Home ›› 16 Apr 2022 ›› Sport
Mohammedan SC, despite forming a team full of stars, have missed out on the Super League of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League as they finished the league stage in seventh with five wins from 10 matches.
On the final matchday, Mohammedan had the chance to beat Legends of Rupganj by a big margin to overtake Gazi Group Cricketers in the points table, but their 80-run win was not enough to manage a sixth-place finish.
They had built a side including the likes of national stars Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Taskin Ahmed, alongside local performers Shuvagata Hom, Rony Talukder, and Nazmul Islam Apu. But the national team players were away in South Africa, resulting in them producing a dismal performance and crashing out early.
In one of the other two matches, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club beat City Club by 53 runs to gain a four-point lead at the top, while Brothers Union beat Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samiti by 13 runs in the other.
The six teams qualified for the Super League are- Sheikh Jamal, Abahani Limited, Legends of Rupganj, Prime Bank Cricket Club, Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club, and Gazi Group Cricketers.
Three teams, Khelaghar SKS, City Club, and Brothers Union, will play in the relegation league. One of the three teams will be relegated alongside Prime Doleshwar, who withdrew themselves before the season and were relegated.
Both the super league and the relegation league will start on April 18.
Mohammedan-Legends of Rupganj
In their do-or-die for super league qualification, Mohammedan won the toss and opted to bat first. Rony and Parvez Hossain Emon brought them a good start with a 54-run opening stand before Rony (31) was dismissed by Mashrafe Mortaza.
Emon went on to pick up his fifty and put together a 115-run stand with Sri Lankan Kusal Mendis, who scored a century.
Emon was dismissed for 76 off 68 balls, but Kusal kept going with Mahmudullah Riyad as they put together 70 for the fourth wicket. Kusal was gone for 101 off 91 deliveries, while Mahmudullah scored 70 off just 47 deliveries.
Mohammedan were set for a huge score, but a late-order collapse meant they were bowled out for 307 with 13 balls remaining.
In reply, Legends of Rupganj lost wickets regularly throughout their innings, and the only substantial score came from Naeem Islam, who scored 80.
Mashrafe produced a late blast by scoring 30 off 16 deliveries, but it was too little, too late, as Naeem could only take Legends of Rupganj to 227, meaning an 80-run win for Mohammedan.
Nazmul Apu took five wickets for Mohammedan.
Sheikh Jamal-City Club
At the SBNCS, Sheikh Jamal were put in to bat first, and a batting collapse meant they were bowled out for 197.
Skipper Imrul Kayes was their top scorer with 61, and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury scored 20 off 13 deliveries in the latter part of their innings.
Abdul Halim and Moinul Islam Sohall took three wickets each for City Club.
With a target below 200, City Club looked like they could pull off an upset, but none of their batsmen could stand up and deliver as they crumbled for only 144.
Skipper Jawad Royen top-scored with 45 for City Club, while Robiul Islam Robi picked up three wickets for Sheikh Jamal.
Brothers Union-Khelaghar SKS
At BKSP, Brothers Union put up 306-5 on their board batting first courtesy of Aminul Islam Biplob, Dhiman Ghosh and Chaturanga De Silva.
Biplob scored 88 off 75 deliveries while Dhiman stayed unbeaten on 89 from 74 deliveries. Chaturanga, coming at the end, scored 30 off just 10 balls to take Brothers beyond 300.
In reply, Khelaghar were 139-5 at one point, but a 77-run stand between Pritom Kumar (72) and Mohammad Elias (62) gave them hope.
After both were gone, Iftekhar Sajjad (28) took them close, but in the end, they were bowled out for 293 to lose by 13 runs.
