Red-hot Mashrafe bags four wickets in four balls

Abahani Limited speedster Mashrafe bin Mortaza continued his good form in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2017-18 season as he bagged six wickets, including four in four balls in the last over of the match to give his team a 11-run win over Agrani Bank Cricket Club at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Cricket Stadium in Fatullah Tuesday. Abahani have now won seven games in eight attempts to bag 14 points and sit at the top of the points table. Abahani batted first and posted a challenging total of 290. Middle-order batsman Nazmul Hossain Shanto struck a brilliant century to remain unbeaten till the end of the innings. The youngster scored 133 off 123 balls with 11 fours and three sixes. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Mithun scored some quick runs, making 46 off 38 balls in the latter part of the innings to help Abahani put on a good total. Agrani Bank’s Al Amin Hossain and Salman Hossain took two wickets each. In reply, Agrani Bank opener Shahriar Nafees scored a magnificent century and almost guided his team to victory. Shahriar scored 121 off 119 balls with 13 boundaries and three over boundaries. But when Shahriar got out in the 44th over, Agrani Bank lost the plot. In the last over, 13 runs were needed when Mashrafe came on to bowl. Mashrafe then took the wickets of Agrani Bank’s Dhiman Ghosh, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam and Fazley Rabbi.BRIEF SCOREAgrani Bank 279 in 49.5 overs (Shahriar 121, Mashrafe 6/44) lost to Abahani 290/6 (Shanto 133*, Mithun 46) by 11 runs Mashrafe In Numbers• Mashrafe became the seventh cricketer in List A history to bag four wickets in four balls after Allan Ward, Shaun Pollock, Vasbert Drakes, Lasith Malinga, David Payne and Graham Napier. • Mashrafe became the first bowler in the history of List A cricket in Bangladesh to pick up four wickets in four balls. • Mashrafe became the second Bangladeshi in first-class cricket history to take four wickets in four balls after Mahmudullah.