Rangpur ride on Shakib, Mahedi, Tahir to rout Khulna

Dazzling all-round displays from Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan and the mystifying leg-spin of veteran Imran Tahir stormed Khulna Tigers in a 78-run win in a Bangladesh Premier League fixture in Chattogram yesterday. 

Shakib and Mahedi smacked blistering fifties, while Tahir scalped a five-wicket haul to hand Khulna a fourth straight defeat. 

Shakib smashed a 20-ball fifty, the edition's fastest, and finished with a 31-ball 69 which featured six fours and as many sixes, while Mahedi got in on the act with a 36-ball 60 laced with four sixes and six fours to power Rangpur to 219 for five. 

Tahir displayed his class, scalping five wickets for 26 runs and was complemented by Shakib (2) and Mahedi (1) who picked up three wickets between them to bundle out Khulna for 141 in 18.2 overs.

Alex Hales top scored with a 33-ball 60 and the next best came from his compatriot, Luke Wood, who managed a 14-ball 20.