Khulna return to winning ways

Gemcon Khulna returned to winning ways in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup after two straight defeats, defeating bottom side Beximco Dhaka by 37 runs in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Monday.

Chasing 147 for their first victory in three matches, Dhaka were all out for a meek 109 in 19.2 overs.

Khulna made a great start defending 146 as off-spinner Shuvagata Hom initiated the breakthrough in the very first over by taking the wicket of opener Tanzid Hasan (four). 

Left-arm spinner Shakib al Hasan bowled brilliantly at the other end as he cleaned up the other opener Mohammad Naim in the third over.

The former Bangladesh captain bowled back to back maidens in his first two overs in the powerplay, finishing with brilliant bowling figure of 4-2-8-1.

Dhaka skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and right-handed batsman Yasir Ali added 57 for the fourth wicket to halt the slide but it didn’t change their fortunes in the grander scheme of things.

Yasir (21) got out in the last ball of the 12th over before Shuvagata accounted for the vital wicket of Mushfiq.

Khulna's Anamul Haque catches Dhaka's Nayeem Hasan (not in picture) short of the crease Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik

The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 37 off 35 deliveries.

Shuvagata was the pick of the Khulna bowlers with three wickets for only 13 runs.

Right-arm pacer Shahidul Islam and Hasan Mahmud shared five scalps between themselves.

Mushfiq earlier asked Khulna to bat first.

The Khulna top-order failed to spark for the fourth time in a row as they were reduced to 30 runs for the loss of three wickets in 5.3 overs.

Opener Anamul Haque (five) was the first batsman to be dismissed in the third over.

In the next over, Shakib (11 off nine balls) was cleaned up by a brilliant delivery from right-arm pacer Rubel Hossain after a couple of impressive boundaries.

Dhaka's Akbar Ali lets slip a catch, one of three grassed chances by the Dhaka fielders Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik

Khulna sent in right-hander Jahurul Islam to the No 3 position but the experienced batsman got out scoring just four.

No 4 batsman Imrul Kayes and skipper Mahmudullah then added 56 for the fourth wicket, but the former failed to score big as he was trapped in front in the last ball of the 14th over for 29 off 27 deliveries.

Mahmudullah eventually made 45 but the Khulna skipper was not in his elements as he scored these runs off 47 deliveries with only three fours, an unlikely innings from the experienced right-hander.

All-rounder Ariful Haque (19 off 11 balls) and Shuvagata (15 off five deliveries) tried to accelerate the run rate in the late stage of the innings as Khulna ended on 146 losing eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Dhaka’s overall fielding effort was sloppy as they grassed three regulation catches.

Rubel was the best Dhaka bowler taking three wickets conceding 28 runs.

8TH MATCH, BDvGC

GEMCON KHULNA INNINGS    R    B

Anamul b Nasum         5    8

Shakib b Rubel             11    9

Jahurul b Shafiqul         4    9

Imrul lbw b Nayeem         29    27

Mahmudullah b Rubel         45    47

Ariful c Mushfiq b Rubel     19    11

Shamim c Akbar b Shafiqul     1    2

Shuvagata not out        15    5

Shahidul run out (Nasum)    1    2

Extras (lb 12, w 4)        16

Total (20 Ov, RR: 7.3)        146/8    

Fall Of Wickets

1-13 (Anamul), 2-19 (Shakib), 3-30 (Jahurul), 4-86 (Imrul), 5-121 (Ariful), 6-124 (Shamim), 7-140 (Mahmudullah), 8-146 (Shahidul)

Bowling

Rubel 4-0-28-3, Shafiqul 4-0-34-2, Nasum 4-0-10-1, Nayeem 3-0-16-1, Muktar 4-0-39-0, Robiul 1-0-7-0

BEXIMCO DHAKA INNINGS    R    B

Tanzid b Shuvagata         4    3

Naim b Shakib             1    3

Robiul lbw b Shahidul         4    9

Mushfiq c Shamim b Shuvagata     37    35

Yasir b Hasan             21    29

Akbar c Shuvagata b Hasan     4    8

Muktar c Shamim b Shahidul     4    10

Nayeem run out (Shamim)    3    6

Nasum c Shamim b Shahidul     7    8

Rubel not out            4    4

Shafiqul lbw b Shuvagata     5    3

Extras (lb 11, nb 2, w 2)        15    

Total (19.2 Ov, RR: 5.63)    109

Fall Of Wickets

1-4 (Tanzid), 2-14 (Naim), 3-14 (Robiul), 4-71 (Yasir), 5-78 (Mushfiq), 6-83 (Akbar), 7-87 (Nayeem), 8-98 (Muktar), 9-99 (Nasum), 10-109 (Shafiqul)

Bowling

Shuvagata 3.2-0-13-3, Al-Amin 4-0-25-0, Shakib 4-2-8-1, Shahidul 4-0-30-3, Hasan 4-0-22-2

Gemcon Khulna won by 37 runs