Nafees, Vincent power Khulna to first win

Khulna Royal Bengals 197 for 0 (Nafees 102*, Vincent 89*) beat Duronto Rajshahi 129 (Jahurul 26, Farhad 3-22) by 68 runs
Scorecard

Khulna Royal Bengals achieved their first victory of the BPL, against Duronto Rajshahi, by a convincing margin of 68 runs. The foundation was laid by the captain Shahriar Nafees' record-breaking century and his unbeaten opening stand of 197 with Lou Vincent, a BPL record. The defeat kept Rajshahi level on points with Barisal Burners, Chittagong Kings and now Royal Bengals.

It was also the first time a side batting first completed its innings without the loss of a wicket. Nafees scored 102 off 69 balls with 12 fours and two sixes, becoming the first Bangladesh batsman to score a Twenty20 century. He beat Tamim Iqbal's 93 for Wayamba United. It is also the first of this BPL season and the fifth overall.

Vincent, who has two Twenty20 centuries, supported Nafees through the 20 overs, providing him with enough strike and entertaining the crowd with some deft strokes. He made 89 off 51 balls with eight sixes, the most for any batsman in an innings this year. The pair's opening stand is also a BPL record for any wicket, beating the previous best of 167 between Ahmed Shehzad and Chris Gayle in the inaugural match last year. It is the fourth highest in all Twenty20s.

Rajshahi started the chase of 198 positively but lost their way once Tamim, Charles Coventry and Jahurul Islam had got out by the 11th over. Khulna looked hungrier to win than in their previous games in the tournament, and completed the crushing win in the penultimate over, bowling their opponents out for 129.