Sylhet Royals joined Dhaka Gladiators in the qualifiers for the final in the Bangladesh Premier League after they trounced Khulna Royal Bengals by a huge 61-run margin at Mirpur on Tuesday.
\nThe win, which was backed by two half centuries from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Paul Sterling, took the Royals\u2019 tally to 16 points from 11 matches, which means they are guaranteed a spot in the top two.
\nUnlike the first edition, the tournament has no semi-finals \u2013 rather a qualifier and two eliminators which will decide the two finalists.
\nThe top two teams will play in the qualifier and the winners will move into the final while the losers will play against the victors between the third and fourth placed teams for a berth in the final.
\nIt means the Royals will get two chances to confirm a place in the final like Gladiators, who beat the same side a day earlier to confirm their berth in the qualifier.
\nThe already eliminated Khulna Royal Bengals have now completed their tally of 12 league matches with three wins against nine defeats which confined them to the bottom of the points table.
\nThe match virtually turned into a no-contest after Royals put 196- 3, riding on Chanderpaul\u2019s 66 off 51 balls and Sterling\u2019s 66 off 39 balls, and then reduced Khulna Royal Bengals to 4-31 inside five overs.
\nWicketkeeper Mithun Ali scored 60 off 47 balls to delay the inevitable as Khulna Royal Bengals ended their chase on 135-7. Afghan off-spinner Mohammad Nabi was the pick of the Royals bowlers with 3-28, which took him to third among the highest wicket takers with 14 wickets from 11 matches.
\nBRIEF SCORES
\nSylhet Royals 196-3 in 20 overs (S Chanderpaul 66, P Stirling 66, NH Milon 36 not out) v Khulna Royal Bengals 135-7 in 20 overs (M Ali 60, MS Wessels 26 not out; M Nabi 3-28, E Chigumbura 2-18).
\nResult: Sylhet Royals won by 61 runs.
\nMan of the match: P Stirling (SR).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sylhet Royals joined Dhaka Gladiators in the qualifiers for the final in the Bangladesh Premier League after they trounced Khulna Royal Bengals by a huge 61-run margin at Mirpur on Tuesday. The win, which was backed by two half centuries from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Paul Sterling, took the Royals\u2019 tally to 16 points from 11 … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[1105,6374,7766,7756,9681],"yoast_head":"\n