19 wickets in just 7 matches! Nobody can be that good unless he is Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the leading wicket-taker so far in the DPL this season.

Abahani quick Mashrafe took a four-fer on Friday to strangle Prime Bank’s batting line-up and restrict them to 246 runs in the 39^th match of the ongoing DPL. However, his effort was not proven enough as Abahani faced their first defeat in 7 matches.

Batting first, Prime Bank lost 2 wickets at 42 runs as Mashrafe returned both the openers back to the hut. However, Zakir Hasan and Al-Amin led the resurgence of their innings by amassing 62 and 84 runs, respectively.

Then after a couple of puny innings from the rest of the batting line-up, Mash again came back as a nightmare for the opponents taking the 7^th and the last wicket. Indian batsman Yusuf Pathan could not manage to score more than 28 runs and Prime Bank captain Monir Hossain made 20 runs.

MS Gony and Saqlain Sajib also bagged 2 wickets each while Nasri Hossain picked up a wicket but it was Mashrafe who initiated the crash for the opposing team by taking two quick wickets in the beginning.

While chasing the target, Abahani became three-down at just 17 runs. However, their skipper Nasir Hossain restored their innings alongside opening batsman Saif Hasan as they shared a 127-run partnership.

Nasir clubbed 65 runs while Saif made 75 runs but after their exits, Abahani lost control of the game and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Mohammad Rakib and Mashrafe tried to offer some resurgence by scoring 20-odd runs each but failed to stand firm against Prime Bank's bowling attack as Abahani eventually fell 9 runs short of the opponents' total.

Shariful Islam decked Abahani's middle-order and scalped 4 wickets. Delwar Hossain took 2 wickets whereas Enamul Haque Jr. and Nahidul Islam bagged one wicket apiece.

Score:
Prime Bank – 246/10 (49.2 overs)
Abahani - 237/9 (50 overs)

Prime Bank won by 9 runs