DHAKA, Bangladesh – Exciting power-hitters Dwayne Smith and Kieron Pollard blasted unbeaten half-centuries in Man Of The Match performances to upstage Chris Gayle on the fourth day of the Bangladesh Premier League here yesterday.
The Barbadian hit a characteristically stroke-filled 58 to fire Khulna Royal Bengals
to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Gayle’s Barisal Burners, while Pollard hammered an even unbeaten 50 as Dhaka Gladiators brushed aside Dwayne Bravo’s Chittagong Kings by six wickets.
Smith, who has enjoyed a resurgence of form in recent months, produced a high-class innings as the Bengals, chasing 126 for victory at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, cruised to 131 for three with 16 balls to spare.
Gayle managed just two this time around and took no wickets. West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell finished with one for 26 from his three overs.
Veteran West Indies’ left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul then gave the Bengals a rousing start with a 26-ball 27 which included a four and two sixes as he put on 36 from 30 balls for the first wicket with South African Herchelle Gibbs (11).
When Chanderpaul fell in the tenth over to leave the Bengals on 58 for two, Man Of The Match Smith stepped up to anchor two crucial partnerships and see his side home. He put on 45 from 34 balls for the third wicket with Jayasuriya (23) before also dominating an unbroken 28-run fourth wicket stand with Shakib (five).
In the second game of the doubleheader, Pollard lashed three fours and three sixes off just 34 balls to ensure the Gladiators got the better of fellow Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies all-rounder Bravo.
Bravo had earlier slammed a top score of 43 from 31 balls with three fours and two sixes to get the Kings up to 153 for six off 20 overs. (CMC)
Summarized scores:
At Mirpur: Chittagong Kings 153-6 in 20 overs (Dwayne Bravo 43, Nasir Jamshed 27, Jahurul Islam 24, Jason Roy 18, Ziaur Rahman 14 n.o., Mahmudullah 10; Elias Sunny 3-17). Dhaka Gladiators 156-4 in 19 overs (Keiron Pollard 50 n.o., Darren Stevens 43 n.o., Mohammad Ashraful 28, Imran Nazir 22; Arafat Sunny 2-12). Dhaka Gladiators won by six wickets with six balls remaining.
At Mirpur: Barisal Burners 125 in 20 overs (Mominul Haque 42, Phil Mustard 25, Brad Hodge 12, Yasir Arafat 10, Nazmul Islam 10; Shafiul Islam 2-7, Sanath Jayasuriya
2-17, Shakib Al Hasan 2-19). Khulna Royal Bengals 131-3 in 17.2 overs (Dwayne Smith 58, Sanath Jayasuriya 23, Shivnarine Chanderpaul 27, Herschelle Gibbs 11; Suhrawadi Shuvo 2-20). Khulna Royal Bengals won by seven wickets with 16 balls remaining.
