Mahmudul Hasan Joy hit a fifty and guided his team Khulna Tigers to their second win in the ongoing Ispahani Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Friday in Chattogram.
They beat the home side Chattogram Challengers by seven wickets with four balls to play, reports UNB.
The Challengers, who were put in to bat first, were off to a slow start as they lost their opening batter Max O'Dowd for just 6 runs in the second over. They were able to recover somewhat thanks to a 45-run knock from Usman Khan and a 35-run innings from Afif Hossain, but they were ultimately unable to build a big enough total, only scoring 157 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Wahab Riaz was the standout bowler for the Tigers, taking 4 wickets in his four overs while conceding just 36 runs. Mohammad Saifuddin also chipped in with 2 wickets, while Amad Butt and Nasum Ahmed were economical.
The Tigers got off to a shaky start in response, losing Munim Shahriar for a duck in the first over. But Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudul Hasan Joy then came together and built a crucial 104-run partnership for the second wicket to steady the innings.
Tamim was the first to fall, scoring 44 runs off 37 balls with 4 fours and 1 six before getting caught by Afif Hossain off the bowling of Nihaduzzaman. Mahmudul followed soon after, dismissed for 59 off 44 balls with 5 fours and 1 six by the same bowler.
But Azam Khan and Yasir Ali then saw the team home with an unbeaten partnership of 50 runs. Azam remained not out on 15 runs while Yasir remained not out on 36 runs, which included 2 fours and 4 sixes. The Tigers reached the target in the 20th over with 7 wickets in hand.
Nihaduzzaman was the most successful bowler for the Challengers with 2 wickets, while Shuvagata Hom took 1 wicket.
While it was the 2nd win for the Tigers, the Challengers suffered their fourth defeat in the event.
