DHAKA, Bangladesh – West Indies discard Andre Fletcher slammed a Man-of-the-Match half-century to pilot Khulna Tigers to a convincing nine-wicket victory over Sylhet Sunrisers, and to their third win of the Bangladesh Premier League.
The right-hander carved out an unbeaten 71 off 47 deliveries as Tigers easily chased down a target of 143 with 34 balls to spare at the Shere Bangla National Stadium here Thursday.
For Tigers, the victory was a crucial one coming on the heels of their six-run defeat to Chris Gayle’s Fortune Barishal earlier this week.
They are fourth on six points from six matches but just two points adrift of leaders Comilla Victorians, who boast West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine in their ranks.
Sent in, Sunrisers gathered 142 for five off their 20 overs with West Indies opener Lendl Simmons failing with six, holing out to backward square in the seventh over.
Struggling on 34 for three in the ninth, Sunrisers were lifted by Mohammad Mithun’s 72 off 51 balls, the right-hander slamming half-dozen fours and four sixes in a crucial 68-run, fourth wicket stand with captain Mosaddek Hossain (34).
When new-ball seamer Khaled Ahmed (2-20) returned to account for Mosaddek, Mithun added a further 34 for the fifth wicket with Muktar Ali (5 not out) to eke out precious runs late on.
In reply, Tigers were expertly guided by 34-year-old Fletcher, the right-hander punching five fours and five sixes to notch his second fifty campaign and move his runs tally beyond the 200 mark from six innings.
Ignored since being picked in the T20 World Cup squad but failing to play a single game during the failed campaign, Fletcher inspired a 99-run first wicket stand with Soumya Sarkar (43) which erased any hopes Sunrisers harboured of victory.
The Grenadian brought up his half-century off 34 balls in the 11th over and after losing Soumya a couple of balls later, added a further 45 runs with Thisara Perera (22 not out) in an unbroken second wicket stand.
In the other match at the venue, West Indies batsman Chadwick Walton made a three-ball ‘duck’ as Chattogram Challengers crashed to a nine-wicket defeat to Victorians, after mustering only 138 for eight from their 20 overs.
Off-spinner Narine went wicket-less from his four overs which leaked 32 runs.
CMC