Titans out of BPL race after losing to Sixers

Sports Desk: Khulna Titans were ruled out of the top four play-off race in ongoing Bangladesh Premier League after a 58-run defeat to Sylhet Sixers on Saturday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattgoram.

The Titans have now lost eight out of their 10 matches and thus got out of the race as the first team. On the other hand, the Sixers kept their hope of reaching the last four stage alive with four wins in as many games.

In the day’s match, Titans needed to chase the target of 196 but tumbled for 137/10 in 18.1 overs.

Brendan Taylor scored 34 off 23 for Titans. Besides him, Junaid Siddique (20) and Ariful Haque (24) put some runs on the board to reduce the margin of loss.

Nabi Samad took three wickets for the Sixers conceding 20 runs, and Taskin Ahmed scalped two for six runs to bundle the Titans.

Earlier, with the help of Afif Hossain (49) and Sabbir Rahman (44*), Sixers posted 195 for five in 20 overs.

The Sixers won the toss and decided to bat first. They managed an imperious start as the openers — Liton Das and Afif — posted 71 runs in 7.5 overs.

Standing on the solid foundation, Sixers could have scored more. But in the middle overs, they lost four wickets in 35 runs while going to 106 from 71.

Liton fell as the first batsman in an attempt of a slog sweep off Taijul Islam. He skied the ball and David Wiese took an easy catch. Liton contributed with 34 off 22 balls.

Taijul took the second and third wicket as well trapping Jason Roy (1) and Afif. Afif scored 49 off 37 balls with five fours and two sixes. Nicholas Pooran was the fourth batsman to fall. He was hunted by Junaid Khan who conceded 48 runs in four overs taking the only wicket of Pooran.

In the fifth wicket stand, Sabbir and Mohammad Nawaz added 89 runs and 76 of those came during the last five overs.

Taijul was the best bowler for the Titans taking three wickets for 30 runs. Besides him, Junaid Khan was the only other bowler to take a wicket for the Titans.

Titans will play their next game against Comilla Victorians on January 28, and Sixers will face Rajshahi Kings on the 30th.

risingbd/Dhaka/January 26, 2019/AKA