|| CF Correspondent ||

Defending champions Rangpur Riders ended their Sylhet-phase on the perfect note as they defeated Rajshahi Kings by six wickets on the back of an all-round performance to book their berth in the last four in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury on Tuesday.

Rille Rossouw, leading run scorer of the tournament, continued to blaze with the bat as he notched up another half-century to help Riders reached 145-4 in 18.4 over after bowlers set up the platform for them by restricting their opponent to 141-8.

Chris Gayle failed to deliver again while in form Alex Hales went out cheaply but it hardly mattered for Riders as Rossouw along with AB de Villiers bailed them out by adding 71 crucial runs for the third wicket.

The win helped Riders earn 14 points from 11 games to make sure they move to the play-off along with Comilla Victorian while the other two spots are up for grabs for Dynamites, Chittagong Vikings and Sylhet Sixers.  

Rossouw can call himself lucky as Fazle Mahmud failed to grab a catch that he offered against Mustafizur Rahman on 29 runs but apart from that his ball innings had all the ingredients to satisfy the crowd at the port city before Fazle Rabbi removed him for 55 runs from 43 balls with five fours and two sixes.

AB was left with the job to do the formalities but he failed to do so as Mehedy Hasan took a stunner as AB stays low and tried to slice it to the left of Mehedy who dives to take a fantastic and athletic catch that his knock of 27-ball 37 with one boundary and three over boundary .

However, Nahidul(15 not out ) kept his nerve so sail them through to the play off.

Earlier, Kings never got them going after electing to bat as Riders put up a unified bowling effort in batting friendly track and tied down their opponent with their nagging line and length.

Mashrafee marshaled his troops next to perfection considering Riders lost one of their most consistent performers with the ball Shafiul Islam as he hurt his bowling shoulder with second delivery by felling onto the pitch after completing the delivery that forced him to leave the ground after bowling one more deliveries.

Farhad Reza was the wrecker in chief with his 3-30 and was ably supported by right arm medium pace bowler Shahidul Islam and and Nazmul Islam as they picked two wickets apiece.

Riders were reduced to 28-2 before Soumya Sarkar(14) and Laurie Evans tried to resurrect the ship with adding 32 runs for the fourth wicket and looked well settled to take up the bowling attack after having a good look at the wicket.