DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC– Four West Indian cricketers made small contributions as their franchises registered mixed fortunes at Shere Bangla National Stadium in the Bangladesh Premier League here on Tuesday.
Flamboyant opener Chris Gayle slammed 19 from 11 balls to help Chittagong Vikings pull off a five wicket win over Khulna Titans while Marlon Samuels scored an unbeaten 27 from 18 balls to steer Comilla Victorians to an eight wicket win over Barisal Bulls.
Gayle’s innings included three fours and a six and just a single, putting on 39 for the first wicket with captain Tamim Iqbal who was not out on 66 off 59 balls.
Gayle’s departure in the fifth over had triggered a top order collapse in which Chittagong was reduced to 64 for four before Tamim and Jahurul Islam revived the innings with a 37-run fifth-wicket stand.
Vikings coasted to 135 for five wickets in 18.4 overs after Titans were restricted to 131 for eight in 20 overs.
While Mahmudullah got the top score of 42, West Indians Nicholas Pooran and Kevon Cooper scored 18 and 15 respectively in Titans losing effort while Cooper was also able to pick up a wicket for 18 runs.
Vikings fifth win in a row with eight balls to spare put them on 12 points, level with Dhaka Dynamites and Khulna Titans.
In the other match, Samuels undefeated 27, which included two fours and a six helped guide Victorians to their second win in nine matches this season.
Openers Imrul Kayes and Ahmed Shehzad added 93 to carry Comilla within 23 runs of victory which they secured with six balls remaining.
Comilla scored 145 for two wickets in 19 overs after containing Barisal Bulls to 142 for eight in 20 overs.
