Clinical Abahani seal 19th DPL title

Abahani Limited registered their sixth Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League title in the last 10 seasons after defeating Legends of Rupganj by 94 runs at BKSP Thursday. The Dhanmondi-based club had no option but to win their last game of the season in order to grab the championship title. And the job was accomplished in style as they beat second placed Rupganj comprehensively. Abahani were in the race for the title alongside Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. In order for Sheikh Jamal to claim the title, they needed a win in their game against surprise package Khelaghar Samaj Kalyan Samity at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, and for Abahani to lose their match. However, none of the equations took place as Sheikh Jamal suffered a defeat in the season-ending match to finish third in the points table. The Dhaka League title went to the Abahani camp following a year’s gap with Gazi Group Cricketers winning the previous edition. Abahani, a side often criticised for dubious actions in the league, this year had gone into the competition with strong intention. The side recruited Mashrafe bin Mortaza and Anamul Haque from Shinepukur Cricket Club and Khelaghar respectively to take the number of national cricketers in their dressing room to nine. Mashrafe was key behind Abahani’s success this season as the veteran right-arm pacer finished with a record 39 wickets, the most by a Bangladeshi in a List A season. The Tigers ODI captain produced batting cameos too to give Abahani the edge, much like yesterday in the crucial game. Asked to bat first, Abahani posted a huge 374 on the board losing six wickets in their stipulated 50 overs. Nazmul Hossain Shanto added 113 while captain Nasir Hossain made 129 off 91 balls to boost the mammoth Abahani total. Nasir in his man of the match innings hammered 15 boundaries and four over boundaries while Shanto in his 107-ball knock struck 11 fours and a couple of sixes. Anamul added 57 to the tally. Parvez Rasool and Mohammad Shahid bagged three and two wickets respectively for Rupganj. Chasing the target, Rupganj could put on only 280 before getting all out in 42.2 overs following a late order debacle. Captain Naeem Islam topped the innings with 76 while Mohammad Naim and Mushfiqur Rahim made 70 and 67 respectively. Mashrafe and Mehedi Hasan Miraz chiefly created pressure on the Rupganj batsmen. Miraz conceded 29 runs in five overs for his two scalps while Mashrafe gave away 30 runs in six overs for his solitary wicket. Sanjamul Islam, Sandip Roy and Nasir picked up a couple of wickets each. [caption id="attachment_257405" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Abahani's Nasir Hossain goes big during his brilliant century Dhaka Tribune[/caption] Surprise package Khelaghar end with win Surprise package Khelaghar Samaj Kalyan Samity finished the season on a winning note defeating third placed Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in a low-scoring tie at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. Khelaghar registered a four-wicket win to finish fifth in the points table. In the other game of the day, defending champion Gazi Group Cricketers conceded a five-wicket loss to fourth-placed Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Cricket Stadium in Fatullah. Gazi Group were the defending champion but the side could hardly put on a show befitting of a champion side. The holder won seven matches in 16 attempts to finish sixth in the standing. Khelaghar v Sheikh Jamal Riding on captain Nazimuddin’s 61, Khelaghar ended the season with a win defeating title contender Sheikh Jamal. Invited to take first guard, Sheikh Jamal struggled to 160 all out in 45 overs. Captain Nurul Hasan made 47 as Khelaghar’s Robiul Islam Robi, Ashok Menaria and Mohammad Saddam bagged two wickets each. In reply, Khelaghar chased down the target in 36.5 overs with Nazimuddin scoring a half century and Rafsan al Mahmud making 46. Sheikh Jamal’s Nazmul Islam notched a five-for giving away 32 runs in 9.5 overs. Gazi Group v Doleshwar Gazi Group faced humiliation when they took on Doleshwar in the last game of the season. Gazi Group were asked to bat first as they struggled to put on only 95 on the board in 21.4 overs. Doleshwar’s Nasum Ahmed and Arafat Sunny shared seven wickets between themselves. Opener Mehedi Hasan’s 39 was the highest of Gazi Group’s innings. Doleshwar were also in early trouble when they went to chase the low target but eventually reached their destination losing five wickets in 24 overs. Doleshwar’s Abu Sayeem and Fazle Mahmud added 36 and 31 to the tally respectively. Gazi Group’s Abu Haider took three wickets. DPL, FINAL ROUND Rupganj 280 in 42.4 overs (Naeem 76, Naim 70) lost to Abahani 374/6 (Nasir 129, Shanto 113) by 94 runs Khelaghar 161/6 in 36.5 overs (Nazimuddin 61, Nazmul 5/32) beat Sk Jamal 160 in 49 overs (Nurul 47, Saddam 2/18) by four wickets Doleshwar 99/5 in 24 overs (Sayeem 36, Rony 3/27) beat Gazi Group 95 in 21.4 overs (Nasum 4/10, Arafat 3/26) by five wickets   POINTS TABLE Teams M W L T Pts NRR Abahani 16 12 4 0 24 0.935 Rupganj 16 10 6 0 20 0.355 Sk Jamal 16 10 6 0 20 0.158 Doleshwar 16 8 7 1 17 0.027 Khelaghar 16 8 8 0 16 -0.28 Gazi Group 16 7 9 0 14 -0.405 [caption id="attachment_257406" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Abahani's Nazmul Hossain Shanto executes a delightful sweep shot en route to his ton Dhaka Tribune[/caption] MOST RUNS Player Inns Runs HS Ave SR 100/50 Nazmul Shanto (AL) 16 749 150* 57.61 97.52 4/2 Anamul Haque (AL) 16 744 128 49.6 89.53 2/4 Naeem Islam (LOR) 15 720 116* 55.38 87.37 1/6   MOST WICKETS Player Inns Wkts BBI Ave ER SR Mashrafe (AL) 16 39 6/44 14.61 4.42 19.8 Asif Hasan (LOR) 16 29 4/23 22.65 4.47 30.3 Md Shahid (LOR) 16 29 4/26 26.55 5.16 30.8   ROLL OF HONOUR Year Champion Runners-up 2003 Victoria Mohammedan/City Club 2004 Not held 2005 DOHS City Club 2006 DOHS Sonargaon 2007 Abahani Mohammedan 2008 Abahani Biman 2009 Abahani Surjo Tarun 2010 Mohammedan Abahani 2011 Abahani Mohammedan 2012 Victoria Gazi Tank 2013 Not held 2014 Gazi Tank Sheikh Jamal 2015 Prime Bank Doleshwar 2016 Abahani Doleshwar 2017 Gazi Group Abahani 2018 Abahani Rupganj