Chattogram Challengers held their nerve to clinch a thrilling seven-run win against Khulna Tigers in the eliminator of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 2022 in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Monday.
Chattogram off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz defended 16 runs in the final over - conceding just one boundary - during the exciting high-scoring encounter in the day game.
Khulna in-form opener Andre Fletcher, who scored an unbeaten century in the last match, was unbeaten on 80 but his effort was in vain eventually as the Challengers had the last laugh in the end.
Chasing a competitive total of 190, Khulna lost opener Mahedi Hasan early as the right-hander scored only two.
No 3 Soumya Sarker also got out cheaply (one) as wicket-keeper Akbar Ali took a brilliant catch running towards square leg in the fifth over.
Fletcher was fluent at the other end and kept the run rate ticking by scoring boundaries all over the park.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim gave good support to Fletcher as these two formed a 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Mushfiq scored 43 off 29 deliveries before being caught by Akbar in the first ball of the 13th over while No 5 Yasir Ali played a cameo and formed another good partnership for Khulna for the fifth wicket.
Yasir almost took the game away from Chattogram’s grip as the burly right-hander scored 45 off just 24 deliveries.
But Yasir lost his wicket in the crucial moment of the game, in the 19th over, and the equation was Khulna needed 16 from the last over.
With Fletcher batting on 74 and hard-hitter Thisara Perera at the crease, 16 in the last over was possible for Khulna to pull off a thrilling win.
But Miraz bowled brilliantly in the last over to defend the 16 runs and eventually Khulna managed to score 182 in their 20 overs.
Earlier, Chattogram suffered an early blow as in-form opener Will Jacks was ruled out just before the game due to food poisoning.
But Chadwick Walton played a superb unbeaten innings of 89 off just 44 balls to help them post a challenging total of 189 for the loss of five wickets.
Walton smashed seven sixes and as many fours in his brilliant knock.
Opener Kennar Lewis (39) and Miraz (36) made useful contributions to Chattogram’s total.
Walton was later adjudged man of the match for his 89-run innings.
