Week of last-over thrillers as Hanuma Vihari revives Abahani Limited
All the highlights from the past week at the Dhaka Premier League, including a career-best 141* from Mohammad Ashraful
It is getting crowded at the top of the Dhaka Premier League points table with just over a week remaining for the first phase to end. Prime Bank Cricket Club and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club are on top with 12 points, closely followed by defending champions Abahani Limited and Legends of Rupganj, both on ten points each.
Hanuma Vihari, Abahani's Indian recruit, struck a century and a fifty helping Abahani to three wins out of three this week. Brothers Union's Mohammad Ashraful reached his career-best List-A score against Rupganj Tigers, making an unbeaten 141.
Left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan climbed to the top of the wicket-takers' charts this week, having taken 17 wickets at 22.00, with an economy rate of 4.73.
Mohammedan's eighth position on the points table after seven games belies the fact that they are a high-spending team that includes former Pakistan international Mohammad Hafeez. But they have had few in-form players, and even had to drop Soumya Sarkar for the Dhaka derby against Abahani. Soumya has so far made just 100 runs in six innings, while Shuvagata Hom, another domestic stalwart, has made 78 runs in seven outings.
Akbar Ali's 45-ball unbeaten 89 against Mohammedan was a thing of beauty. Since leading Bangladesh to the Under-19 World Cup title two years ago, Akbar has a massive following, and all the expectations that go with it. That said, this was only his fourth fifty in 68 games across formats, but then he often doesn't get much time at the crease. In this game he did, and he struck six sixes and five fours in a reminder to the national selectors of his skills.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84