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Sports, Cricket

Khulna laments top order failure


Bangladeshpost
Published : 26 Nov 2020 08:33 PM

Despite forming a star-studded side that includes Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad, Gemcon Khulna found them in a position of embarrassment in consecutive two matches, reports BSS.

Even though they won the first match against Fortune Barishal, they needed a touch of luck. They got a superman in Ariful Haque who blasted four sixes in the last over when they required 22 runs to win. Thanks to Ariful’s 34 ball-48 not out, Khulna won the game by four wickets.

Ariful played another good innings, this time a 31 ball-41 not out against Minister Group Rajshahi but was not successful to sail the side home. This proved every time he couldn’t bail the side out of danger unless the top order came all guns blazing.

Due to the failure of top order, Khulna conceded a six-wicket defeat to Rajshahi in the second match.

In the first match, Khulna was reduced to 36-4 and in the second game, they were left at precarious 51-5, a testament of how badly their top order fared in those two matches.

“Actually Shakib bhai and Mahmudullah Riyad bhai could not make their innings bigger and so it was tough for us,” said Khulna’s youngster Shamim Hossain after the match.

Alongside Ariful, Shamim Hossain played a significant knock, a 25 ball-35 to help the side save from ultimate blushes. “If our top order could play well, we could have amassed 180 runs,” he added.

But the young player expected that the experienced duo of Shakib and Mahmudullah would come back strongly in the next matches to help Khulna win matches.

“We hope they will come back strongly in the next matches. If they play well, we’ll be a strong team again.”

Meanwhile, despite winning the match, Rajshahi pace bowler Mukidul Islam Mugdho thinks they need to improve more. “Specially I couldn’t bowl well,” Mugdho, who took two wickets but conceded a whopping 44 runs, said.