Mashrafe’s 4-for leads Legends

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, on a hattrick, watched the ball zip off the surface but just beat the outside edge of Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity's number 10 batter Noor Alam before going through to the wicket-keeper, leaving the Legends of Rupganj skipper without a hattrick.

The 38-year-old had scalped three wickets prior to that delivery and only one delivery later, a slower one got the better of Noor, who could only manage to provide a dolly of a catch to mid-wicket to leave Mash with four wickets and Khelaghar bowled out for 198.

Slower deliveries in particular had worked their charm in the Dhaka Premier League match in Mirpur yesterday. Mashrafe bamboozled opener Hasanuzzaman with one early in the innings and back-to-back wickets in the 48th over, too, had come from slower cutters.

Rupganj's start with the bat was poor but Chirag Jani's 72 saw them come back into the match, but Salman Hossain sent back Chirag and in-form Naeem Islam for 24 to turn the game again. The skipper himself went for a 17-ball 12 at number eight, but Tanbir Hayder's unbeaten 51 saw Rupganj pick up an eight-wicket.

"The league is going well and every team is near each other. In this situation, it's very good for the team to get a win. We were under pressure and very lucky to win since our execution was not quite there even after getting set," Mashrafe told reporters, adding that he was getting some rhythm back but was fearful of his back injury escalating.

At BKSP, City Club won their second game after restricting Shinepukur to 175 all out. Shariar Komol's 55 was supported by Zakirul Ahmed's 46 drove City to a six-wicket win.