It was Abahani's first Super League win after a washed-out match and a defeat which helped them open up a three point lead in the six-team championship table.

Mohammedan stayed alive with a heavy 65-run win over Victoria Sporting Club but the second-placed side cannot afford another loss as it will hand the trophy to Abahani after half a decade.

Sonargaon can catch Abahani by the end of the league if they win their remaining two matches, provided the current table-toppers also lose both their games, but the head-to-head record will speak for Abahani who have defeated their rivals twice this season.

In another third round match, Tamim Iqbal's blazing hundred gave defending two-time champions Old DOHS a five-wicket victory against Bangladesh Biman to put an end to their six-match winless streak.

ABAHANI-SONARGAON
With only three specialist batsmen in the lineup, Abahani were in deep trouble when makeshift opener Ziaur Rahman and one-down Nazimuddin were sent back without scoring while chasing a 186-run target at BKSP.

However, opener Nazmus Sadat and Naeem Islam, the last recognised pair which came together at 13-2, weathered the storm adding 86 runs. Sadat was dismissed for 42 but left-hander Naeem shared another significant 50-run stand with wicketkeeper Kuntal Chanda (35 off 59 balls) for the fourth wicket to ease the pressure.

Naeem, man-of-the-match, hit seven fours and one six to 63 in a 97-ball vigil while experienced all-rounder Chandana made a brisk 16 not out to guide Abahani to 187-5 with nearly ten overs remaining.

Earlier, the inserted Sonargaon failed to build a challenging total despite half-centuries by Al Shahriar and Marshall Ayub. Having survived the opening salvo, Shahriar made a 67-ball 52 to steady the first half of the innings.

After Nazmus Sadat scalped the former national cricketer, Ayub single-handedly fought against the slow bowlers during an unbeaten 60 off 97 balls laced with nine boundaries. Paceman Talha Jubair picked up Mehrab Hossain Opee and Alok Kapali, Sonargaon's last match hero who fell for a six-ball duck, at the top while Sri Lankan leg-spinner Upul Chandana and left-arm spinner Kamrul Hasan also chipped in with a couple each.

MOHAMMEDAN-VICTORIA
Combative top-order batting including Aftab Ahmed's 74 off 63 balls led Mohammedan to a huge 283-7, a total that proved too good for Victoria who responded with 218 at the Sher-e-bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Rashedul Haque made a run-a-ball 69 and Junaid Siddique 54 from 68 for the 120-run opening wicket which saw 17 boundaries inclusive of three sixes in the first 20 overs.

Indian recruit Sandeep Sharma missed out the run feast but man-of-the-match Aftab, who has lost his place from the Test team, kept the tempo hitting three fours and as many sixes in an entertaining knock. Faisal Hossain gave the finishing touch, the southpaw contributing a quickfire 46 off 42 deliveries.

Victoria all but ran out of contention at four down for 56 and slow fifties by opener Nasiruddin Faruque (63 off 84 balls) and Hasanuzzaman Rosel (55 off 77 balls) hardly helped their cause.

DOHS-BIMAN
At the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh's explosive one-day opener Tamim overshadowed his elder brother Nafis Iqbal's efforts as bottom-table Old DOHS stormed to 245-5 in the 40th over after restricting Biman to 240.

The Chittagong left-hander smashed 14 fours and eight sixes to plunder the rival attack in his 139 off 97 deliveries, that earned him the man-of-the-match award without any competition.

The Biman innings, which slumped to nought for two wickets in the first over, was built around a 150-run third wicket stand between Nafis (72 off 94 balls) and Sanwar Hossain (74 off 91 balls).