Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto struck a blistering hundred to take Abahani Limited to the cusp of their 23rd Dhaka Premier League title as they thrashed Gazi Group Cricketers by 171 runs in their second Super League game at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah on Thursday.聽
This victory means that the defending champions, who have registered a record 13 straight wins this season, are just one victory away from the title.
Shanto, who struck an unbeaten 118 off 85 balls in the penultimate match of the league phase, smashed an 84-ball 101聽hitting聽eight fours and six sixes, his second century of the season, which propelled Abahani to a daunting 343-5.
Anamul Haque Bijoy scored 68聽while聽Towhid Hridoy was unbeaten on 58 off 40 balls.
In reply, Gazi Group were bowled out for just 172 in 35.1 overs, courtesy of left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan鈥檚 4-44. Md Sabbir Hossen Shikder scored highest 62 for Gazi Group.
Abahani made a decent start as their openers 鈥� Mohammad Naim and Liton Das 鈥� added 57 before falling聽in quick succession聽to see them reduced to 69-2.
Both of them聽made 33 each before being dismissed by Sheikh Parviz Jibon and Jibon, respectively.聽
However, they came out of that double blow as Shanto and Anamul combined for a 130-run stand for the third wicket before the latter fell to Faysal Ahmed Rayhan, leaving the side at 199-3.
Soon after聽that,聽Shanto reached his hundred to boost the Bangladesh management鈥檚 confidence ahead of their series against Zimbabwe, which will start in Chattogram next month.
However, the batter聽was eventually removed聽by Parviz. Abahani further lost Jaker Ali Anik for 11聽but聽Towhid and Mosaddek Hossain shared a 57-run stand as the former hit a fifty and the latter struck a 17-ball 33 to take Abahani close to the three hundred and fifty-run mark.
Pursuing a mammoth total, Gazi Group batters hardly聽made an effort聽to pull their side close to the target as they lost wicket at regular intervals.聽
Apart from Sabbir Hossen, no other batter could reach the 40-run mark, which saw them bowled out for a sub-200 total.
In the day鈥檚 other tie at BKSP-3, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club registered a 7-wicket win over Shinepukur Cricket Club.
Shinepukur amassed a moderate 264 courtesy of 98 from opener Jishan Alam and 64 from Akbar Ali. Taibur Rahman claimed 3-38.
However, Sk Jamal breezed past the total courtesy of Fazle Mahmud Rabbi鈥檚 unbeaten 101 off 119 balls, which allowed them to chase the total down with 22 balls in hand.
Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad, and Mukidul Islam Mugdho took two wickets each.
At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mohammedan Sporting Club beat Prime Bank Cricket Club by 33 runs.
With Rony Talukdar and Mehidy Hasan Miraz making 141 and an unbeaten 29-ball 53, respectively, Mohammedan聽managed to聽put 317-6 on the board.
Shak Mahedi Hasan took 2-72 for Prime Bank.
Chasing a challenging total, Prime Bank were bowled out for 284 as Abu Hider Rony, Mushfik Hasan, and Nasum Ahmed claimed two wickets each.