All-round Afif show trumps Mohammedan

As Abahani's Afif Hossain came to the prize-giving ceremony to pick up his player of the match award, having starred with both bat and ball, he wore a smile that spoke more than words could reveal. Asked if being the player of the match against archrivals Mohammedan was a big achievement, he nodded without saying anything, but the satisfaction was apparent.

Sent in to bat, Mohammedan started brightly at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium with Rony Talukdar and Abdul Mazid before Arafat Sunny removed the former. Mohammedan then gained momentum with a 115-run stand between Mohammad Hafeez and Ruyel Miah.

Hafeez's 101-ball 70 and Ruyel's 51 took Mohammedan to a comfortable position but a couple of breakthroughs helped Abahani stem the flow of runs with Tanzim Hasan Sakib picking up three for 33 runs.

Mahmudullah Riyad's 37-ball 42 further swung the game away from Mohammedan as they ended all out for 255, with Afif picking up two wickets at the end of the innings.

Mohammad Ashraful notched an unbeaten 139-ball 141 -- his highest List A score – to help Brothers Union post 309 for four against Rupganj Tigers. Fazle Mahmud starred with a run-a-ball 100 but it went in vain as Rupganj Tigers fell short by 36 runs.

In chase, Abahani lost opener Mohammad Naim early and Munim Shahriar did not make anything meaningful from a good start as he departed after a 25-ball 31.

From that point on, Hanuma Vihari and youngster Jaker Ali starred in a 98-run stand to keep Abahani in the game.

Vihari's patient 80-ball 59, laced with seven fours, was complimented well by Jaker's 89-ball 60. Hafeez scalped Vihari in the 32nd over before Shuvagata Hom removed Jaker in the 37th but Afif did not allow any pressure on his side with a fluent but assertive 48 off 38 deliveries, hitting the likes of Hafeez and Hasan Mahmud.

Mosaddek Hossain also took the attack to the bowlers with an unbeaten 52 off 37 as they reached the target with six wickets and six wickets to spare.

Mohammedan meanwhile are stranded at eighth in the standings after a fourth defeat this season and will have a difficult job of making the Super League.

At ULAB, Anamul Haque's 77 off 61 balls and Abhimanyu Easwaran's 62 not out saw Prime Bank 265 for nine after being sent in to bat. Parvez Rasool claimed 4-25 in his 10 overs. Rasool played a more crucial role with the bat during a 51-ball 65 to pull his side out of trouble as he starred in a 27-run stand with number 11 Arif Ahmed during a l biting win for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi.