Khulna roar into play-offs

Needing a win to seal the last Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League play-offs spot, Khulna Tigers skipper Mushfiqur Rahim led from the front with an unbeaten 98 to set up a 92-run thumping of Cumilla Warriors at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

In chase of a daunting 218 for two -- the highest ever BPL total in Dhaka -- Cumilla limped to 126 for nine. Defeat for Cumilla meant that they were eliminated from the play-offs race. The last four lineup is now complete with Khulna joining leaders Chattogram Challengers, Dhaka Platoon and Rajshahi Royals.

During the chase, Upul Tharanga top-scored with 32. For Khulna, pacer Shahidul Islam took three for 27 while Mohammad Amir and Aminul Islam took two each.

Cumilla opener Sabbir Rahman, who was dismissed by Amir after a verbal spat in their last match on Wednesday, was castled first ball by a superb Amir in-swinger yesterday.

Earlier, things did not look bright for Khulna after they were asked to bat first.

Opener Nazmul Hossain departed in the first over and Khulna were in a spot of bother after a dangerous looking Rilee Rossouw fell to Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the fourth over, leaving Khulna at 33 for two.

Since then, Khulna’s resurgence was scripted by Mehedi Hasan Miraz and skipper Mushfiqur.

The duo strung together an unbeaten 168-run third-wicket stand -- the second-highest partnership for the wicket and the fifth highest overall in the BPL.

Khulna were firmly in charge throughout with both the players scoring quick runs and finding boundaries with ease.

However, the partnership was forced to end when Mehedi, while on 74 off 45 balls featuring five fours and three maximums, pulled his hamstring in the penultimate over and had to leave the field.

Mushfiqur continued but the stalwart could however consider himself unlucky as he could not get to his maiden T20 century. The right-hander’s 12 fours and three maximums could only get him as far as an unbeaten 98 off 57.