowest of BPL before surrendering to Rangpur Riders meekly by nine wickets at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the capital yesterday. The Titans who rode on luck to beat Rajshahi Kings by three runs in the last game, were shot out for 44 in 10.4 overs, the lowest in not only BPL history, but also in any domestic T20 tournament, held in Bangladesh. Mohammedan Sporting Club’s 45 against Prime Bank in the Victory Day T20 in 2013 was the lowest in domestic tournament while Barisal Bulls’ 58 against Sylhet Super Stars in the last season was BPL’s previous lowest. It was however third lowest score in T20 history, behind Tripura’s 30 against Jharkhand in Indian domestic T20 and Netherlands’ 39 against Sri Lanka during World T20 in 2014 in Bangladesh. Boland, Leeward IS and Assam were the other three teams to be all out for 44.
Shahid Afridi claimed four for 12 to spark the collapse as left arm spinner Arafat Sunny played a perfect foil to him with a stunning figure of 2.4-2-0-3.  This was just fourth instances of taking wickets without conceding any run in a T20 game. In terms of taking wickets with minimum deliveries this is the second best bowling without giving away any runs after Dinuka Hettiarachchi’s 0.5-0-0-3. Dinuka, a left arm spinner of Sri Lanka achieved the feat for Chilaw against Burgher in a Sri Lankan T20 tournament in 2007. Only Shuvagata Hom reached double figure for Khulna Titans, scoring just 12. The wicket was tricky one but Khulna’s batting was abysmal than anyone anticipated.
It all started with the dismissal of Nicholas Pooran who shuffled across the stump to be bowled out in just second ball of the day, delivered by Sohag Gazi. Abdul Majid was trapped run-out for 6 but the biggest blow came for Khulna when its skipper Mahmudullah Riyad was trapped leg-before for 2.
But he could be reprieved, considering it was almost unplayable delivery from the English pacer Richard Gleeson. With the side reeling to 15 for three, Shahid Afridi and Arafat Sunny wrecked the havoc in a joint-venture and took wickets at regular intervals to leave Khulna survive from being red-faced. Khulna Titans couldn’t do that. When the wickets were falling like cards, they went for glory shots instead of concentrating on playing full 20 overs. That wrong mindset ultimately gave them the shameful experience. Mohammad Shahzad hit three fours in two overs to indicate a quick finish of the game. However Junaid Khan took a return catch to remover Shahzad for 13 and saved the team from being humiliated more. But it was inevitable. Soumya Sarkar and Mithun Ali sailed the team home  in just eight overs. Mithun was unbeaten on 15 while Soumya was on 13.