Gazi Group seal final Super League spot with massive win

Gazi Group Cricketers secured their place in the Super League of the ongoing edition of the Dhaka Premier League with a massive 156-run win over Shinepukur Cricket Club at BKSP on Monday.

Going into the final round of the league stage, Gazi Group needed a victory to join Abahani Limited, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Legends of Rupganj, Prime Bank Cricket Club, and Mohammedan Sporting Club in the next phase of the tournament.

Gazi Group ended the league stage on 11 points from 11 matches, including five wins.

At BKSP, batting first, they piled on a massive 333-8, courtesy of a blistering century from opener Habibur Rahman, who scored 101 off just 66 balls, hitting 14 fours and six sixes.

Besides that, Gazi Group’s Indian recruit Ravi Teja scored 90 and youngster SM Meherob Hasan chipped in with 48 off 39 balls, which took them to 333-8.

Defending that total, pacer Anamul Haque’s four wickets completely rattled the Shinepukur batting lineup.

Gazi Md Tahjibul Islam was the only Shinepukur batter to go past fifty as he scored 69 as only one other batter, Amite Hassan (40), went beyond the 20-run mark.

This resulted in Shinepukur being bowled out for 177, putting them in the relegation fight alongside Dhaka Leopards and Agrani Bank Cricket Club.

Brothers lose do-or-die clash

Gazi Group’s victory made their match irrelevant but Brothers Union had a chance to compete for the Super League with a win, which they spilt as they lost to Rupganj Tigers by 56 runs in Dhaka.

Brothers needed a win to stay in contention for the Super League as a Gazi Group defeat would see their victory becoming the deciding factor but Brothers themselves faltered, courtesy of Rupganj Tigers’ Alauddin Babu.

Batting first, Rupganj Tigers were heading to a modest total but a blistering 81-run knock off 45 balls from Babu, where he hit four fours and seven sixes, saw them post 307.

In reply, Brothers failed to muster a fight as they were bowled out for 251, with Anisul Islam (52) and Arafat Sunny Jr (51) hitting fifties.

This win saw Rupganj Tigers leapfrog Brothers in the points table and end up seventh, while the defeated side ended eighth.

Mohammedan ease past Leopards

Mohammedan SC claimed a comfortable five-wicket win over Dhaka Leopards in their DPL match in Narayanganj.

Batting first, Leopards could only manage 228-9 as Ashikur Rahman top-scored with 48. For Mohammedan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jake Lintott picked up two

wickets each.

In reply, Mohammedan reached the total with five wickets and 20 balls in hand, courtesy of a 96-run knock from wicketkeeper-batter Mahidul Islam Ankon and a fifty from skipper Imrul Kayes (58).

This win saw Mohammedan end the league stage on 13 points from six wins in their 11 matches.