Mohammadan end 9-year wait to defeat Abahani

In a thrilling encounter in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), Mohammadan Sporting Club ended a nine-year wait to defeat Abahani Limited, winning by 39 runs.

The match, held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, saw Mohammadan level points with Abahani in the group stage, although Abahani maintained the top spot due to a superior net run rate.

After a disappointing start with the bat, Mohammadan recovered thanks to a superb partnership between Anisul Islam Imon and Mahidul Islam Ankon, who added 123 runs for the second wicket. Ankon was dismissed for 48, but Imon went on to play an outstanding knock of 114 runs off 104 balls, securing his first-ever DPL century. Despite contributions from Mushfiqur Rahim (20), Mahmudullah (17), Hridoy (3), and Miraz (18), Mohammadan finished on 264 runs. Nahid Rana was the standout bowler, taking 3 wickets for 23 runs.

In response, Abahani's chase faltered early, losing openers Zishan Alam (3) and Parvez Hossain (16) cheaply. Captain Nizamul Hossain Shanto attempted to steer the innings, playing a brilliant 80-run knock, but his dismissal sparked a collapse. The middle order also faltered as Mominul (25), Mithun (19), Mosaddek (24), and Mrittunjay (24) failed to build partnerships. Ebadat Hossain's excellent bowling (4/36) saw Abahani all out for 225 in 47.2 overs.

This victory not only earned Mohammadan vital points but also marked the end of a nine-year drought against Abahani in the league. Despite this setback, Abahani remained top of the table due to their superior net run rate, and both teams progressed to the Super League stage.

Azizul Hakim Tamim's century guides Gulshan to victory over Prime Bank

Gulshan Cricket Club secured a comfortable five-wicket victory over Prime Bank Cricket Club, thanks to a brilliant century from their captain, Azizul Hakim Tamim. Prime Bank's batters struggled to cope with Gulshan's disciplined bowling attack, which restricted them to a modest total of 203 runs.

In response, Gulshan started confidently with opening batsmen Jawad Abrar and Azizul Hakim Tamim, who put on 48 runs during the powerplay without losing a wicket. They handled Prime Bank's pace bowlers, Hassan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed, with composure. However, the partnership was broken when Jawad was dismissed for 33 runs off 48 balls, caught at deep mid-wicket by Shahadat Hossain Dipu off Naeem Ahmed's bowling. Shortly after, Alif Hasan Iman also fell in a similar fashion, and veteran Naeem Islam contributed just 5 runs off 17 balls.

Despite the early dismissals, Azizul Hakim Tamim remained steadfast, anchoring the innings. He reached his half-century off 56 balls and continued to play with authority, reaching his century off 104 balls. His knock of 105 runs formed the foundation of the successful chase. Azizul Hakim's dismissal at 200 runs brought an end to his superb innings, but Khalid Hasan, who scored 38 runs, along with Shakib Shahriar and Farhad Reza, saw Gulshan home to victory with five wickets in hand.

Prime Bank, batting first, were never able to find their rhythm as wickets fell at regular intervals. Sabbir Hossain, who started brightly, was dismissed for 22 runs. Fellow opener Naim contributed 36 runs, but the middle order, including Dipu, Shami, and Zakir Hasan, failed to build any significant partnerships. Irfan Shukkur and Sajjadul Haque Ripon briefly revived the innings, with Irfan scoring 43 runs before being dismissed. Sajjadul, however, remained unbeaten on 51 runs, guiding Prime Bank to 225 in their allotted 47.1 overs.

Gulshan's bowlers were exceptional, with Mehdi taking three wickets. Naim, Asaduzzaman, and Nihad each claimed two wickets, putting Prime Bank on the back foot throughout their innings.

This win puts Gulshan in a strong position as they head into the Super League stage with 15 points from 11 matches.

Rupganj Tigers defeat Shinepukur by 28 runs

Rupganj Tigers defeated Shinepukur Cricket Club by 28 runs. Batting first, Rupganj posted a solid total of 250/6, thanks to a brilliant century from Abdul Majid. Shinepukur, in response, were bowled out for 222 runs, falling short by 28 runs in their chase.

Shinepukur's openers, Rahmatullah Ali and Moinul Islam, provided a solid start with a partnership of 57 runs. However, a dramatic collapse followed as they lost three wickets in quick succession, with Ali being dismissed for 8 and Neon Zaman out for just 2. Moinul, who had played well for his 50 runs off 27 balls, was also dismissed, and soon after, Ryan Rafsan was dismissed for a mere 9 runs.

Rahim Ahmed fought valiantly, scoring 53 runs off 90 balls, and Shahriar Sakib contributed with a knock of 50 runs off 59 balls. However, no one else could support them, and Shinepukur's chase ended at 222 runs.

Mahmudul Hasan was the standout bowler for Rupganj, taking 4 wickets for 31 runs. Jibon Ahmed claimed 3 wickets, while Mahiyuddin Tarek and Al Amin Junior took 2 and 1 wickets, respectively.

Earlier, Majid's century, combined with a solid 56 from Mahmudul, helped Rupganj set a challenging target. Shinepukur's bowlers, Shariful Islam and Mohammad Walid, each took 2 wickets, but it was not enough. With this win, Rupganj moved to 9th place, while Shinepukur remain at the bottom