Afridi stars as Dhaka waltz into the BPL final

Dhaka Dynamites, banking on pure power hitting and a sensational trio of spin bowlers, reached the 2017 BPL final with a 95-run win over Comilla Victorians in the first qualifier in Mirpur.

Evin Lewis gave them the perfect start with the bat, top scoring with 47 before Kieron Pollard and Shahid Afridi powered them to 191 for 7 in 20 overs. Comilla's bowlers suffered greatly, except for Hasan Ali who took 3 for 16.

Comilla's hopes of chasing their target were extinguished quickly - they were six down inside 10 overs - and were eventually bowled out for 96. Afridi, Shakib Al Hasan and Sunil Narine presented combined figures of 10-2-44-6.

Dhaka now await the winner of Sunday's second qualifier between Comilla and Rangpur Riders.

Lewis, who survived a close leg-before shout in the first over, started off with three fours in the third over. Lewis hit Mahedi Hasan for two sixes in the sixth over, and a third off Shoaib Malik, all over long off. With Lewis off to a flyer, Dhaka were quicker to get off the blocks in the qualifier.

Malik, however, had the last laugh, dismissing Lewis in the ninth over. Lewis had struck six fours and three sixes in his 32-ball effort before he was bowled. Joe Denly and Lewis added 69 runs for the second wicket, thereby building a perfect base for the oncoming big-hitters.

While Denly manned one end, Pollard and Afridi ripped into the Comilla bowlers from the other. Pollard struck three sixes - straight, over cover and over square leg - in his 18-ball 31. Afridi hacked four sixes in his 19-ball 30, hitting two slog sweeps, a pull and a swipe over long off.

Liton Das drove back to Mosaddek Hossain in the first over of Comilla's chase to start poorly. Shakib then bowled Jos Buttler for 5 after the Englishman missed a cut after backing away too much. Imrul Kayes was Mosaddek's second wicket when the ball stayed low to go beneath his bat. And soon after, Abu Hider had Marlon Samuels caught behind and Comilla slipped far too quickly inside the Powerplay.

In the 10th over, Afridi struck twice: he dismissed Tamim Iqbal and Dwayne Bravo to reduce Comilla to 55 for 6. They had lost three wickets in a space of ten balls without adding a single run. Tamim made 31 off 28 balls, and was stumped trying to add a second six to his name. Off the over's fifth ball, Bravo was adjudged lbw for a duck, trapped right in front of middle stump.

Wickets came thick and fast for Dhaka towards the end. Mohammad Saifuddin was run out, caught short of the crease when he tried for a second run with Malik, who himself fell in the 13th over. Narine took a second wicket before Afridi added his third, as Comilla's surrender was complete with the team all for their lowest BPL score ever.