Chattogram begin home phase with defeat

Mushfiqur Rahim-led Khulna Tigers started the second phase of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with a convincing victory as they beat Chattogram Challengers by six wickets at their home venue today.

After restricting Chattogram to a mediocre 143 for eight, Khulna, thanks to fifty from Andre Fletcher, Mushfiqur's unbeaten knock and a cameo knock from Seekkuge Prasanna, romped to victory with seven balls to spare at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. 

Despite losing Soumya Sarkar early, Khulna managed to get off to a decent start with opener Fletcher stitching stands of 50 and 46 Rony Talukder and Mushfiqur. Fletcher departed in the 15th over after a 47-ball 58, laced with six boundaries and two maximums. 

However, skipper Mushfiqur remained unbeaten for a quick-fire 30-ball 44 and Prasanna's 15-ball 23-run blitz only made things easier for Khulna. Prasanna, who struck two maximums and a solitary boundary during his cameo innings, only departed in the penultimate over, trying to score the winning runs in style. 

Khulna eventually did get over the line with ease. 

Earlier, after being asked to bat, Chattogram lost opener Kennar Lewis early. The home side's innings was somewhat revived through contributions from Will Jacks (28 off 23) and Afif Hossain (44 off 37), but they lost wickets at regular intervals and would have also failed to post a respectable total had it not been for Naeem Islam's unbeaten 19-ball 25 at the death.

Khulna's Thisara Perera was the destroyer in chief with the ball in hand for Khulna, returning impressive figures of three for 18 in four overs.