Dhaka claim thrilling win over Khulna

Dhaka: West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard and local Jahurul Islam steered Dhaka Dynamites to take the solo lead in the 5th Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) cricket beating Khulna Titans by four wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.

Dhaka Dynamites topped the list securing six points from four matches having positive run rate of 1.971 while Sylhet Sixers also bagged six points from five matches, playing one match more than Dhaka Dynamites with negative run rate of 0.610.

Chasing a target of 157 runs, Dhaka Dynamites faced initial batting collapse losing top five batsmen -- Evin Lewis (4), Sunil Narine (7), Shahid Afridi (1), Cameron Delport (2) and Shakib Al Hasan (20) -- for 41 runs in 8.3 overs, but Jahurul Islam pairing with Kieron Pollard guided the team to near victory scoring 73 runs in the 6th wicket stand.

Number six batsman Jahurul Islam, who was adjudged man of the match, again partnering with number eight batsman Mosaddek Hossain completed the team's victory scoring 157 runs for the loss of six wickets in 19.5 overs, adding 43 runs in the 7th wicket stand.

West Indian Kieron Pollard came to bat in number seven and quick-fired 24-ball 55 runs featuring three fours and six sixes, Jahurul Islam contributed an unbeaten 39-ball 45 runs, hitting five boundaries while number eight Mosaddek Hossain scored not out 14 runs off 12 balls with a boundary.

Shafiul Islam took two wickets for 24 runs while A Dananjaya, Abu Jayed, JC Archer and skipper Mahmudullah took one wicket each.

Earlier, Khulna Titans, riding on a half century by West Indian batsman Carlos Brathwaite, scored a moderate 156 for 5 in stipulated 20 overs against Dhaka Dynamites, which decided to bowl first after winning the toss.

Khulna Titans lost three early wickets -- Michael Klinger (10), Dhiman Ghosh (2) and Nazmul Hossain Shanta (24) -- for 46 runs in 9.4 overs. Their misery further consolidated with the dismissal of captain Mahmudullah (14) at 71 for 4 in 12.2 overs.

But number six batsman Carlos Brathwaite guided the team towards a moderate total quick-firing an unbeaten 64 runs off just 29 balls, featuring four fours while number four South African batsman Rilee Rossouw scored 30-ball 34 runs, hitting three boundaries.

Ariful Haque remained not out 4 runs.

Abu Hider Rony grabbed two wickets for 40 runs while former Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi, captain Shakib Al Hasan and Sunil Narine took one wicket each.

Dhaka Dynamites made one change in their previous lineup including one extra batsman in Nadif Chowdhury in place of pacer Mohammad Shahid while Khulna made two changes bringing in Akila Dananjaya and wicketkeeper Dhiman Ghosh replacing Chadwick Walton and Mosharraf Hossain

Both the teams won their previous matches as Dhaka mauled then league leader Sylhet Sixers by eight wickets and Khulna Titans beat Chittagong Vikings by 18 runs