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The ninth edition of the Dhaka Premier Division League came to an end with Abahani Limited reclaiming the trophy by defeating the defending champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club this Saturday.
The edition was brightened by the local performers; the leaderboard numbers testify for them. The Top four names in the top five most run scorers and three in the top five most wicket takers are from the locals.
Abahani’s Naim Sheikh topped the scorers list with a total of 932 runs in his 16 innings averaging almost 72, while Sheikh Jamal’s Parvez Rasool took 33 wickets in 16 matches to top the wicket takers’ list.
Legends of Rupganj’s Indian all-rounder Chirag Jani was named the Player of the Tournament. He scored 669 runs in 15 innings while taking 24 wickets but unfortunately for him, his team finished third behind Abahani and Sheikh Jamal DC.
Naim doubles last year’s tally
Winning the title this year, Abahani won their fourth DPL title, the highest in history, which was made possible due to their incredible batting performances, and Naim and Anamul Haque led the Sky-Blues’ batting line.
Naim and Anamul are the top two run scorers this season, and also the most consistent performers. Naim scored 932 runs in 16 innings out of which he scored 10 fifties and a hundred.
The left-handed batter started the season with a quick 85 runs innings against Brothers Union, and the scoring kept going with a 43 in the next and a match-winning 110 against his side’s arch-rivals, Mohammedan Sporting Club.
In their win against Prime Bank Cricket Club in the seventh matchday, he missed out on his second century as he was sent back on 94 off 102 balls. In the title decider match against Sheikh Jamal DC, he played an important knock of 68.
Naim has improved his batting over the years, he had scored 458 runs in 12 innings with an average of 38.16 and a strike rate of 77.36.
He has improved his strike rate this year, he batted with a strike rate of 91.64 and averaged almost 72.
Rasool repeats brilliant outing
Sheikh Jamal DC’s Parvez Rasool, the top wicket-taker of DPL 2023, took 33 wickets in 16 innings with an economy of 4.08 and a strike rate of 26.39 meaning he took a wicket in every 26 balls which made him the toughest baller to play against in the tournament.
He repeated his heroics from last year when he had taken 28 wickets.
The Indian off-spinner started his tournament with a three-wicket haul against the Dhaka Leopards and did the same three times afterwards throughout the tournament.
He hit four-wicket hauls two times this edition of the DPL, first, against Gazi Group Cricketers on the seventh match day, and the other, against Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club in the next game.
The only game he went wicketless was against Abahani where his bowling figures were 10-0-41-0. His side won the match anyway, the only loss Abahani faced in their title hunt.
