Comilla thrash Rangpur, book a date with Sylhet in 1st qualifier

Comilla Victorians thrashed Rangpur Riders by 70 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on Friday to finish second in the points-table in the group phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023.

Sent to bat, Liton Das hit a brisk 47 off 33 balls while Pakistan’s Khushdil Shah hit an unbeaten 20-ball 40 to power Comilla to 177-5 in 20 overs.

Rangpur never looked in contention to successfully chase the total, losing wickets in regular succession before getting bundled out for 107 in 17 overs.

Pacer Mustafizur Rahman was the pick of the Comilla bowlers with three scalps in his three overs while left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam and West Indian spinner Sunil Narine claimed two wickets each.

With the win, Comilla finished the group phase with nine wins in 12 matches.

The defending champions had started their campaign with three consecutive losses but then went on to win nine straight games to seal their place in the first qualifier where they will face table toppers Sylhet Strikers.

Rangpur, on the other hand, slipped to third position with the defeat as they ended the group phase with eight wins in 12 matches.

Rangpur will now face the fourth placed Fortune Barishal in the eliminator match, where the loser will be eliminated from the tournament.

On the other hand, the winner of the first qualifier between Sylhet and Comilla will book a place in the final.

The loser of the first qualifier and the winner of the eliminator will face off in the second qualifier to determine the other finalist.

The eliminator and the first qualifier will be held on 12 February in Dhaka. The second qualifier will take place on 14 February at the same venue.

The final will be played on 16 February at the capital.

Before the knockout games, however, Barishal and Khulna Tigers will play in the final group phase match, which begins later on Friday.