Rangpur thrash Sylhet by 38 runs
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson finally showed his batting prowess in the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), hitting a half-century for Rangpur Rangers as his team beat Sylhet Thunder by 38 runs on Friday.
He hit 68 off 36 with six fours and five sixes in the match played at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
The Thunder are already out of the race of the last four of the event. Rangers, on the other hand, have kept their hopes alive with eight points from 10 games.
Chasing a big target of 199 set by the Rangers, the Thunder tumbled for 161 in 19.1 overs.
Thunder scored 27 runs in the first wicket stand before Abdul Mazid fell for seven off 11 deliveries. After Mazid’s dismissal, the other opener Andre Fletcher fell for 19 off 12 balls.
In the third wicket stand, Mohammad Mithun and Sherfane Rutherford added 33 runs. Mithun fell prey to Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi while Rutherford hit 60 off 37 with five fours and three sixes.
But the other Thunder batsmen put up a poor show.
Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed and Lewis Gregory bagged two wickets each conceding 18, 39, and 27 runs respectively.
Earlier, Thunder won the toss and sent Rangers to bat first. Rangers put up an opening stand of 77 runs. Mohammad Naim continued on good form hitting 42 off 33 with seven fours and one six while Shane Watson hit 68.
Naim fell prey to Mohammad Monir Hossian while Ebadot Hossain removed Watson. South African batsman Cameron Delport came to bat at number three and posted 25 runs off 18 balls with two sixes while Lewis Gregory scored 15.
During the death overs, Mohammad Nabi and Shohag Gazi hit 23 and 16 respectively.
Ebadot bagged two wickets conceding 30 runs in four overs while Krishmar Santokie, Rutherford and Monir took one wicket each.
Thunder will take on Rajshahi Royals in their next game on January 4 at the same venue while Rangers will face off Dhaka Platoon on January 8 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
