Hindustan Surkhiyan Desk: It was 34-year-old South African Robbie Frylinck, who started the rot at the top for Chittagong Vikings as they overwhelmed defending champions Rangpur Riders in the opening fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
Frylinck bagged the wicket of big-hitting English man Alex Hales and then followed up with the wicket of Mohammed Mithun in his very first over. Paceman at the other end, Abu Jayed, not to be left behind bagged Rilee Rossouw in the third over. Wickets tumbled thick and fast and Rangpur stumbled to 7 for 35 when young paceman Khaled Ahmed got the wicket of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who nicked a delivery through to the wicket-keeper. Youngster Nayeem Hasan also got into the act and bagged two wickets. Amidst the chaos, it was Ravi Bopara who consolidated the innings and took Rangpur to a fighting total. The right-hander’s gutsy 47-ball 44, along with Sohag Gazi’s 21, eventually took Rangpur to 98 all out.
It seemed like the it would be a drab event but Rangpur got a few quick wickets. Mushfiqur Rahim, the Chittagong captain, took charge of things but once Benny Howell removed opener Mohammad Shahzad, Rangpur turned things around. Wickets tumbled at the other end too and when Mushfiqur fell in the 17th over, it looked like the match was anyone’s for the taking. It was then that Frylinck arrived at the crease and struck 12 off 10 including the winning boundary to help Chittagong over the ropes.
In the end, a low scoring match was given some spark by Mashrafe and Mohammad Ashraful’s comic moment while the Rangpur Riders will be hoping that Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, can turn their fortunes in the upcoming fixtures.
