Khulna beat Comilla to qualify for playoffs

Khulna Tigers 183 for 1 (Fletcher 101*, Mahedi 74, Moeen 1-13) beat Comilla Victorians 182 for 5 (du Plessis 101, Joy 31, Mahedi 1-29) by nine wickets

How the match played out

Andre Fletcher and Mahedi Hasan gave Khulna Tigers a royal entry into the BPL playoffs as they thumped Comilla Victorians by nine wickets. Fletcher and Mahedi added 182 for the first wicket with Mahedi getting out only after the scores were level.

Fletcher made his second T20 century, the first one also came in the BPL, to upend Faf du Plessis' 101 which had taken Comilla to a competitive 182 for 5 in 20 overs.

Khulna's progress means Minister Group Dhaka are eliminated from the BPL, as are Sylhet Sunrisers. Khulna will now take on Chattogram Challengers in the Eliminator, while Comilla will face Fortune Barishal in the first Qualifier.

Fletcher let out a huge roar when he reached his hundred, his third 50-plus score this season. When Soumya Sarkar took the winning single in the penultimate over, he punched the air. The match was put to bed when Mahedi struck Abu Hider for two fours and a six in a 19-run 16th over, which reduced the required runs from 34 to 15.

Big hit

Fletcher and Mahedi matched du Plessis shot-for-shot when Khulna replied. Despite a quiet first over, the Khulna openers brought up the team fifty in the fourth over. It was the perfect base for the big chase, as Fletcher hammered the ball gleefully in his favourite midwicket area for four of his six sixes. He also sliced Abu Hider for a six over point.

Fletcher also struck six fours in his 62-ball knock. However, he nearly walked off after being given out lbw when he was on 71. But Mahedi asked him to take the review at the last second, which saved him.

Mahedi, meanwhile, accumulated like any supporting act usually does. He struck two sixes down the ground, apart from scooping Shohidul Islam for one and top-edging Hider in the 16th over.

Earlier, du Plessis struck his third T20 century. He didn't spare any Khulna bowler, picking two particular zones for his 15 boundaries. He struck five fours and three sixes down the ground, while the rest of them came behind the wicket, particularly in the fine-leg region. His acceleration in the last five overs gave Comilla a strong finish.

du Plessis struck his second fifty off only 22 balls after taking 30 for the first. He added 49 runs for the third wicket with Mahmudul Hasan Joy before his 50-run fifth-wicket stand with wicketkeeper Mahidul Islam Ankon. The latter struck two sixes after du Plessis' dismissal.

Big miss

After his whirlwind 35-ball 75 in the previous match, Moeen Ali fizzled to just eight runs in this innings. Farhad Reza deceived him with a cutter, bowling him in the 14th over. Comilla would also rue their three-run final over when Sunil Narine couldn't get Mahedi away.

Source: ESPNcricinfo