Comilla confirm Qualifiers spot

Comilla Victorians became the second team after Fortune Barishal to confirm the Qualifiers spot after an all-round performance from Moeen Ali helped them to register a comprehensive 65-run win over Khulna Tigers in the day game of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
With 13 points from six wins in nine games, Comilla moved to the top of the table. Barishal, meanwhile, with equal 13 points from nine outings are in the second spot. Both these teams will play the first qualifier on February 14 in Mirpur.
Khulna, meanwhile, will have to wait till the last game of the tournament to confirm their playoff spots.
In today's game, chasing a huge 189-run target set by Comilla, Mushfiqur Rahim-led Khulna surrendered helplessly and eventually were bundled out for just 123 in 19.3 overs.
After scoring a blistering 35-ball 75, Moeen also remained instrumental with the ball in hand as he ended with impressive figures of two for twenty in his four overs.
Mustafizur Rahman also remained clinical as he removed both the Khulna openers Andre Fletcher, who smashed spinner Nahidul Islam for 16 runs in the opening over, and Rony Talukdar in successive deliveries in his very first over.
On the other hand, it was a rather disappointing batting display from Mushfiqur's Khulna as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals with Thisara Perera's 26 being the highest score for the side.
Earlier, Comilla posted the highest first-innings total in the day game in Mirpur this season as they accumulated 188 for six, courtesy of Moeen's carnage and a quick-fire 17-ball 41 from opener Liton Das.
Moeen struck nine sixes and a four as he, along with Faf du Plessis, added 83 runs for the fourth wicket to set the tone for Comilla for a big total after being asked to bat.
Comilla, however, lost momentum in the middle after losing Liton, who smashed four boundaries and three maximums, and were 71 for three inside ten overs. But Moeen retaliated in style, smashing Soumya Sarkar for three sixes and scoring a total of 20 runs in the 13th over to get Comilla back in the driving seat.
Faf then joined the party but he was eventually dismissed after a 36-ball 38, featuring three fours and a six. Moeen, however, kept on piling misery on Khulna bowlers and was only dismissed in the final over of the innings but after helping Comilla amass 68 runs in the last five overs.
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