Barisal Bulls, Comilla Victorians eliminated from BPL after Rangpur Riders win

Rangpur Riders have eased past Barisal Bulls to ensure the elimination of last edition’s champions and runners-up of the Bangladesh Premier League.

In their last match of the tournament, the Bulls, runners-up in 2015, slumped to a 29-run defeat and bowed out while champions Comilla Victorians, too, are eliminated with a match to spare in their campaign.

Rangpur, who are now third in the points table with a match to go, posted 154-5 and Barisal needed to chase it down in 14.4 overs to keep their hopes alive at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.

But Mushfiqur Rahim and his men folded for 125 in 18.2 overs, finishing their campaign at the bottom of the table with eight points from 12 matches.

Comilla also have eight points playing a match fewer, but with the top four teams on 12 points or more, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and his men are out of contention.

Dhaka Dynamites have ensured top spot by bagging 16 points from 11 matches, while Rangpur, Chittagong Vikings and Khulna Titans have 12 points each.

Comilla’s start to the campaign had been disastrous as they managed just one win from their first eight matches. They won their last three matches but the effort came too late as their fate in the tournament hinged on the result of matches involving other teams.

Barisal had a much brighter start to the tournament, however, when they won three matches from their first four. But a six-match losing run after that virtually blighted their chances.