An all-round performance by captain Nasir Hossain in the last match enabled Dhaka Abahani Limited to clinch the Dhaka Metropolis Premier Division Cricket League title outplaying their close rival Legends of Rupganj by 94 runs at BKSP ground in Savar on Thursday.
This is the 19th crown for Abahani Limited in the Premier Division Cricket League, reports UNB.
The league crown of Abahani was assured in the halfway of the day's match as their main contenders Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club suffered a four-wicket defeat to Khelaghar SKS at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur in the city. Prime Doleshwar SC upset last year's champions Gazi Group Cricketers by five wickets in Fatullah.
After the day's 16th and last round matches, Abahani Limited, which smashed list A highest 393 runs in the ongoing league, topped the list securing 24 points. Legends of Rupganj and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club followed them with 20 points each, Prime Doleshwar SC were in the 4th slot with 17 points, Khelaghar SKS finished 5th with 16 points and Gazi Group Cricketers finished 6th collecting 14 points.
Sent in to bat first in the day's title decider, Abahani Limited piled up a huge total of 374 runs for 6 in stipulated 50 overs featuring 187 runs in the 4th wicket stand by two centurions -- Nasir Hossain and opener Nazmul Hossain Shanta.
All-rounder Nasir Hossain played a captain knock of 129 runs off just 91 balls featuring 15 fours and four sixes and later grabbed two wickets for 67 runs to be adjudged man of the match.
Opener Shanta made 113 runs off 107 balls with 11 hits to the fence and two over the fence while another opener Anamul Haque contributed 51-ball 57 runs hitting eight fours and one six and Mosaddek Hossain scored 14-ball 19 runs with the help of two boundaries.
Most successful and lucky cricketer in the domestic cricket Mashrafe Bin Mortaza also played an important role in Abahani's emphatic victory quick-firing 28 runs off just eight balls hitting four sixes.
Indian right arm off-break bowler Parvez Rasool claimed three Abahani wickets conceding 42 runs while national pacer Mohammad Shahid grabbed two wickets for 81 runs and Asif Hasan took one for 93 runs.
Chasing a huge target, Legends of Rupganj fought equally scoring 251 runs for 6 in 37.2 overs but they were forced to fold their innings on 280 runs for all in 42.4 overs as their last four batsmen went back to pavilion adding only 29 runs.
Captain Naeem Islam scored team highest 76 runs off 68 deliveries featuring five fours and two sixes while opener Mohammad Naim scored 54-ball 70 runs hitting six fours and four sixes, former Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim contributed 66-ball 67 runs with the help of four boundaries and one over boundary while Parvez Rasool added 29 runs off 25 balls with one four and two sixes.
Apart from Nasir Hossain's two wickets, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Sandwip Roy picked up two wickets each conceding 53 and 67 runs respectively.
