DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Exciting power-hitters Dwayne Smith and Kieron Pollard blasted unbeaten half-centuries in Man-of-the-Match performances to upstage Chris Gayle on the fourth day of the Bangladesh Premier League here yesterday. Smith smashed a characteristically stroke-filled 58 to fire Khulna Royal Bengals to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Gayle’s Barisal Burners while Pollard hammered an even unbeaten 50 as Dhaka Gladiators brushed aside Dwayne Bravo’s Chittagong Kings by six wickets.
Smith, who has enjoyed a resurgence of form in recent months, produced a high class innings as the Bengals, chasing 126 for victory at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, cruised to 131 for three with 16 balls to spare.
Gayle, who produced a stunning century in first game four days ago, managed just two this time around leaving Mominul Haque to lift the Burners’ innings with a cameo 24-ball 42, with four fours and two sixes. West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell finished with one for 26 from his three overs as Shafiul Islam (2-7), Sanath Jayasuriya (2-17) and Shakib al Hasan (2-19) claimed two wickets apiece. Veteran West Indies left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul then gave the Bengals a rousing start with a 26-ball 27 which included a four and two sixes as he put on 36 from 30 balls for the first wicket with South African Herchelle Gibbs (11).
When Chanderpaul fell in the 10th over to leave the Bengals on 58 for two in the 10th over, Man-of-the-Match Smith stepped up anchor two crucial partnerships and see his side home. He put on 45 from 34 balls for the third wicket with Jayasuriya (23) before also dominating an unbroken 28-run fourth wicket stand with Shakib (five).
Gayle, who opened the bowling with his off-spin, went wicket-less from 3.2 overs which cost 19 runs as left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo finished with two for 20.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Pollard lashed three fours and three sixes off just 34 balls to ensure the Gladiators got the better of fellow Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies all-rounder Dwayne.
Bravo had earlier slammed a top score of 43 from 31 balls with three fours and two sixes to get the Kings up to 153 for six off 20 overs.
The Gladiators were struggling at 61 for four in the eighth over when Pollard arrived at the crease to engineer a rescue effort, adding an unbroken 95 for the fifth wicket with Darren Stevens who got 43 from 38 balls.
