Chittagong Kings rewrote the record that they set up 24 hours ago when they humiliated table-toppers Sylhet Royals by 119 runs in the Bangladesh Premier League on Friday.
This is the biggest ever victory margin recorded in a BPL match in its brief history, improving Kings’ 89-run win over Khulna Royal Bengals in their previous game a day earlier.
This was added to Kings’ consecutive wins in three previous matches, all coming in big margins, which have now transformed them into one of the favourites to win the tournament after a stuttering start to the campaign.
Brendan Taylor and Naeem Islam set up the win with almost identical fifties that helped Kings put 193-4 in their 20 overs, their highest total in the season to which Royals had no answer.
Taylor and Naeem both made 58 runs and shared 118 runs for the opening stand before an in-form Ryan ten Doeschate hit 37 runs off 18 balls
and Mahmudullah struck an unbeaten 24 from 13 balls.
Royals, who successfully chased 197 runs against Rangpur Riders in their previous game, were unable to repeat the performance against a Kings attack that had earlier dismissed the opposition less than 100 runs for at least three times in the tournament.
Royals also missed the services of their inspirational skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, who was out with a hamstring injury and had been replaced by unheralded Jashim Uddin with Sohrawardi Shuvo as captain.
They also mysteriously dropped experienced West Indian batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who along with Mushfiq, steered the side to a six-wicket win against Riders in the previous evening.
In the absence of Chanderpaul and Mushfiq, their top-order caved in cheaply as they lost their first four wickets for just 16 runs and could never recover from the damage.
Shaun Tait (3-16), Rubel Hossain (3-14) and Enamul Haque Jr (3-14) shared nine wickets between them as Royals were dismissed for 74 runs in just 13.5 overs.
Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi provided the only resistance with 35 off 33 balls while just two other batsmen – Soharawardi (13) and Sohag Gazi (10) could reach double figures.