Chittagong beat Sylhet for 3rd victory in BPL

Chittagong Kings cruised to a 30-run victory over Sylhet Strikers to clinch their third win in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), thank to half-centuries from Graham Clark and Usman Khan at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on Monday, report agencies.

Chittagong moved to second place on the points table with three wins in four matches under Mohammad Mithun's leadership.

England recruit Clark top-scored with 33 ball-60, an innings laced with three fours and five sixes while Pakistan recruit Usman Khan made 53 off 35 with eight fours and one six after opening the innings.

Their healthy efforts steered Chittagong to a hefty 203-6, a total that they successfully defended by restricting Sylhet to 173-8.

George Munsey made 37 ball-53 and Jaker Ali Anik fired with 23 ball-47 not out but that was not enough to resist Sylhet from fourth defeat in six matches in the tournament.

Clark and Usman shared 68-run for the second wicket after Parvez Hossain Emon was dismissed for 7.

Skipper Mohammad Mithun kept up the flow with 19 ball-28 runs before Pakistan recruit Haider Ali gave a marauding finish to help the side propel past 200.

Haider Ali was not out on 42 after smashing four fours and three sixes in just 18 balls.

Mohammad Wasim was the wrecker-in-chief for Sylhet. The Pakistan fast bowler dented Sylhet's hope of a flying start by dismissing opener Rony Talukdar for just 7. He then returned with bang to take the wicket of Aaron Jones and Tanzim Hasan Sakib to finish with 3-25.

Zakir Hasan, the protagonist of Sylhet's last two victories resisted alongside Munsey but Aliss Al Islam took him out for 19 ball-25.

While Munsey played with utmost confidence, he got little support from other end that stifled Sylhet in the midst of the chase.

Syed Khaled Ahmed dismissed Munsey just after he reached his half-century. Onus was left on Jaker Ali and he responded aggressively but asking run rate climbed up so highly that his power-hitting was not enough to win the game.

With this win, Chittagong Kings solidify their position as strong contenders in this year's BPL, heading into the next phase with momentum firmly on their side.