Comilla lose 3 on the trot

Reigning champions Comilla Victorians have begun the fourth season of the Bangladesh Premier League in the worst possible manner. They lost their third consecutive match yesterday and the pressure has increased tenfold.

Having made four changes to the side, the Comilla Victorians opted to bowl first in the night game yesterday. While they bowled decently to restrict the Khulna Titans to just 144, their batsmen failed after the exchange and eventually Comilla went down by 13 runs.

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Truth be told, the chase never got on. Liton Das tried to take the attack to the opposition from the start when he drove Shuvagata Hom for two fours in the first over. However, he was dismissed off the fifth ball of that over while attempting to clear the boundary again.

Imrul Kayes, their key batsman, was looking good with two sixes and a four, but he too walked back after attempting to play one shot too many. He went down the track against Junaid Khan, an unnecessary stroke, and was bowled in the process in the fifth over. Soon after, Comilla's middle order collapsed with Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Ashar Zaidi and Marlon Samuels departing before the 14th over.

With 48 runs required from 30 balls, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza tried to smash Kevon Cooper for a six but was bowled instead.

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, playing his first match, hit a six and a four to make things interesting for a brief period, but the pressure was back on Comilla once he was run out by the wicketkeeper in the 18th over.

With 24 required off 12 balls, Comilla banked on Sohail Tanvir. However, good bowling from Junaid Khan gave away just four runs in that over. Shafiul Islam gave away just six runs in the last over and ensured Khulna's second consecutive win.

While Junaid finished with figures of two for 24 in his four, Shafiul finished with two for 19.

Earlier, Khulna Titans were restricted to 144 for 9 after being put into bat. Taking a cue from the way the Dhaka Dynamites batted on the night game on Saturday the Titans too began quite aggressively.

The idea was to put on as many runs as possible early in the game since batting second in the night games have so far proved to be advantageous.

Andre Fletcher made Khulna's tactic quite obvious by smacking a six and three fours during his 17-ball 23. He shared a 45-run stand in 4.4 overs with opener Hasanuzzaman.

Eventually it was Mashrafe Bin Mortaza who broke the aggressive stand after he managed to make Fletcher top edge one. The Titans however managed to create another partnership with Hasanuzzaman getting into the act with Shuvagata Hom. The duo put on 47 runs for the second wicket and stormed to 92 for 1 in 10 overs. It was Hasanuzzaman leading the charge with six fours during his 30-ball 37.

With none of the bowlers managing to get a breakthrough, Mashrafe brought himself again and this time removed both Shuvagata and Hasanuzzaman by the 13th over.

There was a good foundation to post a total past the 170-mark, however, the Comilla bowlers came back well in the last ten overs and took regular wickets. Shanto removed the seniors, Mahmudullah and Alok Kapali, in the two overs he bowled and eventually the pressure got to the Titans.

They only managed to post 52 runs in the last ten overs. Apart from Mashrafe and Shanto, Sohail Tanvir chipped in with three wickets.