SPORTS REPORTER

The National Cricket League T20 couldn’t have started in a better way as Shuvagata Hom’s last-ball six ensured Dhaka Division a thrilling six-wicket win over Sylhet Division in the opening match at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

The match witnessed some extraordinary power-hitting display by Sylhet’s Jishan Alam and Dhaka’s Ariful Islam – the former U-19 teammates who turned rivals for this tournament, striking 18 sixes combined, with the former also scoring the maiden T20 century of the competition. Jishan’s effort, though, was outshone by Ariful’s swashbuckling 46-ball 94, featuring six fours and eight sixes.

The highlight of Jishan’s innings, which featured four fours and 10 sixes, was the 32 runs he took of the 14th over of the innings, smashing off-spinner Arafat Sunny Jr for five successive sixes following a double. The youngster reached his maiden T20 hundred off just 52 balls – joint third quickest for a Bangladeshi batter in this format – helping Sylhet post 205-4 after being sent into bat first.

Ariful’s innings gave Dhaka the momentum in the massive chase but it was the unbroken 63-run stand for the fifth wicket between Shuvagata (31 off 18) and Mahidul Islam Ankon (30 off) and the former’s hitting Sylhet pacer Tofael Ahmed for a six over long-off when they required five runs off the final delivery, sealing Dhaka a cliffhanger.

The day’s second game at this venue witnessed Tamim Iqbal’s return to competitive cricket after a seven months but the southpaw could not make the occasion memorable as the Chattogram Division opener could only score 13 off 10 balls during their five-wicket defeat to Rangpur Division.

Rangpur pacer Mukidul Islam Mugdho was wrecker-in-chief with a 3-17 while Alauddin Babu took 2-9 to help their side limit Chattogram to 132-9 before Tanbir Hayder’s 37-ball 41 guided Rangpur home with 19 balls to spare.

Meanwhile, Sylhet Outer Stadium produced high scores in both games on the opening day, with Dhaka Metro and Rajshahi Division coming out on top against Barishal Division and Khulna Division respectively.

In the morning contest, riding on fifties from Mohammad Naim (65 off 35) and Imranuzzaman (53 off 33), who also formed a 119-run stand for the opening wicket, Dhaka Metro posted 192 for four in 20 overs.

Fazle Mahmud then struck 77 off 52 balls while skipper Sohag Gazi made an unbeaten 32-ball 40 but those efforts went in vain as Barishal could only manage 161 for eight, losing the contest by 31 runs. Left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan of Dhaka Metro finished with 3-26.

Meanwhile, the day’s last game witnessed Rajshahi winning against Khulna by 11 runs in D/L method after the last few overs of the contest could not take place due to bad light.

Rajshahi were cruising to victory when the game stopped after 17.2 overs as opener Habibur Rahman Sohan’s 38-ball 66 pushed them to 153-3 while chasing 173 runs.

Earlier, Azizul Hakim Tamim, who recently led the U-19 side to Asia Cup triumph in the UAE and was playing his first T20 game, struck a blistering 31-ball 53 runs while Nurul Hasan Sohan (37) and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury (35 not out) made decent contributions to guide Khulna to 172-7 after electing to bat first.

The second round matches will take place today.