Mohammedan find first win

After four defeats and an abandoned game, Mohammedan Sporting Club finally found their first win of the ongoing 2023 Dhaka Premier League as they beat defending Champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 22 runs at BKSP on Saturday.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan played this season’s first match for them after being busy with national team duty since the start of the season.

Batting first, Mohammedan put on 290-7 on board, courtesy of 86 runs from Imrul Kayes. In reply, Saif Hassan and Parvez Rasool’s fifties were not enough as Sheikh Jamal were bowled out for 268.

After Sheikh Jamal skipper Nurul Hasan Sohan won the toss and opted to field first, Imrul, who had been leading Mohammedan in Shakib’s absence, and Rony Talukdar (32), also back from national duty, put together 79 runs for the opening stand.

Both Mehidy Hasan Miraz (5) and Shakib Al Hasan (5) faltered but Imrul, alongside Mahmudullah (48), added 73 runs for the fourth wicket before falling to Rasool, while Mahmudullah fell to Arif Ahmed to miss out on a fifty. However, Ariful Haque’s 39 off 31 balls and Jake Lintott’s 24 runs from 10 balls took them to 290-7.

In reply, Sheikh Jamal also had a great start as Saif (58) and Shykat Ali (26) added 83 runs for the opening partnership but both fell in quick succession. Nobody from the Sheikh Jamal middle-order bar Rasool could muster anything meaningful, which resulted in the Indian all-rounders’ 63 runs going in vain as they were bowled out 22 runs short.

This win pulled Mohammedan out of the bottom spot to eighth with three points in six matches.

Prime Bank thrash Rupganj Tigers

Prime Bank Cricket Club thrashed newcomers Rupganj Tigers by 124 runs on Saturday.

Batting first, courtesy of Yasir Ali Chowdhury’s brilliant 96 off just 71 balls, alongside Nasir Hossain’s 48-ball 53, and Shahadat Hossain’s 46 off 36, Prime Bank put on a mammoth 332-8 on board in 49 overs.

In reply, Tigers never had any foothold on the game as only Mominul Haque played a knock of some significance (76 off 96) but that was also slow as it did not match the scoring rate and they were bowled out for 208, losing by 124 runs.

Legends of Rupganj breeze past Gazi Group

Legends of Rupganj claimed an easy six-wicket victory on Saturday as they beat Gazi Group Cricketers in Narayanjganj.

Batting first, a century from Ravi Teja (103) and a fifty from Mahmudul Hasan saw Gazi Group post 277, although they were bowled out with 11 balls to go.

In reply, an unbeaten 77 from Irfan Sukkur, alongside Sabbir Rahman’s 66 and Chirag Jani’s 68, took Legends of Rupganj home with 14 balls in hand.