Saifuddin propels Abahani to hattrick title
Mohammad Saifuddin's all-round performance helped Abahani Limited clinch the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division T20 League title by sealing an eight-run victory over Prime Bank in the final game of the Super League stage of the tournament in Mirpur today.
The win also confirmed Abahani's third consecutive triumph of the Dhaka Premier League, a tournament that was played in T20 format this year rather than its traditional 50-over format. It was also Abahani's record 21st DPL title, 13 more than their rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club, who finished bottom of the Super League table with 15 points from 16 games.
Saifuddin scalped four wickets to restrict Prime Bank to 142 for nine before playing a cameo innings to help Abahani end with a competitive 150 for seven.
Saifuddin, however, could well have cost Abahani the game as he was plundered for 16 runs in the penultimate over as he was hit for a four and a six by Alok Kapali that brought the game right down to the wire with Prime Bank needing 16 more in the final over. But Shohidul Islam bowled a tight final over, giving away just seven runs even after being hit for a six in the fourth ball of the over.
Saifuddin, who turned up with the bat for the Sky Blues earlier, removed Prime Bank opener Rony Talukdar in the very first over. The 24-year-old all-rounder gave Abahani another early breakthrough when he had Prime Bank skipper Anamul Haque caught behind in the third over, leaving Prime Bank struggling at two for 20 after three overs.
Rubel Mia scored a steady 43-ball 41 before Kapali's late blitz helped Prime Bank keep their hopes alive, but Saifuddin wrapped it up with two more wickets -- those of Nayeem Hasan and Rubel Hossain -- at the death to ensure Abahani's triumph. The all-rounder ended with figures of four for 36 in his four overs.
Earlier, electing to bat, after losing their top three batsmen -- Mohammad Naim, Munim Shahriar and Liton Das -- early, the duo of Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mosaddek Hossain did the rebuilding work for Abahani. Shanto and Abahani skipper Mosaddek stitched together a crucial 70-run fourth-wicket stand after the Sky Blues were struggling at three for 31 after 4.2 overs.
Shanto, who had started slow after Abahani were reeling from early loss of wickets, cranked his strike rate up a notch at the latter stage of the game as the left-hander scored a 40-ball 45, featuring three boundaries and two maximums. Mosaddek, who scored a 39-ball 40, supported Shanto aptly in the middle.
While Shanto and Mosaddek revived Abahani's innings, youngster Afif Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin played two cameo knocks to help their side end their innings on a positive note. Afif scored 12 off seven while Saifuddin smashed an unbeaten 13-ball 21, featuring two maximums.
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