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Mohammad IsamESPN
Rangpur Riders 171 for 2 (Gayle 126*, Mithun 30*) beat Khulna Titans 167 for 6 (Ariful 29, Malinga 2-49) by eight wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
The wait for a Chris Gayle special in this BPL season is finally over. The West Indian smashed 126 – the highest score in the BPL – to eliminate Khulna Titans and power Rangpur Riders into the second qualifier. This was the first hundred of the season, Gayle fourth in the BPL, and 19th overall in T20 cricket. Khulna, whose young guns have been impressive this season, wilted in face of the six-laden onslaught.
Gayle packed his 51-ball innings with 14 sixes and six fours, helping Rangpur hunt down 168 with 28 balls to spare. His 14 sixes is a new BPL record; Gayle bettered his own record of 12 sixes he had hit for Dhaka Gladiators in 2013.
Too many shots spoil Khulna’s start
Opener Nazmul Hossain Shanto kickstarted the innings with three fours in eight balls before falling to an unnecessary hoick against Sohag Gazi in the fourth over. Afif Hossain drove his first ball over cover for four and slapped a six four balls later,but was bowled by Malinga in the following over.
The trend continued: Mahmudullah struck two sixes and two fours in his 6-ball 20 before holing out to long-on. Khulna were 56 for 3 at that stage.
Full report to follow
Source: ESPN Crickinfo