Ctg Vikings score 160 for 5 against Khulna Titans
Lowly Chittagong Vikings scored a moderate 160 runs for 5 in stipulated 20 overs against Khulna Titans in their 6th match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Cricket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
Khulna Titans captain Mahmudullah Riyad decided to bowl first after winning the toss after making two changes in their line-up including Seekkuge Prasanna and BPL debutant Kyle Abbott dropping out Jofra Archer and Akila Dananjaya, reports the UNB.
Chittagong Vikings left out their regular captain Misbah-ul-Haq, Dilshan Munaweera and Subashis Roy to make room for Stiaan Van Zyl, Najibullah Zadran and Al-Amin Hossain.
Going to bat first, Chittagong Viking made a good start scoring 95 runs in the 2nd wicket stand by national opener Soumya Sarkar and Anamul Haque Bijoy despite losing the wicket of another opener Luke Ronchi (3) for 6 runs in the last ball first over.
However, Aby Jayed, who made the first breakthrough dismissing opener Luke Ronchi (3), emerged as big threat for Chittagong Vikings grabbing two more vital wickets -- Anamul Haque (62) and Sikander Raza (0) -- in the 3rd and 5th balls of 15th overs at the same score to settle for 107 for 4 in 14.5 overs.
Earlier, captain Mahmudullah took the wicket of Chittagong opener Soumya Sarkar when scoreboard showing 101 runs for 2 in 13.5 overs.
Later, Afghan cricketer Najibullah Zadran pair with South African player Stiaan Van Zyl added 50 runs in the 5th wicket partnership to carry team in a respectable position of 157 runs from 107.
Anamul Haque Bijoy made a half century hammering the team highest 62 runs off 47 deliveries with help of five boundaries and three over boundaries, Soumya Sarkar scored 34-ball 32 runs hitting three boundaries, Najibullah Zadran scored 16-ball 24 runs with one four and two sixes while Stiaan Van Zyl scored not out 15-ball 23 runs with two sixes.
Abu Jayed grabbed three wickets for 26 runs while captain Mahmudullah bagged one for 22 runs.
Khulna Titans are in the 4th slot securing five points while Chittagong Vikings are in the 6th slot in seven-team fray collecting three points from five games.