Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim guided Khulna Tigers to their fourth win in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) against Sylhet Sunrisers on Monday.
This match had some controversy as the Sylhet captain, Ravi Bopara, handed the leadership role right before the toss removing Mosaddek Hossain, was found altering the shape and state of the ball during the 9th over of the match, for which, they were handed a penalty of five runs.
In the last over, Sylhet needed 36 runs, and Alauddin Babu smashed Kamrul Islam Rabbi for three sixes off the first three balls to create the last hope for his team. But in the end, Sylhet only managed 20, and Khulna won by 15 runs.
With this win, Khulna marched ahead towards the play-offs while for Sylhet, advancing to the play-off became a distant dream with five defeats in seven matches they have played so far.
While batting first after losing the toss, Khulna posted 182 for three in 20 overs riding on the unbeaten stand of 136 by Soumya and Mushfiqur. In the fourth wicket stand, they came up with one of the best partnerships of the ongoing BPL.
Soumya scored 82 off 62 balls with four fours and four sixes while Mushfiqur hit 62 off 38 balls with six fours and two sixes.
BPL debutant Aks Swadhin and Sohag Gazi bagged one wicket each for Sylhet Sunrisers.
In reply, Sylhet opener Anamul Haque hit 47 off 33 balls with three fours and three sixes while Colin Ingram posted 37 off 28 balls with two sixes. And with three sixes in a row, Alauddin scored 25 off 7 balls for Sylhet, but that was not enough for them to avoid the fifth defeat of the season.
Along with doing well with the bat, Soumya shone with the ball as well taking two for 27. Besides him, Thisara Perera, the Sri Lankan allrounder of Khulna also took two wickets for them.
Khulna will take on Minister Group Dhaka in their next match on February 9 while Sylhet will lock horns against Fortune Barishal on February 8.
Source: United News of Bangladesh