Leaders Biman will t ike on Dhaka [Metropolis in one lot the two first round matches al Ihr Dhanmondi ( ii ket Stadium as the second leg of lh- (.recii Delta National Crl kt League gets underway tomorrow.

Holders Chittagong will meet Khulna in the other match at the Jessore Stadium.

Eight teams, split Into two groups, look part in the first leg. Biman and Chittagong qualified for the next round finishing first and second tn Group A. Biman collected the (Ugliest 32 points followed by Chlt(agmg's 30.

Khulna and Dhaka Metropolis made it from the other group having collected 26 points each

After the four-round second leg where teams from one group will meet only the teams from Hie other group, the side roller tillg the highest points from both legs Will be the champions.

The longer version game will be a four-day affair In the • ond leg instead of three-dayer which will be followed bv the one-day match. Like three-day mdRhes where firs! innings were limited |o hundred overs, there will be no restriction in overs in the first innings of the four-day mafehes.

Biman. who have a strong baiting line up. will miss the services of their most Inform batsman hiiraii Farhat. The ydlllig Pakistani all-roiiiukr who scored highest 735 runs with iwo centuries and took 23 wtckcis relumed home .liter thr first leg and would not be hack for the remaining four

matches. Bimaii. however have alreadv flown in a r pla« emvnt --th. lonner Pakisian Test all-r. nuclei Maiizoor Akhter

Dhak.i Metropolis, on the oiIk i hand have lost lop order baismall Zahoor Elahi as he has also returned to Lahore .ill. r ihe first leg. Although the officials initially hinted that his younger brother Saleem Elahi mmht plav the remaining matches for Dhaka Metropolis. Saleem Is yet to arrive.

But many think that the absence of Elahi won’t have anv significant impact on the Irani who have already reinforced their side by opening their door to national skipper Naimur Rahman Naimur. who Is a registered player of Dhaka Division. missed the first round because of injury, shifted his allegiance under mutual understanding as Dhaka Division have not qualilled for the second leg.

No changes are expected in the Chiltagon^ and Khulna

Chittagong have a powerhii hatting Une up which will be backed by Ihelr spin duo Shn-lied Mehmud and Enamul Ho-q"on Hie Other hand. Khulna, considered as the weakest among the four, have a bal-anted side composed mostly of young talents.

The Board has revealed th' fixture of the first two rounds The second round will start from January I I

Group A

Team 3 dayer I layer to.nl Biman 2-1 8 32

Chitiagong 20 4 30

Group B

Khulna 22 4 20

Dhaka Metro 20 6 20