Rajshahi beat Sylhet by two wickets, Khulna defeat Dhaka by 39 runs

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A scene of Dhaka-Khulna match in 9th National Cricket League in Mirpur Sher-e-Bangladesh Stadium Tuesday. — FocusBangla Photo

Rajshahi Division won both the 1st round matches of the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League against Sylhet Division as they beat the visitors by two wickets in the one-day match at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium (RDVS) Tuesday, reports UNB.
In the day's other match, a five-wicket haul by medium pacer Syed Rasel along with an all-round performance by speedster Mashrafe Bin Mortaza enabled Khulna Division to clinch a 39-run victory over holders Dhaka Division.
Earlier, Rajshahi Division won the four-day match by eight wickets while the encounter between Khulna and Dhaka ended in a draw.
After the day's result, both Rajshahi Division and Khulna Division secured two points each.
At the RDVS, coin-favoured Sylhet Division batted first and were restricted to 168 runs for nine wickets in the stipulated 50 overs in the face of some disciplined bowling by the hosts.
Number six Sharifullah scored team highest 56 runs off 90 balls with six fours while number seven Saif Mahmud made 2nd highest 30 off 71 balls with four fours.
Medium pacer Farhad Reza, Saqlain Sajib and pacer Mohammad Shahzada took two wickets apiece.
Chasing a moderate target, Rajshahi Division faced initial batting collapse losing three wickets for 36 runs, but wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim and tail-ender Mohammad Shahzada remained unbeaten to reach the target of 169 runs in 48 overs losing eight wickets.
Mushfiqur remained unbeaten on 50 off 75 balls decorated with four fours, while Shahzada scored not out 35 off 45 balls with three fours and a six to be adjudged man of the match.
Saif Mahmud captured three wickets for 36 runs in 10 overs while Rezaul Huq took two for 42.
At the SBNS, opener Imrul Kayes and dependable middle order Shakib Al Hasan scored useful fifties as Khulna Division posted 240 for 8 in the allocated 50 overs.
Kayes contributed innings highest 71 runs off 121 balls with three fours and two sixes while Shakib hammered 2nd highest 56 runs off 51 balls that featured five fours.
Mashrafe, batting at number six, contributed 35 runs off 25 balls with two sixes while opener Nazmus Sadat 20 and skipper Habibul Bashar 17 were the other notable scorers for Khulna.
Spinners Mosharraf Hossain and Mohammad Rafique grabbed two wickets each while skipper Mohammad Ashraful and Mahbubul Alam took one wicket apiece.
In reply, Dhaka Division were all out for 201 in 44.5 overs as Rasel claimed five wickets for 35 runs in his allocated 10 overs. Mashrafe at the other end gave adequate support to Rasel scalping three wickets for 35 runs in eight overs to clinch the victory for Khulna Division.
Both the pacers were later jointly adjudged man of the match.
In chasing the target, number three batsman Mosharraf and middle order Mahmudullah Riadh tried their best scoring half centuries, but their attempt went in vain as the rest of the Dhaka batsmen could not last long.
Mosharraf topscored 72 runs off 114 balls with four fours and a six, while Riadh made 65 off 74 balls with four fours. The fifth wicket stand of 101 runs between these two raised hopes among the reigning champions for a while, but after the departure of Mosharraf at 161/5, Dhaka Division failed to recover.
Apart from Rasel and Mashrafe, in-form left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak Raz took one wicket for 53 runs.
Khulna Vs Dhaka:
Khulna: 240/8 in 50 overs; Nazmus 20, Imrul 71, Tushar 4, Shakib 56, Habibul 17, Mashrafe 35, Sahagir 6, Razzak 0, Ziaur 16*, Jamal Babu 0*; Mosharraf 2/40, Rafique 2/60, Ashraful 1/23, Mahabubul 1/38.
Dhaka: 201/10 in 44.5 overs; Javed 3, Al Shahriar 1, Mosharraf 72, Ashraful 1, Mehrab 12, Mahmudullah 65, Sajjad 0, Nazmul 2, Rafique 7, Sharif 0, Mahbubul 15*; Rasel 5/35, Mashrafe 3/35, Razzak 1/53.
Sylhet Vs Rajshahi:
Sylhet: 168/9 in 50 overs; Sharifullah 56, Saif 30, Imtiaj 13; Farhad 2/23, Shahjada 2/37, Saqlain 2/29
Rajshahi: 169/8 in 48 overs; Mushfiqur Rahman 50*, Shahjada 35*, Nayeem 24; Saif 3/36, Rezaul 2/42.