Soumya, Mushfiqur guide Khulna to fifth win in eventful game

Riding on the two classy knocks of Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim, Khulna Tigers eased past Sylhet Sunrisers by 15 runs in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Monday at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, reports BSS.

Soumya was unbeaten on 82 while Mushfiqur was on 62 as the duo shared a 136-run partnership for the unbroken fourth wicket stand to guide Khulna to a hefty 182-3.

Khulna were awarded five penalty runs after Sylhet’s new skipper Ravi Bopara, who replaced Mosaddek Hossain as captain just before the toss, was found to have tampered the ball. His action was also caught on the TV camera.

Sylhet were restricted to 167-6 to concede their fifth defeat that almost diminished their hopes of reaching play off stage.

Put into bat first, Khulna made a disastrous start by being reduced to 1 for 2 after losing Andre Fletcher for 1 and Mahedi Hasan for naught.

Soumya along with Yasir Ali revived the innings with a 45-run partnership after which the latter was dismissed for 23 off 18, hitting four fours.

Khulna then never lost any wicket as Mushfiqur and Somuya played with unwavering resolve, much to the disappointment of Sylhet fans.

Soumya’s 82 came off 62 balls in which he struck four fours and as many sixes. Mushfiqur meanwhile clobbered six fours and two sixes for his 38 ball-62 not out.

Sylhet received a setback at the start of the chase when Lendl Simmons was out for 10.

Anamul Haque Bijoy and Colin Ingram kept the chase alive with calculated aggression but things changed dynamically when they lost three wickets for three runs including the wicket of Bijoy who made 47 off 33 with three fours and as many sixes.

Thisara Perera got the better of Bijoy and Ravi Bopara (0) while Soumya Sarkar took the scalp of Mohammad Mithun for 2.

Pacer Khaled Ahmed came back in his second spell to take the wicket of Ingram for 37 to further derail the Sylhet’s innings.

Mosaddek meanwhile played with utmost confidence and suddenly Sylhet got a glimmer of hope when Alauddin Babu smashed six after six. But the asking run rate was too much that they eventually couldn’t match up.

Mosaddek was not out on 39 off 22, sending the ball across the ropes for seven times. Babu played a whirlwind knock of 25 off just seven with one four and three sixes.

Perera and Soumya Sarkar scalped two wickets apiece. Soumya’s allround performance however saw him adjudged man of the match.