Khulna Royal Bengals underlined their credentials as one of the top sides in the inaugural Bangladesh Premier League when they handed Dhaka Gladiators a 19-run defeat in their first match on Saturday.
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell grabbed 4-35 to help Khulna restrict Dhaka to 156-7 after his whirlpool 37 off 15 balls lifted the side to 175-5 in the day’s first game.
Local cricketers complemented Russell, a $85,000 smart pick at the players’ auction, brilliantly which made the difference against Gladiators, another side who are keen to do very well in the tournament.
Shivnaraine Chanderpaul was asked to open the innings for Khulna alongside Herschelle Gibbs and he made his intent very clear by sending the first ball of the innings, bowled by Gladiators skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza, to the fence through the covers.
Gladiators somehow managed to keep both of them in check in the first few overs and took control of the game after Pakistani Azhar Mahmood dismissed both of them in his successive overs.
But after the departure of Chanderpaul (19) and Gibbs (12), Dwayne Smith opened up the bat for Khulna and he was soon joined by skipper Sakib al Hasan.
Sakib was more aggressive compared to his partner before Rana Naved-ul Hasan bowled him ending his 31-ball innings of 42 that contained five fours. Bravo was already in the dugout giving a catch to Darren Stevens off Mosharraf Hossain for 37 from 31 balls.
Russell proved why Delhi Daredevils agreed to pay $450,000 at the recent IPL auction after an intense bidding war with Decan Chargers, with two fours and three sixes in 15 balls that he faced.
Nasir Hossain, the most valuable local player apart from the icons, also proved his worth with 22 off 12 balls as the duo added 59 in the last four-and-a-half overs in their unbroken sixth-wicket stand.
Sakib struck for Khulna in only the third over to send back Imran Nazir and Russell soon dislodged Azhar Mahmood, who was looking dangerous before giving a catch to wicketkeeper Sahgir Hossain for 28 off 16 balls.
Mohammad Ashraful hit two successive fours but Russell had his revenge soon by rattling his stumps before opener Naziumuddin ended his sedate 21 off 25 balls having holed out a catch to Smith at square-leg off Nasir.
Englishman Stevens and Kieron Pollard almost brought Dhaka back in the contest with their 62-run stand, but an unexpected run-out of Stevens, who made 38 from 32 balls, ruined their chance.
Pollard was unbeaten on 39 facing 32 balls, but Russell took two wickets in two balls of the final over to complete the Khulna win.
-With New Age input
