Abahani, Rupganj on top as Doleshwar edges Jamal out in nerve-wrecking game
Pic: Cricfrenzy
|| CF Correspondent ||
Abahani Limited and Legends of Rupganj kept their winnings spree in Dhaka Premier League (DPL), sealing their seventh win in eight games but the former stayed at top by better-run-rate. But the day’s exciting match was played in Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in which Prime Doleshwar held their nerve to edge Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club out by one-run.
Abahani Limited vs Khelaghar Samaj Kallayan Samity
Defending champions Abahani Limited demonstrated a ruthless performance to seal an emphatic 132-run wins over Kheleghar Samaj Kallayan Samity at BKSP-4 ground on Monday.
By virtue of the victory, Abahani retained the top place with 14 points in eight games.
Being sent to bat first, Abahani put up 262 before being all out in 48.4 overs after which their spinners caught the Khelaghar in spin-web to skittle them for 130 in 32.5 overs.
Left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam led the way with 4-36, while playing his first DPL match, Mehidy Hasan Miraj and Nazmul Islam Apu claimed two wickets apiece.
Nazmul Hossain Shanto was the top-scorer for Abahani Limited with 60 off 79, sending the ball across the rope nine times while Sabbir Rahman blasted a run-a-ball-49, hitting seven fours.
The duo combined for a 93-run partnership for the third wicket stand to lay a solid platform in a pitch conducive to the bowlers.
Before snaring 2-18 with cherry, Mehidy Miraj also dazzled with batting as he struck 47 off 54, with two fours and one six to give the side a late impetus. Opener Jahurul Islam chipped-in-with 25.
Medium pacer Robiul Haque grabbed five wickets for Khelaghar but conceded 64 runs in 9.4 overs. Irfan Hossain bagged 3-42.
Khelaghar’s chase never got a momentum due to Abahani bowlers’, specially their spinners disciplined bowling right from the start. Ariful Hasan made the initial breakthrough, claiming the wicket of Robiul Islam for naught after which the spinners took the control of the match.
Sunzamul and Mehidy Miraj in joint-venture dismantled the middle order before left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam Apu cleaned up the tail. Mosaddek Iftekhar was the top-scorer for Khelaghar with 36 not out. Shahriar Komol scored 32.
Khelaghar however is languishing at the bottom place with just one win from eight games.
Prime Doleshwar vs Sheikh Jamal
Farhad Reza struck a fluent 56 and then defended 11 runs in the last over to help Prime Doleshwar clinch a nerve-wrecking one-run victory over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
In a match that was rescheduled to 26 overs each side due to wet pitch as because of previous day’s thunderstorm, Prime Doleshwar compiled 239-6, scoring runs at 9.19 per over. But this hefty total looked not enough as Sheikh Jamal fought neck-to-neck before Reza held his nerve to hold them back to 238-9. He finished with 3-35, including the wicket of well-set Tanbir Hyder in the last over. Tnabir scored 25 ball-36.
Shiekh Jamal needed five runs in the last ball but No. 10 batsman Khaled Ahmed could manage a boundary.
Opener Imtiaz Hossain helped the side get off the chase in fluent start with 22 ball-34. Anustup Majumdar made 44, while Ziaur Rahman hit a whirlwind 21 ball-46 to keep the side in the hunt.
They stayed in the match till the last but Farhad Reza eventually made the difference.
Earlier he contributed with the bat too, hammering a 56 off just 20 balls, smashing three fours and six sixes. Opener Imran Uzzaman was the top-scorer for the side with 54 ball-75, hitting six fours and four sixes. Saad Nasim scored 36 ball-51. Salahuddin Shakil picked up 3-40.
Legends of Rupganj vs BKSP
Indian recruit Rishi Dhawan claimed 5-51 while Mominul Haque struck 93 as Legends of Rupganj recorded a five-wicket win over BKSP to keep their domination in DPL at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.
Dhawan came up with gem of fast bowling to restrict BKSP to 181-9 before Mominul Hauqe aced the chase as Rupganj reached winning mark of 182-5 in 45 overs.
Momimul gave the chase an impetus after opener Mohammad Naim got out cheaply, leaving the side at 9-1. Mominul and Mehedi Maruf got the side back in right track, sharing 68-run for the second wicket. In contrast of Mominul’s fluent batting, Maruf struggled to get the rhythm and finally was out on 27 off 56.
Mominul then shared another significant 88-run with captain Naeem Islam (31) to take the side closer to the victory. The diminutive batsman struck eight fours and two sixes in his 112 ball-93 before being dismissed by Sumon Khan as his side was just 14 runs away from the victory.
Rishi Dhawan established his dominance over BKSP once, Rupganj put the opponent into batting. In his first spell, the pacer from India’s Himachal Pradesh, ripped through the top order before cleaning up the tail in his second spell.
Shamim Hossain was the top-scorer for the side with 52 while opener Prantik Nawroz Nabil made 38.
The victory helped Rupganj join Abahani in top of the point table but for the time being they are in second spot by net-run-rate.
