A good batting effort was backed up by some very competent bowling as Tamim Iqbal's Prime Bank Cricket Club got their Dhaka Premier League (DPL) campaign off to a winning start, defeating Mahmudullah Riyad's Gazi Group by 10 runs at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur today.

Chasing 252 for victory, Mahmudullah's side could not dictate terms against Prime Bank bowlers. Soumya Sarkar was the exception, hitting 49 off 51 before he was bowled by Nahidul Islam. Mahmudullah tried to bide his time to get himself in but when he fell to Alok Kapali for a 60-ball 32, the task looked improbable.

Bangladesh U-19 captain Akbar Ali threatened to cut loose but he was run out to leave the score on 174 for seven in the 40th over. Young all-rounder Mahedi Hasan took the challenge on, hitting  an unbeaten 50-ball 56 but the task was too big in the end as he managed 10 in the last over with Gazi reaching 242 for nine.

Prime Bank were kept under pressure after being asked to bat, losing opener Anamul Haque early. Nasum Ahmed then removed Tamim Iqbal after a 47-ball 19 as the opener miscued a delivery and then got the scalp of Rokibul Hasan in his next over. Rony Talukder held the innings together with a 104-ball 79 but then Gazi skipper Mahmudullah Riyad brought himself on and broke the 55-run fourth-wicket partnership between Rony and Mohammad Mithun. Riyad soon bagged two more and it appeared that Prime Bank may not get a challenging score on the board.

Nahid Ali and Nayeem Hasan rose to the challenge as the former hit a 43-ball 53 and the later struck 46 off 36 as Prime Bank reached 252 without losing any more wickets.