Table topper Dhaka Dynamites reached the four-team Play-off of the BPL as the first team with a comfortable six-wicket victory against Chittagong Vikings in their 11th league tussle on Friday.
Dhaka confirmed their final-four berth collecting 16 points from 11 outings having eight wins and three losses with one match to spare, according to news agency UNB.
Despite the loss, Chittagong cling to their previous 2nd slot by virtue of more run rate collecting 12 points from 11 games with six wins and five losses followed by Khulna Titans with same points and win-loss record.
Collecting 10 points from 11 and 10 games respectively, 4th placed Rajshahi Kings and 5th placed Rangpur Riders still have the opportunity to stay in the race.
Defending champions Comilla Victorians and Barisal Bulls secured eight points each.
In the day’s match, Dhaka Dynamites chased down a target of 135 for 4 in 18.2 overs, stimulated by the 5th pair’s unbeaten contribution of 52 in 5.3 overs between Alauddin Babu and Andre Russell who hit a boundary off Subashis Roy to draw the winning line.
The 5th pair started their show from 83/4 in 12.5 overs after top-scorer Kumar Sangakkara’s departure and continued till the end.
Sangakkara scored run-a-ball 35, including five boundaries before being victim of run out.
Alauddin Babu hit two over boundaries and one boundary off 27 balls for 33 (not out) while Andre Russell added another unbeaten figure of 31 off 18 balls that witnessed one boundary and three over boundaries. Number-3 batsman Nasir Hossain was another double digit scorer with 13 runs.
Mohammad Nabi, Shoaib Malik and Imran Khan Jr took one wicket each for two, 23 and 27 runs in two, three and four overs respectively.
Chittagong Vikings opener-cum-skipper Tamim Iqbal’s knock of 74 and 4th pair stand of 86 in 9.2 overs between Tamim and Shoaib Malik helped his side collect 134 for six wickets in 20 overs.
The stand broke when Malik was caught by Andre Russell off Ronsford Beaton at 119/4 in 17 overs from 33/3 in 7.4 overs.
Most run getter (425) in this edition BPL, Tamim fired six boundaries and three over boundaries off 59 balls, before being caught by Andre Russell off Dwayne Bravo when the team collection was 119/5 in 17.1 overs.
Another double figure scorer ‘Malik’ was out for 33 off 25 balls, including one four and one six, for the side which were sent in to bat first.
Man of the match ‘Dwayne Bravo’ bagged three wickets for 27. Ronsford Beaton claimed two wickets for 30 and Andre Russell took one for 23 runs. All bowled four overs each.
Source: Prothom Alo