That's all from the first game of today's doubleheader. Khulna Tigers start their tournament with a comprehensive victory. For now, this is Deepak Prakash signing off on behalf of co-commentator Saptak Sanyal and scorer/analyst Yogesh Kumar. CHEERS!
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Khulna Tigers Captain):"Definitely we are happy. The boys played so well today! It was a great wicket to bat on. Special mentions to Bosisto and Ankon for batting brilliantly.
We have a good combination. Three pacers and some good spinners. Hasan has been doing well. I was a bit worried when Shamim was batting. He was just great and he is capable of doing wonders. He batted brilliantly."
Mahidul Islam Ankon (Player of the Match): "It was a good wicket, and after two or three balls, I thought I just needed to time the ball and maintain my shape. They got off to a good start in the powerplay, but once I started hitting the ball cleanly, it became easier for me. Iāve done it in domestic cricket as well, so it has become a habit for me."
Player of the Match: Mahidul Islam Ankon
Mohammad Mithun (Chittagong Kings Captain):"Collectively we didn't do well today. We started well till the 14th over and I feel afterwards we gave 20 runs extra away. 200 in the board means while chasing, top order batters must get the runs.
Shamim batted extraordinarily. We failed to give him support. Had we supported him, it would've been a better one."
Highest Maximum in an Innings for Chittagong Kings:
1) 5- Shamim Hossain Patwari vs Khulna Tigers (Mirpur, Today)
2) 4- Zia ur Rehman vs Sylhet Royals (Mirpur, 2012)
3) 4- Ryan Ten Doeschate vs Khulna Royal Bengals (Mirpur, 2013)
3:14 PM IST, 3:44 PM Local Time: Khulna Tigers thump Chittagong Kings by 37 runs to start their campaign on a high note. It was poor batting from the Kings, and if not for Shamim Hossain, it would have been a humiliating defeat for them.
Earlier, after being invited to bat first, Mohammad Naim and William Bosisto provided a solid start to the Khulna Tigers. The openers added 37 runs for the opening wicket, with Naim departing for 26 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz chipped in with a run-a-ball 18 runs, while Ibrahim Zadran (6) and Afif Hossain (8) failed to impress with the bat. Bosisto paired up with Mahidul Islam Ankon and the duo shifted gears at the tail end of the innings, pummeling the Kings bowlers to all corners of the park. Bosisto remained unbeaten on 75, while Ankon blazed his way to an unbeaten 59 off just 22 balls, powering the Tigers to a formidable 203/4 in their 20 overs. Aliss Al Islam (2/17) and Khaled Ahmed (2/45) bagged a couple of wickets for the Kings, but the latter was a bit expensive. The second innings began with drama as Oshane Thomas trapped Naeem Islam on the very first ball, only for it to be overturned due to a no-ball as Thomas had overstepped. The bowler went on to bowl three more no-balls in the over. However, Thomas redeemed himself by trapping Naeem (12) once again on the fifth ball and finally got his man. Parvez Hossain Emon (13) and Usman Khan (18) failed to convert their starts into big scores, leaving their side in deep trouble. Miraz appealed for a time-out against Tom OāConnell, and the umpires deemed it fair, giving him out. However, the Tigersā skipper withdrew his appeal. OāConnell returned to the crease, only to get out on the very next ball. The Kings were 8 down for 75 runs in the 11th over and were inching towards a massive defeat but Shamim Hossain delivered a magnificent knock for his side and reduced the losing margin. The left-hander smashed boundaries for fun and departed after a valiant 78 runs off 38 balls. Eventually, Chittagong Kings were folded for 166 runs, losing by 37 runs.
Abu Hider Rony shone with the ball for the Tigers, claiming 4 wickets. Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with a couple of wickets, while Oshane Thomas, Hasan Mahmud, Nasum Ahmed, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed one wicket each to the downfall.