Beximco Dhaka 179 for 7 (Sabbir 56, Naim 36, Shohidul 2-31) beat Gemcon Khulna159 (Jahurul 53, Shamim 24, Robi 5-27) by 20 runs

Beximco Dhaka's 20-run win against Gemcon Khulna sealed their place in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup playoffs. They are now equal on eight points with Khulna with one game in hand, leaving Minister Rajshahi and Fortune Barishal to battle out for the remaining playoff spot.

Dhaka gained control of this contest when Khulna's chase slipped from 78 for 2 to 95 for 6 in the space of 12 balls. Among these four wickets were the set pair of Mahmudullah and Jahurul Islam who made a 36-ball 53 with two sixes and four fours. A short burst from Shamim Hossain, who struck two sixes and as many fours in his 9-ball 24, had to be put out in the 16th over, in which Shuvagata Hom, their last recognised batsman, was also dismissed.

Robiul Islam Robi's maiden five-wicket haul came in three spells; he has already taken a four-wicket haul in the tournament. Rubel Hossain and Muktar Ali took two wickets each.

But it was Dhaka's batting, and two overs in particular, that sucked the life out of Khulna. Mohammad Naim hammered Shakib Al Hasan for four sixes in a 26-run second over of the match. Naim swung Shakib twice over long-on and twice over midwicket in an audacious charge.

After the left-hander fell for a 17-ball 36, Sabbir Rahman and Al-Amin added 64 runs for the second wicket. Sabbir went on to make his first fifty of the tournament before Dhaka's second big over handed them the momentum as Akbar Ali blasted left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam for four sixes in the 15th over. The first was a flat one over long-off, followed by two over long-on and a slog sweep that ensured Dhaka had a formidable total.