Rain forced two Dhaka Premier League matches on Tuesday to enter into the reserve day as Abahani Limited’s encounter with Gazi Group Cricket and Mohammedan Sporting Club’s match with Prime Bank Cricket Club could not be completed due to heavy downpour. Prime Bank were 41-1 in 6.2 overs after dismissing MSC for 224 runs in 49.2 overs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium while in the other match at BKSP Abahani made 276-6 in 50 overs before rain halted the match.
At SBNS, late order batsmen Nazmul Hossain Milon and Habibur Rahman scored half centuries to save Mohammedan from an embarrassment after they were reduced to 41-5 at one stage.
Nazmul salvaged the innings with 64 off 84 balls with six fours and initially received some support from the club’s new Indian recruit Mithun Manhas.
The Indian batsman, who came in number five, added 70 runs in the sixth wicket stand with Nazmul before he was out for 35.
Habibur Rahman came to the support of Nazmul after Sri Lankan cricketer Shehan Jayasuriya dismissed Manhas showing his all-round skill that could be decisive in the match.
Habibur, who has made his name with his spin bowling in this league picking up 12 wickets so far, put 84 runs in the seventh wicket and made 50 off 64 balls, his maiden List A half-century, which included four boundaries and two sixes.
Mohammad Azim picked up 3-40 while Rubel Hossain and Monir Hossain grabbed two wickets each for Prime.
In the other match, Abahani rode on the back of Rajat Bhatia’s unbeaten 90 runs to score a respectable 276-6 against Gazi.
Needing a win desperately, Abahani, who lost their previous three matches, brought Rajat as their fourth overseas cricketer of the season and reaped some results almost immediately.
Tamim Iqbal provided the start once against but was guilty of getting dismissed without converting it into a big innings.
He stuck 55 runs, his fourth fifty in the league and saw out of form Liton Kumar ( 37) making a decent contribution to give them a good start.
Rajat, who played for Rising Pune Supergiants in the Indian Premier League, provided Abahani some much-needed solidity in the middle order with his unbeaten 88-ball innings, which had nine fours and two sixes.
He added 100 runs with Mossadek Hossain (47) in the fifth wicket stand to help Abahani put a good score on the board after Tamim and Liton set the base with a 92-run second wicket stand.
Brief Scores
Abahani Limited v Gazi Group
Abahani 276-6 in 50 overs (Bhatia 90 not out, Tamim 55, Mosaddek 47, Liton 37; Mehedi 2-32) v Gazi Group
****
Mohammedan SC v Prime Bank CC
Mohammedan 224 in 49.2 overs (Nazmul 64, Habib 50, Manhas 35; Azim 3-40, Monir 2-33, Rubel 2-40) v Prime Bank 41-1 in 6.2 overs (Maruf 22 not out, Sabbir 0 not out)
Result: Prime Bank CC require another 184 runs with 9 wickets and 43.4 overs remaining.
-With New Age input
