Rajshahi Kings clinched a convincing seven-wicket win against Khulna Titans in the second qualifier of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20's fourth edition in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday. Rajshahi will now face Dhaka Dynamites in the grand finale of BPL 4, scheduled to be held on Friday evening at the same venue.
Chasing Khulna’s 125/9, Rajshahi chase down their target with four balls to spare.
Rajshahi made a nervous start as opening batsman Mominul Haque got out in the second over. Youngster Afif Hossain and the other Nurul Hasan formed a 29-run partnership before the latter was dismissed in the fifth over.
Sabbir Rahman came in to bat at No 4 and played a matured innings. He started his innings slowly but eventually remained unbeaten to guide his side to victory. Sabbir scored 43 off 52 deliveries.
The match went to the last over with Rajshahi requiring four off six balls and with Mahmudullah bowling it, the Khulna fans were hoping for an unlikely win, given that their captain had won them two games after defending successfully in the final over.
Sabbir took a single off the first ball before New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin, who remained undefeated on 30 off 24 balls, finished the match off in grand style with a huge six.
Rajshahi fans celebrate following victory
DHAKA TRIBUNEMahmudullah, Kevon Cooper and Mosharraf Hossain bagged one wicket each for Khulna.
Earlier, Mahmudullah won the toss and elected to bat first.
Khulna made one change from the previous match – Qualifier 1 against Dhaka. Top-order batsman Andre Fletcher was dropped and in came Windies all-rounder Cooper.
Khulna made a horrible start as both the openers - Hasanuzzaman and Abdul Mazid - were run out in the third over. First, Hasanuzzaman was out as a result of a mix up with Mazid and only two balls later, the latter got out after a mix-up with Nicholas Pooran.
Khulna were dealt another blow in the fourth over when as Shuvagata Hom got out cheaply with the scoreboard reading 17/3.
Pooran then played a quickfire 22 run innings off just 10 balls, smashing two boundaries and as many sixes two sixes. But he paid the price for playing one too many attacking shot with youngster Afif Hossain accounting for his scalp in the first ball of the seventh over.
Khulna then lost the key wicket of Mahmudullah in the 13th over.
Eventually, Khulna post 125 runs on the board from their stipulated 20 overs.
Arifur Rahman was the top-scorer for Khulna with 32 runs from 29 deliveries.
Rajshahi's English left-arm spinner Samit Patel bowls
DHAKA TRIBUNEEnglish off-spinner Samit Patel took three wickets for Rajshahi conceding just 19 runs and was later adjudged player of the match.
BRIEF SCORERajshahi Kings 129/3 in 19.2 overs (Sabbir 43*, Franklin 30*, Afif 26) beat
Khulna Titans 125/9 (Ariful 32*, Pooran 22, Patel 3/19)
by seven wickets FINALDhaka Dynamites v Rajshahi Kings,
6:15pm, Friday, SBNS, Mirpur
Rajshahi fans celebrate following victory DHAKA TRIBUNEMahmudullah, Kevon Cooper and Mosharraf Hossain bagged one wicket each for Khulna.
Earlier, Mahmudullah won the toss and elected to bat first.
Khulna made one change from the previous match – Qualifier 1 against Dhaka. Top-order batsman Andre Fletcher was dropped and in came Windies all-rounder Cooper.
Khulna made a horrible start as both the openers - Hasanuzzaman and Abdul Mazid - were run out in the third over. First, Hasanuzzaman was out as a result of a mix up with Mazid and only two balls later, the latter got out after a mix-up with Nicholas Pooran.
Khulna were dealt another blow in the fourth over when as Shuvagata Hom got out cheaply with the scoreboard reading 17/3.
Pooran then played a quickfire 22 run innings off just 10 balls, smashing two boundaries and as many sixes two sixes. But he paid the price for playing one too many attacking shot with youngster Afif Hossain accounting for his scalp in the first ball of the seventh over.
Khulna then lost the key wicket of Mahmudullah in the 13th over.
Eventually, Khulna post 125 runs on the board from their stipulated 20 overs.
Arifur Rahman was the top-scorer for Khulna with 32 runs from 29 deliveries.
Rajshahi's English left-arm spinner Samit Patel bowls DHAKA TRIBUNEEnglish off-spinner Samit Patel took three wickets for Rajshahi conceding just 19 runs and was later adjudged player of the match.BRIEF SCORERajshahi Kings 129/3 in 19.2 overs (Sabbir 43*, Franklin 30*, Afif 26) beat Khulna Titans 125/9 (Ariful 32*, Pooran 22, Patel 3/19) by seven wickets FINALDhaka Dynamites v Rajshahi Kings, 6:15pm, Friday, SBNS, Mirpur