Riyad’s Khulna triumph
The adage that says that you cannot buy experience was proved once more as Gemcon Khulna skipper Mahmudullah Riyad rose to the occasion on the largest stage available and led from leading to lift his maiden domestic T20 trophy yesterday.
It was a cracker of a Bangabandhu T20 Cup final. Gazi Group Chattogram's Shykat Ali kept hopes alive till the end throughout their chase of 156, however the form team of the tournament fell short by just five runs.
Defending 15 runs within the last over, pacer Shohidul Islam held his nerve and dismissed the dangerous Shykat on 53 with a brilliant yorker to start the celebrations for Khulna. It had been Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's fifth T20 title and his inclusion in the center of the tournament appears to have worked as a lucky charm for Khulna.
Mahmudullah, however, did not leave it up to luck as Khulna's title owed much to his crucial, unbeaten 70, which he followed with outstanding captaincy when defending the middling 155-run total.
Considering Chattogram's form throughout the tournament, it was likely to be a simple chase but Mahmudullah and his team made sure there is no let-up in pressure.
Chattogram's success through the entire tournament had much related to their in-form opening couple of Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar, however they failed in the all-important final as Suvagata Hom dismissed the latter for 12.
Skipper Mohammad Mithun also departed cheaply, trapped-leg before by Al-Amin Hossain for seven. Mahmudullah then rotated his bowlers smartly and were able to deny boundaries to Liton and the frustrated right-hander was eventually run out for 23.
Earlier, Khulna's ploy to go after the bowlers and use the Powerplay backfired after Jahurul Islam, who struck a blistering 80 in the first qualifier between the teams, was out off the first ball of the innings choosing a major shot against off-spinner Nahidul Islam.
Khulna then lost another experienced hand in Imrul Kayes to the same bowler.
On 42 for two after the Powerplay overs, Khulna were looking for momentum but kept losing wickets -- Zakir Hasan and Ariful Haque, who was simply sent up the order to number four, departed in their twenties.
But then skipper Mahmudullah took over, fighting the lone battle of not simply holding the innings together but also looking for those boundaries to post a fighting total. He ensured he made up for the absence of star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who left for the US following the first qualifier to be along with his critically ill father-in-law.
The 34-year-old mixed aggression and calm to great effect and reached his first fifty of the tournament off 39 balls, but the job had not been yet done.
The Bangladesh T20I skipper then launched himself on the Chattogram bowlers and, thanks to his short-arm jabs, Khulna added 37 in the last three overs. Mahmudullah smashed Soumya Sarkar for 17 runs in the ultimate over of the innings.
He remained unbeaten on 70 off 48 balls, including eight fours and two sixes, as Khulna posted 155 for seven in 20 overs.
Gemcon Khulna: 155 for 7 (Mahmudullah 70 not out, Zakir 25; Nahidul 2-19, Shoriful 2-33)
Gazi Group Chattogram: 150 for 6 (Shykat 53, Liton 23; Shohidul 2-33, Al-Amin 1-19)
Result: Gemcon Khulna won by 5 runs
Player-of-the-final: Mahmudullah
Player-of-the-tournament: Mustafizur Rahman
Source: www.thedailystar.net
