Comilla Victorians confirmed top two finish in the group stage, and hence confirmed qualifier berth, of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 2022 thanks to a dominating victory over Khulna Tigers Friday.
At Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Comilla won by a comprehensive 65-run margin to take their tally to 13 points from nine games, and ensured their battle of qualifier against Fortune Barishal with one group match in hand.
The loss at the same time jolted Khulna’s chances of advancing to the eliminator as they are on fifth position with eight points from nine games.
These two sides will meet again Saturday in their last group phase match and Khulna not only have to win but also have to hope other results go their way.
Khulna actually started well after winning the toss as opening bowler Khaled Ahmed conceded just three from the first over.
But Comilla opener Liton Das thought charging the spinner Nabil Samad was a good idea and he set the tone with a four, followed by a six, in the first two balls of the second over.
The dashing batsman continued his whirlwind knock and the swashbuckling innings came to an end in the fifth over but by then he scored 41 off just 17 with four fours and three sixes.
After Liton’s storm Faf du Plessis played a slow innings of 38 off 36 in the middle overs but Moeen Ali unleashed the most destructive innings to put a big total of 188/6 for Comilla.
The Englishman from Birmingham, who batted at No 5, scored 75 runs off 35 balls with as many as nine sixes and one four - which only came after his eighth maximum.
In reply Khulna opener Andre Fletcher made a blistering start smashing 16 runs from the first over but Comilla pacer Mustafizur Rahman put a big halt by picking up both the openers in the first two balls of the second over.
Khulna faced yet another double blow when the score was 44 as Yasir Ali was dismissed for 18 before captain Mushfiqur Rahim was out for a four-ball duck and that almost ensured the outcome of the game.
Thisara Perera scored 26 off 23 batting at eight while Soumya Sarker made 22 off 25 at one-down just to reduce the defeat margin.
Abu Haider Rony took three wickets conceding 19 off four overs for Comilla.
Moeen was adjudged player of the match.
