Rony's fireworks sets BPL alight as Rangpur Riders down Comilla Victorians

After a dull contest in the day match, Rangpur Riders' opener Rony Talukdar provided the fans their money's worth in the second match on the opening day of the Bangladesh Premier League at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday as the right-handed batter smashed the fastest fifty by a Bangladeshi batter in BPL history to help set up a 34-run win against defending champions Comilla Victorians.

Rony took the bowlers to the cleaners hitting eleven fours and one six in his 67-run knock for which he took 31 balls to help Rangpur set a target of 176-5.

Comilla's Pakistani recruit Khusdil Shah was the pick of the bowlers as he took one wicket for 25 runs and had adept support from the two left-handers Mustafizur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi who took one each.

In reply, Comilla were bundled out for 142 with their skipper Imrul Kayes top-scoring with 35 off 23 balls.

Rangpur's Hasan Mahmud stood out with three wickets for 20 runs, while Robiul Haque and Sikandar Raza scalped two each to restrict Comilla.

After being put into bat, Rangpur got off to a scintillating start, courtesy of opener Rony who along with Mohammad Naim put up an 84-run opening stand before being stumped for 67 runs off 31 deliveries. He smashed 11 fours and one six and his partner at the other end, Naim, struggled to get going as he chewed up 34 balls for his 29 runs before being put out of his misery by Comilla's Fazalhaq Farooqi.
 

-DailyStar