Report

Raqibul's mammoth 190 headlines 705-run slugfest

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League matches played on May 8, 2017

Mohammad Isam
Mohammad Isam
08-May-2017
File photo - Raqibul Hasan notched up the highest score - 190 - in Bangladesh's List-A cricket history  •  Bangladesh Cricket Board

File photo - Raqibul Hasan notched up the highest score - 190 - in Bangladesh's List-A cricket history  •  Bangladesh Cricket Board

Records tumbled at the BKSP-4 Ground in Savar as Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club revived their traditional rivalry in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. Mohammedan fell 27 runs short of Abahani's mammoth 366 for 5, the second-highest score by any side in a List-A game in Bangladesh.
The game saw 705 runs being scored, the most in any List-A game in Bangladesh, with Mohammedan captain Raqibul Hasan notching up the highest score - 190 - in Bangladesh's List-A history, surpassing team-mate Tamim Iqbal's 157 against Kalabagan Krira Chakra from earlier this season. Raqibul helped Mohammedan post 339 for 9 in 50 overs, the highest score by a chasing side in a List-A game in Bangladesh.
Opener Liton Das, who had made a century against Mohammedan the last time the two sides met, set the tone for Abahani's innings, clobbering 15 fours and two sixes enroute to his 135 off 103 balls. He added 103 for the opening stand with Shadman Islam (28) and another 109 for the second wicket with Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who muscled a 100-ball 110, including six sixes and three fours. After Shamsur Rahman removed Liton, Shanto added 90 runs for the fifth wicket with Shuvagata Hom (48* off 27) in nine overs. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam survived the bulk of the carnage, finishing with 3 for 57 from his 10 overs.
In 2016, when Abahani had posted 371 for 5, Mohammedan had collapsed meekly. This time, however, Raqibul and Charith Asalanka (63) helped avoid any such collapse. From 38 for 3, they added 175 runs together to take Mohammedan to 213 for 4. Once Asalanka fell in the 30th over, Raqibul ticked along, peppering ten sixes and 17 fours in all, before being dismissed in the final over.
For Abahani, left-arm spinner Manan Sharma took 5 for 47 from his ten overs and set up the victory.
Legends of Rupganj prevailed over Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity by 28 runs at the KSOA Stadium in Fatullah. Having elected to bat, Rupganj were bowled out for 239 runs in 49.5 overs with Yasir Ali top-scoring with 59. They had slumped to 105 for 5 before Yasir and Raza Ali Dar (46) added 94 runs to resuscitate Rupganj's innings. Opening bowler Tanvir Islam took three wickets.
In reply, Khelaghar struggled to forge big partnerships as they folded for 211 runs in 48.1 overs. Nazimuddin (59) and Nazmus Sadat (52) struck half-centuries, but their efforts found little support from the other batsmen. Robiul Islam Robi, who had made centuries in the last two matches, fell for a golden duck.
Mohammad Sharif, Dar, Mosharraf Hossain and Naeem Islam took two wickets each.
Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club's Abdul Mazid and Arafat Sunny turned in brilliant individual performances as Victoria Sporting Club lurched to their eighth consecutive loss. They went down by 119 runs at the BKSP-3 Ground, and are entrenched in the relegation zone.
Batting first, Doleshwar amassed 339 for 6 in 50 overs. Mazid lasted 40.1 overs, smashing seven fours and five sixes during his 114-ball 116. He added 72 for the opening stand with Imtiaz Hossain (36), and another 91 for the second wicket with Shahriar Nafees (34). A fifth-wicket partnership of 87 runs between Chathuranga de Silva, who struck four sixes and six fours in his 25-ball 64, and Sharifullah led them past 300.
Victoria's chase was stifled by Sunny's six-wicket haul as he helped skittle the opposition for 220 in 45.5 overs. Shafiul Hayet (66) and Moinul Islam (64) resisted Victoria's collapse with a 96-run stand for the fifth wicket after their side had slipped to 39 for 4 in the seventh over.
Sunny finished with figures of 6 for 56 in his 9.5 overs.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84