Dhaka Division begin season with victory

Dhaka Division got off to a winning start in the National Cricket League by beating Rajshahi Division by 127 runs at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. It was their first victory in the first-class competition after the divisional side was split and the Dhaka Metropolis team was formed last season.

Dhaka were aided by their opponents' poor luck, after Rajshahi had their captain Mushfiqur Rahim and leading bowler Saqlain Sajib collide on the first day. Sajib was disoriented due to the impact and didn't take part in the rest of the game, while Mushfiqur was only available for Rajshahi's second innings. The defending champions were in shambles as they chased 261 to win, and were bowled out for 133. Mahmudullah picked up four wickets, while Shahadat Hossain took two.

Dhaka's fightback began in the second innings, in which they trailed by 62 runs after they were bowled out for 116 in the first innings. Dhaka were rescued by a 100-run fifth wicket partnership between Nadif Chowdhury and Mosharraf Hossain and by a 97-run seventh-wicket stand between Abdul Majid and Nurul Hasan. Mosharraf, Majid and Nurul scored fifties to push the total past the 300-mark, which was enough against a team that had only nine batsmen.