Abahani finish top after Bangladesh Premier League first round

Abahani finished their first round campaign unbeaten brightening their title hopes in the Premier Division Cricket League earning a comfortable 46-run victory against Bangladesh Biman in a curtailed over match at Bangabandhu National Stadium Thursday.

Captain Akram Khan, a former national skipper, and all rounder Naimur Rahman Durjoy played key roles with willow, making two half centuries while Pakistani spinner Mohammed Hossain later showed brilliant job with leather picking up five wickets to shape the day's victory.

After completion of the first round of the league Thursday, Abahani's points from 11 matches is now 22. They are six points ahead of their nearer contenders.

Defending champions Bangladesh Biman, Surjo Tarun Club and Kalabagan KC are following the leader securing 16 points each from eleven outings. Brothers Union Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club are the other super league teams who completed their first phase campaign with 14 points.

In the Thursday's match, the poor batting performance like the previous two encounters forced Bangladesh Biman to suffer the defeat.

Chasing the opposition total of 191 runs for six in fixed 33 overs, Pakistani left-arm spinner Mohammed Hossain's five-wicket haul wrapped up the national flag carrier team's total at 145 runs in 31.1 overs.

Mohammed Hossain was the fourth bowler in the league to haul five wickets in a match. He completed his seven overs quota conceding 34 runs with one maidens.

Rain on Wednesday night and also in the morning before beginning of the match caused a delayed start, which was fixed at 33 overs a side.

Chasing the nearly six per over run rate, Biman openers Javed Omar Belim Gulla and Pakistani Manzoor Akhter failed to set out a flying start for their team. But after fifth over they exhilarated the scoreboard raising the run rate five per over.

Pakistani spinner Amir Wasim, who opened the bowling attack for Abahani as its main striking bowler Hasibul Hossain Shanta is yet to recover from injuries, made first breakthrough when his compatriot Manzoor Akhter (17) returned back to the pavilion, stumped by Mizanur Rahman with scoreboard showing 48 runs in 8.1 overs.

After the dismissal of the opening partnership, Bangladesh Biman lost their wickets at regular intervals.

National skipper Aminul Islam Bulbul was the second top scorer for Biman making 22 runs off 34 balls. Bulbul was caught and bowled by Mohammed Hossain at mid-on. Javed Omar Belim Gulla made the highest 45 runs off 60 balls that included five boundaries before being caught at cover by Durjoy also off Mohammed Hossain, who opened his account taking the wicket.

Left-arm Pakistani spinner Abdur Rehman, a debutante for Abahani Thursday, took two wickets for 22 runs in 6.1 overs while Amir Wasim, Iqbal Hossain and Naimur Rahman Durjoy one wicket each.

Earlier, Abahani Limited threw challenge to their opposition scoring 191 runs for six wickets in the refixed 33 overs match riding on two half centuries by Akram Khan and Naimur Rahman Durjoy.

The big man Akram Khan, who batted at number five, hammered 62 runs off 48 deliveries with three huge sixes and one boundary. Akram hit the first six in the 25th over of the innings over bowler's Bulbul head and in next over he hammered another over boundary over the long on against spinner Faruque Iqbal. The dashing batsman played his last six over the mid-wicket against Pakistani leggy Manzoor Akhter. The former national captain played a glance against Manzoor Akhter to complete his 50 collecting three runs.

Akram and Durjoy, who made 58 runs off 59 balls featuring four boundaries and one sixer made 97 runs in the fourth wicket stand. Durjoy's sixer was a superb one to hit the ball over the square leg against Manzoor Akhter to reach the half-century mark facing 54 deliveries.

Azam Iqbal and national opener Mehrab Hossain Opee made good start for Abahani making 49 runs in the opening stand. The partnership was broken when Azam Iqbal returned to the pavilion caught at long off by spinner Plabon making 20 runs off 29 balls.

Mehrab Hossain Opee, dropped by keeper Atiar Rahman at duck, scored 34 runs off 42 balls with three fours and one six over the bowler Jahangir Alam Dulu's head.

Manzoor Akhter, who gave nine runs in his first four overs spell, finished his seven overs quota picking up three wickets for 33 runs while Shariful Haq Plabon took two wickets for 35 runs in 7 overs.