Gazi win maiden DPL title despite losing last game
A round-up of the DPL matches on June 6, 2017 as Gazi Group Cricketers won their first DPL title
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Jun-2017
The Gazi Group team celebrates its title win • BCB
Gazi Group Cricketers were crowned Dhaka Premier League champions in 2017 despite losing to Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club in their last Super League game by six wickets at the BKSP-3 Ground in Savar. With both these teams and Abahani Limited on 24 points each, the winner was decided through head-to-head matches between the three sides. Gazi Group had won three of those matches while Doleshwar had won two and Abahani one.
This was Gazi Groups' maiden Dhaka Premier League title while Doleshwar ended runners-up for the third consecutive season. The Gazi Group players had started celebrating their triumph on Monday after Abahani had defeated Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at the adjacent BKSP-4 Ground.
The Gazi-Doleshwar match had originally started on Monday but incessant rain left the outfield wet, so it was continued on Tuesday with Gazi Group on 142 for 5 in 33 overs. They were eventually bowled out for 222 in 49.1 overs with Jahurul Islam top-scoring with a run-a-ball 87 that included seven fours and two sixes. Farhad Reza took three wickets while there was two each for Delwar Hossain, Arafat Sunny and Sharifullah.
Later, Puneet Bisht's unbeaten 89 helped Doleshwar cruise to their target. He struck 11 fours in his 91-ball innings, and added 59 for the fourth wicket with Marshall Ayub and 119 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket with Sharifullah who made 51 off 78 balls. Bisht was later declared the Player of the Match.
Prime Bank Cricket Club signed off their campaign with a six-wicket win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in Fatullah.
Batting first, Mohammedan were bowled out for 215 in 49.4 overs after resuming the reserve day on 187 for 6 in 43.3 overs. Nazmul Hossain Milon struck a run-a-ball 53 with two sixes and as many fours. Al-Amin Hossain wiped out the tail and finished with 4 for 35.
Prime Bank lose two early wickets in the chase, being 24 for 2, before Mehedi Maruf and Rafatullah Mohmand added 78 runs, but Maruf walked off with an injury. He scored 57 off 65 balls with four fours and three sixes. Rafatullah continued, scoring 88 off 129 balls, adding 64 runs for the fourth wicket with Asif Ahmed who finished the chase off with 37 balls to spare.