Liton Das at open and Moeen Ali fired at the middle to steer Cumilla Victorians to set a challenging total 188 runs for Khulna Tigers to chase in a vital encounter in the Bangabandhu BPL at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
In bid to make a room in the playoffs, Khulna miserably went down to Cumilla Victorians with a huge 65 runs defeats.
The result left Khulna to in a difficult equation to move for playoff when they will have to win their next match against same opponents with better run rate and Minister Dhaka would have to loss their match against Fortune Barisal (was going on, following the Khulna-Cumilla match).
However, Cumilla Victorian, eying to confirm their playoffs regained the top spot of the point table riding on an all-round display from Moreen Ali when he cracked 75 off 35 balls and helped to restrict Khulna with a tight bowling.
Liton Das and Mahmudul Hassan Joy laid a good foundation when the opening pair scored 43 runs from 4.3 overs with storming 41 from 17 balls from national opener Liton.
After the opening partnership being departed with Joy leaving the pitch scoring only 11 runs, Faf du Plesis joined but Sri Lankan bowler Thisara Perea did not let Liton bring his innings a far as he (Liton) was caught by Mushfiqur Rahim on 41.
Imrul Kayes, who joined with du Plessis could not stay for a long, as he left the crease making only five runs and then Moeen Ali came up with a violent mood thereafter joining with the South Africajn, who looked a bit slow. Du Plessis, despite was slower comparatively to Moeen but gave a solid accompany to the left hander to score an 83 runs partnership from 8.4 overs. Moeen Ali on way to hit 75 runs off 35 balls, whacked nine sixes and one four when apart from Liton Das, Faf du Plessis scored 38 off 36 balls.
Replying a cross a mammoth total of 188 runs, Andre Fletchers tipped off to make it a success with hammering 16 runs in the first over of Nahidul Islam but saw a huge setback losing two wickets in the second over.
Mustafiz made the early blow by removing Rony Talukder and the danger man Fletcher who could not continue his storming bat.
The first ball of Mustafiz was wide, removed Rony Talukdar for a duck in the second ball and Fletcher in the next ball. Khulna Tigers did not get rid of the damage and none of the batters could recover the early crack of the innings when Moeen Ali and Abu Hider continued their tight bowling following Mustafiz and Nahidul Islam.
Moeen Ali took two wickets conceding 20 runs from his four over spells, Abu Hider was the most economical to take three wickets for 19 runs and Nahidul was a bit expensive to pick up two for 28. But their combined bowling attacks were enough to restrict Khulna for paltry 123 runs before being all out in 19.3 overs.
