Pacer Ripon Mondol claimed a 4-34 as Rajshahi Warriors edged past Sylhet Titans by five runs in a low-scoring Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The victory confirmed Rajshahi's top-two finish on the points table alongside Chattogram Royals, ensuring a place in Qualifier 1 on January 21.
Both teams, however, still have one group-stage match remaining, which will decide who finishes at the top of the table.
Sylhet could have stayed in contention for a top-two finish had they won the game. After restricting Rajshahi to 147-8, they looked well placed in the chase, but Ripon's incisive bowling ensured they were limited to 142-9.
Ripon struck at the very start of Sylhet's innings, removing Tawfique Khan for 1, and then tightened the screws further by dismissing Afif Hossain for 16.
He returned in his second spell to claim the key wicket of Moeen Ali, who had appeared poised to take the game away from Rajshahi.
Moeen was eventually dismissed for a brisk 27 off 12 balls, an innings laced with one four and three sixes.
His wicket in the penultimate over all but sealed Rajshahi's victory.
Opener Parvez Hossain Emon, who played an attacking knock of 41 off 30 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes, kept Sylhet in the match amid the top order batters' clueless batting.
However, his efforts were undermined by a lack of intent from the middle order.
Earlier, Sylhet bowlers produced a disciplined performance to keep Rajshahi to a modest total after Mehidy Hasan Miraz opted to bowl first.
Pacer Shohidul Islam (2-37) and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed (2-30) shared four wickets to put the brakes on Rajshahi's vaunted batting lineup.
England recruit Moeen Ali also chipped in with an economical spell, finishing with 1-16 from four overs.
Rajshahi's innings was anchored by senior batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto, who added 56 runs for the third wicket after the team slumped to 27-2 inside four overs.
Mushfiqur top-scored with a 40 off 30 balls, while Shanto, who had struck a century against Sylhet in the first-leg encounter, made 34 off 21 balls with five fours and a six.
The departure of the duo stalled Rajshahi's momentum, and they fell short of the 150-run mark.
Shoriful, Mahedi lead Chattogram
Noakhali Express’ slim chance to keep their BPL playoffs hope was completely shattered after their five-wicket defeat to Chattogram Royals at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The victory, however, confirmed Chattogram’s top-two finish at the point table, ensuing that they would play the Qualifier-1. The advantage to play the Qualifier-1 is that a team would get two shots to the BPL final.
Shoriful Islam claimed his maiden five-wicket haul before captain Mahedi produced an all-round performance to script the side’s comfortable victory.
Shoriful ended with an envious figure of 3.5-1-9-5, one of the most economical bowling efforts by a Bangladeshi bowler while Mahedi grabbed 3-12 to help the side bundle Noakhali Express out for just 126 in 18.5 overs.
Chattogram faced a hiccup in their chase but Mahedi played a 36 ball-49 not out to steer the side to the victory in 17 overs, as Chattogram reached 128-5.
Noakhali gave them a glimmer of hope, thanks to Ihsanullah who snapped up 2-23 to help the side reduce Chattogram to 29-4.
Mahedi showed a steely resolve to get the side back into the contest, firstly sharing a 40-run with Hasan Nawaz who made 11 before adding 59 runs with Asif Ali for the unbeaten sixth wicket stand. Asif Ali was unbeaten on 36.
Earlier, Hasan Eisakhill and Soumya Sarkar began on a confident mode after Noakhali were asked to bat first but the breakthrough came from Mahedi who removed Soumya for 23, ending 34 runs partnership in just 3.1 overs.
Shoriful got into the groove with the wicket of Eisakhil who made 20 ball-25 before Mahedi ripped through Noakhali middle order with two more wickets that included Hasan Ali (12) and Habibur Rahman Sohan (11).
Shoriful then appeared into the stage with sheer venom, cutting through Noakhali like up in surgical fashion.
He took the last four wickets in his 11 balls to complete his first five-wicket haul and wrapped up Noakhali before they were able to play full 20 overs.