adminLeague in Khulna yesterday.
The Kings made 132 in their allotted 20 overs, with Taylor scoring 65 off 51 deliveries, in which he struck seven fours and two sixes.
The national team skipper batted at number five, instead of his usual opening spot, and delighted his team’s fans with some beautiful cover drives and a couple of slog sweep shots.
Credit should go to the bowlers for Rangpur’s win after they put in a disciplined show to restrict Chittagong to just 135-5.
By the time the Powerplay overs were bowled, Chittagong had lost three wickets for just 21 runs after they chose to bat first.
Fidel Edwards and Dimitri Mascarenhas bowled accurately. Chittagong captain Mahmudullah and Taylor added 73 runs for the fourth wicket but the big-hitters, Jacob Oram and Ravi Bopara, failed to provide pinch-hitting insurance that could have come handy for their team.
Speaking in an interview with Star FM, Taylor said he was pleased with his performance.
“I was a bit nervous at the beginning of the innings but l got a bit comfortable after a few strokes,” he said from Bangladesh.
“I am obliviously disappointed that we lost the match but am very much impressed with the way l batted today and now am taking it a game at a time.” Taylor who is part of a five-man cast of Zimbabweans that are playing in the BPL and scooped the coveted Zimbabwe Player of the Year for the 2011/12 season.
The other Zimbabweans playing in the BPL are Elton Chigumbura, Charles Coventry, Hamilton Masakadza and Sean Ervine.
Taylor spoke of the playing conditions and how the wickets were behaving, saying there was a lot of movement for the spinners.
“Here the conditions are a bit tricky but am adjusting although l must say it’s difficult because the ball tends to turn much more than the pitches at home. The first three overs or so were no easy, l had to adjust my foot movement,” he said.
Taylor believes the team is yet to blend and the players will soon begin to understand each other. “It’s still early days but l believe we need to gel together and understand our strengths and weaknesses but l am sure by the time we play our next game on Thursday(tomorrow) we will have done a few drills of getting to know each other,” said Taylor.
The Zimbabwean captain batted at number five in the match yesterday.
“It’s team dynamics, so you have to bat where the coach and the captain place you. It was a bit awkward to bat at five but, look, l am grateful for having this opportunity to play in the team.
“I am happy the coach was impressed by my performance today” he said.
On the comparison between the local Stanbic T20 and the Bangladesh Premier League, Taylor said there wasn’t much of difference.
“The BPL and the Stanbic t20 are pretty much the same, the difference is just the funding but in terms of the player quality we are not that much far behind,” he said.
Online Reporter