BCL 2021-22: Central Zone and South Zone in final after high-scoring draw

A drawn game between Central Zone and South Zone took both sides to the Bangladesh Cricket League final. Centuries from Amite Hasan, Towhid Hridoy and Zakir Hasan helped South Zone take a 13-run first-innings lead after Central Zone made 481.

Hridoy top scored with 122, striking 13 fours and four sixes in his 155-ball knock. He added 201 runs for the third wicket with Amite, who made 117 with 17 fours. Amite had earlier added 108 for the second wicket with opener Pinak Ghosh, who chipped in with 74.

Left-hand batter Zakir piled on the runs after the two big partnerships, hammering nine fours and two sixes in his 109 off 185 balls. He was the last man out on 494 in 158.3 overs.

Earlier, Soumya Sarkar and Shuvagata Hom made 150 and 152 respectively to help Central Zone to their big first-innings total. The pair added 193 runs for the fifth wicket; Soumya struck 12 fours and three sixes in his 292-ball stay while Shuvagata hit 18 fours in his 211-ball knock.

Legspinner Rishad Hossain took 5 for 129 from his 34.5 overs, his second five-for in first-class cricket. Central made 99 for 4 in the final session, with Soumya top-scoring with 43. Rishad picked up two wickets.

Left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam took a match haul of 11 for 145 to power North Zone to a six-wicket win against East Zone at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi. Sunzamul took an eight-wicket haul in the second innings, but it was only after left-arm quick Shafiqul Islam took 5 for 35 in the first innings that helped North Zone control the game.

North Zone bowled out East Zone for 166 before taking a 144-run lead. Tanzid Hasan made 91 with the help of 14 boundaries, while Mahidul Islam Ankon and Sharifullah contributed with 48 and 49 respectively. Ifran Hossain took 5 for 56 while Tanvir Islam took three wickets.

Sunzamul then took matters into his own hands, taking 8 for 98 in East Zone's second innings to help bowl them out for 254. It was the fourth occasion that Sunzamul took eight or more wickets in an innings.

North Zone then knocked off the required 111 runs in 28 overs, with Junaid Siddique top-scoring with 38.