Shanto guides Rajshahi to win against Khulna

Minister Group Rajshahi picked up their second win in as many days in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup as they defeated title favorite Gemcon Khulna comfortably by six wickets in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Thursday.

Chasing a moderate total of 147 runs, Rajshahi achieved the target within 17.2 overs as Khulna tasted their first loss in two games.

Khulna made an early breakthrough as pacer Al Amin Hossain dismissed opener Anisul Islam Emon in the third over.

But Rajshahi’s young captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto was impressive at the other end, scoring an entertaining half-century.

The southpaw scored 55 off just 34 deliveries with half a dozen fours and three sixes before being trapped in front by lanky leg-spinner Rishad Hossain in the 11th over.

The participating teams line up for a minute's silence for the departed soul of legendary footballer Diego Maradona, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 60 after heart attack Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik

All-rounder Shakib al Hasan opened the bowling but the left-arm spinner went wicketless in his quota of four overs, conceding 27 runs.

No 3 batsman Rony Talukdar (26) and middle-order batsmen Fazle Mahmud (24) and Mohammad Ashraful (25 not out) guided Rajshahi to their destination with brief cameos.

Khulna captain Mahmudullah earlier won the toss and elected to bat as they made one change in the playing XI, bringing in Rishad in place of right-arm seamer Hasan Mahmud.

But the Khulna top-order once again failed to click as they were tottering at 51/5 in 9.2 overs.

Opening batsman Imrul Kayes continued his horrific run with the bat, getting dismissed for his second duck in as many innings, while his opening partner Anamul Haque made 26 but couldn’t carry on.

Rajshahi captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto en route to his half century Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik

Shakib (12 off nine balls) also reached double digit with a couple of good looking boundaries, but like the first game against Fortune Barishal at the same venue Tuesday, the left-hander got caught in the deep after trying to pull in vain.

Mahmudullah (seven) and middle-order batsman Jahurul Islam (one) then departed in quick succession, leaving Khulna in trouble with half their side gone.

Player of the match against Barishal, Ariful formed a good partnership of 49 with young Shamim Hossain Patwary for the sixth wicket before Patwary was dismissed on 35 off 25 balls.

Ariful remained unbeaten on 41 off 31 deliveries with a couple of fours and three sixes as Khulna ended their innings on 146 for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

The total seemed 20 short at the end on a good batting wicket as Shanto was adjudged the player of the match.

SCORECARD, MATCH 3

GEMCON KHULNA INNINGS    R    B

Anamul run out (Mahedi)    26    24

Imrul c Ebadat b Mahedi     0    3

Shakib c Farhad b Mukidul     12    9

Mahmudullah c & b Arafat     7    13

Jahurul c Nurul b Mukidul    1    3

Ariful not out            41    31

Shamim c Nurul b Ebadat     35    25

Shahidul not out        17    12

Extras (lb 1, w 6)        7

Total (20 Ov, RR: 7.3)        146/6    

Fall Of Wickets

1-4 (Imrul), 2-28 (Shakib), 3-45 (Anamul), 4-46 (Jahurul), 5-51 (Mahmudullah), 6-100 (Shamim)

Bowling

Ebadat 4-0-27-1, Mahedi 4-0-23-1, Mukidul 4-0-44-2, Arafat 3-0-17-1, Farhad 4-0-29-0, Anisul 1-0-5-0

MINISTER GROUP RAJSHAHI        R    B

Shanto lbw b Rishad             55    34

Anisul c Mahmudullah b Al-Amin     2    5

Rony c Shamim b Rishad         26    20

Ashraful not out            25    22

Fazle b Shahidul             24    16

Nurul not out                11    7

Extras (lb 2, w 2)            4

Total (17.2 Ov, RR: 8.48)        147/4    

Fall Of Wickets

1-25 (Anisul), 2-72 (Rony), 3-87 (Shanto), 4-120 (Fazle)

Bowling

Shakib 4-0-27-0, Shafiul 3-0-24-0, Al-Amin 2-0-13-1, Shahidul 3-0-27-1, Mahmudullah 1-0-11-0, Rishad 3-0-34-2, Shamim 1.2-0-9-0

Minister Group Rajshahi won by six wickets

MoM: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (MGR)