East Zone set up final clash with North Zone

Islami Bank East Zone became the first team to reach the final of the BCL one-day competition, after they crushed Walton Central Zone by 98 runs in Mirpur. Arafat Sunny took four wickets while Abul Hasan celebrated his call-up to the Bangladesh ODI team with a match-winning performance, following up 51 off 53 with figures of 3 for 21.

After being put into bat, East Zone made 218 for 8. They had slipped to 134 for 7 in the 34th over before Abul's rapid fifty helped them past the 200-mark. He struck three fours and a six in his innings, and added 76 for the eighth wicket with Sunny.

Taskin Ahmed took three wickets while Shuvagata Hom and Elias Sunny chipped in with two wickets each. Then it was Abul's turn to sparkle with the ball. In his first spell, Abul removed Shamsur Rahman, Rony Talukdar and Mahmudullah to put Central Zone in trouble. They were reduced to 37 for 4 in the tenth over and by the next 20 overs, they slid further to 89 for 7, before being eventually bowled out for 120 inside 38 overs.

Apart from Abul's three and Sunny's four wickets, Nabil Samad, Asif Ahmed and stand-in captain Alok Kapali took one wicket each.

BCB North Zone beat Prime Bank South Zone by 88 runs in Fatullah to set up final clash with East Zone.

Batting first, North Zone piled up 321 for 7 with Naeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir Rahman hitting fifties. Naeem top-scored with 80 off 107 balls, a knock that contained seven fours. He added 83 for the second wicket with Mahmudul Hasan (48) and 120 for the third wicket with Mushfiqur, who cracked five fours and four sixes during his 78 off 66. Sabbir struck seven fours and three sixes during his 34-ball 66 as North Zone plundered more than 100 in the last ten overs.

South Zone then fell to 117 for 6 in their chase before Mashrafe Mortaza and Sohag Gazi added 86 to give them some solace. Gazi made 39 off 28 balls before he was tapped lbw by Farhad Reza.

Mashrafe reached his highest List-A score, making 69 runs off 44 balls with the help of eight fours and three sixes and was the last man dismissed as South Zone were bowled out for 233 in 44.1 overs.

Delwar Hossain, Reza, Taijul Islam and Sanjamul Islam took two wickets each for North Zone.

The final will be held in Mirpur on April 12.