Duronto Rajshahi paid the price for missed catches as Chittagong Kings humbled them by 53 runs in their first match of the Bangladesh Premier League in Dhaka on Friday.
Duronto dropped at least five catches that allowed Kings to gain some momentum despite a slow start and pile up a mammoth 206-4 in 20 overs to set up the crushing win.
All-rounder Mahmudullah led from the front in all three departments as Kings dominated most of the time without giving their opponents a chance to claw their way back into the game.
Opting to bat first, Chittagong struggled in the first five overs which fetched them only 31 runs for the loss of two openers, Tamim Iqbal and Jahirul Islam, who made three and 11 respectively before falling to Mohammad Sami and Sean Ervine.
However, Pakistani Nasir Jamshed and South African Jason Roy took the advantage of sloppy Duronto fielding to provide the innings some much needed impetus with 56 from 38 balls and 43 from 25 balls respectively.
Mahmudullah and Dwaine Bravo added 78 runs from 34 balls in their unbroken fifth-wicket stand to help the side cross the 200-run mark.
Mahmudullah was relatively more destructive, clubbing three sixes and as many fours to stay unbeaten on 43 facing just 18 balls, while Bravo chipped in with 38 from 19 balls.
In their pursuit of a huge target, Rajshahi suffered a jolt when Bravo dismissed opener Ervine in the very first ball of their innings, just three balls before he had the prized scalp of Marlon Samuels.
Samuels hit a six off the first ball he faced but was on his way back to the dugout having been caught by Mahmudullah at mid-on for six.
Out-of-form Junaed Siddque took 11 runs off the next over bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan to give them some hope, but spinner Enamul Haq Jr struck to dismiss him for 42 off 23 balls.
Enamul also took the wickets of Abdul Razzak and Mushfiqur Rahim to wipe out their all hopes, finishing with 3-27. Muralitharan cleaned up the tail with two wickets as Duronto were all out for 153 in 19.5 overs.
Bravo provided Kings the best bowling figure with 3-17 and was adjudged man of the match.
-With New Age input
