Abahani, Mohammedan set for super finale

Abahani Limited and Mohammedans Sporting Club brought up the huge exciting finishing of the Ispahani Tea Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League when the both archrivals won their respective matches of the super league phase on Friday to set a must win platform for them to clinch the title in the last round.
The two traditional rivals will meet in a virtual final on December 21 to decide the championship.
Abahani and Mohammedans’ win meant Biman had to be raced out despite winning their match against Victoria Sporting Club as a win against Cricket Coaching School (CCS) in the last round would not be enough. But they would have the chance to finish with second slot if Abahani loss the match against Mohammedans. In that case both Biman and Abahani will end the journey with same 25 points but Biman would have the edge by virtue of head-to-head confront. They beat Abahani in the group phase and forced them to make tie in the super league. On the other hand, Mohammedans with 26 points can clinch the title after eight years if they just make the match tie against Abahani but a loss against the old foes will keep them awaiting for another year.
However all the three matches of the super league phase on Friday were so far low scoring tie where Mohammedans romped to a five-wicket victory over Kalabagan at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium riding on a superb five scalps from left arm spinner Saqlain Sajib. Abahani recorded a four-wicket victory over CCS at Khan Shaheb Osmani Ali Stadium. Biman. On the other hand Biman grabbed an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Victoria Sporting Club at Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium.
MSC vs Kalabagan
After a stunning 112-run defeat against Biman in the previous round, Mohammedans regrouped them well to get back to the winning spree as the bowlers showed the way led by Saqlain Sajib to set an easy platform for the batters.
Sajib scalped five for just 36 runs in a gritty bowling show as the title contender shot the giant killers Kalabagan out for 120 runs in 34 overs. Though the batters once again showed awful batting performance, they were never in position to loss the match. Shamsur Rahman Shuvo’s 43 runs knock helped them to sail the home within 30.4 overs after losing five wickets in pursuit of the paltry total.
Mohammedans, however, tightened the grip from the very beginning of the match when the left arm spinners’ duo Nabil Samad and Saqlain Sajib struck on a regular basis. Nabil Samad drew the blood first having scalped opener Golam Mabud, who indicated a fiery start, particularly tore apart pacer Shahjada.
Saqlain Sajib was introduced soon and he appeared as the chief wrecker giving the side a regular breakthrough until number eight and nine batsman Fariduddin Masud and Shafaq Al Zabir stood tall. The duo however propelled the side past 100. Masud made 32 while Shafaq contributed 21.
Sajib hauled five for 36 while Faysal and Rana Naved took two wickets apiece.
Mohammedans lost opener Rana Naved cheaply but Shamshur Rahman Shuvo and Ashraful took them on the verge of the win. They had to pay off some needless shot which caused some wickets down at the end.
Abahani vs CCS
Pakistan recruit Abdur Razzak came up with a brilliant all-round performance to guide Abahani a four-wicket win over CCS.
As a new ball bowler he claimed three wickets that eventually cleaned up CCS tail as they were bundled out for 172 in 44.2 overs. Later he hammered a 74 ball-71 runs knock that contained with five fours and four sixes as Abahani reached home with making 174 for six in 36.1 overs.
Biman vs Victoria
Paceman Shafiul Islam and left arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel shared eight wickets evenly to wrap up Victoria for 94 in 34 overs. Later Biman overhauled the target within 18.4 overs losing two wickets just.