Opener Tamim Iqbal struck a blistering 73 off 42 balls despite Junaid Khan made a valiant effort with the ball with claiming 4-32 as Comilla Victorians handed Khulna Titans a three- wicket defeat in their sixth match of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League in Sylhet on Friday.
Tamim and Anamul Haque (40) put up a 115-run opening stand which eventually set the tune of the game for Comilla before Thisara Perera made 18 off seven balls as Comilla reached186-7 in 19.4 overs to secure their fourth win in the tournament.
Earlier, Junaed Siddique’s 70 off 41 balls powered Khulna to 181-7 in their stipulated overs, their highest total in this year’s BPL after they were sent into bat first.
Tamim, who failed to make his mark in earlier matches, struck 12 fours and a six in his innings but his losing wicket to Lasith Malinga in the 13th over saw a regular fall of wickets in Comilla innings after Junaid dismissed Liam Dawson and Kayes in successive deliveries.
Junaid then dismissed Shahid Afridi (12) and Ziaur Rahman in the 19th over to bring some excitement in the contest but Comilla’s Sri Lankan recruit Thisara Perera held his nerve and hit Brathwaite a four and a six in consecutive balls to take Comilla to the winning line.
Despite losing opener Jahurul Islam for naught in the fourth ball, Junaed and Al-Amin brought Khulna on track, adding 71 runs for the second wicket.
Al-Amin, who was playing his first match in the tournament, struck some delightful shots and used the power-play restriction very well before Shahid Afridi dismissed him after making 32 off 19 balls.
Mahmudullah looked promising when he hit Afridi for a six in his first ball but could contribute only 16 runs before he fell to the same bowler.
However Junaed remained firm at the crease and completed his first fifty in the ongoing tournament before a terrible mix-up with Dawid Malan saw the southpaw getting run-out after hitting four fours and as many sixes.
Malan (29 off 25), Carlos Brathwaite (12 off nine) and Ariful Haque (13 off nine) made some meaningful contributions in the late as Khulna put a competitive total against Comilla.
Afridi was the pick of the bowler for Comilla, finishing with 3-35 while his Pakistani fellow pacer Wahab Riaz claimed 2-34.
