Riders complete playoffs lineup

The Mashrafe Bin Mortaza-led Rangpur Riders became the fourth team to qualify for the Bangladesh Premier League playoff stage with a spirited 19-run win over third-placed Khulna Titans at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur last night.

With the win, Rangpur are still in fourth spot with six wins from 11 games, but have ensured that there is no chance for the Sylhet Sixers, who are on four wins from 11 matches.

Chasing 148, with all their big batsmen gone and needing 41 from the last three overs, Khulna's Joffra Archer ignited some hope by hitting two sixes in the 18th over by Isuru Udana, but was run out off the last ball. Thereafter, Khulna lost one more wicket and finished their innings on 128 for eight.

Khulna wasted the perfect start provided by a 60-run opening stand by Nazmul Hossain and Michael Klinger in just eight overs. But when Nazmul was trapped in front by off-spinner Nazmul Islam, who earlier dropped the batsman on nought, for 20, it precipitated a panicked collapse of six wickets for 37 runs in 7.1 overs as Rangpur found their groove.

After Nazmul's departure, Nazmul Islam and Nahidul Islam conceded just 11 runs in the next two overs and that seemed to set the cat among the pigeons. Afif Hossain holed out to Mashrafe at deep midwicket off Shohag Gazi in the 11th over, Klinger followed for 44 in the 13th over, slapping Ravi Bopara into the hands of the same fielder at cover. In the 15th over Khulna skipper Mahmudullah Riyad was bowled by Nahidul trying the slog sweep.

Carlos Brathwaite came in and hit a six, but off the last ball of the over, Nicholas Pooran was run out trying for a desperate run. Off the very next legal delivery, having bowled two wides to start off the 16th over, Isuru Udana had Brathwaite swinging expansively to a full, wide delivery and edging through to the keeper. With the big man gone and the score reading 97 for six, the match was all but gone for Khulna.

Earlier, Mohammad Mithun was dropped twice as he took Rangpur to 147 for six with a well-paced 50 off 35 balls with two fours and four sixes, three of which came in the last over bowled by Shafiul Islam. But on a two-paced pitch it was not easy going for the Riders after Khulna chose to field first at the toss.

Only Mithun and Chris Gayle made substantial scores while none of the rest crossed Brendon McCullum's 15. Gayle hit 38 off 27 balls and hit four boundaries and two big sixes and fell when he top-edged a googly from BPL debutant Mohammad Irfan to be caught at short third man in the 11th over. Irfan finished his quota with one for 20, while Archer was Khulna's best bowler with two for 28 from four overs.