Mahedi, Baig power Chattogram to BPL final; Sylhet to meet Rajshahi in Qualifier 2

Chattogram Royals sealed their berth in the BPL final, beating Rajshahi Warriors by six wickets in a close Qualifier 1 in Dhaka. The losing side Rajshahi will now meet Sylhet Titans in Qualifier 2 on Wednesday.

Chattogram captain Mahedi Hasan took his side home with a six in the last over, a stunning straight drive that got the side close. He then flicked Ripon Mondol for two down to fine leg, as Chattogram, currently without an owner, reached the BPL final. Chattogram's owner had quit the day before the BPL began, with the BCB taking over. Habibul Bashar was made team director, and Mizanur Rahman was named coach.

Chattogram's openers Mohammad Naim and Mirza Baig took 11.3 overs to add 64 runs. When Naim fell for 30 off 38 balls, Hassan Nawaz hit Ripon Mondol for two sixes in the 15th over to boost their run rate. Hasan Murad removed Nawaz in the next over, before Asif Ali fell to Abdul Ghaffar Saqlain after hitting a six.

Batting first, Rajshahi were bowled out for 133 runs off the last ball of the innings. Tanzid Hasan provided them with a steady start with 41 off 37 balls, though he did not get much support from rest of the batters, before Saqlain, from the lower order, made a breezy 32 off 15 balls.

Mahedi Hasan and Aamer Jamal took two wickets each, while the rest of the bowlers took one each.

Chris Woakes' last-ball six kept Sylhet Titans alive in the BPL, as they beat Rangpur Riders by three wickets in the Eliminator on Tuesday. The shot over extra cover made Woakes' BPL debut all the more memorable after he had given them a great start with the ball.

Woakes took two wickets, while Khaled Ahmed picked up four as Rangpur were restricted to 111 for 9. Only Mahmudullah and Khushdil Shah reached the thirties as the tournament favourites struggled on a sluggish Dhaka pitch.

Sylhet struggled in the chase as they slipped to 44 for 4, before captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Sam Billings added 50 runs for the fifth wicket. Aliss Al Islam kept Rangpur in the game with 2 for 18. Mustafizur Rahman conceded six runs in the 19th over, leaving Faheem Ashraf with eight to defend in the last over.

Moeen Ali got out on the fourth ball, leaving Woakes and Khaled to take seven off the last two balls. Khaled took a single down the ground, before Woakes slammed Faheem for a six to seal the win.