Khulna return to winning ways with easy win over Rangpur

Khulna Tigers have beaten Rangpur Rangers by 52 runs to return to their winning ways after two consecutive defeats in the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 2019. 

This defeat marks a fifth for Rangpur Rangers, who had won their previous match but have gone back to their losing ways again as they slumped to a huge defeat in a match where they showed no confidence. 

Batting first, Khulna Tigers piled up 182 on the base of skipper Mushfiqur Rahim's fifty and a quickfire 41 from Najibullah Zadran.  

In reply, Rangpur stuttered from the word go. They lost their skipper Shane Watson in the second over to Robbie Frylinck for only five as he was caught at the square leg boundary.

Naim Sheikh soon followed after displaying some exquisite shots on 20 as his attempted pull shot off Mohammad Amir looped up in the air and was caught by the bowler.

Cameron Delport was the next to go as Shahidul Islam took a brilliant catch at the boundary off Shafiul Islam to send the batsman back for 9. 

Lewis Gregory started to blast off for the Northerners, but Fazle Mahmud was also soon sent back for 4 off Shahidul Islam. 

Gregory's quickfire stint was soon over as he was caught off Tanvir Islam, scoring 34 off 26 deliveries. From there on, Rangpur dropped into collapse as they lost Mohammad Nabi and Jahurul Islam almost immediately to get reduced to 97-7. 

Shahidul picked up his fourth when he got rid of Shadman Islam for 16 to reduce Rangpur to a further downhill to a 104-8. 

Mustafizur Rahman played a quickfire 21 off 11 deliveries but it was too little too late as Rangpur ended won 130-9. 

Shahidul picked up four wickets whereas Tanvir Islam picked up two.

Earlier, winning the toss, Rangpur Rangers' latest skipper and foreign recruit Shane Watson invited the Khulna Tigers to bat first.

Khulna Tigers were off to a blistering start as they picked up 18 runs from Mukidul Islam Mugdho's first over. Nazmul Hossain Shanto flicked the first two deliveries for boundaries before Mehidy Hasan Miraz played two exquisite cover drives to get two more boundaries. 

But they were halted by Mustafizur Rahman as the left-arm seamer picked up Mehidy and Rilee Rossouw in consecutive deliveries. Shamsur Rahman tried to counter-attack but was sent back on 13 by Lewis Gregory as wicketkeeper Jahurul Islam took an easy catch. 

Shanto was sent back on 30 by Mohammad Nabi when Lewis Gregory took a fantastic catch. This was Shanto's highest score in this year's BPL. 

But a blistering 82-run stand between skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and Najibullah Zadran set up the platform for Khulna to reach a huge total. They blasted the bowlers all around the ground before Najibullah was sent back by Lewis Gregory after a well made 41. 

The run flow was thwarted by this dismissal as Khulna managed to score only 16 runs from the last ten deliveries. Mushfiqur was sent back by Mustafizur on 59 before Robbie Frylinck was run out in the last over.

In the end, Khulna Tigers managed to score 182-7 in their quota of 20 overs. 

Mustafizur picked up three wickets with Lewis Gregory picking up two.

Shahidul Islam was adjudged man of the match for his brilliant bowling display where he picked up four wickets.