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MATCH SUMMARY
Khulna Tigers, batting first - 182 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in their 20 overs; Soumya Sarkar 82* (62) Sylhet Sunrisers, batting second - 167 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in their 20 overs; Anamul Haque 47 (33)
Khulna Tigers beat Sylhet Sunrisers by 15 runs.
Player of the Match: Soumya Sarkar - 82* (62) (4x4, 4x6), [4-0-27-2] and a catch
A match that saw many a drama ended with more drama as Khulna Tigers finally got the better of Sylhet Sunrisers. But till the end of the 19th over of the 2nd innings, one would have thought that the match was well and truly in Khulna's pocket, but Alauddin Babu's three sixes off the first three balls of the 20th over, brought the game alive suddenly and put a lot of pressure on Kamrul Islam Rabbi, the bowler. He then kept his nerves to finish the over without any further drama.
Earlier, it was the worst possible start for Khulna with the bat, as they lost two wickets in the very first over, including that of their in-form opening batter, Andre Fletcher. But then, some timely boundaries from Yasir Ali settled the nerves and got the Tigers batting going.
When the pair of Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim got together, the batting started looking more and more assured, as the runs were continuously coming, either in ones and twos, or in fours and sixes. The partnership was worth well over a hundred and it was an unbeaten one, that got Khulna to post a big total of over 180 and put a lot of scoreboard pressure on Sylhet, desperate for a win.
Soumya Sarkar was a little scratchy to begin with, but as his innings progressed, he kept coming back in form and kept middling them for plenty of runs. Mushfiqur Rahim was good right through his innings, innovating nicely at times and manoeuvring the ball into the gaps at other times.
The Sylhet Sunrisers bowling was not bad, but the decision not to bowl their frontline left-arm spinner, Nazmul Islam, was surprising. The cutters and other slower balls came off rather well but against two set batters in Sarkar and Rahim, the bowling slowly but surely started to look ineffective. Still, the debut of Aks Swadhin, a hostile fast bowler with a lot of aggression in his body language, was a big plus for the Sylhet side.
In the 2nd innings, Anamul Haque gave Sylhet the perfect start by putting on a show with the bat, till the time Thisara Perera was introduced into the bowling attack. Anamul got some support from Lendl Simmons and dew in the field, but the pressure of the runs told on him when he miscued one to mid-off off Thisara Perera's bowling.
Colin Ingram and Mosaddek Hossain did put up a brave fight but they were always playing catch up against the required run-rate. Towards the end, Alauddin Babu's hitting brought some interest back in the match for Sylhet Sunrisers.
The bowling from the Khulna Tigers, even in these slippery, foggy conditions was absolutely brilliant! The control the bowlers had, especially the pacers, to bowl to their fields and execute their plans, was first class! They kept the pressure on the Sylhet batting all the time and forced them to take one risk too many. Thisara Perera and Soumya Sarkar were outstanding with the ball, picking up 2 wickets each, with the former going at less than 6 runs per over.
One controversial moment saw five penalty runs awarded to Khulna when the Sylhet skipper Ravi Bopara was suspected to deface the outer surface of the ball. Whether he was really at fault or not will probably be investigated upon, but it was not the ideal setting for the game that was otherwise played in very good spirits.
Khulna Tigers now go to third in the table with this win but Sylhet Sunrisers are at the bottom, still searching for their second victory. Their tournament may well be over now as other teams are much better placed in the standings.
From a picturesque Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, it is all that we have for you tonight! It was an absolute pleasure for us, the pair of Pradeep and Bidipto, to bring you all the live action! Stay tuned for more from the Bangladesh Premier League, as the tournament approaches its business end! Keep following Sportskeeda!
POST-MATCH PRESENTATION
Sylhet Sunrisers captain, Ravi Bopara: It was disappointing to lose, I thought we bowled well, 180 was a below par is what I thought, it was definitely a 200 run wicket, was very happy to chase 180 but we just never got going. I think it took us till 15 or 16th to get the big shots going and I think that's where we had tough problems chasing it. We wanted to go for the kill but it just didn't come out, I thought the debutant bowled well, along with Babu as well and then Mosaddek, that's the take away from this game. We've got to regroup as a team, come back out tomorrow night, play in the same conditions, we got to wins under our belt and it's important for everyone!
Player of the Match, Soumya Sarkar: I always want to be the player of the match. I wasn't playing that well earlier in the tournament but today, things got a lot better. I am happy that I lasted as long as I did today, stayed there right till the end and hit some important fours and sixes towards the end. With the ball, I got my lengths right and delivered at crucial stages, so am happy with that too.
Khulna Tigers captain, Mushfiqur Rahim: It was great to get that win but it did get a bit tight towards the end. Anyway, we have to tighten up with the ball. There will be dew so we have to contend with that. All in all, a satisfactory performance with the bat and some impressive all-round effort from Soumya got us over the line today. Hope to continue this winning momentum.
Khulna Tigers win the match, but not so comprehensively in the end, by 15 runs!
20
overs
167/6score
6
6
6
1
0
1
runs
Mosaddek Hossain*
39(22)
Alauddin Babu
25(7)
Kamrul Islam
0/46
19.6 Kamrul Islam to Mosaddek Hossain, THAT'S IT! What an over, Sylhet for a moment were dreaming but it was a stunning piece of coming back from them to lose this in the last over. Back of a length on the outside off, Mosaddek has a big swing but mistimes it to extra-cover for a single.
19.5 Kamrul Islam to Mosaddek Hossain, back of a length on the outside off, Mosaddek on the backfoot has a loose waft at it and gets beaten. Kamrul Islam is the most relieved man at the moment there!
19.4 Kamrul Islam to Alauddin Babu, back of a length on the outside off, Babu has a wild hack but mistimes it to mid-on fielder for no run. Babu misses out, that was in the slot for him!
3 more sixes please!
19.3 Kamrul Islam to Alauddin Babu, THREE IN A ROW NOW! Alauddin Babu is on to something! Comes around the wicket, bowls a full toss down the leg-side and Babu goes down his knee and PUMMELS it over fine-leg fence for another maximum! This is not over by any means folks! OH MY WORD!
4 more sixes?
19.2 Kamrul Islam to Alauddin Babu, SIX MORE! That's the second one done, four more required. What is happening? Is Babu pulling up a heist here? Back of a length on the pads, Babu just flicks it off his wrists and CLOBBERS it nicely over deep square-leg fence for another maximum!
5 more sixes please!
Kamrul Islam has been very expensive today!
19.1 Kamrul Islam to Alauddin Babu, SIX! Alright, that's one down and five more required. Full delivery on the off-stump, Babu gets underneath that one and SMOKES it straight down the ground, into the sight screen for a huge maximum!
Kamrul Islam Rabbi [2.0-0-26-0] comes back to bowl.
Sylhet Sunrisers need 36 runs off the final 6 balls.
19
overs
147/6score
W
1
1
4
1w
1
4
runs
Mosaddek Hossain*
38(20)
Alauddin Babu
6(3)
Soumya Sarkar
2/27
18.6 Soumya Sarkar to Mosaddek Hossain, FOUR! Change of pace, back of a length on the outside off, Mosaddek reaches for it but he makes good connection, creams it through the covers and picks out the ropes.
18.5 Soumya Sarkar to Alauddin Babu, OH MY GOODNESS! Almost a moment of brilliance, the fielder from short fine-leg came running all the way right behind the Umpire at mid-on before this delivery and Perera almost pulled off a blinder as Babu chips it straight down the ground, goes just over Perera who leaps into it and they pick up a single.