Shamsur Rahman’s unbeaten century and Mashrafe Mortaza’s four wicket helped Mohammedan Sporting Club to a nail biting last ball win over rivals Abahani Limited by three wickets in the Walton Dhaka Premier League at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.
Mohammedan needed five runs from the last over with centurion Shamsur Rahman at the non-strikers end. All-rounder Muktar Ali missed the first two balls from paceman Alauddin Babu and his smashing drive of the third ball was dropped by substitute Al-Amin at point and went for a boundary.
The drama continued as Muktar missed the next two balls but managed to hit the winning run from the last ball of the innings.
Chasing the target of 283 Mohammedan, lose the wickets of Jupiter Ghosh (5) and Sri Lankan Upul Tharanga (11) early courtesy of pace bowler pacer Al-Amin.
Shamsur however, continued to bat with great maturity in accordance with his team's needs. The stylish right hander anchored the innings while adding 49 with Rajin Saleh – who was dismissed for 21 by off-spinner Rezaul Isam - and in company with Afghan Md. Nabi – who made 47 from 45 balls (three fours, two sixes) before being claimed by Nabil Samad – to move Mohammedan towards their target.
Shamsur eventually remained not out on 105 from 115 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, as Mohammedan clinched the win.
With the home series against New Zealand just around the corner, Shamsur's performance will give the national selectors food for thought. The right hander also scored a fifty in a T20 match during Bangladesh's last international series in Zimbabwe in April this year.
Speaking of his chances for making it back into the national side, Shamsur said, “I have never thought about these things. Whenever I get my chance, I want to perform my best. Obviously it feels great to score a match winning century for my side and to score a century against Abahani playing for Mohammedan is always something special.”
Earlier Mohammedan skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and sent Abahani in to bat. After the fall of the first four wickets, Sri Lankan Tharanga Paranavitana (61) and youngster Mosaddek Hossain (76) repaired the innings, and with Sri Lankan Talina Kandambi quickfire 49 from 22 balls at the end, led Abahani to a fighting total of 282.
Brief Score
Abahani Ltd 282/10, 49.5 over
Mosaddek Hossain 76, Tharanga Paranavitana 61, Talina Kandambi 49
Mashrafe Mortaza 40/2, Muktar Ali 46/3, Md. Nabi 40/2
Mohammedan Sporting Club 283/7, 50 over
Shamsur Rahman 105*, Tillakaratne Dilshan 51, Md. Nabi 47
Nabil Samad 54/3, Al-Amin 51/2
