Abnormally slow batting approach from Old DOHS raises questions to whether DPL match was fixed

The 11th match of the ongoing Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League 2019/20 has come under scrutiny because of a questionable batting approach by Old DOHS.

Chasing a target of 136 in 19 overs against Abahani Ltd, Old DOHS lost the match by 22 runs despite having as many as seven wickets in hand. 

Old DOHS openers were off to an abnormally sedate start. Rakin Ahmed and Anisul Islam Emon added only 26 in the first six overs.

Emon, who made his T20 cricket debut last year, has a strike rate of in excess of 120 and is more than capable of taking on the bowlers. He got out scoring only 20 off 27 balls. 

Mahmudul Hasan Joy played a splendid knock a few days ago but his batting too lacked a sense of urgency as the required run rate kept on going up. 

Rakin Ahmed, the other opener, stayed in the middle until the 15th over but couldn't accelerate when it was needed.

When he got out on 43 off 44, DOHS needed 53 off 25 with eight wickets in hand. 

But the excruciatingly slow batting from DOHS skipper Mohaiminul Khan and Mahmudul Hasan Joy cost them the match.

They scored only 30 off the last 25 balls and it looked like the ever-increasing required run rate did not bother them.

DOHS finished with 113 for three, 22 short of Abahani Ltd's total. 

Bdnews24.com's senior sports journalist Ariful Islam Roney questioned the batting approach on his verified Facebook profile, saying that there could be some non-cricketing factors controlling the game.

"The clubs are more like friends now rather than competitors. It's difficult to count the number of clubs headed by BCB officials. That Abahani and Old DOHS share such a friendly relationship is an open secret now," wrote Roney.  

Jamuna Television also termed DOHS's batting approach "suspicious" in their daily sports show Sports World.

Fans in social media have questioned the indifferent batting approach and many are assuming that the match was rigged.

However, it has to be kept in mind that the teams are playing the same squad as the List A tournament that was called off after only a single round last year due to Covid-19, and a lot of the players have made their debut in T20 cricket in the ongoing tournament.