BPL 4, Match 20 Review: Khulna Titans beat Barisal Bulls to move to the top of the Points table

BPL 2016 has reached it’s half way stage. Barisal Bulls and Khulna Titans are separated by just 2 points for the number 3 spot at the moment. The Titans, having won 4 matches, nosed ahead of the Bulls. With all teams just a win away from each other, the tournament is bound to get interesting. The match between the Titans and Bulls promised to give an opportunity to the Bulls to claim the 3rd spot.

The match kickstarted with Barisal Bulls winning the toss and opting to bowl first. Rumman Raees, Abu Hider Rony and Fazle Mahmud were roped in the playing eleven. The Khulna Titans brought back Riki Wessels in the lineup.

Andre Fletcher and Hasanuzzaman opened the batting for the Khulna Titans. Taijul Islam bowled a good spell up front to dismiss both the openers in the powerplay. Abu Hider caught Fletcher on 4 and then Hasanuzzaman on 19 to give Taijul his twin strike. Riki Wessels and Mahmudullah were the two new men at the crease with Khulna Titans on 26/2 after the powerplay.

Wessels was under pressure to perform after having failed in his earlier opportunities this season. Mahmudullah had struck from recently in the last match where he got a fifty. The duo did well to add 53 runs for the 3rd wicket. Mahmudullah looked threatening. It was Taijul who got his third breakthrough in the 11th over. Mahmudullah was the man dismissed after scoring 44 off 26 balls with 2 fours and sixes.

Shuvagata Hom was run out without even facing a ball in the very next over to give two quick jolts to the Titans. Ariful Haque joined Wessels at the crease. Wessels decided to cut loose and played a few shots. He eventually departed in the 17th over after scoring 40 off 29 balls.

An unbeaten 26 off 22 balls saw Khulna Titans finish on 151/7 in their 20 overs. Taijul was undoubtedly the pick of the bowlers with 3/19 to his name. Raees, Rayad Emrit and Thisara Perera bagged a wicket each.

Barisal Bulls had done a good job in restricting Titans to 151 after Wessels and Mahmudullah looked set to go big. However, they had a poor start to the run chase. Fazle Mahmud departed on a duck in the second over after being trapped lbw by Junaid Khan. Jeevan Mendis, the other opener, was joined by Shamsur Rahman at the crease.

Mendis looked oozing with confidence after his fifty in the last game. He raced to 21 off 16 balls before giving his wicket away to Shafiul in the 4th over. Shahriar Nafees was the new man in. The Barisal Bulls posted 31 on the board by the end of the mandatory powerplay.

Rahman’s struggling 12 off 17 balls ended in the 10th over when Mahmudullah had him caught by Junaid Khan. Shahriar Nafees struggled too at the tacky wicket. His 28 came in 35 balls with just 2 boundaries. He was sent packing by Monir Hossain in the 15th over.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was joined by Thisara Perera with 64 needed off 34 balls after the dismissal of Nafees. Rahim looked good at 26 off 16 balls at that stage. Perera largely disappointed as he managed a golden duck with Monir bagging his second wicket.

Nadif Chowdury, who had played a decent hand in the last match, came to the crease. Rahim continued to wage a lone battle. His resistance ended when he tried to up the ante. He scored 35 off 23 balls with 4 fours before being dismissed by Shafiul. Kevon Cooper was brought backintoo the attack. He struck soon to send Chowdury packing cheaply. Rayad Emrit and Rumman Raees had a little too much to accomplish with 32 needed off the last two overs.

Khulna Titans were right on top in the game. Emrit’s departure in the penultimate over only strengthened the chances of the Titans as Barisal Bulls crept at 120/8. They eventually bundled out for 129/10 in 19.3 overs. Shafiul Islam bagged 4/17 in his 3.3 overs. The Khulna Titans won by 22 runs and have now moved to the top of the points table.

Brief Scores:

Khulna Titans 151/7 in 20 overs (Mahmudullah 44, Wessels 40, Taijul 3/18, Perera 1/25)

Barisal Bulls 129/10 in 19.3 overs (Rahim 35, Nafees 28, Shafiul 4/17, Mosharraf 2/24)