DHAKA, Oct 20, 2019 (BSS)-Khulna Division toiled little on their way to seal a facile seven-wicket win over Rajshahi Division in their second round game of the National Cricket League (NCL) Tier-1 at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna on Sunday.
Having won the game, Khulna retained the top spot with 13.7 points, significantly higher than their rivals Dhaka Division who collects 6.94 points so far.
Khulna needed just 108 runs with nine wickets at hands to win the game on the final and fourth day and they made it cakewalk, reaching the target 123-1 in just 22.1 overs. Opener Soumya Sarkar was instrumental in taking the side home without any fuss, hitting a 50 not out off just 59 balls. He struck three fours and as many sixes. Mohammad Mithun chipped-in-with 27 runs while Mehidy Hasan Miraz was not out on 14.
Being sent to bat first earlier, Rajshahi was bowled out for 261 in first innings and conceded a 48 runs lead when Khulna amassed 309 runs thanks to Nurul Hasan Sohan’s 97 not out.
Rajshahi however fared badly in the second innings too after failing to negotiate Khulna’s much-vaunted bowling attack, comprised with the likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain Abdur Razzak and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. They were finally all out for just 170 runs, setting a meager 123-run target for Khulna to win the game. And the most successful team in the NCL chased it down without any problem.
In the day’s another Tier-1 game, the match between Dhaka Division and Rangpur Division ended in a draw at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram as it was predicted.
Resuming the fourth and final day on 334-5, Rangpur was bowled out for 508, still remained adrift of 48 runs to Dhaka who declared their first innings on 556-8. Overnight unbeaten Naeem Hasan added 11 runs to his total to be out for 135. Suhrawardi Shuvo latter scored 92 not out.
With there is little time to take off the bail, the match was set for draw. However Dhaka came to bat in their second innings and scored 10 runs for no loss in three overs.
Brief Scores:
Khulna vs Rangpur
Rajshahi 261 & 170 (Shanto 57, Mushfiqur 44, Al-Amin 4-17, Razzak 4-62, Mustafizur 2-18)
Khulna 309 & 123-3 (Soumya Sarkar 50 not out, Mithun 27; Shafiul 1-15, Sunzamul Islam 1-30)
Result: Khulna wins by 7 wickets.
Man of the Match: Nurul Hasan Sohan
Dhaka vs Rangpur
Dhaka 556-8 (dec) (Saif Hassan 220 not out, Rony 65, Nadif 61; Sanjit Saha 3-89, Suhrawardi Shuvo 3-134) & 10-0 in 3 overs (Nazmul Islam 9 not out, Abdul Mazid 1 not out)
Rangpur 508 all out (Naeem Hasan 135, Liton Das 122, Suhrawardi Shuvo 92 not out;, Salahuddin Shakib 2-85, Nazmul Islam 3-146)
Result: draw
Man of the Match: Saif Hassan