Dhaka return to winning ways

Defending champion Dhaka Dynamites returned to winning ways in their second match of the BPL 2017 as they beat Khulna Titans by 65 runs at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium Sunday. Chasing a massive 203 for victory, Khulna were all out for 137 in 18.1 overs. Khulna lost their first wicket in the second over when opener Nazmul Hossain Shanto got caught at long for five. The other opener Chadwick Walton made a quickfire 30 off just 13 balls but Dhaka skipper Shakib al Hasan removed him in the fifth over and checked the run-rate. Before that, Shakib also trapped No 3 batsman Carlos Braithwaite for a golden duck in the third over. Khulna lost regular wickets from thereon in and were eventually all out with 11 balls still in hand. All-rounder Jofra Archer scored 36 off 24 balls in the latter part of the innings but it was too little, too late for Khulna. Seamer Abu Haider Rony was the best bowler for Dhaka as he picked up three wickets for just 13 runs in three overs. Earlier, Dhaka posted a huge total after being asked to bat first. Dhaka lost opener Kumar Sangakkara (20 off 12 balls) early but a brilliant 116-run second-wicket partnership from opening batsman Evin Lewis and No 3 batsman Cameron Delport laid the foundation for a huge total. Lewis scored 66 off 40 balls with seven boundaries and three sixes while Delport made 64 off 31 deliveries with four fours and five sixers. Later, Khulna bowlers took a few wickets but Dhaka went on to post a massive 202 for the loss of seven wickets at the end. Khulna seamer Abu Jayed Rahi took two wickets conceding 29 runs.BRIEF SCOREKhulna Titans 137 in 18.1 overs (Archer 36, Haider 3/13) lost to Dhaka Dynamites 202/7 (Lewis 66, Delport 64) by 65 runs WHAT THEY SAIDKhulna captain MahmudullahI think they have executed their skill better than us. But still I am confident with my team. It’s just the first game. Although we lost, I believe we can do well in the upcoming matches. Next match is very important for us. If we grab a win then hopefully we will get the momentum. I think playing good cricket is more important for a team. I believe we are a very good side. But we have to execute our plan and talent in the middle. It was a bad day for us, especially our bowling in the first 15 overs. But we bowled well in the late stage. Hopefully we will perform better in future.Dhaka batsman Cameron DelportI have played confidently in the sub-continent in the past, so I knew what the pitches were going to be like. I got information from some of the guys. The key is to rotate the strike in the middle overs. I think it is about timing the ball. You want to put away the bad balls. But not trying to over-hit it. The boundaries are not the biggest here, especially straight. We were defending champion from last year and it was the first game of the tournament. We knew it was a bad day but we put it behind us. We lifted our game by 20-30% and did well tonight.