Indian batsman Pawan Negi made a belligerent century to help his side Legends of Rupganj snatch a win from the jaws of defeat in their Dhaka Premier League Super League match against Victoria Sporting Club on Wednesday. From a precarious 83-6, Negi resurrected his side with an unbeaten 124-run innings to chase down Victoria’s total of 258 and reach 264-8 in 48.5 overs to win the match by two wickets at Fatullah.
With the win, Rupganj, who have now won both their games in Super League so far, reached the top of the table with 18 points, one more than Victoria, from 13 games.
Rupganj lost their opener Mohammad Mithun (17) when the score was 18 and lost wickets in the regular intervals though their opener Soumya Sarker remained not out for a while.
But the stylish left handed batsman eventually got out in the bowling of Al-Amin in the 22nd over after playing an unusual knock of 28 off 50 balls to leave his side on 80-5 with Negi arriving in the crease.
Negi, the 23-year old left-handed batsman, soon lost Jahirul Islam but got superb support from Mosharraf Hossain to add 148 runs in the seventh wicket stand.
Negi counter-attacked the Victoria bowlers and picked up 13 boundaries and four sixes to clinch his first list A century that could not have come in any better circumstances.
Mosharraf, struck 88 runs to snatch a thrilling win in the corresponding first round win, played his part again with a crucial innings of 41 runs
That meant Sri Lankan spinner Chaturanga de Silva, who is the highest wicket taker in this season’s league so far with 28 wickets, saw his 5-46, his third five-wicket haul in the league, went in vain.
Earlier in the day, Victoria were sent into batting and Mominul Haque kept his rich vein of form as the stylish batsman scored 82 runs of just 72 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes.
Another inform batsman Al-Amin made 63 runs and opener Abdul Mazid, who is currently the highest run-getter in the league, scored 26 runs but none could go on to make a three-figure mark.
Victorian late-order batsmen also failed to make enough acceleration in the end and ended up with a score that ultimately proved to be inadequate.
Taijul Islam grabbed three wickets for Rupganj while Abu Hider and man-of-the-match Negi got two wickets apiece.
Brief Scores
Victoria SC 258 in 50 overs (Mominul 82, Al-Amin 63; Taijul 3-47, Hider 2-32, Negi 2-54) v Legends of Rupganj 264-8 in 48.5 overs (Negi 124 not out, Mosharraf 41; Chaturanga 5-46)
Result: Legends of Rupganj won by 2 wickets.
Man of the match: Pawan Negi (Legends of Rupganj)
-With New Age input
