Ice-cool Nurul Hasan Sohan played a brilliant knock of 81* against Abahani Limited to hand Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club their first-ever Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League trophy at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing 230 runs in 50 overs, SJDC was struggling as they lost their top four batsmen for just 72 runs, but Sohan who made a habit of playing brilliant knocks under pressure situations once again harboured his side to victory.
Abahani won the toss and elected to bat first, but their national team stars failed to provide a good start. Mohammad Naim (16) was the first to go Liton Das (4) followed him and next was Nazmul Hossain Shanto (8).
Towhid Hridoy (53) and Afif Hossain (29) managed the crisis by putting a 50-run stand, but that was not enough to give the defending champions a good total. Hridoy got a half-century, but it was Saif Uddin who played a cameo of 44* from 33 balls, hitting hit five sixes.
Jaker Ali Anik also added valuable 47 runs. Abahani managed to put 229-6 in 50 overs; Ziaur Rahman picked two wickets for Sheikh Jamal.
Chasing 230, SJDC kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Mushfiq was out for 16 runs, Imrul Kayes scored 15, Saif Hasan also scored 15 runs and Shykat Ali was out for 17 runs.
Then came Nurul Hasan Sohan, who has developed a habit of playing great knocks under pressure in this tournament. Previously his 132* secured a win against Rupganj Tigers, against Prime Bank he was the lone warrior with 71 runs, and against Abahani he once again played a wonderful inning to take Sheikh Jamal to their first DPL title.
His 81* from 81 balls was a well-composed innings with controlled aggression where he hit eight boundaries and two sixes.
Sohan formed a partnership with Parvez Rasool who added 33 runs but after his departure, Ziaur Rahman took the responsibility and complimented his partner well.
He played a knock of 39* runs from 26 balls where he hit four boundaries and two sixes.
Sohan played the cover drive against Tanzim Hasan Sakib to secure the winning runs for Sheikh Jamal, handing the team victory by four wickets and also the first DPL title.
With another round of matches to go, Sheikh Jamal tops the table with 24 points and Legends of Rupganj are in second with 20 points which means Mashrafe Bin Mortuza's side have no chance to surpass SJDC.
After coming back from South Africa, Sohan played five matches and he scored three half-centuries and a century which gave Sheikh Jamal a real boost in the Super League stage to clinch the trophy.
Score
Abahani 229-6 in 50 overs
SJDC 232-6 in 47 overs
Result: SJDC won by four wickets.
