That's all from us for today. A good couple of games to kick-start the tournament. See you all tomorrow for another double-header! Until then, take care and stay safe!
Khulna Tigers skipper Mushfiqur Rahim: Very good win for the team. The way we started with the bat was great. However, there are still a couple of aspects where we can improve. Really happy for Rony Talukdar, he played really well.
Player of the Match Rony Talukdar: It was a good knock and win to build confidence for the rest of the tournament.
Minister Group Dhaka skipper Mahmudullah Riyad: Little disappointed with the loss. I think we batted quite well. The wicket was good. It will be too early to say the bowling unit failed as it is just the beginning of the tournament. The ball came on quite nicely in the night. We gave some easy boundary balls in the first few overs.
While Minister Group Dhaka batted well to post 183 on the board, they were easily 15-20 runs short in the end, especially considering the kind of start they got earlier in the game. On top of that, several hit-me deliveries further dented their chances to grab two points in their opening fixture.
That's the end of a high-scoring and much-entertaining game after the slow-paced low-scoring encounter earlier in the day. Khulna Tigers never looked out of the game and were cruising towards the total for the most part. A perfect start from Andre Fletcher (45 off 23), followed by a quick-fire 61 off 42 by Rony Talukdar, and a late flourish by Thisara Perera (36 off 18) made sure the Tigers got the total without any fuss. That too with a good six balls to spare!
OVER 19
Khulna Tigers
186/5
Mahedi Hasan
12(5)
Thisara Perera
36(18)
Andre Russell
2-42(4.0)
18.6 A Russell to M Hasan
6 SIX! KHULNA WIN! THE TIGERS WIN! And in style! Slow delivery, straight delivery, Hasan smokes it straight down the ground to finish the match in a single blow!
18.5 A Russell to T Perera
1 Very full, almost half volley, hits it straight to long on for a single.