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National stars bring back DPL’s charm
DHAKA ﻿FRIDAY﻿ ﻿APRIL﻿ ﻿22﻿, ﻿2022﻿, BAISHAKH 9, 1429 BS
Wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan struck an unbeaten ton -- a 118-ball 132 -- to dig out Sheikh Jamal from a precarious 81 for five during their Dhaka Permier League Super League match against Rupganj Tigers in Mirpur yesterday. Sohan’s heroics helped table-toppers Sheikh Jamal beat Rupganj Tigers by four wickets.
SPORTS REPORTER
SHAKIB GETS ONE OVER TAMIM
Dreary weather greeted the cricketers at BKSP yesterday as overnight rain made for a soggy morning. The star-studded teams featuring the country’s top-tier cricketers had to wait it out as the toss could not be held on time. The wet outfields led to a rain-curtailed game eventually getting underway at 12:00pm instead of 9:00am but it allowed the cricketers to while away the few hours with adda sessions. However, the 33-over-per-side game had all the ingredients of an exciting affair.
Both Bangladesh stars Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal were back in the domestic circuit for their first game of the DPL after missing a majority of the tournament due to their national team duties on the tour of South Africa.
In their first game back, Shakib and Tamim faced off against each other for their respective sides, Legends of Rupganj and Prime Bank.
Tamim got off the mark with a six off Al Amin as the first two overs produced 22 runs. But Shakib had an immediate impact upon introduction as he got the better of Tamim, who holed out at mid-wicket off Shakib’s second delivery.
The all-rounder finished with two for 19 in seven overs and Anamul Haque’s 73 allowed Prime Bank to reach 152 all out in 31.2 overs, with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza also scalping two wickets. However, the match was far from over as Muktar Ali and Tanbir Hayder would later show.
MUKTAR-TANBIR HEROICS
Taijul Islam, standing at point, had one stump to aim at and he aimed right, catching Shakib out of his crease at the danger end as Rupganj slumped to 84 for seven in just 20.1 overs.
The Prime Bank spinners had the impact skipper Mohammad Mithun had hoped for and Rakibul Hasan picking up Sabbir Rahman and regular performer Naeem Islam caused a severe collapse.
That was when Muktar joined Tanbir at the crease. For a while, they appeared content only to not lose wickets. But having taken the game a bit deeper, they hit the accelerator in the 28th over.
While Tanbir was taking charge at the front end of that partnership, Muktar unleashed his shots late on with their side needing 43 off the last five overs.
Muktar hit Rakibul for a six straight over his head before picking off two boundaries off Rejaur Raja’s over. Needing five off the last three deliveries, Muktar then hit Mahedi Hasan over long on and over Tamim’s head to notch a three-wicket win.
“When Shakib is there, there is relief but there is also fear of depending on him to do everything. I told the others to stay disciplined,” Mashrafe said later.
NURUL TON, EBADOT SCARE
At Mirpur, Nurul Hasan capitalised on his form by hitting an unbeaten 132 off 118 deliveries to help Sheikh Jamal to a four-wicket win.
Pacer Ebadot Hossain got a blow to the hand during the match and could not complete his over. He required stitches but the injury was superficial according to BCB chief physican Debashish Chowdhury and the bowler was prescribed a week’s rest.
At Fatullah, Brothers Union upstaged Khelaghar Samaj Kallayan Samity by eight wickets in the Relegation League match.
Meanwhile at BKSP’s ground 3, star-studded Abahani fell to their second successive Super League defeat as Gazi Group won by 27 runs despite skipper Mosaddek Hossain’s stormy 50-ball 73.