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Mohammad Naim hit a blistering 104* off just 64 balls in Prime Bank’s thrashing nine-wicket victory over Shinepukur Cricket Club in the ongoing Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League at BKSP-3 on Friday. 

After being put into bat first, Shinepukur, were all out for 159 runs in 48.4 overs with Farjan Ahmed scoring team’s highest 38 runs. 

Two left-armer, pacer Shafiqul Islam and spinner Nazmul Islam, each took three wickets, while leg spinner Rishad Hossain took two. 

Prime Bank aced the chase after Naim and Sabbir Hosan (47 off 48) added 120 runs in the opening partnership in just 15 overs. 

Left-handed Naim, who previously played a knock of 176 runs, reached his hundred in 63 balls and smashed 11 fours and five sixes in his innings.

Dhanmondi Sports Club captain Nurul Hasan put up a valiant effort to score 100 off 93 but couldn’t get his team over the line as they fell short by 23 runs against Mohammedan Sporting Club at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Nurul came to the crease when Dhanmondi were 38-3 in the sixth over chasing 216.  He then held the fort at one end as Dhanmondi were crumbling around him. 

The wicketkeeper-batter, who reached his fifty in 55 balls, added valuable partnerships with the tailenders to give themselves a fair chance. 

He then hit Mohammad Saifuddin for consecutive sixes, the first of those bringing his hundred off 92 balls.  But a third attempt failed as he was caught at deep midwicket, which handed Mohammedan their fifth win of the season. 

‘The timing wasn’t accurate,’ Nurul later said on his shot. ‘I thought if that went into the gaps, then it could’ve been okay. But to be honest, I realised that the timing wasn’t good.’ 

Saifuddin took three wickets while Taskin Ahmed and Taijul Islam each took two wickets. 

Earlier, Mohammedan managed 216-6 in 50 overs on a tricky wicket thanks to Towhid Hridoy’s unbeaten 53 off 47 and Mahidul Islam’s 44 off 77. Kamrul Islam took three wickets. 

In another match, Mominul Haque’s four wickets and Mohammad Mithun’s 76-run innings helped Abahani Limited to beat Gazi Group Cricketers by two wickets at BKSP-4. 

Both teams started the match with the same points, and Abahani were only ahead by virtue of a greater run rate. But now Abahani have extended their lead after the seventh round. 

Gazi Group managed 199 in 35.1 overs as they kept losing wickets regularly after being asked to bat first. 

Anamul Haque made 68 off 76 on the back of his 149 in the previous match, while Wasi Siddique scored 42. The duo added the only fifty partnership (57) of the Gazi Group innings. 

Left-arm spinner Mominul, who came to bowl as the seventh option, took four for 38 runs, including that of Anamul. 

Abahani were cruising the chase when they were 177-4 in the 29th over.  But a mini collapse where they lost four wickets for 21 runs jolted their progress a bit, but eventually they got home.