Khulna stay unbeaten in NCL T20

Khulna held the nerve to beat Barishal by just one run in and recorded its second straight victory in the ongoing NCL T20 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on Thursday, reports BSS.
Earlier in the first match, Khulna beat Rajshahi while for Barishal it was the consecutive second defeat, having lost the first match to Dhaka Metro.
Pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi took 4-23 to help Barishal restrict Khulna for just 130-9 with Captain Nurul Hasan Sohan making highest 39. Opener Anamul Haque Bijoy was the other notable scorer with 24.
Barishal, however, were held back to 129-9 after losing three wickets in the last three balls, in which they needed just three runs for a victory. All those three batters were trapped run out.
Set batter Moin Khan who was not out on 43 off 27 with four fours and one six was at the other when the other batters made comical mistakes to be trapped run out.
Earlier opener Abdul Majid made 51 off 53 to keep the side on course amid the wickets tumbling at regular interval.
In another match, opener Tamim Iqbal further proved he has the fitness and form in his side to make him available for the national team by hitting a 33 ball-65 runs knock that guided Chattogram to a 12-run victory over Sylhet in the NCL T20 tournament at Sylhet Academy Ground in Sylhet on Thursday.
His knock was instrumental in steering the side to 145-9 and the significance of his 65, studded by eight fours and three sixes was further evident in the failure of other batters. Apart from Tamim, only two batters reached double digits with his opening partner Mahmudul Hasan Joy making 29 and Sabbir Hosan Sikdar adding 15.
Sylhet's pacer Syed Khaled Ahmed wrecked havoc on Chattogram by claiming 4-19 from three overs.
Sylhet which lost the first game to Dhaka by six wickets despite a blitzkrieg ton of Jishan Alam were able to put up just 133 before being all out in 14.2 overs and thereby tasted their second straight defeat in the tournament.
Fresh from his 53 ball-100, Jishan received a first-ball-duck to give Sylhet a horrible start. But his opening partners Taufiq Khan Tushar came down heavily on Chattogram bowlers to keep waging a long battle.
No.3 and 4 batters of Sylhet Amite Hasan and Asadullah Galib also were out for duck. But Taufiq Tushar stood alone to smash an audacious 36 ball-76, an innings laced with seven fours and six sixes.
When he was dismissed as the sixth batter, Sylhet were 106 in 10.3 overs. Even though they had just four wickets at hands, the chance of victory was still alive. But no batters could take the onus to sail the side home.
Chattogram spinner Hasan Murad and Nayeem Hasan took three wickets apiece to rip through Sylhet.
Meanwhile, pacer Shohidul Islam claimed 4-23 as Dhaka Metro secured its second straight victory, edging Rajshahi past by eight runs in the NCL T20 tournament at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
After being asked to bat first, Metro were bowled out for 162 in 19.5 overs with captain Naim Sheikh hammering 23 ball-43 with six fours and two sixes. Gazi Tahjbul Islam scored 18 ball-31.
Shohidul then ripped through Rajshahi batting line up with 4-21 despite a valiant resistance of Farhad Reza. The veteran Reza blasted 35 ball-60 with seven fours and three sixes but got little support from other end.
Rajshahi eventually were wrapped up for 154 in 20 overs to concede their second straight defeat.