DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Chris Gayle failed again and so did Darren Sammy but Rajshahi Kings still managed to pull off an uncomplicated six-wicket victory over Chittagong Vikings in the Bangladesh Premier League here Saturday.
Playing at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Vikings could only muster a paltry 111 for nine from their 20 overs, a target Kings chased down with over six overs to spare.
Sent in, Vikings were undermined by 17-year-old off-spinner Afif Hossain who became the youngest player to take a five-wicket haul in Twenty20s with five for 21.
He was well supported by West Indies T20 seamer, Kesrick Williams, who was brilliant in taking two for 11 from his four overs.
The left-handed Gayle laboured for 15 deliveries over five before he became the second of Afif’s victims, bowled in the seventh over to leave Vikings on 29 for four.
Pakistani Shoaib Malik then guided the innings with an excellent unbeaten 67 off 54 deliveries, a knock which included six fours and three sixes.
In reply, New Zealander James Franklin lashed an astonishing unbeaten 63 from just 27 balls, with five fours and fours sixes, to fire Kings to victory.
Captain Sammy managed just three.
The victory moved Kings into a three-way tie in second on 12 points with Vikings and Rangpur Riders but while Chittagong advanced to the playoffs courtesy of a superior net run rate, Kings will have to wait on the outcome of other matches to know their fate.