Mash bags a fifer to help Khulna go through to final

After a brilliant batting display from Jahurul Islam and skipper Mahmudullah Riyad, veteran pacer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza bagged a fifer to help Gemcon Khulna beat Gazi Group Chattogram convincingly by 47 runs today to make it through to the final of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup. 

Chattogram will however still have the opportunity to qualify for the final as they will be playing Mushfiqur Rahim's Beximco Dhaka in the tournament's second qualifier tomorrow.   

Mashrafe was not included in the initial players' draft for the tournament due to a hamstring injury but was later picked up by Khulna following a lottery on December 6. And the experienced pacer proved his worth today, troubling the Chattogram batsmen by taking the pace off the ball -- a tactic that worked brilliantly for pacers in the five-team tournament so far.

Chattogram's opening pair of Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das have been phenomenal throughout the tournament but the duo were left undone by Mashrafe's guile today. The 37-year-old pacer started off by removing Soumya and Liton in his first two overs, leaving Chattogram in a spot of bother at two for 27 after 3.2 overs while in chase of a mammoth 210 for seven posted by Khulna. 

Mashrafe also became the second Bangladeshi bowler after Mustafizur Rahman to have picked 150 T20 wickets today. The vastly experienced bowler, playing his 166th T20 game, reached the milestone when he had Liton drag a back off a length delivery onto his stumps in the fourth over. 

After that, Chattogram skipper Mohammad Mithun and former Under-19 batsman Mahmudul Hasan Joy starred in a 73-run third-wicket stand but it was once again Mashrafe who broke the crucial partnership by removing the latter in the 12th over to help shift the momentum of the game towards Khulna. 

Mithun picked up a 35-ball 53 but could not help Chattogram, who had won seven of their eight group stage matches. 

Mashrafe picked two more wickets in his final over, finishing with career-best T20 figures of five for 35 in his four overs.  

Earlier, it was Jahurul Islam's 51-ball 80, laced with five fours and for maximums, and a 9-ball 30-run cameo from skipper Mahmudullah that helped Khulna pile up 210 for seven -- their highest total in the tournament.  

Gemcon Khulna opener Jahurul Islam raises his bat after scoring fifty. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Jahurul fifty and Riyad blitz help Khulna pile up 210 for seven

Courtesy of a blistering fifty from opener Jahurul Islam and a cameo innings from skipper Mahmudullah Riyad, Gemcon Khulna piled up 210 for seven -- their highest total in the tournament so far -- against Gazi Group Chattogram in the first qualifier of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup under lights at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.

Jahurul, coming off from a fifty in his last game against Beximco Dhaka, upped his game a notch today as the right-hander smashed bowlers all around the park during his 51-ball 80 that featured five fours and four maximums. The right-hander could well have claimed his maiden T20 century had he not mistimed a scoop off a Mosaddek Hossain delivery in the 15th over only to give an easy catch to Shykat Ali at short fine leg.

Mahmudullah joined the party soon after Jahurul's dismissal. The Khulna skipper smashed a quick-fire 9-ball 30. The right-hander started off by hitting former Under-19 pacer Shoriful Islam for three consecutive sixes -- one of those identical to the one he smashed off Sri Lanka pacer Isuru Udana's delivery during the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 -- in the 16th over. Riyad's carnage came to an end when he was taken at deep midwicket by Soumya Sarkar while trying to hit Sanjit Saha for another maximum in the 17th over. 

Premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has been sub-par with the bat since his return from a year-long ban, also chipped in with a valuable 15-ball 28, featuring two fours and as many sixes, to help Khulna post a massive total.    

Gazi Group Chattogram skipper Mohammad Mithun and Gemcon Khulna captain Mahmudullah Riyad during toss today. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Chattogram opt to bowl against Khulna in first qualifier 

Gazi Group Chattogram have won the toss and elected to bowl against star-studded Gemcon Khulna in the first qualifier of the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today. 

Both Khulna and Chattogram have made two changes in the squad for the game. In the Chattogram squad, Shykat Ali and Sanjit Saha replace Ziaur Rahman and Rakibul Hasan. And Khulna give Imrul Kayes and Al Amin Hossain the nod ahead of Nazmul Islam Apu and Shohidul Islam for the crucial game.

Khulna lost both group games against Chattogram. In the first match they were bowled for a paltry 87 to be hammered by nine wickets, while the next game was a closer affair, which Chattogram won by three wickets.

Part of Khulna's problem is that premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who returned to competitive cricket with this tournamnlent after a one-year ban, has not been his normal, impactful self.

Chattogram have however been phenomenal throughout the tournament, winning seven of their eight group stage matches. 

The winner of today's match will qualify for the final and the loser will be playing Mushfiqur Rahim's Beximco Dhaka, who won the eliminator against Fortune Barishal by nine runs in the game earlier.