Defending champion Rangpur Riders defeated Khulna Titans by eight runs in their BPL 6 tie in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Chasing 170, Khulna were restricted to 161 for five, giving Mashrafe’s team their first win in the tournament.
Khulna made a brilliant start as openers Paul Stirling and Junaid Siddique scored quickly in the first powerplay.
The opening stand added 90 in 11 overs before Junaid got out in the first ball of the 12th over.
The left-hander scored 33 off 30 balls.
Stirling was more aggressive among the openers as he scored 61 off 46 deliveries with eight fours and a six.
#Afridi steers Victorians homehttps://t.co/BZstKRZYXV
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) January 6, 2019
When Stirling was dismissed in the 14th over, Rangpur bowled tight lines and lengths to check the run flow.
Captain Mahmudullah’s wicket was crucial for Khulna in the fifth ball of the 18th over when 30 runs were still needed.
Eventually, Khulna fell short, despite Carlos Brathwaite (six off four balls) being at the crease till the end.
Credit goes to Farhad Reza, as he bowled well in the 18th and 20th over.
Earlier, Khulna won the toss and elected to field.
Mahmudullah changed his bowlers well during the powerplay overs as Rangpur were 42/2 after 6.1 overs when Alex Hales was dismissed by Zahir Khan, who trapped the Englishman in front.
Khulna were looking to keep Rangpur down to a low total of around 130 when Mohammad Mithun was dismissed for 19 by Brathwaite with the score on 65/3 after 9.5 overs.
Australian batsman and captain of the @SylhetSixers @davidwarner31 expressed some frustration at the third umpires’ decision regarding his run-out, though he said he would have to accept the umpires decision.https://t.co/d1XkVa8lij#CRICKET #BANGLADESH #BANGLADESHCRICKET #WARNER
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) January 6, 2019
But from there, former South Africa player Rilee Rossouw scored at ease and formed a big 104-run partnership with Ravi Bopara in the last 10.1 overs to put on a formidable total.
Rossouw scored 76 off 52 deliveries in an innings that included two sixes and eight fours.
He was adjudged man-of-the-match.
Bopara, who scored the most runs in last season’s BPL was not out on 40 off 29 deliveries.
4TH MATCH, KTvRR
RANGPUR RIDERS INNINGS R B
Rossouw not out 76 52
Maruf c Shanto b Ali 5 13
Hales lbw b Zahir 15 9
Mithun c Jahurul b Brathwaite19 17
Bopara not out 40 29
Extras (lb 11, w 3) 14
Total (20 Overs) 169/3
Fall Of Wickets
1-18 (Maruf), 2-42 (Hales), 3-65 (Mithun)
Bowling
Taijul 3-0-18-0, Ali 4-1-35-1, Shariful 4-0-30-0, Zahir 4-0-30-1, Brathwaite 4-0-39-1, Mahmudullah 1-0-6-0
KHULNA TITANS INNINGS R B
Stirling b Mashrafe 61 46
Junaid C Shafiul b Howell 33 30
Shanto b Shafiul 1 2
Mahmudullah c Mashrafe b Farhad 24 17
Ariful c Mithun b Shafiul 12 13
Brathwaite not out 6 4
Jahurul not out 12 8
Extras (b 2, w 10) 12
Total (20 Overs) 161/5
Fall Of Wickets
1-90 (Junaid), 2-98 (Shanto), 3-108 (Stirling), 4-140 (Mahmudullah), 5-140 (Ariful)
Bowling
Mashrafe 4-0-35-1, Gazi 3-0-21-0, Shafiul 4-0-44-2, Nazmul 2-0-12-0, Farhad 4-0-28-1, Howell 3-0-19-1
Rangpur won by eight runs
MoM: Rilee Rossouw (RR)