Bangladesh High Performance were eliminated from the Top End T20 in Darwin on Sunday, losing a dramatic semi-final to Victoria Cricket Academy by one wicket after Liam Blackford struck the winning boundary with two balls to spare.

Victoria needed just a single run off the final over with one wicket in hand when Todd Murphy was run out off the first ball, raising hopes of a Super Over as Shamim Hossain conceded nothing off the next two deliveries.

Blackford ended those hopes, making room to smash the fourth ball through cover for four.

The finish capped a remarkable turnaround with the ball for Bangladesh, having defended a modest total of just 101.

Victoria had cruised to 75 for four at one stage, only for the bowlers to claw back into the contest by taking four wickets for 24 runs in a gripping middle phase.

Mystery spinner Mohammad Rubel was the standout performer throughout, striking twice with consecutive deliveries to dismiss Will Sutherland and Sam Elliott when Victoria needed just 21 more runs with six wickets in hand, before finishing with figures of 3 for 15 in his four overs.

Rubel had also removed Ha Dixon second ball of the innings and later took a superb boundary catch to account for Blake Macdonald, a dismissal that could arguably have counted as his own wicket.

He ended the tournament with 23 wickets from seven matches at an economy of 5.82, the leading haul by any bowler in the competition, with no one else managing more than 13.

Shamim Hossain also chipped in with two wickets, dismissing Tom Rogers and top scorer Campbell Kellaway, who made 23, while Ripon Mondol and Rakibul Hasan kept up the pressure with tight bowling and several close appeals that narrowly went unrewarded.

Pacer Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, who suffered cramps while batting, was unable to bowl during the run chase, a blow that Bangladesh may reflect on given how close the eventual margin proved to be.

Bangladesh's innings had started brightly after being sent in, racing to 46 in four overs behind Habibur Rahman Sohan's early reprieve and positive strokeplay from Ariful Islam and Jishan Alam.

Sohan fell for just three shortly after surviving a dropped catch off the very first ball, while Ariful struck a six and three fours before being caught on the boundary for 19.

The collapse then gathered pace rapidly. Jisan departed for 30, followed immediately by an unhappy Irfan Shukkur edging behind, before Sabbir Rahman, Shamim and Rakibul Hasan all fell cheaply in quick succession against Australian Test spinner Todd Murphy and the rest of the Victoria attack.

Bangladesh eventually limped to 101 all out thanks to late contributions from Abu Hider Rony and Ripon Mondol, a total that ultimately proved just short despite a spirited fightback with the ball that took the contest right down to the final over.