Khulna Titans were just the third team in the fifth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League to defeat the juggernaut that is Comilla Victorians and the Mahmudullah Riyad-led franchise were rewarded for their 14-run win yesterday with an elevation to second place on the seven-team table.
The elevation may be a shortlived one as they will be supplanted by Dhaka Dynamites if the defending champions, who have a superior net run rate, beat Rangpur Riders in today's afternoon match.
The top-placed Comilla, who had lost just two matches before yesterday, failed to overtake Khulna's 174 for six despite a solid foundation laid by skipper Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes's 63-run second-wicket partnership after the early departure of Solomon Mire in the first over. The duo added the runs in 7.1 overs with Tamim enjoying the lion's share of the strike and the runs in a 33-ball 36 with the help of six boundaries.
However, Comilla were hurt by the departure of both set batsmen in quick succession. Carlos Brathwaite made up for dropping Imrul on six in the fourth over off Afif Hossain by taking a well-judged catch in the eighth over off the bowling of Benny Howell at long off to send Imrul back for a 19-ball 20. Brathwaite then had Tamim caught in the 10th over, reducing Khulna to 68 for three. Howell and Jayed picked up two wickets each while Mahmudullah was economical in giving away just 22 runs from four overs and picked up the wicket of Mire.
Wickets fell at regular intervals thereafter and despite some late sixes from the in-form Shoaib Malik (23-ball 36 with three sixes and a four) and Marlon Samuels (25 not out off 16 balls), Khulna were too far behind the rate. By the time the last over rolled around, they needed 31 to win with Samuels and Rakibul Hasan at the crease but could manage only 16 as Abu Jayed conceded two fours, a six and took the wicket of Rakibul as Comilla ended on 160 for seven.
Earlier, the Khulna innings derived its momentum from a stellar 55-run opening stand between Nazmul Hossain and Michael Klinger in six overs, but it was the late impetus provided by Brathwaite (unbeaten 22 off 12 with thee fours and a six) and Ariful Haque (21-ball 35 with four fours and a six) who along with Howell helped realise 50 runs in the last three overs, that made the difference. Al-Amin Hossain was the most successful bowler for Comilla with three wickets, but he was punished for those scalps, conceding 52 in four overs.
