Sammy powers Rajshahi to tight win over leaders Khulna

Darren Sammy's late assault helped Rajshahi Kings to a nine-run win over table toppers Khulna Titans. His unbeaten 71 not only brought Rajshahi out of a mire but ended up giving them a competitive total to fight for.

It was for the second game in a row that Rajshahi needed Sammy's big-hitting intervention to pull them back from a batting slide. When Umar Akmal, not for the first time in the tournament, was a victim of an iffy leg-before decision, they had slipped to 66 for 4 after 11 overs.

Sammy took a bit of time to get his radar in order, mainly because Samit Patel and Mehedi Hasan too fell before the team score reached 100. Once he had blasted Junaid Khan for his first six, there was no looking back. He struck five more, mostly flicks over the leg-side boundary. His unbeaten 34-ball knock also included four fours.

Kevon Cooper and Shafiul Islam took two wickets each while there was one apiece for Mosharraf Hossain and Mahmudullah who only bowled two overs for seven runs.

Khulna's struggle at the top continued after Mohammad Hasanuzzman was run out in the second over before Shuvagata Hom was caught at short fine leg in the next over. Riki Wessels and Mahmudullah added 47 runs for the third wicket before Wessels was bowled by Sammy for 36.

Nicholas Pooran, who for the first time in the BPL played to his reputation, fell after trying a third six off Mehedi Miraz in the 14th over. Pooran made 28 off just 12 balls with a four and three sixes. Mahmudullah was Khulna's last hope so when he fell in the following over, after a run-a-ball 33, Khulna left a lot to do for their lower order.

Cooper and Ariful Haque managed to eke out just two fours in their 21-ball sixth-wicket partnership. Mohammad Sami and Farhad Reza closed out the game by bowling tight lines in the last four overs. Nazmul, Sami, Abul Hasan, Sammy and Mehedi took one wicket each.