Rajshahi beat Chattogram in final league match

Published at 02:06 pm January 11th, 2020

Rajshahi Royals’ Liton Das plays a shot during their BBPL match against Chattogram Challengers in Mirpur Saturday Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik

Liton registered a fiery half century, his second in a row, to boost the Royals to an eight-wicket win over Challengers at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Saturday

Wicket-keeper and opener Liton Das fired on all cylinders to ensure Rajshahi Royals finished the league phase of the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 on a winning note.

Liton registered a fiery half century, his second in a row, to boost the Royals to an eight-wicket win over Chattogram Challengers at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Saturday.

Both sides had already secured playoff berths.

Chasing 156, Liton and Afif Hossain got Rajshahi off to a fine start, putting on 88 runs for the opening stand.

Afif perished on 32, but Liton went on to score his 50 off just 29 deliveries with seven.

When he finally departed after getting caught LBW by pacer Ziaur Rahman, Liton had scored 78 runs off 48 balls and Rajshahi needed 18 to win in more than four overs.

All-rounder Shoaib Malik remained unbeaten on 43 off 25 to guide the side to shore, with captain Andre Russell not out on two on the other end of the crease.

With 422 runs in 12 innings, Liton is currently the top scorer of the season.

Rajshahi’s Andre Russell takes a catch to dismiss Chattogram’s Chris Gayle off the bowling of Afif Hossain Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik

He has a strike-rate of 139.73, and the right-handed batsman averages 38.36 with three half-centuries under his in the ongoing edition of the tournament.

“It is satisfying to score two consecutive fifties. I did not have a target at the start of this tournament. I had planned to play my style of cricket with a strike rate at around 140 maybe, and not below 130,” Liton told the media.

“My intention was to play a long innings, till the 12th or 15th over. That way, you can score 40 or 50 runs. My confidence was boosted after I got a good start to the tournament. Then, when I saw others scoring 400 plus runs already, I drove myself with the target and for that I needed to score a 50,” the wicketkeeper-batsman added.

Earlier, Chattogram were sent in to bat first after losing the toss and posted 155, propelled by captain Mahmudullah’s unbeaten 48 off 33 deliveries.

Chattogram got a decent start with the bat before losing opener Junaid Siddique on 23 to Afif.

Hard-hitter Chris Gayle also added 23 runs before in form Imrul Kayes delivered a 19-run cameo.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan added 30 runs to Chattogram’s total.

41ST MATCH, CCvRR

CHATTOGRAM CHALENGERS INNINGS R B

Gayle c Russell b Afif 23 21

Junaid c Reza b Malik 23 23

Imrul c Afif b Taijul 19 18

Mahmudullah not out 48 33

Walton b Jayed 4 6