Darren Sammy’s Rajshahi Kings booked their spot in Friday’s final of the Bangladesh Premier League when they produced a clinical performance to beat Khulna Titans by seven wickets in the semi-final on Wednesday.
In a lopsided affair at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Kings easily chased down a modest target of 126 to win their second game in two days following their emphatic three-wicket win over Chris Gayle’s Chittagong Vikings on Tuesday at the same venue.
The championship game will see Kings take on heavy favourites Dhaka Dynamites, who feature West Indies all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell.
Opting to bat first, Titans struggled from the outset and needed an unbeaten 32 from ArifulHaque in order to reach 125 for nine.
West Indies Twenty20 batsman Nicholas Pooran hammered a breezy 10-ball 22 which included two fours and two sixes. He put on 37 for the fourth wicket with Captain Mahmudullah who made 22.
Trinidadian all-rounder Kevon Cooper failed with four down the order.
Vincentian seamer Kesrick Williams, who has played a single T20 International for West Indies, was once again excellent in his four overs, taking one for 18, while medium pacer Sammy claimed one for eight from two overs.
In reply, Kings were guided by Sabbir Rahman’s 43 not out and an unbeaten 30 from New Zealander James Franklin as they reached their target with four balls to spare.
The pair put on a match-winning 62 in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand, which lifted the Kings from 67 for three in the 12th over.
Seamer Cooper finished with one for 32 from his four overs. (CMC)
