Ifti stars as Gulshan stun Mohammedan; wins for Prime Bank and Agrani Bank
Iftikhar Hossain Ifti, who scored a magnificent 108 off 110 balls was just as effective with the ball, taking three wickets.
Gulshan Cricket Club pulled off a major upset in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) as they thrashed Mohammedan Sporting Club by 107 runs at BKSP.
Prime Bank Cricket Club and Agrani Bank Cricket Club also started their campaigns with victories against Rupganj Tigers and Abahani Limited, respectively.
Gulshan Cricket Club set a formidable target of 298 runs after electing to bat first. Despite losing captain Azizul Hakim Tamim early, the innings was anchored by Iftikhar Hossain Ifti, who scored a magnificent 108 off 110 balls. Jawad Abrar added 75 from 86 deliveries, while Habibul Sheikh Munna chipped in with a brisk 47 off 53 balls. Abu Hider Rony was the standout bowler for Mohammedan, claiming four wickets.
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Mohammedan's chase never gained momentum. Captain Tamim Iqbal managed only 22 runs from 22 balls before departing with the score on 31. The middle order also faltered, with Rony Talukdar scoring just 9 off 23 deliveries. Despite Mahidul Islam Ankon's 31 off 40 and Ariful Islam's 73 off 79, Mohammedan collapsed to 191 all out in 40.2 overs.
Ifti was just as effective with the ball, taking three wickets, while Tamim and Mohammad Ilyas picked up two wickets each. Gulshan's all-round performance handed them a comprehensive 107-run victory.
In another match at BKSP, Prime Bank Cricket Club rode on Shamim Hossain Patwary's unbeaten 98 to secure a thrilling win against Rupganj Tigers. Chasing 217, Prime Bank were in deep trouble at 23 for 4, with their top order crumbling under pressure. However, Shamim and Syed Khaled Ahmed put together a crucial 107-run partnership that turned the match on its head.
Shamim's 98 came off 83 balls and included 10 fours and 4 sixes. Khaled, who also contributed with the ball by taking two wickets, scored 28 runs off 37 balls. The pair guided Prime Bank to victory in just 32.2 overs, sealing the win by three wickets. Earlier, Abdul Mazid's 53 and Tanvir Haider's 47 were the highlights for Rupganj Tigers, who were bowled out for 216 in 48.4 overs. Arafat Sunny and Nahidul Islam both picked up three wickets each for Prime Bank.
Meanwhile, Agrani Bank secured a comfortable six-wicket win over Abahani Limited at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Abahani struggled with the bat, posting 234 runs with Mosaddek Hossain's 73 off 65 balls and Parvez Hossain Emon's 50 off 74 being the only notable contributions. Shahidul Islam was the pick of the bowlers for Agrani Bank, taking four wickets.
Agrani Bank chased down the target with five overs to spare, thanks to a captain's knock from Imrul Kayes, who scored 94 off 94 balls, hitting 3 fours and 7 sixes. He built a vital 125-run partnership with Amit Hasan, who added 44 off 63 deliveries. Sadman Islam also contributed with 46 runs off 70 balls. Abahani's Mahfuzur Rahman Rabbi took two wickets but could not prevent his side's defeat.
