A joint effort from the top order, including a half-century from opener Chadwick Walton, helped Chattogram Challengers emerge victorious over Rangpur Rangers at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium Saturday.
The win means the Challengers now have two wins in their first three games, while Rangers have lost both their first two games.
Chasing 158, Chattogram were off to a fluent start with the openers posting 68 in 43 balls before Avishka Fernando was removed on 37 off 23 by Lewis Gregory. Left-handed batsman Walton reached 50 off 34 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes, before losing his wicket to Mohammad Nabi.
Imrul Kayes, batting at three, then took the Chattogram Challengers to the end line with an unbeaten 44. On the way to victory, the Challengers lost two more wickets: Mahmuduallah (15) and Nasir Hossain (3).
Chattogram Challengers defeated Sylhet Thunder by five wickets in the opening match of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 2019 in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Wednesday.https://t.co/UvzgGm9oIB#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BPLT20 #BPL #BBPL #BBPLT20
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) December 11, 2019
Gregory was the top wicket-taker in the match for Rangpur with two, while Nabi and Tom Abell picked up a scalp each.
Earlier, Rangpur Rangers opener Mohammad Naim helped his side reach 157 by scoring 78 off 54 deliveries, including six fours and three sixes. He reached the half century mark off just 26 deliveries.
Naim put up five 20+ run partnerships in his stand, including the highest 33 with Abell, as the Rangers kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Pacer Kesrick Williams bagged two wickets for the Challengers.
Addressing the post-match press conference, Challengers captain Mahmudullah said: “The first thing is we got two wins in three matches. This will give us confidence when we will visit Chittagong. The wicket of Chittagong is always good and we will try to keep our winning run.
“T20 is a format where it is difficult to regain momentum once you lose it. We are playing well as a team, and the bowlers are doing well at death overs especially. The batsmen are also doing well. Avishka and Walton gave us a flying start. A good start makes things easy in T20,” he added.
