Rajshahi and Khulna kept their hopes alive for a berth in the final of the National Cricket League one-day version by winning their respective second round matches of the second phase on Wednesday.
Title aspirants Rajshahi defeated Dhaka by 79 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium while a resurgent Khulna recorded their second consecutive win, this time against holders Barisal by three wickets, at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium.
Despite the loss, Barisal still topped the table with 10 points while the other three teams are level on eight points. Dhaka will face Barisal while Rajshahi will take on Khulna in the last round of the phase.
Barisal v Khulna
Sakib al Hasan inspired Khulna with a superb all-round performance as they raced to 219-7 with more than five overs to spare after they had restricted high-flying Khulna to 213-8.
Sakib claimed 3-34 while Dollar Mahmud bagged two wickets as Barisal failed to produce the kind of batting performance that has made them a formidable side in this edition.
The biggest blow, however, came from Syed Rasel for Barisal in what was only the fifth over of the game as
their star performer Fazle Rabbi gave a catch to Tushar Imran to depart for only six.
A seventh-wicket stand of 61 runs between Arafat Salahuddin and Sohag Gazi (26) only helped Barisal put a reasonable total on the board. Arafat remained unbeaten on 64 facing 84 balls and hitting five fours and six.
Nazmus Sadat scored 71 runs from 93 balls to lay the foundation for Khulna before Sakib’s 35 off 33 balls sealed the deal.
Dhaka v Rajshahi
Junaed Siddique, relatively quiet compared to his competitors in the national team, struck his second half-century in the competition, 60 off 76 balls, and Sabbir Rahman complemented with an 89-ball 70 as Rajshahi ended their stipulated overs at 276-8.
Mohammad Ashraful, who took three wickets with the ball, made only three runs, his first single digit score in the competition, which contributed to Dhaka’s downfall as they were all out for 197 runs in little over 40 overs.
Rajshahi put them in a spin with Sohrawardi Shuvo, Nasir Hossain and Naeem Islam each grabbing two wickets. Shubhagata Hom made highest 56 runs for Dhaka.
