Rupganj clinch top place beating Abahani in DPDCL

Legends of Rupganj clinched the top place in the points table of the ongoing season of Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League beating defending champions Abahani Limited by six wickets on Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, reports UNB.

It was the ninth win of Rupganj in 10 rounds of the league so far while Abahani suffered the second loss. Before heading to this match, Abahani was at number one in the points table.

Rupganj won the toss and decided to field first. Abahani capitulated for 122 all-out in 39.1 overs. Rupganj chased the target of 123 runs in 26.5 overs with six wickets in hand.

In reply, Mehedi Maruf and Mohammad Naim added 62 runs in the first wicket stand to ensure a solid platform for Rupganj. While Naim fell for 22, Mehedi ended up hitting 59 with seven fours and one six.

Along with them, Mominul Haque and Shahriar Nafees scored 17 and 12 respectively to seal the game by a big margin of six wickets.

For Abahani, Nazmul Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin and Sabbir Rahman bagged one wicket each.

Earlier, Abahani lost the first wicket before adding anything on the board. Jahurul Islam, who has been doing well for them in the league, fell for a duck while playing Subashis Roy. They lost Najmul Hossain Shanto before posting 10 on the board.

Shanto, who is going through ups and downs in the league, posted six this time. The defending champions of Dhaka League fell in more trouble when Soumya Sarkar failed to impress. He had managed 14 while opening the innings but disappointed to carry on.

All of the first three wickets of Abahani were scalped by the right-arm pacer Subashis. Mohammad Shahid also came to the scene when he has taken the wicket of Priyank Panchal. The Indian recruit of Abahani posted one only. In the previous match on April 4, he signed up in Dhaka League with a duck.

Abahani lost five wickets in 29 runs when Sabbir added more stress to their dressing room while being dismissed for a duck. In the sixth wicket stand, Mohammad Mithun and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat added 43 runs to propel the team to 72.

The onus was on this partnership to guide the team to a fighting total. But Mithun fell for 38; however, Mosaddek continued to impress with the tailenders. Mohammad Saifuddin and Mehidy Hasan Miraz disappointed as they posted one and five respectively.

Coming to bat at number 10, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza smashed 15 off 10 balls with two sixes. And eventually, Abahani tumbled for 122 all-out in 39.1 overs which is their lowest score in the ongoing league so far.

For Rupganj, Subashis bagged three scalps while Shahid and Nabil Samad took two wickets each for them.

Subashis was awarded man of the match for his outstanding bowling performance of taking three wickets conceding 37 runs in eight overs.