Abahani, who play Mohamme-dan in the final round of Kai-Altech Premier Super League on May 27, took an unassailable lead with 25 points.

Mohammedan Sporting Club and Sonargaon Cricketers also won their respective matches on the day to stay in contention for a second-place finish. Mohammedan have 22 points, one point ahead of last year's runners-up Sonargaon.

Playing the Super League with half the strength with their leading players missing through injury and national duty, Abahani dedicated their 14th league triumph to their national all-rounder Manzarul Islam Rana who died in a road accident last March.

"Rana played his role in the first leg and we missed him badly. As soon as the match finished, we announced that this victory is for Rana," told Abahani cricket secretary GS Hassan Tamim.

"We struggled not only for absence of players but some quarters tried to make sure we do not get those players during our super league campaign. We even had to make a great effort to field 11 players at one stage," said the former national cricketer who heaves his praises on former Bangladesh cricket captain Aminul Islam Bulbul.

"In his first season as a coach, Bulbul has proved that he has one of the best minds. He worked hard, he is very calculating and my heartiest congratulations to him.

"He has done an excellent job for us and behaved as a true professional. I think he will go far as a coach," he added.

Abahani, who suffered a defeat to Biman after their Super League opener against outgoing two-time champions Old DOHS was washed out, came to the crucial game on the back of a win against Sonargaon and stand-in captain Nazimuddin did not hesitate to elect to field at the Fatullah Stadium.

A fiery spell by Talha Jubair broke a good opening stand between Imrul Kayes and Nasiruddin Faruque, who added 46 runs in nine overs on way to 172 all out.

Former national paceman Talha, who came in as first change, removed Kayes for 30 in the first ball of the tenth over and was on a hattrick when he sent back one-down Mushfiqur Rahim, the country's World Cup wicketkeeper promoted in the batting order for unknown reasons.

Mahmudullah Riyad survived the hattrick ball but he was also scalped by man-of-the-match Jubair who mopped the rival innings with the wicket of top-scorer Faruque to take 4-25 from 6.3 overs.

Faruque, who batted throughout the innings, made 78 of 122 balls featuring ten boundaries.

Left-arm spinner Sohrawardy Shuvo dominated in the middle as the HSC Examinations candidate captured 3-39.

Makeshift opener Ziaur Rahman contributed 27 as Abahani got off to a flying start, adding 76 runs in the opening wicket in 12 overs. Nazmus Sadat made 40 but Abahani had a hiccup as they lost three wickets in the space of 17 runs, losing the openers and Nazimuddin.

However, Naeem Islam settled for an anchoring 40 off 71 balls and Sri Lankan ace Upul Chandana hammered half-dozen fours and a six in a breezy 43 off 52 deliveries during an unbroken 80-run stand that guided Abahani home with over 11 overs remaining.

At the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, seamer Mahbub Alam's five-wicket haul steered Sonargaon to a seven-wicket win over Biman who skittled out for 124 in just 24 overs. Alam, adjudged man-of-the-match, destroyed the Biman top-order in his 9-over spell, grabbing 5-34.

Mohammedan enjoyed another run feast as they amassed 284-8 on way to crush Old DOHS by 150 runs at BKSP with Indian batsman Sandeep Sharma hitting a 68-ball 74 and man-of-the-match Sahagir Hossain making 68 off 70 balls before gloving three catches behind the stump.