DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – West Indies players had a day to forget in the Bangladesh Premier League here yesterday, as all suffered failures in heavy defeats for their respective franchises.
Playing at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Andre Fletcher was dismissed for a two-ball ‘duck’ and opening partner Johnson Charles made only nine as their Sylhet Thunder stumbled to 133 for nine off their 20 overs against Rangpur Rangers.
Wicketkeeper Mohammad Mithun came to his side’s rescue, however, with 62 off 47 balls including four fours and two sixes.
He put on 57 for the third wicket with captain Mosaddek Hossain (15) to pull the innings around from 16 for two in the fourth over.
Mithun added a further 34 for the fourth wicket with 21-year-old Windies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford who struck a brisk 16 from nine balls, with two fours and a six.
In reply, Rangers got an attacking 63 off 28 balls from South African Cameron Delport as they strolled to a seven-wicket win with 16 balls to spare.
They lost Australian Shane Watson for one in the second over with five runs on the board but Delport posted 99 for the second wicket with opener Mohammad Naim who made a patient 38 not out off 50 balls.
In the other match of the doubleheader, well-travelled all-rounder Andre Russell failed to shine as his Rajshahi Royals suffered a batting meltdown to slide to a 74-run defeat to Dhaka Platoon.
Chasing 175 for victory, Royals collapsed to 100 all out in the 17th over with captain Russell managing only seven.
Opener Afif Hossain top-scored with 31 from 23 as left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz destroyed the innings with remarkable figures of five for eight.
Earlier, opener Tamim Iqbal smashed 68 not out before Asif Ali arrived late to belt an unbeaten 55 from 28 deliveries to propel Platoon up to 174 for five, courtesy of a 90-run unbroken sixth wicket stand.
Russell claimed one for 37 from four overs of pace.
