Bottom-dwellers Khulna Titans pulled off a shock win over table-toppers Sylhet Sixers in the eighth match of the Bangladesh Premier League in Sylhet. Opting to bowl on Wednesday (November 8), the Titans bowled as a unit and never let the opposition get away, taking wickets at regular intervals.
Upul Tharanga, opening the innings, who had got three consecutive fifties in the tournament before this game, started off in the same vein but fell for 26, dismissed by his opposite number Mahmudullah. The Sixers’ innings never took off at any stage and if not for a 57-run stand between captain Nasir Hossain and Ross Whiteley off 49 balls, the eventual score would’ve been much lesser. The visiting side’s bowling was led by Mahmudullah with the others chipping in. By keeping the target down to 136, the Titans gave themselves a great chance of chasing down the total posted.
The Titans were reduced to 43 for 3 in the chase with Taijul Islam, the left-arm spinner, taking all the wickets to fall. It was set up for a riveting finish at that stage, but the experienced Australian Michael Klinger initially with Mahmudullah and then with Carlos Brathwaite ensured the chase was a mere formality. Klinger remained unbeaten on 47 coming off just 36 balls with five boundaries to his name.
The Titans, by wrapping up the game in 18 overs, have made sure that their NRR gets a boost as well. For the Sixers, after three successive wins, it was an off day at the office, thereby slumping to their first defeat of the tournament.
Brief Scores
Sylhet Sixers 135/5 in 20 overs (Nasir Hossain 47*; Mahmudullah 2-12) lost to
Khulna Titans 138/4 in 18 overs (Michael Klinger 47*; Taijul Islam 3-19) by six wickets.
, the Titans bowled as a unit and never let the opposition get away, taking wickets at regular intervals.){kind=link}