||CF Correspondent||

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club thrashed Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club by 24 runs in a show of aggressive brand of cricket, which helped them clinch their first major trophy in cricket by winning the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) T20 on Monday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here.

Opener Imtiaz Hossain struck a 44 ball-56, smashing four fours and two sixes as Sheikh Jamal racked up 157-7 which their bowlers, led by fast bowler Shahidul Islam career-best 4-19 proved enough by restricting Doleshwar for 133-8.

Electing to bat first under the floodlight, Jamal openers made a superb start, sharing 62 in just eighth overs and looked destined to bigger things until pacer Manik Khan interrupted.

He got the better of Fardeen Khan for 18 to make the much-needed breakthrough for the Doleshwar but Imtiaz kept taking the bowlers in disdain, unleashing some powerful shots from his repertoire.

Doleshwar bowlers regrouped well to take the wicket of Hasanuzzaman (4) and Nasir Hossain (5) and sensed a chance to wrap up Jamal innings earlier than anticipation when left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny rattled the stump of Imtiaz with a straighter delivery.

Captain Nurul Hasan and Tanbir Hyder took the onus and helped the side propel past 150 which looked unlikely after the dismissal of Imtiaz.

Hasan made a 27 ball-33, sending the ball across the ropes for three times while Tanbir was in destructive mood, hitting all the things coming to him around the corner. Tanbir struck four fours and one six in his 31 off just 15 deliveries.

Doelshwar captain Farhad Reza again was in good form with bowling, claiming 3-32, after his 5-32 in the semifinal game against Prime Bank Cricket Club. Farhad also hammered a 20 ball-45, clobbering two fours and five towering sixes but his attacking knock went in vain, largely because of the failure of the top order.

However, Doleshwar got off a solid start and the opening pair of Saif Hasan and Arafat Hossain combined for a 55-run stand before the latter retired hurt with a hamstring injury.

Arafat was 23 ball-33 with three fours and two sixes before he left the ground with pain. Saif Hasan who was playing well so far then gave a return catch to paceman Salahuddin Shakib to be out on 26. Leg-spinner Minhajul Abedin Afridi, playing his only second T20 match, tormented Doeshwar with his turn and guile and stemmed the run flow to make the task tougher for them.

He conceded just 10 runs and took one wicket, delivering four overs in a row that played an important role in increasing the asking run-rate alarmingly. Paceman Shahidul Islam took the onus to clean up the tail even though Reza kept the fielders busy hitting sixes at will. But the asking run rate escalated at such height that even his marauding knock was not enough to save the side. Shahidul’s 4-19 was complemented by Shakil’s 2-41.

Brief Score

Sheikh Jamal: 157/7