Dhaka secure playoff spot with win over Rangpur

And Rangpur Rangers are out of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 2019-20. 

Rangpur were on eight points before their match against Dhaka Platoon and needed to win both of their remaining matches to keep their hopes for a playoff spot alive. But in a do-or-die match, Rangpur produced an appalling performance as they lost to Dhaka Platoon by 61 runs. This win was also vital for Dhaka as they have now qualified for the playoffs with 14 points. 

Winning the toss, Rangpur skipper Shane Watson decided to field first in a must-win game for them. Batting first, Dhaka lost wickets in regular intervals and managed to put up a below-par score of 145-6.

Chasing a relatively small total of 146, Rangpur were dealt with massive blows early in the innings as they lost both their openers, Naim Sheikh and Watson, to Mahedi Hasan in the very first over. By the time the powerplay ended, Rangpur had lost two more wickets as they were down to 34-4 in the first six overs. Faheem Ashraf sent back Cameron Delport whereas Fazle Mahmud was sent back by Hasan Mahmud. 

Mashrafe Mortaza, the Dhaka skipper, struck in the next over as he got rid of Lewis Gregory. And after a brief stand of 20 runs between Mohammad Nabi and Al-Amin Jr, Mashrafe struck again to send Al-Amin back to reduce Rangpur to 59-6. 

Shadab Khan then struck twice in the 14th over to send back Jahurul Islam and Arafat Sunny before Faheem sent back Mohammad Nabi who was trying hold one end. Rangpur was finally bowled out for 84 when Mahedi took Mustafizur Rahman's wicket, ensuring a 41-run win for Dhaka. 

Mahedi picked up three wickets with Mashrafe, Faheem and Shadab picked up a couple.

Earlier, Dhaka started off with 14 runs from Mustafizur Rahman's first over, but could not follow that up as they managed to score 41 in the powerplay with losing the wicket of Anamul Haque. Anamul was given not out by the umpire but Rangpur reviewed and replays showed that Anamul had nicked it and had to go back. 

After the powerplay, Dhaka's flow of runs was thwarted even more as they kept on losing wickets. Within the 12th over, they were reduced to 81-4 as Mahedi Hasan, Ariful Haque and Mominul Haque went back for 1, 13 and 7 respectively. 

Taskin Ahmed then struck twice in the 14th over to send back the well-set Tamim Iqbal and Asif Ali. Tamim skewed a short delivery from Taskin which was grabbed by Watson at mid-off before Taskin rattled Asif's stumps with a yorker to reduce Dhaka to 90-6. 

Dhaka were dealt with another telling blow as Mustafizur Rahman in the 17th over to dismiss Thisara Perera but Shadab Khan did not budge as he hit Taskin for two consecutive sixes in the next over. 

Despite losing a couple of wickets, Shadab's cameo of 31 off 19 deliveries ensured that Dhaka reached 145-9. 

Mustafizur and Taskin picked up three wickets each whereas Mohammad Nabi picked up two with Lewis Gregory picking up the other one.