Challengers cement top place with fifth win

Chattogram Challengers cemented the top place in the points table beating Cumilla Warriors by 16 runs in their sixth game of the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Friday.

It was Challengers' fifth win in the event. With this win, they amassed a total of 10 points. Khulna Tigers are right behind them with six points from three wins in three games.

Replying Challengers' mammoth total of 238, which is now the second-highest team total in BPL history, Warriors scored 222 for seven in 20 overs and lost the game.

Challengers started the chase losing two wickets within 22 runs. Soumya Sarkar hit two fours and one six in his 8-ball stay in the wicket and posted 15 runs. But the southpaw couldn't make it longer as he fell prey to left-arm pacer Mehedi Hasan Rana.

The 22-year-old pacer bagged four wickets conceding 28 runs. His bowling figures might have looked better if he had not conceded 22 runs in his last over.

Despite a tremendous bowling display by Mehedi, English batsman Dawid Malan was aggressive. He smashed 84 off 38 with seven fours and five sixes. Warriors were hoping to chase a big total riding on the bat of Malan.

But he was removed by Mehedi before he did the final job. Sri Lankan recruit of the Warriors, captain Dasun Shanaka, hit 37 off 21 balls with three fours and as many as sixes. But their efforts went in vain as the other batsman were not capable enough to continue the charge.

While Mehedi took four wickets, Rubel Hossain, Kesrick Williams and Mukter Ali took one wicket each.

Earlier, Warriors won the toss and sent Challengers to bat first. Challengers lost West Indian opener, Lindlse Simmons, just in 21 runs. But Sri Lankan batsman Avishka Fernando and Imrul Kayes added 85 runs in the second wicket stand and set a solid foundation for the Challengers to put up a big score.

Fernando hit 48 off 27 with three fours and as many sixes while Imrul, who is leading the Challengers in the absence of injured Mahmudullah Riyad, smashed 62 off 41 with nine fours and one six. It was Imrul's second fifty in the season.

However, Chadwick Walton brought the limelight on him with the fiery batting display at Chattogram. He struck 71 off 27 with five fours and six sixes. Walton and Nurul Hasan Shohan added 99 runs in the fifth wicket stand with Nurul hitting 29 off 15 with two fours and two sixes. Chadwick Walton was adjudged man of the match.

Soumya Sarkar bagged two wickets in three overs, but the right-arm medium pacer conceded 44 runs. Mujeeb Ur Rahman of Afghanistan and captain Dasun Shanaka of Sri Lanka took one wicket each conceding 31 and 47 runs respectively in four overs each.

Challengers will face Rangpur Rangers on December 21 at the same venue while the Warriors will take on Dhaka Platoon on December 23.