Newcomers Rupganj Tigers topple defending champions Abahani Limited
Left-arm quick Qazi Onik, Left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam among the best bowlers in the tournament
ESPNcricinfo staff
22-Mar-2022
Shamim Hossain celebrates his century • BCB
Key takeaways
Prime Bank Cricket Club and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club were quick off the blocks in the 2021-22 Dhaka Premier League. Both sides are on top of the table, with three wins each from as many matches.
Defending champions Abahani Limited surprisingly went down to newcomers Rupganj Tigers in their first match, but then bounced back with a big win over City Club. Mohammedan Sporting Club, who put together the strongest side on paper, are third on the table with four points.
Best batters
Naeem Islam is leading run-getter with 278 runs in three games for Legends of Rupganj but Anamul Haque's 240 runs have been more decisive for Prime Bank.
Among the nine hundreds in the league so far, Shamim Hossain's 108* off 66 balls against City Club at the BKSP-3 ground has been the most talked about innings. Shamim, who was dropped from the Bangladesh T20I squad recently, is fighting to get back his place in the senior side.
Shinepukur Cricket Club's Sikandar Raza has so far stood out among the overseas contingent, with his 129 runs in three games. Gazi Group Cricketers' Gurinder Singh has scored a match-winning fifty while Mohammad Hafeez has scored only 32 runs in three innings for Mohammedan.
Best bowlers
Left-arm quick Qazi Onik took 6 for 30 against City Club, his second six-wicket haul in the DPL. Against Legends of Rupganj, he took 3 for 36, taking his tally to nine wickets in three matches. Left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam, too, has nine wickets in three matches.
Raza is also the leading wicket-taker among the foreign players with five strikes, while Ashok Menaria and Hafeez have four each.
Best match
Zakir Hasan's 117 powered newcomers Rupganj Tigers to an opening-day win over the defending champions Abahani. It was an unlikely result, but having said that Rupganj Tigers have built a solid team. Their takedown of the high-flying Abahani has been the highlight of the DPL so far.
Points to ponder
While Prime Bank and Sheikh Jamal top the table, City Club and Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity languish at the bottom with three losses in as many games. Rupganj Tigers have been able to build on their stunning victory over Abahani.
Players to watch
These are early days in the tournament but Shahadat Hossain has impressed with his match-winning century for Prime Bank against Legends of Rupganj.