Saif stars with 4 wickets as Abahani thrash Gazi Group

Pacer Mohammad Saif Uddin took four wickets to help Abahani Limited thrash Gazi Group Cricketers by eight wickets to win their fourth Dhaka Premier Division League match on the trot at BKSP on Saturday.

With the thrashing of Gazi Group, Abahani are now top of the league with eight points from four matches.

Abahani won the toss and sent Gazi Group Cricketers to bat first. Gazi Group were all-out for 153 as Saif showed brilliance with the ball.

Saif sent Gazi Group opener Mehedi Marof back to the pavilion just in the second over as the batter was caught at deep extra cover by Tanzim Hasan Sakib. He then brought the breakthrough in the 32nd over as he bested dangerous-looking batter Ravi Teja.

Ravi was the highest scorer for Gazi Group as he scored 41, while Mahmudul Hasan scored 30.

Rakibul Hasan and Tanvir Islam took two wickets each for Abahani.

Chasing Gazi Group’s 153, Mohammad Naim led Abahani to their target comfortably as he played an unbeaten innings of 74 off 100 balls. Abahani reached the target with eight wickets and 19.1 overs in hand, which helped them improve their net run rate. Abahani opener Anamul Haque scored 38 runs.

Agrani Bank down City Club

In the other match of the day at BKSP, Agrani Bank Cricket Club beat City Club by 18 runs as they found their third win of the season.

Winning the toss, City Club sent Agrani Bank to bat first. Agrani Bank opener Azmir Ahmed played an 89-run innings to give his side a proper foundation, and after playing 50 overs, Agrani Bank ended their innings on 291-8, depending on skipper Marshal Ayub and Azim Nazir Kazi’s half-tons.

With the ball, City club skipper Robiul Hoque bagged four wickets while Taufik Ahmed took three. Mohammad Asif Hasan took the other.

In reply, City Club ended on 273-9 after 50 overs as they fell 18 runs short, resulting in their fifth consecutive loss of the season.

Tawfiq Khan Tushar, Shahriar Komol, and Rafsan Al Mahmud each scored fifties for City Club but that was not enough.

MD Sharifullah picked up three wickets for Agrani Bank, while pacer Anamul Haque took two.

Agrani Bank’s Azmir was named Player of the Match for his innings.

Rupganj Tigers find third win

In the other match of the day, Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club found their third win of the season as they beat Dhaka Leopards by five wickets at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Narayanganj.

Winning the toss, Dhaka Leopards set a target of 248 for the Rupganj Tigers to chase depending on Pinak Ghosh’s 79.

Mukidul Islam Mugdho, Alauddin Babu, and skipper Naeem Islam took two wickets each for Rupganj Tigers.

In reply, Rupganj Tigers reached the target in the final over, with five wickets remaining courtesy of Player of the Match Mominul Haque’s 75 off 94 and Amandeep Khare’s 51 off 43.

Dhaka Leopard’s Salauddin Shakil bagged three wickets.