Rajshahi still alive, Sylhet exit
Rajshahi Kings kept their hopes alive for a playoff spot by registering a five-wicket win over Sylhet Sixers in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday.
With six wins from 12 games and having played all their group games, Rajshahi will now have to wait on the results of Dhaka Dynamites, who still have two games remaining with 10 points while Sylhet, after their seventh defeat, are out of the playoff race.
Chasing a stiff target of 190, Laurie Evans and Ryan ten Doeschate added 109 runs for the fourth wicket, paving the way for Rajshahi to clinch an easy win.
Evans top-scored with a 36-ball 76 with 10 fours and two sixes while ten Doeschate blitzed 42 off 18 balls.
Earlier, Sylhet posted 189 for five riding on Nicholas Pooran's 31-ball 76, which was studded with six sixes and as many fours, while Sabbir Rahman scored 45.
In the day's first game, Chittagong Vikings finally broke their three-match losing streak on home soil and clinched an 11-run win over Dhaka Dynamites, ensuring a play-off spot as the third team in the points table.
With seven wins from eleven games, Chittagong are now behind Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians on run rate, with all three teams on 14 points.
Electing to bat first, Chittagong posted 174 for five in 20 overs with Cameron Delport hitting four sixes and five fours in the innings' top score of 71 off 57 balls. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim added 43 off 24 balls as the pair contributed 79 for the third wicket.
In reply, Dhaka ended on 163 for nine after 20 overs, falling to their fourth consecutive defeat in the tournament.
Dhaka's Andre Russell registered the third hattrick of the ongoing sixth edition of the BPL and ended with figures of three for 38 from four overs, while Sunil Narine bagged two wickets.
Rusell removed both Mushfiqur and Delport with the first two balls of the 20th over before the right-arm seamer completed his hattrick by dismissing Dasun Shanaka.
Chasing the target, Dhaka were struggling on 23 for three inside four overs. Skipper Shakib Al Hasan top-scored with 53 off 42 balls with six fours, while Russell added 39 off 23.
Pacer Abu Jayed was the pick of the bowlers for Chittagong with figures of three for 25 from his four overs.
It was the last day of matches in the Chattogram leg and the BPL will resume tomorrow in the third and final Dhaka leg, which will end with a champion crowned on February 8.